I believe that the many translations and interpretations of the Bible make it a bit foolish to try to take it literally. But the one constant, although there are some differences in context, are the Ten Commandments.  With all the brouhaha about having them displayed I think that the display is more revered then the actual content, and the people who jump up and down about the display of them in public places are usually breaking one or more of the commandments at any given time.

      And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.



   
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

The Ten Commandments are nice and all, but they should be kept off the courthouse walls.

I believe that the many translations and interpretations of the Bible make it a bit foolish to try to take it literally. But the one constant, although there are some differences in context, are the Ten Commandments.  With all the brouhaha about having them displayed I think that the display is more revered then the actual content, and the people who jump up and down about the display of them in public places are usually breaking one or more of the commandments at any given time.

      And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

House of Bondage? There's a place in the Tenderloin district... :-X

I don't get why the Christian Right wants the 10 Commandments posted when they don't follow any of them. They would just be advertising their hypocrisy. On the other hand, I think the Christian Right is so deluded they don't understand they're hypocrisy. Yeah, maybe they're not hypocrites, they're just insane.



   
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Money and self come before God. In fact, the Christian Right worships Mammon (the money god).

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
As above for the Christian Right. You'll notice Islamic fundamentalists take this one literally, hence the absence of representation in Muslim art.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Every time the Christian Right invokes the name of the Lord while they persue their greedy and selfish motives, they violate this one.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The Christian Right has no problem with forcing Third World sweatshop laborers to work on Sundays!

Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Dubya claims to be a Christian, but he turned his back on his father as he started a war with Iraq.

Thou shalt not kill.
Only applies to abortion. Capital punishment and war  are exalted.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Applies only to Bill Clinton. They don't condemn Newt Gingrich, Bob Livingstone, Dan Quayle, or innumerable others from rightwing ranks.

Thou shalt not steal.
Only applies to poor people. Supply side economics turned out to be nothing more than legalized theft, theft of the wealth of the world from the people.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Applies only to black strippers at white frat parties. Look at the way the Christian Right libelled John Kerry with those bogus Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Wot rot! Look at all the incredible garbage evangelical broadcasters made up whole cloth to smear the Clintons.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Applies only to people who oppose the Estate Tax. The Christian Right makes the occasionaly feint against materialism, but they do not condemn consumer capitalism, which is predicated on advertising, which in turn is all about coveting.  And look at Strom Thurmond with his maidservant!





;D

At the local Catholic school, they display the 10 Commandment. (I don't have a problem with that but if it was a public school, that would be a different story). They had an explanation of what each one means. Under the "Thou shall not commit adultery" the explanation included about not having homosexual relationships. Now, I have read the 10 Commandments and I don't see how they get the inturpration of no homosexual relationships out of not commiting adultery. Is there something else there that I am not seeing? Personally, I think it is just a way to add what the Church WANTS people to believe what is in there.




Cat

The Ten Commandments are nice and all, but they should be kept off the courthouse walls.
perhaps if more people abided by them, we wouldn't need the courthouses  8)

  The Ten Commandments are the building blocks of, and the basis for laws in Judaeo-Christian societies, including those of the United States...

  The Ten Commandments are the building blocks of, and the basis for laws in Judaeo-Christian societies, including those of the United States...



Yes, but how many who profess their belief actually put those beliefs into practice.  Jerry Falwell? Pat Robertson?  This is not a thread about the commandments and whether they should or should not be displayed, it is a thread about the people who would say they believe  in them, and believe that they should appear everywhere, but do not follow the basic tenet.

perhaps if more people abided by them, we wouldn't need the courthouses  8)



Mike, I love you but come on.  Not everyone believes in God, organized religion, or any of the rest of that mumbo-jumbo.  To expect those people, along with everyone else, to follow along with a list of 10 rules in order to keep law and order is ridiculous.

This is not a thread about the commandments and whether they should or should not be displayed, it is a thread about the people who would say they believe  in them, and believe that they should appear everywhere, but do not follow the basic tenet.





If you don't want people getting into debates off-topic to the thread, perhaps you should have stressed this before you hit "submit".

