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| A Ten Commandments monument which includes the command to "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy". (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)
- You shall have no other gods before Me.
- You shall not make idols.
- You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not lie about your neighbor.
- You shall not covet.
In some ways I'm baffled about the United States government bending to those who are offended by the posting of the Ten Commandments on government properties and in courtrooms. Okay, so the first four might bother atheists, but then again if we look at these Commandments as the historical document that they are, any offense should be considered a non-issue. After all the foundation of law in western society has been rooted in the Ten Commandments. Thus we can argue that the Commandments are an element of our history.
Other than to those who have some aversion to God or the institution of religion, there is nothing in the final six commandments that should be problematic to anyone no matter what they believe. Arguably there is even merit for all in the first four Commandments though none of these have any actual legal implications from the standpoint of government in our day.
The actual desire in preventing the display of the Commandments is to remove any mention of God from our lives and our society. The whims of the few are imposed upon the many. Who should receive the greater respect, those Godless parts of society who would prefer that we all stop believing or God the Supreme Creator? Personally I'm in favor of God.
God will win this in the end, but first the other side might have their day of temporary glory. Believers might pay when that time comes, but our rewards will be much greater when God's time comes.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."Other than to those who have some aversion to God or the institution of religion, there is nothing in the final six commandments that should be problematic to anyone no matter what they believe. Arguably there is even merit for all in the first four Commandments though none of these have any actual legal implications from the standpoint of government in our day.
The actual desire in preventing the display of the Commandments is to remove any mention of God from our lives and our society. The whims of the few are imposed upon the many. Who should receive the greater respect, those Godless parts of society who would prefer that we all stop believing or God the Supreme Creator? Personally I'm in favor of God.
God will win this in the end, but first the other side might have their day of temporary glory. Believers might pay when that time comes, but our rewards will be much greater when God's time comes.
Matthew 5:17-22
New International Version (NIV)
Many of them will tell you they are against the "whole Judeo-Christian morality". Most of them don't know what they are saying, and none of them would really want it, I'd wager.
ReplyDeleteWell see here is the issue. If it is being paid for by the government then my tax dollars are going to promote your religion. If they are paid for by someone else then they still don't belong on government property.
ReplyDeleteAs rules for living. Well they just really are not that good.
The first 4 point to an insecurity of the author.
What about the others?
Well I can tell you that as an atheist I steal, murder, commit adultery as much as I want. Which is exactly "None at all". I don't do these things not out of fear of some divine wrath, but because these are not the things we do. And no it was not the 10 commandments that told me this. I knew these things long before I ever heard of Christianity. The Code of Hammurabi spells out the same thing and predates the 10 commandments by 400 to 1000 years.
The truth is nearly every single lawsuit filed has resulted in the removal of the ten commandments from government properties.
You can display them all you like. Just on your property with your own money.
As President John Adams said in 1797, "Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion".
Display the Constitution of the US instead.
Hey, glad to know you were around in Hammurabi's day. Who won the Series that year?
ReplyDeleteI wasn't around in Twain's day either but I can read his books. The Code of Hammurabi is on display at The Louvre for anyone to read.
DeleteOh, forgive me, the way you structured your sentence gave me the impression you were there back then.
DeleteOr to put it another way, I find it difficult to take seriously the views of someone who can live in a big beautiful world like this and not see the Creator's hand. Debating someone who ties half his potential behind his back because he can't face that there is a Being greater than he can wrap around his head is hardly an intellectual challenge.
Or if that didn't break through, how about: "Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk."