WEB POSTED 08-28-2001

Or is it "THE TEN SUGGESTIONS"?

One of the true giants of Biblical history was Moses, because he had the faith and the courage to demand that a people living in sin, who seemingly enjoyed their wickedness, change their ways and live as God prescribed.

He brought with him, according to scripture, a tablet outlining the correct behavior which was acceptable to God. All of the known religions which accept Moses as God�s Messenger, pay lip service to the Ten Commandments inscribed upon that tablet. I thought it would be interesting to see how we, the human family, have been handling our Father�s instructions. One instrument I used was WEBSTER�S DELUXE UNABRIDGED DICTIONARY (the big, fat ones, like they have in the library). I keep one in my office at THE FINAL CALL and one on the bookshelf in my bedroom, and it is one of the most used of all the books which I own. The importance of good dictionaries is the fact that they record and reflect the most popular and most often used meanings of words which make up the English language.

The book defines "God" as, "Any of various beings conceived of as supernatural, immortal, and having special powers over the lives and affairs of people and the course of nature." So much for Monotheism!

The Second Commandment forbids the worship of "graven images." The many statues, paintings, crucifixes, etc. that are used in various rituals speak for themselves.

Number Three forbids the use of God�s Name in vain. Yet, in the same dictionary, we find that the first three words defined in this manner are "god", "godchild", and "goddam".

The Fourth Commandment demands that we remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy. Most religious groups with which we are familiar regard either Sunday or Saturday as the Day in question. Check the taverns, drug houses and other dens of iniquity on that day.

Number Five orders honor and respect for our parents. Yet, one of the most commonly used invectives in "Soulville" has the initials "MF", and it does not stand for "Mothers and Fathers."

Saturday night is also particularly noted for our record of self-destruction, despite the Sixth Commandment, "Thou shall not kill."

Number Seven forbids the committing of adultery. Most of us feel that adultery is the only mark of a true adult.

Number Eight forbids theft, although many of us, according to our elders, would "steal the sweetening out of gingerbread."

The ninth commandment forbids "bearing false witness"�which means lying! Need I say more?

The final admonition is against our coveting our neighbor�s wife or property. As we all are aware, not only men, but women are today coveting wives, a term which is defined as "to desire inordinately that which another person has."

So there they are�a set of instructions from God that too many of us regard as mere suggestions, rather than Divine Orders! We need to try and get straight, and hope it is not too late!