If you don't want people getting into debates off-topic to the thread, perhaps you should have stressed this before you hit "submit".


Huh? Usually you don't have to stress to people not to go off topic, which does happen but a word sometimes brings them back.  If they read the post they will know what it is about.  Don't get your panties in a twist.

This is not a thread about the commandments and whether they should or should not be displayed,


  Yes, of course...


it is a thread about the people who would say they believe  in them, and believe that they should appear everywhere, but do not follow the basic tenet.


  The hypocritical theist, they should know, by now, we're on to them...

 

Mike, I love you but come on.  Not everyone believes in God, organized religion, or any of the rest of that mumbo-jumbo.  To expect those people, along with everyone else, to follow along with a list of 10 rules in order to keep law and order is ridiculous.
I knew I'd get a rise outta ya, that's all I was trying to do. not pushing anything on you or anyone else. I achieved what I set out to do and I love ya too  ;)  the spirit in which I aimed my comment at you was purely to have some fun with you so don't be gettin all serious on me.  ;D
personally, as to these commandments, in my life I try to do the best I can  8)

Mike, I love you but come on.  Not everyone believes in God, organized religion, or any of the rest of that mumbo-jumbo.  To expect those people, along with everyone else, to follow along with a list of 10 rules in order to keep law and order is ridiculous.



You don't have to believe in God, organized religion, or all that jazz to find wisdom in the ten commandments.  I think there are just as many who do follow it outside of any type of religion as within. I find it incomprehensible how people who do sit in church and profess to love God and the Bible don't see their own hypocrisy.  I don't mean the media types who we know are in it for the buck, but the everyday people who are our neighbors.

perhaps if more people abided by them, we wouldn't need the courthouses  8)

I agree, but nobody with any brains sees those who promote the public display of the 10 Commandments as paragons of virtue. The evangelical movement is not a religious movement, it is a political movement in service of the rich. The reason we object so vigorously to religious displays in public and prayer in school is because the evangelicals push for it. They are a stalking horse for white supremicist fascist dictorship by and for big business. The evangelicals thrive on people's fear and prejudice. That's one of the prime tenets of fascism. The others are jingoism, militarism, and the funneling of public wealth into private hands. When the biggest promoters of "Christianity" are FOX News, Focus on the Family, the 700 Club, and Jerry Falwell's ministries, all of our liberty is endangered.

I agree, but nobody with any brains sees those who promote the public display of the 10 Commandments as paragons of virtue. The evangelical movement is not a religious movement, it is a political movement in service of the rich. The reason we object so vigorously to religious displays in public and prayer in school is because the evangelicals push for it. They are a stalking horse for white supremicist fascist dictorship by and for big business. The evangelicals thrive on people's fear and prejudice. That's one of the prime tenets of fascism. The others are jingoism, militarism, and the funneling of public wealth into private hands. When the biggest promoters of "Christianity" are FOX News, Focus on the Family, the 700 Club, and Jerry Falwell's ministries, all of our liberty is endangered.


Exactly, and the people who listen to them and follow them cry about how their religion is being taken away from them.  They should read, and reread the ten commandments on a daily basis for at the very least they covet, approve of killing, do not keep the Sabbath, and as for worshipping false idols.....

