Ten commandments

The 10cs are at the court again. For so many Christians, this is a bellwether of how America approaches spirituality or something. If we ban the 10 Commandments from court rooms or schools, our society is rejecting God. It reminds me of the rather magical approach to the Bible and prayer. As if this statue or framed list is all God needs to reassure him. That God isn't very deep and is easily manipulated. This reminds me of idol worship--the kinds the Bible warns people about.

From the McCarty's blog a Vonnegut quote (actually Kristen got this from Zalm's blog:

"For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes. But, often with tears in their eyes, they demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course that’s Moses, not Jesus. I haven’t heard one of them demand that the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, be posted anywhere."

That is a great point. Wouldn't that sound different if Christians were clamoring to have those posted? The problems with the 10 Commandments as public policy are numerous. JoeG left a nice comment on this over at Jesus politics and I thought I would post it here. Much of the ten commandments--if enacted into law--would be unconstitutional. You can't force an American to worship God. You can't limit free speech, even if taking the Lord's name in vain really means swearing.

Jesus Politics: The New American Christian Taliban: "Can we do a quick analysis of the Ten Commandments here? Here's the text from Exodus. I want one of the literal interpretationists (Chameleon, Libby, etc.) to give a response to some of this, to show how these commandments really and truly formed the basis of U.S. law, and how this led us to become a Christian nation. Shall we?

1. 'I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.'

- OK, any laws on the books about having a single god or mandating a monotheistic religion? That one would criminalize Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccans, atheists, all in one shot. As well as their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Second, the whole 'graven image' thing flies in the face of the arguments to display the Ten Commandments monuments in the first place. It can also be interpreted to say that having a crucifix is a sin. Hmmm...

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

- Anything out there that outlaws using God's name? How many people would be in trouble for saying 'Oh my god!' or something like it?

3. 'Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.'

- No laws about six-day work weeks. 'Blue laws' closing businesses on Sundays are disappearing. Everyone go to church on Sunday? Any legal punishment if you don't?

4. 'Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.'

- Emancipation laws allow kids to 'divorce' their parents. Do you still have to honor them if they are physically, sexually, or emotionally abusive?

5.'Thou shalt not kill.'
- OK, finally one that's on the books. But this one is basic to almost every religion. It's also one that is routinely broken throughout the bible.

6. 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'
- Grounds for divorce, but not necessarily illegal.

7. 'Thou shalt not steal.'
- Second one on the books.

8. 'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.'
- All lying is not illegal. Definitely when under oath, or in cases like criminal impersonation, etc.

9 and 10. 'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. '

- No laws about this either. I can covet all I want. If I don't act on it, I'm not committing any crime. If I do act on it, it's covered by the adultery and theft stuff already.

OK, so three out of 10 commandments are actually covered by U.S. law. How the hell, then, is there any argument that the Bible and the commandments are the basis of our legal system??? I know this may have been a long-winded, somewhat ridiculous exercise, but it lays everything out on the table that goes toward the arguments in favor of the Ten Commandments displays."