There are many core documents that define and shape our Western culture, among them: The Ten Commandments, The US Constitution, The Bill of Rights, The Magna Carta, The Bible (both Testaments), and The Beatitudes. Plus many philosophical writings from the Greeks through the Romans, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the French and Russian Revolutions, etc. I do not dismiss a parallel reality that runs through the social and cultural constructs of the Far East, culminating in modern day China.
When one strips away the careerism that now defines higher education, one is left with the Liberal Arts, with the Humanities at its center. One cannot have a truly liberal education without having read or considered deeply most of these documents.
The preceding is my justification for the strong feeling that propelled me from bed this morning - that I needed to revisit The Ten Commandments during these discombobulated times. My generation prefers Britannica to Wikipedia and the following version (bold italics) is from Exodus 20: 2-17’
FIRST: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.
This commandment seems to imply that there are indeed other gods. Actually it acknowledges that the practice in the Middle East at that time included a variety of gods. This is a direct order to ignore them, or else the rest of the commandments might not make sense. They are in essence a guide to “best practices” at the time.
SECOND: You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Here the order is to not invent any new gods. There is a recognition of humanity’s need to understand the natural order and find ways to affect that order for human benefit. It ends by ascribing human characteristics to a god that people could understand, with a bit of hyperbole added for emphasis.
THIRD: You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
This commandment goes beyond God setting aside all other gods, old and new, and putting the Godself above and beyond the reach of all mortals.
FOURTH: Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
In those times. the seasonal calendar was dotted with many celebratory days in honor of particular gods. God’s reserving one day a week to honor Godself actually pre-empted all other customary holidays. The sacredness of this day is manifest in that it applies to all creatures and activities and requires a ceremonial nod to God while not proscribing all enjoyments of the flesh = providing that one did all cooking and prep the day before.
FIFTH: Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Here God plays on humankind’s greatest fear, that of death, to encourage people to maintain a strong family unit as the foundation for the order God feels is necessary for a peaceful society. Ancestor worship, common at the time, is to be replaced by strong bonds among the living family members, genetically connected or not.
SIXTH: You shall not murder.
Seems obvious in an orderly society. But these were wild times with revenge and honor killings, violent group conflicts and the powerful having their way in all things. Regardless, no one can kill anyone else … and no legal exceptions are offered for war or executions. God gives life and only God can take it away. No one can be God’s deputy in such matters.
SEVENTH: You shall not commit adultery.
This is not about sex, but about faithfulness. Once again it is a reinforcement of the family unit as humankind’s most important social unit, though it does not proscribe a voluntary breaking of the bond or alternative forms of commitment.
EIGHTH: You shall not steal.
This is the one commandment that covers business and economics. It tells us that personal moral and ethical behavior applies within the family and among families. No Robin Hood exception provided.
NINTH: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
It doesn’t say, “Thou shall not lie.” Here the concept of “neighbor” is introduced and is key to God’s intent. People are at their best when living in harmony and following agreed upon rules that reflect social norms and moral principles. “False witness” refers to any construct that would assign any outside person or other family or group to a lower status based on untruths, such as fake news, or opinions. Truthfulness is a universal mandate.
TENTH: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Every family and each member is entitled to the fruits of their labor and sanctity of their relationships. This is more than a reiteration of the Eighth Commandment; it is a warning that even harboring such thoughts can have unintended consequences, such as compulsive actions. This is about being true to yourself and self control.
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Philosophers and historians can probably provide a more erudite discussion of the The Ten Commandments. And I would recommend that every college student find a course that does that. Having come from a very Catholic education, I have felt the moral yardstick across my knuckles many times.
Don’t fret over the Eighth Commandment if you are thinking of that poor soul stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. The Ten Commandments are a codification; The Beatitudes are a way of life - best practices - legal precedent.
Fret even less over the first three Commandments; there is but one God with many names.
A few sticky issues, like abortion, remain. But this is a matter for scientists and philosophers, not politicians or religionists.
God may be a character in a drama of our own creation. He/She is “deus” without the “machina.” One need not understand Shakespeare to enjoy the dualities of Hamlet. Age offers no insights into the meaning of the document. Rather we see that life and the human condition is constantly evolving and the simplicities of the various versions of the text seem less applicable, much like the US Constitution. Shall we consider The Ten Commandments a living document or go with the strict constructionists. You can google “Interpretations of the 10 commandments” and take your pick.
One can wear the language as a straight jacket, or one can look for the underlying principles as guidance. But first strip yourself of your prejudices and preferences and face the dictums honestly and objectively.
Now brace yourself for the next revelation: the US government’s report on UFOs. We have a tough time just accommodating human life choices…now maybe aliens! We may need a few more commandments to account for worlds that are first being revealed to us. Will it be back to Mount Sinai, or will Elon Musk takes us higher?
WARNING: Be suspicious of anything I have said here as I am in the process of getting my final ticket punched.