I agree, but nobody with any brains sees those who promote the public display of the 10 Commandments as paragons of virtue. The evangelical movement is not a religious movement, it is a political movement in service of the rich. The reason we object so vigorously to religious displays in public and prayer in school is because the evangelicals push for it. They are a stalking horse for white supremicist fascist dictorship by and for big business. The evangelicals thrive on people's fear and prejudice. That's one of the prime tenets of fascism. The others are jingoism, militarism, and the funneling of public wealth into private hands. When the biggest promoters of "Christianity" are FOX News, Focus on the Family, the 700 Club, and Jerry Falwell's ministries, all of our liberty is endangered.
Max, what is jingoism? I better look it up because I have no idea what that is, but are you really sure that if people don't believe on this subject like you do, it means they don't have any brains & can't think for themselves. I doubt that every thinking person with or without brains is pushing the 10 commandments for political or monetary objectives . Could there maybe be some Christians that believe in them simply because they are a good set of guidelines & their personal lives are better because they try live by them. I agree it is not necessary to have the 10 C displayed & prayer in school should not be a daily routine. If you want that for your kid, pay for a private Christian school. However, If people want to have anything Christian wiped out completely because they feel it's a threat to them or our country, well they aren't gonna see that happen, it will never happen. Maybe in a school or a courthouse, but not in peoples lives. Fear and prejudice is not what Christianity is, there is patience, hope, kindness, hospitality, generosity and a lot of good things that I see from non-Christians as well. At my level of existence, the isms you mentioned aren't a part of my daily agenda & I'm not one that cares to much for politics, but I get annoyed when I see all Christians lumped together with the big evangelical, big business, political strategies you spoke of, & it's a shame that some non-Christians not only seek tolerance for whatever lifestyle, choices they want to make, but it seems they want approval & that's where I draw the line. The left media pushes those secular views as hard as the right pushes theirs and I feel that they are as much a threat to our liberty and country as you feel the right is. We just see things from different viewpoints.  8)

Max, what is jingoism? I better look it up because I have no idea what that is, but are you really sure that if people don't believe on this subject like you do, it means they don't have any brains & can't think for themselves. I doubt that every thinking person with or without brains is pushing the 10 commandments for political or monetary objectives . Could there maybe be some Christians that believe in them simply because they are a good set of guidelines & their personal lives are better because they try live by them. I agree it is not necessary to have the 10 C displayed & prayer in school should not be a daily routine. If you want that for your kid, pay for a private Christian school. However, If people want to have anything Christian wiped out completely because they feel it's a threat to them or our country, well they aren't gonna see that happen, it will never happen. Maybe in a school or a courthouse, but not in peoples lives. Fear and prejudice is not what Christianity is, there is patience, hope, kindness, hospitality, generosity and a lot of good things that I see from non-Christians as well. At my level of existence, the isms you mentioned aren't a part of my daily agenda & I'm not one that cares to much for politics, but I get annoyed when I see all Christians lumped together with the big evangelical, big business, political strategies you spoke of, & it's a shame that some non-Christians not only seek tolerance for whatever lifestyle, choices they want to make, but it seems they want approval & that's where I draw the line. The left media pushes those secular views as hard as the right pushes theirs and I feel that they are as much a threat to our liberty and country as you feel the right is. We just see things from different viewpoints.  8)

a. No group has better access to the "mainstream media" than the Christian Right.
b. Jingoism is a step above nationalism. It's blind patriotism,  it's "ra-ra, my country right or wrong!" You know, FOX News BS.
c. Joe Christian may want to follow the teachings of Jesus, but the Christian Right is playing him like a two-dollar fiddle. I certainly don't want to see Christian things wiped out, I want to see greedy power grabs in the name of Christianity wiped out. If Bush really believes Jesus would be pleased with him, then he's dumb as a rock.
d. I do not lump all Christians together. That's why I specified the evangelical movement the leaders of which discourage their followers from thinking for themselves. The evangelical movement is the recruitment arm of the Republican party. The Republican party as it was from the 1850s to the 1970s is dead. It is now a fascist party using the name Republican. Again, it's the appeal to fear, jingoism and bigotry among partisans, and the marriage of big business and big government that makes them fascist. That's what fascism is, it's largely synonymous with "corporatism."
f. I don't know who these right-wing mofos think they are invoking the name of Jesus. If Jesus went on FOX News incognito, he'd be called a commie, a bleeding heart liberal, and a peacenik. He'd be shouted down by Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity and kicked off the air. If Jesus revealed himself as the vengeful prophet they make Him out to be, He would be more likely to bitch slap the evangelicals and send them to the hottest corner of hell! Thank you very much.
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/diablotin.gif http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/08/saint.gif

