But, if one were to revise them for the viewpoint of today's Christians what would they be?
This is for my English class. We are supposed to revise a historical document to today's standards. I got stuck with the Ten Commandments.
------------------ I bet when Neanderthal kids would make a snowman, someone would always end up saying "Don't forget the big heavy eyebrows." Then they would all get embarrassed because they remembered they had the big hunky eyebrows too, and then they would get mad and eat the snowman.
posted
Uhm, I don't know them off or anything, but aren't many of them laws anyway, so wouldn't that make them modernised already?
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Thou shalt not use language that is deemed impure by revisionists Thou shalt not think when reading the word of thy Lord, but shall take it literally Thou shalt persecute all who do not agree with you
------------------ "I'd rather be dead than cool" - Kurt Cobain Stay Away, Nirvana
posted
How about these four? I think they cover pretty much everything, but tell me if you think I missed something.
*****
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.
Go into the world and preach the good news to all people.
*****
I personally believe that these are the requirements for a Christian. Of course, the definition of the Greek word translated as "baptized" (oh, wait, that IS the Greek word, isn't it?) can be debated, but I think the translation of the rest can pretty much be agreed upon.
------------------ You are wise, witty, and wonderful, but you spend far too much time reading this sort of trash.
posted
I can give you Robert Heinlein's Revised 10 Commandments...
1. Thou shalt pay public homage to the god favored by the majority, without giggling or even smiling behind your hand.
2. Thou shalt not make any graven image of a sort that could annoy the powers that be, especially Mrs. Grundy*
3. Thou shalt not swear, or use any four-letter words, or anything else that mother might consider vulgar -- do not speak 'commonly.' Thou shalt not split infinitives, or dangle participles. Thou shalt shun solecisms. Thou shalt honor the noble English language, speech of Shakespeare, Milton, and Poe, and it will serve thee all the days of thy life.
4. Go to Church on Sundays. Smile and be pleasant, but don't be too smarmily a hypocrate. Don't let any children, if and when you have any, play out in front on Sunday or make too much noise in back.
5. Honor they mother and father, where anyone can see you. But once you leave home, live your own life. Don't let them lead you around by the nose.
6. Thou shalt not commit murder. "Murder" means killing somebody wrongfully. Other kinds of killing come in several flavors, and each sort must be analyzed.
7. Don't get caught committing adultery. Don't get pregnant, don't catch a social disease, don't let Mrs. Grundy even suspect you, and above all don't let your spouse find out -- unless it's a prearranged thing.
8. Thou shalt not steal anything that is not necessary for your survival, or that of another. Avoid stealin, not because it is wrong, but because you are too stinking PROUD!
9. If you have to go to court and be a witness, tell the truth. Otherwise, don't tell lies that can hurt other people. Don't tell lies you can be caught in. Tell the truth out of honor, not pride. People who tell the truth out of pride are sadists.
10. Do not covet thy neighbor's ass, nor any other part of his or her anatomy. Do not covet thy neighbor's wife -- or husband, whatever the case may be. For inanimate objects, earn the money and buy your own.
ADDITIONS BY MAUREEN JOHNSON
11. Don't get caught.
12. When thy kisseth, open thy mouth only if thou planneth to open thy limbs.
13. Keep your mouth fresh, clean, and sweet.
14. Thou shalt keep thy secret places as clean as a boiled egg lest thee stink in church -- and to hold thy mate's love when thou dost catch one.
15. Promises must be kept -- especially ones to children.
*Mrs Grundy being that nauseatingly prurient busybody, self-appointed legislator of morality and decency that all people know at least one of.
------------------ Calvin: "No efficiency, no accountability... I tell you, Hobbes, it's a lousy way to run a Universe." -- Bill Watterson
posted
I'd certainly agree with Omega, but if this were MY assignment to turn in, I'd just write that "from the viewpoint of today's Christians, the ten commandments are the timeless laws of an unchanging God and therefore require no revision."
