Rewriting the 10 Commandments? I'm speechless!

Athanasias

Regular Member
Jan 24, 2008
5,788
1,038
St. Louis
✟54,560.00
Country
United States
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Republican
Upvote 0

DailyBlessings

O Christianos Cryptos; Amor Vincit Omnia!
Oct 21, 2004
17,775
981
38
Berkeley, CA
Visit site
✟30,234.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
As long as one keeps the "old" ones around, I'm okay with trying to find a positive statement of the principles the commandments were meant to teach. Luther did similarly after all, as have many wise teachers of the faith. I'm not sure about some of his specific changes, though. "Do not steal" is not meant to ease the conscience of the wealthy, for instance, that's quite a perversion of its intent; I'd rather the version that Buddhists sometimes use, "honor the gift that has not yet been given." Stealing isn't wrong because it makes the thief feel bad, it's wrong because it betrays a lack of gratitude for what God had freely given us.
 
Upvote 0

Lost Squirrel

Seeking the 3rd satalite lock on God's GPS.
Jan 18, 2011
260
5
✟15,427.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Democrat
Ok, call me bad, but in assembling a contemporary Earth Day liturgy, I simply could not resist using "Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier" during the invocation. It was just too fitting to pass up! Sorry, this thread reminded me of it.

We had a bit of a conversation/dispute on its use in baptisms and the necessity for an absolute baptism to those who were "baptized" under this.
 
Upvote 0

Lost Squirrel

Seeking the 3rd satalite lock on God's GPS.
Jan 18, 2011
260
5
✟15,427.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Democrat
Oh, I completely agree with you. That language only encompasses a fraction of the adjectives to describe the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That was just part of our conversation the other day and it reminded me of this thread. But ironically, I had printed the Earth Day liturgy the day before, which included this language. The relaxed "service" is much, much more informal and pales in compared to a baptism. The Holy Trinity is indeed mentioned by proper names elsewhere throughout the liturgy, but for emphasis of those particular roles, I felt those words should be at least mentioned.
 
Upvote 0

Archivist

Senior Veteran
Supporter
Mar 5, 2004
17,332
6,425
Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
✟571,140.00
Country
United States
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Democrat
anyone not baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are not baptized.

With the exception that the Holy Spirit may also be referred to as the Holy Ghost.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

synger

Confessional Liturgical Lutheran
Supporter
Sep 12, 2006
14,537
1,565
59
✟44,856.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
"Prosper with a clear conscience" and "affair-proof your relationships" are pretty near incomprehensible, at least for a non-native English user. Vaguely poetic, signifying nothing.

Their question format take on the Ten Commandents is more approachable, I think:


  1. Do you put God at the centre of your life, where he should be?
  2. Do you put anything or anyone else in the place of God in your life?
  3. Have you ever used the name of God carelessly or insincerely?
  4. Do you keep one day free each week, to focus on God and to get some much-needed rest?
  5. Do you respect and honour your parents?
  6. Don’t murder – and watch your angry thoughts, because they, too, are murderous.
  7. Have you ever had impure or lustful thoughts about another person? Don’t commit adultery – not even in your mind.
  8. Have you ever stolen anything?
  9. Have you ever told a lie or half-truth to another person or about another person?
  10. Have you ever been jealous of what is not yours?

This sounds to me very similar to the aim of the Small Catechism; to teach the broader meaning behind the Commandments in a way that really hits it home to us in day-to-day situations.

That being said, if I used this I would use it ALONG WITH the Ten Commandments, not instead of. Just as I do the Catechisms.
 
Upvote 0

LisztLover

Newbie
May 4, 2012
19
0
✟7,630.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Single
Politics
UK-Conservative
This is truly the most outrageous thing I've ever seen. The Ten Commandments are one of the staples of the Christian faith, and he's TAMPERING WITH IT????? Who does he think he is?????? The only way that the Ten Commandments could ever be changed is if Jesus Himself comes back to Earth, and tells us what the new ones are. Not some joker from England!
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

joyfulthanks

The long day is over. Praise the Lord!
May 4, 2005
4,045
325
✟5,769.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
This sounds to me very similar to the aim of the Small Catechism; to teach the broader meaning behind the Commandments in a way that really hits it home to us in day-to-day situations.

But in his intro to the Small Catechism, Luther says this, "In the first place, let the preacher above all be careful to avoid many versions or various texts and forms of the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Sacraments, and such. He should choose one form to which he holds and teaches all the time, year after year. For young and simple people must be taught by uniform, settled texts and forms. Otherwise they become confused easily when the teacher today teaches them one way, and in a year some other way, as if he wished to make improvements. For then all effort and labor that has been spent in teaching is lost. Our blessed fathers understood this well also. They all used the same form of the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments. Therefore, we too, should be at pains to teach the young and simple people these parts in such a ways that we do not change a syllable or set them forth and repeat them one year differently than in another."

Luther did not change the commandments. He first stated them, and then asked, "What does this mean?" IMO, that's quite a bit different than rewriting them.
 
Upvote 0

synger

Confessional Liturgical Lutheran
Supporter
Sep 12, 2006
14,537
1,565
59
✟44,856.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
But in his intro to the Small Catechism, Luther says this, "In the first place, let the preacher above all be careful to avoid many versions or various texts and forms of the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Sacraments, and such. He should choose one form to which he holds and teaches all the time, year after year. For young and simple people must be taught by uniform, settled texts and forms. Otherwise they become confused easily when the teacher today teaches them one way, and in a year some other way, as if he wished to make improvements. For then all effort and labor that has been spent in teaching is lost. Our blessed fathers understood this well also. They all used the same form of the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments. Therefore, we too, should be at pains to teach the young and simple people these parts in such a ways that we do not change a syllable or set them forth and repeat them one year differently than in another."

Luther did not change the commandments. He first stated them, and then asked, "What does this mean?" IMO, that's quite a bit different than rewriting them.

I agree. I think these "rewrites" could be useful in addition to the Ten Commands as teaching tools to explain them. I don't think they stand on their own at all.
 
Upvote 0

joyfulthanks

The long day is over. Praise the Lord!
May 4, 2005
4,045
325
✟5,769.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
"Prosper with a clear conscience" and "affair-proof your relationships" are pretty near incomprehensible, at least for a non-native English user. Vaguely poetic, signifying nothing.

You have a better grasp of the English language than many native English-speaking Americans, I think. "Vaguely poetic, signifying nothing" is a brilliant description. :thumbsup:

The Decalogue's "You shall not steal" is now "prosper with a clear conscience," while "You shall not commit adultery" has been changed to "affair-proof your relationships." As for "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God," J.John has interpreted that to mean "take God seriously." Where God instructs in the Commandments to "Honor your father and your mother," the "Just10" series presents it as "keep the peace with your parents."

Rather than divine commandments from our Creator, they now sound like 10 suggestions for better living from a women's magazine...and they have just about as much substance.
 
Upvote 0