a. No group has better access to the "mainstream media" than the Christian Right.
b. Jingoism is a step above nationalism. It's blind patriotism,  it's "ra-ra, my country right or wrong!" You know, FOX News BS.
c. Joe Christian may want to follow the teachings of Jesus, but the Christian Right is playing him like a two-dollar fiddle. I certainly don't want to see Christian things wiped out, I want to see greedy power grabs in the name of Christianity wiped out. If Bush really believes Jesus would be pleased with him, then he's dumb as a rock.
d. I do not lump all Christians together. That's why I specified the evangelical movement the leaders of which discourage their followers from thinking for themselves. The evangelical movement is the recruitment arm of the Republican party. The Republican party as it was from the 1850s to the 1970s is dead. It is now a fascist party using the name Republican. Again, it's the appeal to fear, jingoism and bigotry among partisans, and the marriage of big business and big government that makes them fascist. That's what fascism is, it's largely synonymous with "corporatism."
f. I don't know who these right-wing mofos think they are invoking the name of Jesus. If Jesus went on FOX News incognito, he'd be called a commie, a bleeding heart liberal, and a peacenik. He'd be shouted down by Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity and kicked off the air. If Jesus revealed himself as the vengeful prophet they make Him out to be, He would be more likely to bitch slap the evangelicals and send them to the hottest corner of hell! Thank you very much.
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/diablotin.gif http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/08/saint.gif
dang MaxwellSmart, I had to applaud you there. Nicely worded and obviously well thought. Bill & Sean would try to shout Jesus down, as would Chris Matthews but from what I've read, better and more powerful men than them tried and were unsuccessful and ended just crucifiying Him. Thanks for the definition of jingoism, I was gonna look it up but am feelin lazy. I think the mainstream media (radio & tv) does lean right but doesn't the majority of people lean that way. I think the minority, or left is louder and more aggressive and offensive while the Christian right is on the defensive. For the sake of staying on topic, the (15) 10 Commandments are an excellent beacon for anyone to use to keep their life on a good course. You probably observe must of them as I do without hardly trying and we don't necessarily need them wrote out, but that type of internal goodness, the sense of knowing right from wrong isn't inside or adhered to by everyone & it's good to be reminded of right & wrong, but it's from the Christian angle so we'll never have an accord if one believes in it and one doesn't. We believe differently as many on this board do. Take it Easy Max

You don't have to believe in God, organized religion, or all that jazz to find wisdom in the ten commandments.  I think there are just as many who do follow it outside of any type of religion as within. I find it incomprehensible how people who do sit in church and profess to love God and the Bible don't see their own hypocrisy.  I don't mean the media types who we know are in it for the buck, but the everyday people who are our neighbors.


  My problem with the 10 Commandments is that they find their root specifically in exclusionary religions. Judaism excludes by bloodline; Christendom excludes based upon the declaration of a name...

  Beyond this, though, even I (like you) can acknowledge the wisdom of most of the commandments. As a direct criticism, though, assert that the only things I get from the commandments which are not directly observable in life are about God:

* Likes to be first...
* Likes to be praised...
* Doesn't like it's picture to be taken...

  When we put the commandments in schools, though, we're creating an interesting situation. Does the presence of the commandments imply an endorsement of the churches that honor them? That is, does their presence imply that the public somehow prefers Judeo-Christian ideas both in declaration and practice? After all, there are, within other religious traditions, ideas similar to the Ten Commandments; some of these are considerably more efficient in their expression:

* An' it harm none, do what thou will.
* Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

  That we choose the 10 Commandments is a demographic reality. There are more Christians here than anyone else; while they often expect "minority" protection in the form of banning this or that book because it offends Christian propriety, they also often demand "majority" authority, feeling that since there's more of them, we violate their rights by not allowing them to subjugate the rest of us...

dang MaxwellSmart, I had to applaud you there. Nicely worded and obviously well thought.
Why thank you sir!

Bill & Sean would try to shout Jesus down, as would Chris Matthews but from what I've read, better and more powerful men than them tried and were unsuccessful and ended just crucifiying Him.
The evangelical Christians and the conservatives are the new crucifiers, not in the literal sense of course. If anybody threatens their power, he gets destroyed...Al Gore, John Kerry, Howard Dean, and so forth.

