Tuesday, April 24, 2007

The Ten Commandments

I just recently watched Hallmark's Ten Commandments.

IMHO- the old one was better ( and shorter?) although there was a lot more detail in this one. I learned something I did not know before, but should have realized: Moses is considered a prophet (Holy man, man of God, whatever) by Christians, Muslims, and Jews. And that his code of moral conduct has withstood the test of time. We have the New Testiment, but I think we all (or most of us) use the ten commandments as the root of moral conduct.

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just think, Charleton Heston has finally gotten old enough to play Moses as he really was.

TBM said...

"I think we all (or most of us) use the ten commandments as the root of moral conduct"

Have you read C.S.Lewis' (as in "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe") "Mere Christianity?" Lewis shows how, wherever you go in the world, everybody everywhere has fundamentally the same moral code, and this is encapsulated by the ten commandments.

For example, people might argue about how many wives you may have, but everybody agrees that you cannot just go out and grab any woman you want. Thus the adultery commandment. The same argument can be made about all the other commandments.

C.S.Lewis goes on to use this point as a powerful argument for God's existence.

bbgae said...

tbm:
No. I have not read that book. I did not even know it existed (although my friends told me S.C. Lewis was Christian and I love The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.)
Those were just my own thoughts on things.

BTW- these same friends said there was a hidden Christian meaning to that story, and the different characters represented different Christian things, i.e. the lion was Christ the witch the devil, etc. Has anyone else heard that?

Anonymous said...

Yes,Thats true BB.

TBM said...

C.S.Lewis was a deeply Christian man, having previously been an atheist. He was also a terrifyingly intelligent man -- if I remember right, he was professor of Greek and Latin at Oxford university.

He wrote a lot of books beside the Tales of Narnia. As I BYU student, I them (the course bore no relevance at all to my major, but it just sounded intriguing), and somewhere, I still have my notes. If you like, I could dig them out.

I seem to remember that the lion represents Christ. There's something significant about the lion's name, "Aslan", but right now, I don't remember what.

Have you heard of the movie, Shadowlands? That was about C.S.Lewis, based on another of his books, "Surprised By Joy".

bbgae said...

tbm,
That is so sweet to offer to go through your notes for me. I don't want to put you through alot of bother, but if you could find the meaning of Aslan without too much fuss, it would be nice. You piqued my interest on that one. Don't bother about the rest, though, unless you really want to. (I can also do a google search on Aslan.)

No, I have not seen Shadowlands. What's it about?

Anonymous said...

Aslan=Christ,

Anonymous said...

We sure have these Ten Commandments, whatever we are. It's although a matter of how we interpret them within a view of our cultures, traditions and backgrounds. You see, if we pay too much attention to other cultures not giving a penny to our own one, that's gonna end up quite sad, I suppose. For instance, many people in the West nowadays call themselves Buddhists, but their buddhism doesn't go beyond buying aroma sticks and loving curry.

My point is, basic roots are good and I don't have anything against them, but let's not forget what our fathers were dying for.

TBM said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TBM said...

Shadowlands was made about 1994/5 with Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger. It was about C.S.Lewis and his relationship with his wife, who was diagnosed with bone cancer a few weeks after their wedding. Most of her brief marriage was spent dying slowly and painfully, and left him with severe questions about his faith -- "Why would a loving God permit this to happen", the question that probably everybody asks several times during their lives.

But C.S.Lewis actually came up with sound answers, which he wrote in "Surprised By Joy", and that's what the movie is about.

It's not a cheerful movie, as you might imagine, but it's a beautiful and wonderfully uplifting show that works well to do what C.S.Lewis' books were all intended to do -- answer complicated questions clearly.

It's also a great chick-flick! ;-)

TBM said...

Aulis, I totally relate to your post, which reminded me of a girl I dated years ago. She was nice, and cute, but spiritually she basically had this pot-pourri of "beliefs" that she pretty much pick 'n mixed from everything on the basis that she thought they were fun, and for no other reason -- no underlying philosophy to guide and unify these practices into something explainable! She called it "new age wiccan". I called it dingy!

bbgae said...

LOL. I'll have to watch it, if it's a chick flick!

ATAR_i said...

If you like C.S. Lewis and - you might want to check out 'Mere Christianity'

Anonymous said...

Some years ago, while looking for the underlying requirments of baptism and recieving the spirit of God, I concluded that one could not disobey certain basics and actually have the spirit of God in them.

These basics included.

Not to Steal.

Not to Lie.

Not to kill without high cause.

Not to commit adultery or fornication.

To honor parents and Elders.

I concluded that without such basic laws, peaceable soceity could not be established nor could a progressive society exist.

