I am working on a family project for a few days. This week’s post, therefore, is a guest article written by my good friend Patrick B. Sullivan, DPA. Dr. Sullivan received his BA in History/Political Science and Master of Public Administration degrees from the University of Montana, a Master of Divinity degree from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, CA, and his Doctor of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He has been a professor at two institutions for 12 years. He has a total of 50 + years of experience in the public sector. He is the past Director of the State Professional Development Center for the State of Montana. Currently, he is an independent consultant.

 

 

There are many groups in recent years who are apparently fascinated by the ten commandments. This is shown by their desire to have them displayed on courthouse lawns or in classrooms. It would seem prudent then, to take a closer look at the ten commandments in the context of today.

1. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall make no idols.

There are very few people today who create idols or worship some false god in the most literal sense. However, the commandment also warns us not to seek happiness or fulfillment in the wrong places. Only God and our intimate relationship with the divine can provide those. Too many seek happiness in what some happiness scholars refer to as “miswanting.”  We believe that if we get that great job, or the best car, or achieve prestige, we will be happy. Science shows us that this is not true. How many times, after achieving one of those goals do we find ourselves rather empty. When I completed my doctorate, I thought I would be happy, or at least happier. That is not the feeling I had at all. Instead, I just thought, “what’s next?”

2. You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.

Most of us think that this is about actually cursing. It is more about falsely declaring that God said we should do something that goes against the primary commandment of love. When we claim that we can justify our uncharitable acts on the divine, we are taking God’s name in vain. How many times have we heard various preachers, politicians, or even sports figures declare that God has mandated that they should be successful, rich, or powerful? Religions have done this throughout the centuries. God’s name has been used to justify slavery, misogyny, and intolerance. Millions of people have been killed in the name of God.

3. Keep holy the sabbath.

When, exactly is the sabbath? Different Abrahamic traditions have different days.  Perhaps, it is every day. When Moses encounters God in the burning bush, he is told to remove his shoes, that he is standing on holy ground. So, keeping the sabbath holy could be seen as respecting that all of creation is holy every day. When something is holy, we respect it and treat it with care. This is especially true when we deal with others.  In the creation story in Genesis, the statement at the end of every day is “and it was good.”  After the sixth day, with the creation of humans, “it was very good.”  The seventh day was a day of rest but also a day of reflection.

4. Honor your father and your mother.

The difficult thing here is that our parents are not perfect. They make mistakes in caring for us. I know mine did. Nevertheless, they did bring us into this world. We give them respect for that reason alone. To honor them is to become the best person we can be. We stop blaming them for our own difficulties and grow. We also forgive their faults and celebrate their wise guidance.

5. You shall not kill.

Of course, actually killing someone other than in self defense is prohibited. God created us and we do not have the right to take that away. We also murder by neglect. When we look away when people are starving, we are killing them. Whenever we deprive people of what they need to live, we are killing them. When we fail to provide adequate health care, even though we have the resources, we are killing people.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

This is less about sexual activity and more about relationships. When we betray a solemn relationship, we harm the other person. We also harm the person with whom we betrayed. We are using another person for our own pleasure. The provision is about authenticity in all our relationships. Rape is a violent act more than it is a sexual one. Using another person’s body against their will is an act of adultery.

7. You shall not steal.

Taking what does not belong to us is more than a selfish act. It lays claim to something to which we are not entitled.  God has provided enough for everyone in this world. When we amass wealth while our neighbor is hungry, naked, or thirsty, we are stealing from them. There is no justification for having billionaires when others are suffering. When the uberwealthy claim that they are “self-made” they are stealing. This only shows a lack of gratitude and obligation to all those that got them to where they are today. There were parents, teachers, and other mentors who provided them with the skill to achieve. There are also all the workers that created their wealth and the infrastructure that made it possible. To make such a claim is selfish and false pride.

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

This certainly includes falsely accusing someone of something they did not do. It even includes times when we did so without making sure of the facts.  More commonly, though, it includes gossip. When we pass along information about another person, we are sharing something that is not ours to share. This is especially a problem when we have not witnessed it ourselves. It doesn’t matter if it is true or not. We must ask ourselves the question of whether or not there is a good reason to share such information. Gossip is destructive within any group. It undermines trust for the target of gossip and the person who is sharing it.

9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

This one is a bit problematic because it implies that the neighbor’s wife is his property.  Perhaps, this needs to be understood in different ways. Again, it is about relationships. If we are looking at other people and wanting to either possess them or have them to ourselves, we are objectifying them. It also reflects a lack of gratitude for the relationship(s) we already have. It also applies to both male and female. To covet somebody is to fail to recognize their humanity.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

Coveting that which is not yours is an act of selfishness and lacking gratitude. The lack of gratitude is probably one of the biggest problems we have today. People are widely upset because they feel they should have more than they do. They want to find someone to blame because they don’t have enough. It’s okay to have things (within reason) but we need to be grateful for what we do have.

Notice that all of the commandments are about relationship. The first three are about relationship with God or the divine or the cosmos, whatever your preference. The rest are about relationship with each other. The ten commandments are properly summed up with the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord, your God with your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, … you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37)