Thanks for the definition of jingoism, I was gonna look it up but am feelin lazy. I think the mainstream media (radio & tv) does lean right but doesn't the majority of people lean that way. I think the minority, or left is louder and more aggressive and offensive while the Christian right is on the defensive.
I'm sorry, but the evidence does not bear that out. The power of the right-wing media has convinced tens of millions of people to vote against their interests. They have also made up a whole back story of our Founding Fathers being evangelical Jesus freaks, which they were not. The Evangelicals appeal to peoples' fear and prejudice, so it aids in creating popular support for militarism. The economic Right cares nothing for the well-being of soldiers and veterans. They're all about fat defense contracts to subsidize their greedy pals in the private sector. This is what President Eisenhower called "the military-industrial complex." It is interesting to note that Ike, as the supreme allied commander in WWII, gave a speech early in his presidency in which he declared the manufacture of weapons was detrimental to the well-being of the needy in this country. In the '50s, Eisenhower slashed the defense budget like crazy and kept tax rates on the super rich extremely high. How do we remember the 1950s? Economically speaking, it was the decade of our greatest prosperity.

The Right today would love to call Eisenhower a commie and a peacenik, but they can't, so they don't mention him very often. They do try to lionize JFK because he cut taxes and he was a Democrat. They think this is a great weapon against the left. However, when Kennedy cut taxes he was cutting taxes from a top marginal rate of 92% and America was the biggest lender nation in the world.

The evidence is in, Reaganomics/Supply Side economics is a farce and a failure. It hurts everybody except the top percentile in wealth who are not even Americans, but citizens of international capital. The stated goal of Reaganomics was to "open up the magic of the marketplace." Oh yeah, then why do we now owe our azzes to the Communist Chinese! Unfortunately as the super rich sow the seeds of their own destruction, they are incapable of stopping their dependence on the myth of Supply Side Economics. Therefore, we must stop them against their will!

For the sake of staying on topic, the (15) 10 Commandments are an excellent beacon for anyone to use to keep their life on a good course. You probably observe must of them as I do without hardly trying and we don't necessarily need them wrote out, but that type of internal goodness, the sense of knowing right from wrong isn't inside or adhered to by everyone & it's good to be reminded of right & wrong, but it's from the Christian angle so we'll never have an accord if one believes in it and one doesn't. We believe differently as many on this board do. Take it Easy Max
Well, I'm not a practicing Christian, so I don't follow several of them.  I do my best to follow 5-10. I haven't killed anybody, however I find the fifth quite difficult. You never met my parents, you see!

   My problem with the 10 Commandments is that they find their root specifically in exclusionary religions. Judaism excludes by bloodline; Christendom excludes based upon the declaration of a name...

   Beyond this, though, even I (like you) can acknowledge the wisdom of most of the commandments. As a direct criticism, though, assert that the only things I get from the commandments which are not directly observable in life are about God:

* Likes to be first...
* Likes to be praised...
* Doesn't like it's picture to be taken...

   When we put the commandments in schools, though, we're creating an interesting situation. Does the presence of the commandments imply an endorsement of the churches that honor them? That is, does their presence imply that the public somehow prefers Judeo-Christian ideas both in declaration and practice? After all, there are, within other religious traditions, ideas similar to the Ten Commandments; some of these are considerably more efficient in their expression:

* An' it harm none, do what thou will.
* Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

 
The Republican party's doctrine of individual initiative and personal responsibility (in the way the party preaches and practices such)  are anti-Christian. Guys like Gingrich and Dubya would feel much more at home with Aleister Crowley and the Ordo Templi Orientalis, which states there is virtue in self-interest, ambition, and the power of the individual above others. Christianity does not really honor these things. The Right for years has tried to marry Jesus to Ayn Rand, but it does not work.
Where the Republicans would have trouble with Ordo Templi Orientalis is the Order will tell you war is bad, hurting others will hurt you more in return, you should honor and not destroy the natural environment, and that human sexuality is a thing of reverence.

  My problem with the 10 Commandments is that they find their root specifically in exclusionary religions. Judaism excludes by bloodline; Christendom excludes based upon the declaration of a name...

  Beyond this, though, even I (like you) can acknowledge the wisdom of most of the commandments. As a direct criticism, though, assert that the only things I get from the commandments which are not directly observable in life are about God:

* Likes to be first...
* Likes to be praised...
* Doesn't like it's picture to be taken...



