Blog of Parag

Thou shalt not display these commandments

Yahoo! News - Alabama Ten Commandments Moved from Public View
For those of us like me who didn't go to a convent, and wondering what are these 'Ten Commandments', here is a simpler version of the list without all the biblical decorative english:

I. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.

III. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.

IV. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

V. Honour thy father and thy mother.

VI. Thou shalt not kill.

VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

VIII. Thou shalt not steal.

IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

X. Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbour's.

These are all good ideas or morals, but, except for number VI and VIII, none of them are laws. Most of them are not even valid in today's society. The first amendment invalidates the first three. Businesses have thrown out the fourth one. Number V and IX are good ideas, but, they are not a law. What can I say about number VII? So many people would need to be punished for breaking this commandment that there would be more people in jails than the outside world. Number X is not acceptable to free market economy, competition, etc. Desire (covet) is the driving force for success and prosperity.

Hence, they don't really have a place in the courthouse, as we don't live by these values. They belong in a place of worship or in someone's house or any other place, but, not in the courthouse.