Yeah, religion today is contrived.
You take God out of if and it becomes something other that what was intended.
IMHO, there is nothing wrong with following the principles of laid down by Christ in the 6th chapter of the book of Matthew.
Believing in the interpretations of men, rather than the Lord is what gets us into trouble. It's also why the book of Timothy says, "Study to show thyself approved, a workman unto God..."
Not "listen to Jimmy Swaggart, or Billy Graham, they have all the answers. In fact, if you listen to them and other like them and don't do any of your own studying it's cool, as they are never wrong, nor do they ever mis-interpret anything in the Bible."
As for the original ten commandments, They were given before the death of Christ. Which was accomplished to make things easier, not harder for the worshippers of God. Though the
priciples still apply:
Originally posted by milefile
One
'You shall have no other gods before Me.'
Unless there is a smokin' sale or Joneses have surpassed you
Actually, God is a jealous God. See the book of Exodus, Note what happens to the Pharoah that wouldn't free the Hebrews. That's what pharoah gets for believing in false gods. The Joneses are up to their eyeballs in debt trying to outstrip you. Let them get ahead, and you be content with what you have if it is sufficient for your needs.
two
'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'
Unless it is PC to do so, or the Dali Lama is in town.
If you continue in the Book of Exodus you will note that the people of Isreal were really no different from us. Griping and Complaining because life was hard under slavery, but in some ways less secure once they were freed and had to trust in God. Humans have a hard time trusting anyone, much less an unseen, but wholly present, and "in charge of the situation" God.
Three
'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.'
Unless you are really, really pissed off, God Dammit!
I already told you God has some jealousy issues. See the first commandment above. Elsewhere in the bible (book of James, I believe) it is said, "Be angry, but do not sin."
Four
'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.'
We will make this as convenient as possible by selling the newspaper, Frappuccinos, and Egg McMuffins for you to munch while lounging in reclining chairs. No pews for you!
The book of I Corinthians admonishes us "not to forsake the gathering together of the saints." So going to worship is not "optional." However, Jesus said in the book of Acts, "Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there will I be also." So you can worship together in your home with the family.
Five
'Honor your father and your mother.'
Unless they cut you out of the will, sexually abused you, beat you in a drunken stupor, or psychologically abused you so severely that no amount of pseudo-religion, psychoanalysis, or groundless "affirmations" will retrieve you from your sad bubble of neurosis and insecurity. Then you may curse them... go ahead! It's fun!
It never said to assume at all costs that your parents were perfect. The Book of Numbers, Proverbs, and a variety of places in the New Testament speak to inappropriate sexual behavior, abuse, drunkeness, and as fathers we are admonished not to provoke our children to wrath. So the Bible deals with the parent/child relationship from the responsibilities of the parent and of the child.
Six
'You shall not murder.'
Only the government can. Get a government job if you must.
There are instances when God told the children of Israel to go out and destroy their enemies. However, it was usually accomplished in some way that showed that God really weilded the power, not the Israelites. They were weaponless, outnumbered, or something that made it clear that they were winning wars with the power of someone or something stronger and more powerful than they would have been alone.
But in general, we are not supposed to solve our problems, or provide recreation by killing those people around us.
Seven
'You shall not commit adultery.'
Bwahahahahaa!!!
This is just wrong. The book of Genesis states that a man "shall leave his father and mother and cleave/cling unto his wife." David, a man after God's own heart, was an adulterer. All of his children were cursed in some way by God because David dipped his wick where he shouldn't have. He was a man "after God's heart" not because he was perfect. He was far from perfect. But whenever he messed up, he turned away from his sin, and went to God for forgiveness/atonement.
Eight
'You shall not steal.'
Unless you know you won't get caught.
How did you feel the first time you had something stolen from you? No reference to the Book this time. It's simply a lowlife thing to do.
Nine
'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.'
Unless you heard that they told your other neighbors that you said thus-and-such after you watched their annoying kids while they has their plasma TV delivered even though you were envious and secretly can't stand them because you heard their kids say "my dad says your mom is a b*tch."
All lying on your neighbors does is create a situation of enmity, an discontent in the 'hood. Why bother. Do you really have to get in the slime with the gossips.
Ten
'You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.'
Your neighbor probably does not have an ox or a donkey or a male servant, but if he does, it figures because they're weird anyway, and his wife is probably doing all of them while the kids are at school.
In today's verbiage, "don't envy your neighbor, his possesions."
See Matthew 6:25 to the end of the chapter. God will provide, what you need. You may not have your neighbor's "wealth" but you will be able to live.
