Me neither, considering I had to look them up!
Which of the ten commandments do you follow/have you broken?
- Thread starter Candlelight
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Me neither, considering I had to look them up!
Perhaps not directly, but I think they influence me and both of you quite a lot. After all, our societal morals are based very strongly in these tenets, and I'm sure we'd agree that, at least for numbers 6-10 as the OP ordered them, they are generally good moral guidelines.
Rii
Rear Admiral
Christianity, broadly? Sure. The Ten Commandments not so much. Certainly non-Christian cultures have managed to arrive at very similar guidelines independent of The Bible.
I disagree that "Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbours Wife" is a good moral guideline. My principal objection is that it's patriarchal, it posits the wife as an object belonging to the husband. The same sentiment could easily be conveyed in a less morally questionable - and more broadly applicable - manner.
"Thou Shalt Not Murder" is also suspect, not so much in what it covers as in what it doesn't. The difference between "kill" and "murder" is defined by the state in the interests of the state, such that folks who kill in the name of the state - as a soldier, police officer or executioner - aren't deemed to have committed murder. It places human society in the role of God.
In its oldest sense, murder was separated from killing (slaying) by secrecy: a publicly admitted killing was a slaying, while a secretly conducted killing was murder.
Regarding the Bible itself, the English meaning of the Hebrew word is unclear; all killing may be proscribed, or only murder, depending on the translation.
Well, they're Judeo-Christian ideas, so much older than Christianity, and they serve as pretty much the foundation of those religions. So in that our society's morality is so strongly based in Judeo-Christian beliefs, our morality is strongly influenced by the ten commandments. At least, that's how I see it. And certainly many cultures have come to similar moral standards -- many of them are obviosly good moral standards, but it's important to recognize that, historically and currently, there are many societies that differ.
I was taking it in the less literal and broader sense. As someone mentioned earlier, it's actually supposed to apply to pretty much anything belonging to "thy neighbor," though I agree the language is patriarchal.
Again, I was just speaking of them as general moral ideals, rather than specifics. I do agree with you on these points.
Calm, baby girl, calm. 
"I am the LORD your God. You shall have no other gods before Me."
Hmm, I don't believe in a god as such, more a force kinda thing, and IMO region is a fuckup. So a little from yes, a little from no.
"Do not make an image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above..."
I s'pose.
"Do not swear falsely by the name of the LORD..."
I usually follow the advice oif Harry Flashman on this, though: "Don't trifle with the local gods... it don't pay..."
04 - "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy"
It's a day of rest, usually, though I have worked on it in the past.
05 - "Honor your father and your mother"
I haven't honoured them enough (it's a long story), so I think about it and slowly work on it every day.
06 - "Do not murder"
Never happened, never likely to happen.
07 - "Do not commit adultery."
Same as above, though I'm no stranger to temptation. Come close, but never happened.
08 - "Do not steal."
Ooohh, did this, don't do it any more, unless we count internet piracy, and if I like something I d/l, I'll buy a copy, eventually.
09 - "Do not bear false witness against your neighbor"
As I think that kind of thing is a genuine wrong, no, I wouldn't
10 - "Do not covet your neighbor's wife"
Have you seen my neighbours?!
"I am the LORD your God. You shall have no other gods before Me."
Hmm, I don't believe in a god as such, more a force kinda thing, and IMO region is a fuckup. So a little from yes, a little from no.
"Do not make an image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above..."
I s'pose.
"Do not swear falsely by the name of the LORD..."
I usually follow the advice oif Harry Flashman on this, though: "Don't trifle with the local gods... it don't pay..."
04 - "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy"
It's a day of rest, usually, though I have worked on it in the past.
05 - "Honor your father and your mother"
I haven't honoured them enough (it's a long story), so I think about it and slowly work on it every day.
06 - "Do not murder"
Never happened, never likely to happen.
07 - "Do not commit adultery."
Same as above, though I'm no stranger to temptation. Come close, but never happened.
08 - "Do not steal."