The right to retain one own efforts and productivity is the basis for peace, and this is bound up in the law of not stealing.

I also noted that of these basic minimum of laws, the majority were DONTS, and only one was a pro-active 'Doing law.' (to Honor parents)

In considering this I saw that basic laws cannot ennoble us, they can only keep us from sin and darkness. Thus higher laws have to do with more DOs, more things we need to do to elevate and ennoble us.

And so we find in the Ten Commandments an essential addition to the basics if we are to be ennobled. In the recognition of a God of truth, justice, judgement, the sanctity of God, and a day set aside in every seven for the personal remembrance of our covenants with that diety/ideal.

bro B

ATAR_i said...

Bro B

Very eloquently put.

bbgae said...

Bro.B:
That was lovely! Intelligent ideals organized into meaningful sentences for an overall effective and beautiful post. :)

bbgae said...

I was hoping Muggsey or Grouchy Anon. would post the Ten Commandments on this thread since they are so well versed in scripture and do such an excellent job of quoting it. Since they have not posted the Ten Commandments yet, I will because I think it will be fun.(I am sure most of us here already know them.)

I dusted off my Bible again and I am getting this from Exodus 20. I am not going to quote precisely, just paraphrase. Let me know If I get any wrong.

The Ten Commandments

1Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
2Thou shalt not bow thyself down and worship idols.
3Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4Remember the sabbath and keep it holy.
5Honor they father and thy mother that thy days might me long upon the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee.
6Thou shalt not kill.
7Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8Thou shalt not steal.
9Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10thou shalt not covet.

Anonymous said...

Why would Muggsy care about the Ten Commandments? That would be too much like work. Alls he has to do is just profess to be a believer and his salvation is secure.

ATAR_i said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

@ atar-i Your bad is bad.

Plus I think you just broke the Ninth Commandment.

********

Oh. I see, you also have to have a basic fundamental understanding of theology too. But it doesn't matter what you do as long as you profess to believe?

You don't need to get all testy and nasty just because your logic falls apart. You are starting to sound like the troll. You shouldn't let that get to you like that.

I don't think it matters if Mugs can quote the Bible backwards and frontwards. I think it is his theology (and yours too if you go along with it) that is seriously lacking. In fact, all that profound "understanding" will work against you in the end if thats all it is.

Either he has to do the work to go along with his belief, or he isn't telling it like it is.

You don't get to have it both ways.

Anonymous said...

Wow atar_i,
Why are you so rude???? Dang girl!!

Anonymous said...

atar-i, don't these folks ware ya down,I think you have been about as decent as anyone on this show,if we want to start on one another's theology, who's is going to stand up to any real logical scrutiny. I respect and admire you. you go girl!

uncaduff.

TBM said...

The cowboy ten commandments:

1 Just one God.

2 Honor yer Ma & Pa.

3 No telling tales or gossipin’.

4 Git yourself to Sunday meeting.

5 Put nothin’ before God.

6 No foolin’ around with another fellow’s gal.

7 No killin’.

8 Watch yer mouth

9 Don’t take what ain’t yers.

10 Don’t be hankerin’ for yer buddy’s stuff.

:-)

bbgae said...

Thanks for that, tbm! :)

Unknown said...

When the Gospel of the Son of God is introduced among the children of
men, it comes with light and intelligence, with pure and holy principles. It
embraces all morality, all virtue, all light, all intelligence, all greatness,
and all goodness. It introduces a system of laws and ordinances and a code of
moral rectitude which, if obeyed by the human family, will lead them back to
the presence of God. 11:235 JD

Brigham Young

Anonymous said...

I wasn't being down on atar_i, I was just saying it like, that's not the way we roll round here.

ATAR_i said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bbgae said...

Hey everybody,

I just took a drive through C.C. today. Everything was pretty much the same. They are doing something on that patch of dirt where Centrl St. and Utah Ave. meet at the end of the bridge. There used to be a hill there with sagebrush and bike trails, and now it is all torn up and there are pipes sticking out of the ground.

You can practically tell where the faithfull live because of the tall fences and "No Tresspassing' signs in windows and on fence posts.
I got a few stares from within passing vehicles, but that was all.

I said I would stop at the Merry Wives cafe, but I didn't this time. Maybe next time.
I saw many things- all in all, a pleasant trip. :)

Anonymous said...

Utah Avenue and Central meet up by the mountain.

bbgae said...

All right. Thanks. Arizona Ave and Central st. then. :)

Anonymous said...

When I lived there I think they called it Uzona Ave. It is almost right on top of the state line.

I'm probably wrong; too many cobwebs that far back.

Are they builing a new bridge?

