26 July 2010, 9:04 am
When one considers that four of them deal with worship and three more offer moral commentary about things that are not law and only three concern ACTUAL laws AND that there is no mention at all of assault, rape, child molestation, or slavery, HOW can anyone think that the Ten Commandments are sufficient for a national legal system? @JohnMilton, Brian, Annie, Peace: I do not know what to say to you if you are suggesting that you have never heard anyone say that the US should be governed strictly by the Ten Commandments. It is the belief of a small but growing minority in the radical right who believe that "natural law" means the Ten Commandments and that all other man-made law goes against God and the foundation of our nation. There are several believers on this site who quite often post questions and answers dealing with this subject. I never said it was a "mass of humanity" who believed this- it is a small group but it IS there. How can you not have heard this belief? @PureLogic: I cannot imagine a period of time when the Ten Commandments would be sufficient to govern a nation. I certainly wouldn't want to live in that nation. @Tinker: Are you suggesting that a nation of humans could be so morally upright that none of them would think to commit assault or rape? That species of human has not, does not, and never will exist regardless of who governs us. @Max: I don't know if you are being sarcastic, but the belief involves these ten and only these ten. @Thomas: Be that as it may, how could even the devoutest of all human beings believe that these ten meager "laws" are sufficient for a national legal system? @Sheesh: Read the first addition above. @Chris: They simply believe that the Constitutional term "natural law" means only the Ten Commandments and that any other man-made law is invalid and goes against God and the foundation of our country. @NovaLee: I am unfamiliar with that quote, but if accurate, it definitely portrays the type of ignorance that I try desperately to understand. @MikeW: First, I must say that if those things are "obviously wrong" to a group of people, then certainly murder would be as well so this is flawed logic. Second, regardless of what they may or may not have represented in Biblical times, how could they possibly be sufficient for TODAY? @Momma: Thank you for the research and insightful answer. Although sometimes, I think it might just boil down to it being something that sounds good- sounds PIOUS- and that many people who say it simply are more concerned with sounding holy than sounding coherent. @IMissHim: so tiresome......but what can expect from someone who "misses" George W. Bush? @Zonie: Sorry i skipped you- They actually don't provide the basis for our laws at all. I mean, certainly murder, theft and perjury are illegal, but none of the other seven are or EVER would be. And I hardly think it took the Christian or Judaic Bible written five thousand years ago to convince humanity that murder or theft was wrong. I'm fairly certain those things were punishable in every civilized (and even UNcivilized) society in the history of human existence. Our Constitution was based on English Common Law which was in turn based on post-feudal English law minus the monarchy.... Read More »
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