# 10 Commandments as the basis for our legal system **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 21, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754 "2003-08-21T19:17:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/21 "2003-08-22T22:33:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bobby Roberts \* > \*\*Actually pergery is a crime. \*\* It isn’t. Perjury is. Could you explain what pergery is? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/22 "2003-08-22T23:49:38Z")
(Derleth, wagging a finger at **Bobby Roberts** ’s misspelling) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\*It isn’t. Perjury is. > > Could you explain what pergery is? > > 😉 \*\* Pergery is the careful application of a trademarked laminated floor surface, Pergo™.😛 ---
**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/23 "2003-08-23T07:24:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bobby Roberts \* > \*\*Actually pergery is a crime. \*\* perjury is a crime, but if called you a nitpicking, anal retentive idiot that sleeps with donkeys (just as an example -no offense 😃 ) then that would be a civil matter of restitution, and not criminal, thats why I gave it a half. ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/24 "2003-08-23T12:10:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Freyr \* > \*\*Thanks for your responses, everyone! > > Okay, we seem to have two sides here. One, lead by **slipster** and **(Tim)** who say the connection is non-existent or very weak and the other side, by **APB** and **gluteus maximus** , who say that there’s a direct influence. > > So, again, can we trace a historically factual trail between the Decalogue and the formation of Englich common law? \*\* :smack: Uh… maybe you should read my post one more time, Freyr… ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/25 "2003-08-23T13:13:07Z")
Are we assuming here that God literally handed the Commandments down to Moses and that prior to this occurrence there were no existing human laws regarding behavior within a society? Is that what we’re saying? ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/26 "2003-08-23T13:16:52Z")
C’mon! Didn’t you see that Charlton Heston movie? ---
**Author:** ![Guybud5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Guybud5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guybud5)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/27 "2003-08-23T14:39:32Z")
Its not so much the claim that the 10 Commandments are the basis of our legal system that is particularly obnoxious as its the fundy manner of arguing it. I mean, these guys are getting even wierder than normal about all this. One angle that has not been mentioned is that the judicial system has influence beyond the codified, legislative law. The laws on the books take their meanings by the word of judges. If the judges staunchly believe in the 10 Big C’s, this will likely influence their decisions, and the INTERPRETATIONS of the laws will use the 10 Big C’s as the basis for the legal system. As far as Democracy being a Greek idea, we are a Republic, no matter how much we like to toot our horn about Democracy. I’ve heard that many comparisons can be drawn between the Isrealites system of government before the installation of Saul as king. The twelve tribes were semi-sovereign and met to work out issues of national importance, and when necesary for national defense. But none of this should be shoved in the faces of atheists, agnostics, Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists, Scientologists, or any other non-JudeoChristian believer when they walk into a government building. Sure, we once had de facto government sponsored religion… the changes of the last half century are called Progress. But I’ll stop there cuz this is stepping into GD territory… ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/28 "2003-08-23T15:29:31Z")
Yes, [very GD territory](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=205505&perpage=50&pagenumber=1). ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/29 "2003-08-23T15:30:44Z")
D’oh, wrong thread. [Lemmie try again](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=206254) ---
**Author:** ![Homer\_J.Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a698b9/32.png) [@Homer\_J.Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer_J.Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/30 "2003-08-24T00:16:20Z")
Were murder, left, and perjury illegal in common law before the influence of Christianity? ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/31 "2003-08-24T01:36:11Z")
I’m pretty sure [Hammurabi’s Laws](http://eawc.evansville.edu/anthology/hammurabi.htm) mention perjury (Law 3), theft (Laws 8, 6 and others), and murder (Law153 deals with both that and adultery). ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/32 "2003-08-24T02:30:15Z")
Hammurab’s Laws date from [around 1792 - 1750 BC](http://www.duhaime.org/Law_museum/hamm1.htm). When were the Ten Commandments written? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/33 "2003-08-24T04:03:39Z")
bnorton: I quickly checked my Encarta CD and see that it lists Moses as being around 1500 BC[E]. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/34 "2003-08-24T04:11:22Z")
bnorton: I quickly checked my Encarta CD and it says that Moses was around back in 1500 BC[E]. ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/35 "2003-08-24T05:03:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by VernWinterbottom \* > \*\*Are we assuming here that God literally handed the Commandments down to Moses and that prior to this occurrence there were no existing human laws regarding behavior within a society? > > Is that what we’re saying? \*\* Not in this thread, no. I’m asking if the Decalogue had a direct influence on the formation of English common law, which is the basis of our legal system, here in the States. Of course, Judge Moore might not see it that way. I’m guessing he’s seeing it more as you phrase it: _God literally handed the Commandments down to Moses and that prior to this occurrence there were no existing human laws regarding behavior within a society._ I think the answer is still **no** either way you phrase it. No, the Decalogue was not the first legal system in existence and no, it did not influence the formation of English common law. ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754/36 "2003-08-24T05:06:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gluteus maximus \* > \*\*:smack: > Uh… maybe you should read my post one more time, Freyr… \*\* Ack!! My bad! My bad! :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments-as-the-basis-for-our-legal-system/196754.md?page=1)