LTG

Anonymous said...

LTG,
They have to ask Warren first, ha ha!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, a new bridge already? I remember when they first built the one thaat is still there. Huh, nothing like feeling old. ;)

bbgae said...

LYG:
Uzona Ave, is there, just like you remembered. It's one street north of Utah Ave.

bbgae said...

I meant lTG. :)

muggsey said...

bbgae
re. 4/26/07 10:25

Error in first and second commandments as posted by you.

KJV reads as follows: Ex. 20:2 & 3

2. I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

There is no reference to graven images in first commandment.

Ex. 20:4, 5, 6

4. 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:

5. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Quite a bit more here than just idol worship.

**********************************

annon. 4/26 6:14

If you LIVE the ten commandments you don't have to spend so much time checking behind you to determine if you have broken one of them. You know the truth immediately.

Just live as if Christ is your constant companion and the attractivness of disobedience will be more easily avoided.

God desires that we not have to refer to a book or a priest every time we are confronted with possible sin in our lives. He said that HIS will was for us to have his laws indellibly stamped upon our hearts, or more easily understood, His will to become a part of ourselves, GOD in Us!

bbgae said...

Thanx, Muggsey! :D

ATAR_i said...

That sounds so Michael Jackson 'Man in the Mirror'

This link is really just for the music - so I'm not including the url.

Bottom line - 'you're talking to the man in the mirror'. You want to hear intelligent conversation - START MAKING SOME.

Anonymous said...

bbgae, Uzona is one street SOUTH of Utah ave, just so ya know.

ATAR_i said...

I hear Michael again

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change


I realize it's alot to ask of you - yanno - introspection, intelligent dialogue, or at the very least - a hasty goodbye, you might not be capable of anything more than unintelligent badgering, mud-slinging, profane and disingenous remarks.

If you can't even keep up with Michael - it's a sad day : (

ATAR_i said...

OK - blogger added some stuff - this is the URL

http://www.myspace.com/maninthemirror123

bbgae said...

10:26-
Thanx. I got Utah Ave and Arizona Ave. mixed up AGAIN. LOl.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone hear about Dan Timpson
(still faithful to warren) getting a DUI? Whats strange is he isn't even kicked out yet. Though Wendell M sure got the boot faster than anyone. Hmmm... I wonder if Will(the bishop) evens knows about Dan's boozing, he probably does but they're brothers so Dan is safe(he hopes) for now. We'll see what happens eh

Anonymous said...

What does it matter to you? You someone who loves gossip. I have a little remedy, shut your mouth till you know the facts for sure.
Don't be so eager to spread B S you don't even know is true K.

Anonymous said...

I think Warren is innocent toa certain extent. He defintitly is innocent for the crimes he is charged with. Because girls really do have a choice whens it comes time to marry. Here is one thing I don't agree of - THE PESSURE THAT IS PUT ON THESE YOUNG GIRLS TO MARRY THE MAN WARREN HAS ASSIGNED THEM TO - (basically he says yes you have a choice but you will be judged in the afterlife) and with that he makes them feel guilty with the thought that they could be damned and go to hell. So they are trapped into doing what he wants them to. therefore he's not guilty of any crimes against the law, BUT HE IS DEFINITLY GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND THE HUMAN SOUL. He should be tried for brainwashing people and fronting a cult!!!!

ATAR_i said...

That is an opinion NOT a statement of fact?

You concede that pressure is put on children to marry - yet you state that is their choice - seriously - you see no problem in this logic?

But, I won't belabor the obvious - just point out a few more poignant facts.

1. Your probably not an attorney, judge, or any officer of the court.

2. You don't have evidence that warren is innocent (if you did, you would have presented it and he would no longer be in jail - or...are you set to testify?)

3. You believe that all the attorneys, federal agents, and learned officials of justice are not as much of an expert on the law as you (oh yeah, that's right - you're not an expert) - since they seem to believe there is probably cause that warren committed a crime.

I guess when you declare warren innocent (without trial of course) - my collar gets a little hot.

bbgae said...

Ok, 2:57-
You say the girls have a choice of whom they marry, and then in the next sentence, you say you don't agree with the pressure that is put on them to choose Warren's choice. You can't have it both ways. Which one is it?

ATAR_i said...

Lets not forget - we are talking about CHILDREN. Children - taught to respect and obey, and the consequences for displeasing or embarrassing your parents would be quite high.

Choice is the POWER to choose between things and implies the opportunity to choose. Choice is also based on a liking or partiality - a state of PREFERENCE. It's a valuable and precious thing. Those girls never had a choice - they didn't have options presented to them.

bbgae said...

Amen, atar.