Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for May 03, 2011

George Carlin could really help Moses with this problem.

And then EVERYSINGLEGOVERNMENT that has ever existed decided that 10 weren’t enough and started making more.

On the other hand, lots of people don’t seem to be able to follow all 10 correctly.

George Carlin could really help Moses with this problem.

amen. well remembered.

Most people have trouble with the list George made.

Just need the basics here.

@pouncingtiger - so true, so missed. @wmbrainiac - I completely agree with you, except the “amen” part.

I don’t know… I kind of like the “thou shalt not wear lime green bell bottom pants with a pink Neru jacket.” It’s way back there on the list.

God always overreacts.

roctor I’m not sure I want to post this close to you. Look out for the lightning!!

Take two tablets and call me in the morning.

“The Lord, the Lord Jehovah has given unto you these fifteen…” [drops one of the tablets] “Oy! Ten! Ten commandments for all to obey!”

Didn’t they just call the rest of the “Leviticus”?

I wonder what commandment “XXX” was about?

Would we have more or lawyers if the ten were accepted universally as the only law? Silly me, depends what you mean by “thou”.

There’s only ONE thing you really need to know…

Gotta go, breakfast is ready.

Odd how few people read further, past the giving of the first ten - there were a total of 613 given, if you take the time to go on a few chapters. All nicely detailed, do’s and dont’s, and lots of smiting and nasty stuff. Of course, since most people can’t seem to carry out the first ten at all, is it a wonder they prefer to ignore the rest or pretend they don’t exist?

Heck, most people can’t even keep the first and second commandment. Ah, well, I guess that’s the problem with this sort of thing.

Of course, I suppose if you use the excuse that these commandments were strictly between God and those of the People of the Covenant, and anyone from any other faith or lack thereof doesn’t have to pay attention to any of them, which would let most supposedly God-fearing Christian I know off the hook, but then, what rules of conduct do they then hold true at all?

What about the Golden rule? Doesn’t that trump all of these?!

^ That Rule has degenerated into ‘Do it to others before they do it to you’.

@Potrzebie, the Golden Rule is encompassed and unfolded in the Ten–or at least the last seven/six of them. St. Augustine pointed out that (Catholic numbering) the first three commandments relate to how we are to “love God with all your strength and heart and mind” and the next seven tell how we can “love your neighbor as yourself”.

let’s see: Roman numerals hundreds of years before the Romans even existed? or is the implication that Roman numerals are God-given? Then why aren’t we using them today?

Remember Mel Brookes version

There’s a story that God offered “commandments” to the Vikings, who asked, “Like what?” “Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal,” He replied. “Oh, no. That doesn’t fit our pillaging and plunder lifestyle.”

Next He went to the Romans. “Like what,” they asked. “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” was the reply. “Oh, no; that won’t allow our orgies.”

Then He went to Moses: “Would you be interested in any commandments?” “How much?” was the reply. “They’re free!” said God. “Then I’ll take ten.”

Some Old Testament scholar apparently counted 630 laws, but that includes all the dietary restrictions and details of the sacrificial offerings. The Decalogue is a good summary of our relationships with God, self, and other people, and a minimum standard for godly behavior. (And as bmonk has pointed out, there are really two “greatest” commandments.)

But Jesus showed the minimality of the ten - and why we need His righteousness - when he said, “you have heard that it was said… but I tell you…”

[“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.]

@bmonk, apparently St. Augustine had Luke 10:25-28 in mind. Note that Jesus doesn’t say, ‘This do, and assert the following propositions about me, and my mother, and our (not just my: remember how I told you to pray?) Father, and about the books the rabbis are putting together and that are going to be written about me’.

BTW, ‘Aseret ha-Dibrot’ doesn’t mean Ten Commandments–it means Ten Utterances, or Sayings.

Jeeze Louise! I came here looking for a comic strip, and discovered I’ve walked into a Sunday School!

Funny strip, Wiley!

George Carlin did even better.

There are 613 mitvahs, if you want to go OT; the big ten was just a start: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/756399/jewish/The-613-Mitzvot.htm

And the fact that there were only two commandments, but the others might make humans get the idea.

There’s a famous cliche that describes the god of the Old Testament perfectly; “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

All you really need is a system of laws that society can agree on and adopt. Doesn’t need to be inspired by anyone or anything…

I’m an agnostic, but it’s a fact that if everyone followed those 10 rules the world would be a much better place.

From ten commandments, Moses wrote the “tax code” that took up all the shelf space, and was the basis for most “stoning offenses”.(and sharia law as well)

^ yeah, read Deuteronomy, Numbers, Leviticus, zzz… (ZAP)

613 mitzvot. No one person can fulfill all of them because some are based on gender and some are only required of the Levites and Cohanim (sub-tribe of the Levites - priests).

People who are not part of the brit /contract/covenant with God only have to follow the 7 Noachide laws.

It was the sage Hillel standing on one foot when challenged by a soldier of the foreign regime of the moment that said “Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you. The rest is commentary. Go and learn.” It is said that soldier became a great scholar.

Mock and scorn as you will . The death of Osama bin Laden combined with the “weapons contracts ” between Russia and several Middle Eastern countries (as well as Chinese economic interest in the region ) may very well ignite the fires of Armageddon.

To quote a phrase from the movie Black Robe : “May death find you with God in mind. ”

Richard S. Russell,

For a guide to formatting comments, see this link.

Looks like Wiley has a little trouble with Roman numerals too. I see two 26’s(XXVI) one 27 (XXVII) no 28, one 29(XXIX) and of course one 30(XXX). Well, only the Super Bowl uses them anymore anyway.

To A Scented Flower: You and I are thinking on the same wavelength.

However, I have to ask: Did Letterman borrow the idea for the Top Ten from Moses, or vice-versa? :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TAtRCJIqnk

THANK GOD I’M AN ATHEIST!!!