I didn’t really mean for the Huckabee: Liar or Idiot? to become a series, but in the blogging business, you go where opportunity takes you. Ed Brayton has some commentary on Huckabee’s latest bit of idiocy (or round of lies):
“The Ten Commandments form the basis of most of our laws and therefore, you know if you look through them does anybody find anything there that would be all that objectionable? I don’t think most people would if they actually read them,” he said.
Responds Brayton:
Utter nonsense. I can’t see how anyone who has actually read them could possibly think that they are the basis of “most of our laws. Of the ten commandments, only two would even be constitutional in the United States, with a third being constitutional in limited circumstances. The other 7 could not possibly be the basis for any law because they would be clearly unconstitutional.
Ed then goes on to analyze each one. Just as a refresher course, here are the Ten Commandments (more or less – they’re different depending on which Bible you’re watching):
1. Only worship the God of the Jews.
2. No graven images.
3. Don’t use the God of the Jews name in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath.
5. Honor your parents.
6. Don’t kill.
7. Don’t commit adultery.
8. Don’t steal.
9. Don’t lie about your neighbor.
10. Don’t covet your neighbor’s stuff or his wife.
Commandments #6 and #8 are legally enforceable, of course, but they’re pretty much part of every legal system ever made, Christian or not, and, therefore, can’t be particularly tied to the Ten Commandments. I think politicians get away with spouting so much nonsense about the Ten Commandments mostly because folks never read them. They should probably be posted above public urinals so people would read them.
Doesn’t #9 provide the basis for the all-important laws about slander and libel?
3 out of 10 ain’t bad as a foundation for your livelihood, Doug…
I suppose don’t lie covers slander and libel – perjury too, for that matter, but it’s much more inclusive than that and seems to cover all lying about your neighbors.
They should probably be posted above public urinals so people would read them.
Are females so inherently virtuous that they need no such prompting?
Nah, I just know that if there is something posted above a urinal, I *will* read it pretty much without exception. I don’t know if there is an equivalent place for women.
The cover of a fad diet book in the checkout line of a grocery store, of course…
(ducks and runs)
Columnist DJ Dionne had an insightful article about Huckabee and Romney a couple days ago. The gist is that the conservatives,still in control of the GOP, will succeed in destroying Huckabee and put their support to Romney and Romney and McCain will fight it out for the Republican nomination. Huckabee is fine with his evangelical Christianity but he doesn’t pass their test on his ‘liberal’ populist economic views,and some conservatives fear he would be a big government president.Romney will displease certain Evangelical groups for religious reasons because a Mormon doesn’t have a pure Christian pedigree( but let’s not discuss it publically).The fact that Romney now has all his views lined up with the republican ‘Christian values agenda’ will not be enough give him united conservative support. So, yes, it’s going to be very interesting because certain conservative voters won’t be eager to vote for McCain.Looks like american conservatism really is starting to splinter.That’s what 8 years of failure does.
Or as Jesus sums up the commandments-love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor as yourself. It’s the love your neighbor as yourself ones that tend to shape our larger society. Although you are right that only three of them (I add the slander/contempt of court #8 one-Lutherans number the commandments differently)are enforceable as law.
I thought Jesus kind of threw those Old Testament laws out the window when the Jewish priests were trying to get him all tangled up. Jesus cut the knot by saying, essentially, there are only two rules: 1) Love God with all your heart; and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself.
I guess what I’m asking is whether he was summarizing the old laws or whether he was replacing them.
In this case he was summarizing the law. But Christians believe that Christ came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law. In other words, the law is like the prosecutor-and Jesus is the defense lawyer. The law works to keep us in line, and Jesus forgives us when we fall short of the law. (I have two likttle hnelpers right now, so my thoughts are a little jumbled!)
In this case he was summarizing the law. But Christians believe that Christ came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law. In other words, the law is like the prosecutor-and Jesus is the defense lawyer. The law works to keep us in line, and Jesus forgives us when we fall short of the law. (I have two likttle hnelpers right now, so my thoughts are a little jumbled!)
Read what Thomas Jefferson has to say about Christianity. You won’t like it.