;D





  When we put the commandments in schools, though, we're creating an interesting situation. Does the presence of the commandments imply an endorsement of the churches that honor them? That is, does their presence imply that the public somehow prefers Judeo-Christian ideas both in declaration and practice? After all, there are, within other religious traditions, ideas similar to the Ten Commandments; some of these are considerably more efficient in their expression:

* An' it harm none, do what thou will.
* Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

  That we choose the 10 Commandments is a demographic reality. There are more Christians here than anyone else; while they often expect "minority" protection in the form of banning this or that book because it offends Christian propriety, they also often demand "majority" authority, feeling that since there's more of them, we violate their rights by not allowing them to subjugate the rest of us...


I believe that displaying the ten commandments in a public place is an endorsement of religion and doesn't have a place in the public arena.  If the are in place I can accede to leaving them, but do not believe that they should be entered in under new construction, and if a building has not been placed under the historic trust I would say it is permissible to have it removed. The majority is tyrranical when it comes to religion.

;D


I believe that displaying the ten commandments in a public place is an endorsement of religion and doesn't have a place in the public arena.  If the are in place I can accede to leaving them, but do not believe that they should be entered in under new construction, and if a building has not been placed under the historic trust I would say it is permissible to have it removed. The majority is not tyrranical when it comes to religion.



I wouldn't have a problem with the 10 Commantments being displayed if the Wicca Rede could be displayed next to it.


Here is the FULL version:


Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.

For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.

Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
let love and light be our guides again.

Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,
and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.

When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.

Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.

When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.

Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.

Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's
insight.  Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.

Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.

Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.

Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.

Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.

As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.

When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.

In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached it's height time for Oak and Holly to fight.

Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be.

Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.

With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.

Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you.

These Eight words the Rede fulfill:

"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"



Most people will just shorten it to the last 2 lines.



Cat

I don't think I've ever coveted my neighbour's ass...

I wouldn't half get a strange look off him if I did...

I don't think I've ever coveted my neighbour's ass...

I wouldn't half get a strange look off him if I did...


I remember how difficult it was for the teachers in Sunday School getting us to recite that one.  ;D

^
"Remember the ones you laughed at in the sixth grade?
'..and the cock crowed three times...'
Haw haw haw, the cock crowed three times!
It's in da Bible! Haw haw haw!"

--George Carlin

I don't think I've ever coveted my neighbour's ass...

I wouldn't half get a strange look off him if I did...


Applause. Dude, I spit out my drink when I read that.

Meh, they're more like "The Ten Pretty Good Ideas."
:-\\

I don't think I've ever coveted my neighbour's ass...

I wouldn't half get a strange look off him if I did...


Coveting thy neighbor's ass - that's a no-no.
Coveting thy neighbor's wife - that's also a no-no.

Coveting thy neighbor's wife's ass - hmm, conspicuously absent from the list. 

Speaking of George Carlin, I rather like his 2 commandments:

Thou shalt always be honest and faithful to the provider of thy nookie.
Thou shalt try real hard not to kill anyone, unless of course they pray to a different invisible man than you.

Speaking of George Carlin, I rather like his 2 commandments:

Thou shalt always be honest and faithful to the provider of thy nookie.
Thou shalt try real hard not to kill anyone, unless of course they pray to a different invisible man than you.








George Carlin's whole bit on religion is freakin' hilarious.

At the local Catholic school, they display the 10 Commandment. (I don't have a problem with that but if it was a public school, that would be a different story). They had an explanation of what each one means. Under the "Thou shall not commit adultery" the explanation included about not having homosexual relationships. Now, I have read the 10 Commandments and I don't see how they get the inturpration of no homosexual relationships out of not commiting adultery. Is there something else there that I am not seeing? Personally, I think it is just a way to add what the Church WANTS people to believe what is in there.




Cat
According to the bible, "adultery" is any type of sexual activity with someone you're not married to ::)

According to the bible, "adultery" is any type of sexual activity with someone you're not married to ::)


But not according to the secular laws of this country. Of course, if the Christian Dominionists had their way, they would replace secular law with Biblical law and institute stoning for adultery, which would consist of anything they said the Bible consisted of. And if you argued with holy magistrate about what the Bible says, you would be stoned to death for heresy!