The ten commandments are not synonymous with Christianity; rather, the spirit of the commandments is made complete only in Christ! If we (Christians) would practice Christianity the way it was modeled to us by Jesus, I think we'd find that it is situationally independent -- that is, unneedful of revision based on situation or circumstance.
Thus endeth the sermon. Go in God's peace.
------------------ Dane
"...and there was war in heaven..." The Bible, Revelation 12:7
posted
No dude, what's even funnier is that the Christ did away with the old law covenant when he came to Earth. Particularly the honouring of the Sabbath.
But we don't actually want to think about the Bible :-)
And I enjoy your one about graven images :-)
Monty: Sing that song and I will kill you
------------------ "I'd rather be dead than cool" - Kurt Cobain Stay Away, Nirvana
posted
[The 10 commandments are not just observed (scrupulously or otherwise) by Christians, but also Jews, and even other faiths (although not all others, and not necessarily all of the commandments). What follows (in the italics) is an informed, but admittedly inexpert opinion:]
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.
God made you free and intended that you would always be so. He guarantees your freedom, but only if you guard it carefully. Don't enslave yourself.
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.
If you do enslave yourself (to some manufactured god, principle, addiction, or anything else), you will really screw up your life. There's a lot of important stuff you need to be paying attention to, such as your own welfare and that of your family and neighbors. Don't put anything in a higher priority. If you do, you, your children, and their children's children will suffer the consequences of your own foolishness, and it will be all your fault. Don't blame anybody but yourself. If you follow this advice, you will be free and your descendants will benefit also.
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.
Don't cite God to lend credence to anything that isn't true. Don't try to use God's authority to enslave your fellow man. If you do, God will be pissed, and you will certainly suffer the consequences.
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.
God took a break, so you ought to make sure you don't wear yourself out either, and the recommended interval is no less than one day in seven. Don't reserve this right only for yourself. You are all equal and if you don't extend this right to the people who work for you, strangers in your midst, or even your animals, then you are abusing them.
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Give credit where credit is due. They might not be perfect, but neither were you when you were growing up. They tried (and if they didn't I think God will deal with them for it). Note that you can honor someone without making yourself their slave.
Thou shalt not kill. (Also translated: "Thou shalt not murder.")
Don't take someone's life just because you want to. God knows that some people can be a pain in the butt, however, this doesn't mean you have to kill them. If they severely violate your freedom, you might be justified, however (see leviticus for examples).
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
It's hard enough to forge a loving, lasting, monogamous relationship without outside interference. Find your own mate. If you've already got one, work on your own relationship and quit trying to sabotage it and/or someone else's.
Thou shall not steal.
Just as you want to keep what you have and manage it according to your plans, so does the other guy. Taking what isn't yours infringes on the other guy's right to his property.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Don't lie about what someone else did. If you do, you are damaging him as well as yourself.
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.
Have a look at numbers seven, eight, and nine above. If you don't cultivate a desire for your neighbor's stuff, you won't be tempted to infringe his rights. To do otherwise is to seek power or control over that which is not yours.
--Baloo
------------------ "Politicians and diapers should be changed regularly, for the same reason." --(Unknown) Come Hither and Yawn...
[This message has been edited by Baloo (edited January 19, 2000).]
posted
1. keep you lies consistant 2. do not get caught 3. when i doubt run like hell 4. hit them while they are down 5. Be a free thinker 6. once you have thier money, run 7. Do not let others decide your faith 8. Steal just the good stuff 9. Seal all your assest so only you can use them 10. All bets are off.
------------------ I am not responsible for the stupidity of other people.
posted
Um... DT... "No dude, what's even funnier is that the Christ did away with the old law covenant when he came to Earth."
Actually... you're half right. Through his death, Jesus established a new covenant with humanity that superceded the old covenant. But he didn't do away with the law:
"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. I tell you the truth, 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. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same 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" (Mat 5:17-19 NIV).
Oh, and First of Two... "'God's Peace.' Followed by a quotation from Revelations citing a War in Heaven. How's that go again? I missed something."
The "peace" part comes in because God wins the war.
------------------ Dane
"...and there was war in heaven..." The Bible, Revelation 12:7
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