Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Since there's a big flap over the 10 Commandments

Let's play To Legislate or Not To Legislate with them. I'm not making any effort to be funny, btw, but if you want to laugh at me, go ahead.

From Bible Gateway: Deuteronomy 5 New International Version (NIV). (I prefer to do my memorization from the KJV, but since nobody speaks KJE...):
6 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

Nothing to legislate there.
7 "You shall have no other gods before [a] me.

Nope. I don't even advocate teaching these in government schools, though banning students from carrying around copies would be wrong too.
8 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

I hope nobody wants to legislate that. What would the punishment be, beyond God's disfavor?
11 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

No need for vicious earthly punishment.
12 "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

Everybody deserves a break.
16 "Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

No need for the government to step in.
17 "You shall not murder.

Yup.
18 "You shall not commit adultery.

A civil matter. Yup.
19 "You shall not steal.

Yup.
20 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Yup.
21 "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Good advice. I'd be interested in how it could be enforced as law.

So you've got four that could become Constitutional laws, two that are good general advice (that could inform specific laws), and four that are purely religious in nature.

Of course the question before the Supreme Court is should displays of them be banned from The Public Square. As examples of laws that led to the development of our laws, sure they belong in courthouses. And when fans of the Code of Hammurabi, or even Sharia want to donate their displays, they should be accepted too.