Ooohh, did this, don't do it any more, unless we count internet piracy, and if I like something I d/l, I'll buy a copy, eventually.
09 - "Do not bear false witness against your neighbor"
As I think that kind of thing is a genuine wrong, no, I wouldn't
10 - "Do not covet your neighbor's wife"
Have you seen my neighbours?!
Good news, everyone! I'm only 70% damned!
Rii
Rear Admiral
I can see a useful distinction here, the notion that one who is prepared to take another's life must also be prepared to place his own life in the hands of others, but it still amounts to the morality of killing being defined by society - and by extension in the interests of the majority or ruling class - rather than God.
I think most people know that, we are just having a bit of fun with the literal meaning.
This thread made me think about "speaking God's name in vain", I didn't even registered things like "God damnit", "for God's sake", as that. Maybe because in English they are considered quite mild swearing (you'll hear it in movies, tv programs, etc), while in Italian swearing involving God's name (bestemmie, "blasphemies") is considered extremely offensive, because the literal meaning is much more violent, e.g. join God's name to something considered filthy or disgusting (pig, dog, shit, hangman, etc), or sexual expressions for the Virgin Mary (bitch, slut, faggot, etc). That's serious culture stuff. But don't go around saying that in Italy.
Well, I've heard "La Madonna" in Italy, so they'll use Mary's name in vain (based on the popular interpretation of "in vain".
BTW, I do interpret the meaning of the third commandment very different from most people here. I tend to think the Puritans are the ones who changed it to mean no blasphemous curses.
I think most people know that, we are just having a bit of fun with the literal meaning.
This thread made me think about "speaking God's name in vain", I didn't even registered things like "God damnit", "for God's sake", as that. Maybe because in English they are considered quite mild swearing (you'll hear it in movies, tv programs, etc), while in Italian swearing involving God's name (bestemmie, "blasphemies") is considered extremely offensive, because the literal meaning is much more violent, e.g. join God's name to something considered filthy or disgusting (pig, dog, shit, hangman, etc), or sexual expressions for the Virgin Mary (bitch, slut, faggot, etc). That's serious culture stuff. But don't go around saying that in Italy.
Well, I've heard "La Madonna" in Italy, so they'll use Mary's name in vain (based on the popular interpretation of "in vain".
BTW, I do interpret the meaning of the third commandment very different from most people here. I tend to think the Puritans are the ones who changed it to mean no blasphemous curses.
Is it okay to start blasphemous rumors?
I've broke or bent 8 out of 10 of them so far in my life. I'd knock down my ninth if I was presented with the chance to do so, but have not yet had the opportunity to do so.
Oh, blasphemies are widely used indeed (even the very vulgar ones), they are just considered very offensive, so it's better to avoid them in public if you are not sure about the people you are talking with. We had people in television fired on the spot and publicly vilified for blasphemies.
01 - I'm atheist, so that one really doesn't work for me.
02 - I don't think I ever have.
03 - break this one every God-damn day.
04 - nope. No God=no holy days, so that one's out for me, too.
05 - I broke that one once or twice, but not much.
06 - haven't killed anyone, so I'm good there.
07 - haven't done that either, and don't intend to.
08 - stole some bubblegum when I was little, but that was about it.
09 - Don't usually lie, but I am known to exaggerate a tad.
10 - Well.....I can honestly say I have never coveted another man's wife. Not once. Another woman's husband......now that's another matter.
02 - I don't think I ever have.
03 - break this one every God-damn day.
04 - nope. No God=no holy days, so that one's out for me, too.
05 - I broke that one once or twice, but not much.
06 - haven't killed anyone, so I'm good there.
07 - haven't done that either, and don't intend to.
08 - stole some bubblegum when I was little, but that was about it.
09 - Don't usually lie, but I am known to exaggerate a tad.
10 - Well.....I can honestly say I have never coveted another man's wife. Not once. Another woman's husband......now that's another matter.
I'm calling a mandatory company meeting! To the mandatorium!
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