Sunday musings - July 14, 2024
The ten commandments
Recently the state of Louisiana and now Oklahoma are requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed and/or taught in public schools, not as a part of the history of religion and our historic attempt to articulate ethical guidelines but as if they are the ethical guidelines which we, as a nation, have to live; as if we are a Christian nation and not a rich stew of many views of how we can best take care of each other and the rest of that is.
Let’s look at the Ten Commandments:
• Thou shalt have no other gods before me. The implication is that no other concept of God is valid or moral. The further implication is that this god is a very jealous teenager who must have all one’s attention.
• “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” This is usually interpreted to mean that anything other than the agreed upon depiction of God will make this god very unhappy. Some religions forbid any depictions of God.
• “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” This god can be jealous, angry and even destroy humans but one cannot get angry in return? Yet, we humans do get angry at the god of our understanding. He/she/it can seem very cruel at times.
• “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” To keep it holy means for some that the entire day should be spent in prayer. Others interrupt it to mean a day of rest and refueling. Clearly rest periods are important for we humans, but when we rest might need to depend on the needs of each other at the moment.
• “Honor thy father and thy mother.” Does this mean the sperm and egg donor who may be ill equipped to be teachers, guides, providers who can refrain from hurtful, mean behavior?
• “Thou shalt not kill.” The same people who are insisting on obeying the Ten Commandments are frequently the strongest second amendment advocates for the ownership and use of guns to kill others; the first to advocate violence against violence; the first to protect bump stocks, to first to advocate for nuclear weapons; the first to imprison others; the first to defend the use of techniques such as water boarding and other cruel treatment. Does killing refer to just the physical body or to the emotional body as well?
• “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Many of us would suggest that one honor one’s commitment to one’s partner. Clearly most of us do not advocate donating sperm or egg to create a child that we are not ready to care for or to give to someone else who can emotionally, physically and economically care for that child. Clearly, we are sexual beings. We do need some guidelines to prevent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. We do need to be mindful of sexually transmitted diseases. To me it does seem important to honor whatever commitments we have made to each other and to ensure all our relationship are respectful and loving.
• “Thou shalt not steal.” What is stealing? Taking and hoarding more than our share of resources? Being paid millions or even billions of dollars while opposing living wages for some in the business or company for which one is CEO or owner(s)? Abusing nature which adversely affects others? Making and marketing goods which one knows are not healthy, affordable, or good for the environment? Does seduction equal stealing; violence, prison, mistreatment of the homeless? What exactly is stealing?
Obviously, the intended imposition of the Ten Commandments on students in public school is one more attempt to control and oppress; to attempt to force developing minds into a small box. ‘
Perhaps honestly needs to be at the top of the list of commandments we teach our children. If the intent of placing the Ten Commandments in classrooms alongside of other suggested moral or ethical guidelines is to stimulate a discussion of how we can best care for each other and the universe(s) I would certainly support such a suggestion. The intent, however, is to impose, without critical discussion, the imposition of moral/ethical rules which seem to be more about control and blind obedience of some over others and not about enhancing our understanding of what it might mean to attempt to create a community of the people, by the people and for the people; a community which honors the words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” We currently understand that “all” means all men, women and children. If our intent is to create a community which honors all religions; all attempts to articulate moral rules/behavior to serve all people and the rest of the universe (s) then one might present the Ten Commandments as just one such attempt.
Some of us are deeply suspicious of anyone one who claims to have access to the truth; the truth of best guidelines to serve not only we humans but the planet, the universe(s) and all contained therein.
Men and women wiser than me have suggested that wisdom begins with an open mind - with humility. The imposition of the Ten Commandments as the only acceptable ethical/moral guidelines does not, in my opinion, demonstrate the humility necessary to stimulate a learning environment conducive to an exploration of a healthier
universe(s).
Written July 14, 2024
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.orlg
The ten commandments
Recently the state of Louisiana and now Oklahoma are requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed and/or taught in public schools, not as a part of the history of religion and our historic attempt to articulate ethical guidelines but as if they are the ethical guidelines which we, as a nation, have to live; as if we are a Christian nation and not a rich stew of many views of how we can best take care of each other and the rest of that is.
Let’s look at the Ten Commandments:
• Thou shalt have no other gods before me. The implication is that no other concept of God is valid or moral. The further implication is that this god is a very jealous teenager who must have all one’s attention.
• “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” This is usually interpreted to mean that anything other than the agreed upon depiction of God will make this god very unhappy. Some religions forbid any depictions of God.
• “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” This god can be jealous, angry and even destroy humans but one cannot get angry in return? Yet, we humans do get angry at the god of our understanding. He/she/it can seem very cruel at times.
• “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” To keep it holy means for some that the entire day should be spent in prayer. Others interrupt it to mean a day of rest and refueling. Clearly rest periods are important for we humans, but when we rest might need to depend on the needs of each other at the moment.
• “Honor thy father and thy mother.” Does this mean the sperm and egg donor who may be ill equipped to be teachers, guides, providers who can refrain from hurtful, mean behavior?
• “Thou shalt not kill.” The same people who are insisting on obeying the Ten Commandments are frequently the strongest second amendment advocates for the ownership and use of guns to kill others; the first to advocate violence against violence; the first to protect bump stocks, to first to advocate for nuclear weapons; the first to imprison others; the first to defend the use of techniques such as water boarding and other cruel treatment. Does killing refer to just the physical body or to the emotional body as well?
• “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Many of us would suggest that one honor one’s commitment to one’s partner. Clearly most of us do not advocate donating sperm or egg to create a child that we are not ready to care for or to give to someone else who can emotionally, physically and economically care for that child. Clearly, we are sexual beings. We do need some guidelines to prevent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. We do need to be mindful of sexually transmitted diseases. To me it does seem important to honor whatever commitments we have made to each other and to ensure all our relationship are respectful and loving.
• “Thou shalt not steal.” What is stealing? Taking and hoarding more than our share of resources? Being paid millions or even billions of dollars while opposing living wages for some in the business or company for which one is CEO or owner(s)? Abusing nature which adversely affects others? Making and marketing goods which one knows are not healthy, affordable, or good for the environment? Does seduction equal stealing; violence, prison, mistreatment of the homeless? What exactly is stealing?
Obviously, the intended imposition of the Ten Commandments on students in public school is one more attempt to control and oppress; to attempt to force developing minds into a small box. ‘
Perhaps honestly needs to be at the top of the list of commandments we teach our children. If the intent of placing the Ten Commandments in classrooms alongside of other suggested moral or ethical guidelines is to stimulate a discussion of how we can best care for each other and the universe(s) I would certainly support such a suggestion. The intent, however, is to impose, without critical discussion, the imposition of moral/ethical rules which seem to be more about control and blind obedience of some over others and not about enhancing our understanding of what it might mean to attempt to create a community of the people, by the people and for the people; a community which honors the words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” We currently understand that “all” means all men, women and children. If our intent is to create a community which honors all religions; all attempts to articulate moral rules/behavior to serve all people and the rest of the universe (s) then one might present the Ten Commandments as just one such attempt.
Some of us are deeply suspicious of anyone one who claims to have access to the truth; the truth of best guidelines to serve not only we humans but the planet, the universe(s) and all contained therein.
Men and women wiser than me have suggested that wisdom begins with an open mind - with humility. The imposition of the Ten Commandments as the only acceptable ethical/moral guidelines does not, in my opinion, demonstrate the humility necessary to stimulate a learning environment conducive to an exploration of a healthier
universe(s).
Written July 14, 2024
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.orlg
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