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0,1406,KNS_348_4818531,00.html

Christian Dominionists like the World Overcomers Outreach Ministries in Memphis led by Pastor Alton Williams. He and his flock of 12,000 Dominionists spent a $260 thousand on a 72-foot tall Christianized statue of liberty with a crucifix:

"The Statue of Liberation also replaces the famous inscription with the lines "Give me your tired, your poor ... " with Roman numerals representing the Ten Commandments.

A tear falling from her right eye represents her concern for America, church pastor Apostle Alton R. Williams said."

The Ten Commandments? What, dear pastor, does the second commandment say about worshipping idols? You sure Jehova wants His name inscribed up there on your version of Lady Liberty?

When they made the cross that replaces the torch of liberty, they made it the color gold. The cross is not made out of the precious metal, but "gold" has had negative connotations for the cross ever since William Jennings Bryan warned us not to "crucify America on a cross of gold." Unfortunately, that's what Christian Dominionists are all about: Gold. They revere material wealth as a sign one is in God's grace. When they call it they call this altared, er, altered Statue of Liberty sans the original verse and call it "The Statue of Liberation," one must conclude the Dominionists want to liberate Christians from any obligations Christianity has always said Christians have to serve the poor, the needy, the sick, the less fortunate.

Some critics suggestion Jesus would have wanted the Overcomers to use that quarter million dollars to serve the needy, but these critics miss the entire point of Christian Fundamentalism. Fundamentalism says your only duty as a Christian is to evangelize. If the poor, the needy, the sick, and the crippled truly accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, then they wouldn't have those problems. Until then, they deserve to suffer.

Domionism is the goal of fundamentalism. This is the mentality we confront with the so-called "Christians" who want to post the Ten Commandments everywhere. No wonder they face so much opposition!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/crucified.gif

Pastor Williams is an African American. That shouldn't matter, right? However, Williams has declared the U.S. began its moral decline in the early '60s when things like prayer in public schools was abolished. Yet Williams does not mention that in 1960 he, as a black man, would have been a second class citizen by law in the city of Memphis. But I guess as long as there was prayer in school, Jim Crow laws imposed on him and his fellow "negroes" would be jus A-OK!
("Negro" is what the white citizens of Memphis called African Americans in 1960, that is when they had to be polite.)

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

I wonder if it's wrong to imagine what Heaven or Hell are like if they do exist.  "perfect harmony" Well what does that look like? Because of Roman paintings that have survived for years I picture Jesus as a good looking white man with a beard and long beautiful hair, but ya know he coulda been bald and had a goatee and been dark skinned.  Who knows? Well the people that have died and met him  and the people that were alive when he was around.  All respect to that. 


Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

I always feel bad about it but I'm guitly of it.  God Damn it or Jesus Christ come out of my mouth when I'm angry-scared- or just goofing around.  In all sense with what I've come to believe they're the reason for everything and I use there name in vain.  Makes me wonder how long ago and who started using the words.  I bet back then when they said "God Damn it" they litterly meant, God damn that rock I stubbed my toe on.


Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

You know for someone who did  as much as the lord's done asking for one day outta 7 a week really ain't asking for much.  I'm an ass and I only give him an hour, if that on Sunday's.  The day is supposed to be Saturday, but the American way is Sunday.  I try and pray about everyday but adding that all up still don't equal out a day.


Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

As much as my mother and father have done for me, both good and bad.  I think I owe it to them. 


Thou shalt not kill.
I wonder how far into it God was going with this one.  I mean does he mean don't take someone's life away from them, and that only. Or does he mean don't "kill" anything about a person.  You take a man's dreams away from him, take a man's hopes away from him, is that killing? Cause to me there's more deaths to life than just the one where they stick embalming fluid in your body afterwards.


Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Sawyer Brown once said in a song, "Well it seems like a month since I kissed my baby goodbye.  I could have a lot of women but I'm not like some other guys.  I could find one to hold me tight, oh but I could never make believe it's right."  I think that's a good interpretation of modern day terms and I like to go by it.

Thou shalt not steal.
I was raised to work for what you want or accept that you got lucky for it.  Stealing ain't my way. 

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
I don't want nobody saying I did something I didn't so I ain't gonna say someone did something they didin't.


Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Believe me I don't want non of my neighbor's asses.  Especially the fat one on the east side of me.  I wonder when I was a kid if God was mad at me cause I wanted my neighbor's daughter.  Damn football player's anyhow.

According to the bible, "adultery" is any type of sexual activity with someone you're not married to ::)


Just a question.

Jesus is the Son of God. Mary is Jesus's Mother. Mary is Married to Joseph.

If Mary gave birth to a child that does not belong to her husband. wouldn't
this be classified as adultery?

Did God break two of his own commandments? The second being coveting thy neighbors wife.

Just a question.

Jesus is the Son of God. Mary is Jesus's Mother. Mary is Married to Joseph.

If Mary gave birth to a child that does not belong to her husband. wouldn't
this be classified as adultery?

Did God break two of his own commandments? The second being coveting thy neighbors wife.


Now that's a question to ponder on.  Technically the "VIRGIN" Mary gave birth to Jesus.  So later one when her and Joesph got it on it was her first time.  She wasn't messing around on Joesph she just got knocked up.  Strange.

Just a question.

Jesus is the Son of God. Mary is Jesus's Mother. Mary is Married to Joseph.

If Mary gave birth to a child that does not belong to her husband. wouldn't
this be classified as adultery?

Did God break two of his own commandments? The second being coveting thy neighbors wife.




;D  ;D  ;D


Funny how they never talk about that............

Just a question.

Jesus is the Son of God. Mary is Jesus's Mother. Mary is Married to Joseph.

If Mary gave birth to a child that does not belong to her husband. wouldn't
this be classified as adultery?

Did God break two of his own commandments? The second being coveting thy neighbors wife.

Blasphemy! You shall be burned at the stake next Saturday.

Blasphemy! You shall be burned at the stake next Saturday.


I just call 'em like I see 'em.

I just call 'em like I see 'em.



While you're burning at the stake, you should bring some marshmallows.

While you're burning at the stake, you should bring some marshmallows.


That would work, and how about some wieners  ;D

That would work, and how about some wieners  ;D



Yeah, those would be great.  Just make sure to soak the skewers in water first so they don't catch fire. 

I just call 'em like I see 'em.


A rep that not only umpires are known for.

Now that's a question to ponder on.  Technically the "VIRGIN" Mary gave birth to Jesus.  So later one when her and Joesph got it on it was her first time.  She wasn't messing around on Joesph she just got knocked up.  Strange.


Actually, the term "virgin" as it was used then meant "unmarried woman"  which raises more interesting questions, also, in that day and time, poor were not allowed to learn to read and write, so they could not have been as poor as we were taught to believe.

Actually, the term "virgin" as it was used then meant "unmarried woman"  which raises more interesting questions, also, in that day and time, poor were not allowed to learn to read and write, so they could not have been as poor as we were taught to believe.


yeah I forgot about what the term meant back in the day.  I also remember speculation of Mary being a not so good woman and/or a prostitute.  Nothing true on that, just speculation.  Which could be true I guess, if it is.  They still could have been poor and had someone teach them how to read and write.  Like back when Slavery existed some of the good white people would teach Black people to read and write even though that was against the law, it wasn't allowed.  For some reason or another the rule book doesn't always apply, if it ever does.  Anyway I wasn't there, so I don't know.

I also remember speculation of Mary being a not so good woman and/or a prostitute. 

I could be wrong, but I believe you are confusing the mother Mary with Mary Magdalene.

That would work, and how about some wieners  ;D

Keep the fires hot for me! I'm next on the stake!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/10/vuur1.gif

I could be wrong, but I believe you are confusing the mother Mary with Mary Magdalene.


I remember her too.  The woman some speculate had love relations with Jesus Christ, maybe even married.  Anyway, I meant Mary as in the mother of Jesus.  Some speculate about her.