# 10 commandments **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 30, 2000, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945 "2000-03-30T23:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2000, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/101 "2000-04-08T13:11:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Unfortunately, there are so many lousy parents out there that don’t give a damn about their kids or what they do. Morality has to be taught somewhere and sadly it’s falling on the backs of the schools and they are doing nearly as poor a job as those parents are. I’m not without sympathy for you here, Mike - I believe that there’s a significant societal interest in making sure that kids receive a certain basic level of education and guidance, regardless of whether their parents are willing to provide it. And even when parents _are_ willing and able, a little help from the society as a whole can be a good thing. (It takes a village! :)) But the lack of sincerity of the Christian right’s motivations on this issue seem to shine through loud and clear, in that they want **The Ten Commandments** posted - not any set of ethical rules that could gain the concurrence of the wider community, and would be independent of any particular religious system, but that would convey essentially the same ethical message as Commandments 5 through 10. I think Esprix nailed it when he said: > [@](#): > > The basics we agree on - do not kill, steal, lie - and those are taught to greater or lesser extents. It’s the religious morals that are in question. And to the extent that it’s about posting _specifically the Commandments_, I have to say what I’ve said in other discussions about the _why_ of the Commandment posting: it’s about marking territory. Nothing more, nothing less. This is an attempt by the religious conservatives to ‘claim the schools for Jesus’, but in a way that gets the message across to everyone else that they’ve done so, and we’d best not forget it. I’m hardly anti-Christian; I’ve known the Lord for what will be thirty years this fall. But as one who sees things very differently from Falwell, Robertson, and the rest of that crew, I interpret this sort of thing as a hostile act, an unwillingness on their part to share the public square equally, not only with non-Christians, but with Christians like me who don’t see the world the same way they do. Does that make sense? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2000, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/102 "2000-04-08T13:17:00Z")
BTW, I’ve often wondered, where’s ‘WWJD’ in the midst of these things? For instance, would Jesus insist on accomplishing things by the most disputatious way possible, if there were more agreeable ways to accomplish the same purpose? Would Jesus hypocritically say that it’s not about religion, and then insist that what gets posted is a list specifically identified with one religious tradition? Somehow, I don’t think so. So why the Sam Hill do people styling themselves as Christians feel the need to do so? ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/103 "2000-04-10T13:50:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **MKM** : > > I didn’t say I wouldn’t mind, but don’t think I’d be threatened. I don’t think anyone here would be “threatened” by the Ten Commandments, for the same reasons you wouldn’t be - everyone tries to be good parents and raise their kids with their own religious values. But, like you, they’d still mind. The clear implication would be that _that_ religion’s values are endorsed by that school, and you wouldn’t like the Buddhists doing it just as much as Jews wouldn’t like the Christians to do it. > [@](#): > > I did say I didn’t see how they could hurt anything in that regard, because something is better than nothing. And again, we agree that the possibility of having _something_ is not such a bad idea, but agreeing on what that something would be might take us until our kids graduate from graduate school! 🙂 > [@](#): > > Uh oh… we agree… what did I do wrong! I think that’s one of the signs of the Apocolypse, isn’t it? 😃 > [@](#): > > If the teachers could get back to the actual teaching of the “three R’s” and away from spending half their time trying to get order in their classroom, we might actually get our education system back in shape. We might disagree on how to attain this goal, but at least we agree it’s a goal worth attaining! Esprix * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) (or, if you prefer the Jesusfied version, [Asketh the damn Priest Guy!](http://www.askjesus.org/ask.cgi?http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2000, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/104 "2000-04-10T13:52:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **RTFirefly** : > > So why the Sam Hill do people styling themselves as Christians feel the need to do so? Although I’ll caveat by reminding you that not all Christians are Jeezers, does this really surprise you - hypocrisy in the name of religious zeal? Where have you been since the dawn of man? 😃 Esprix * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) (or, if you prefer the Jesusfied version, [Asketh the damn Priest Guy!](http://www.askjesus.org/ask.cgi?http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html)) ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/105 "2000-04-11T02:04:00Z")
I had asked MKM: “Now, are you planning to answer my questions about why you think you have to take over parenting for other people’s kids?” He responded: > [@](#): > > And where did I say that? I didn’t! You made the sarcastic comment that just telling kids not to kill and steal and everything will be OK. I countered with that it was a start and went on to say that it was better than doing nothing which is a real problem in todays society with lousy parents. I said that sadly it was falling on the schools to teach morality not that they should have to. I never said that’s the way it should be. In fact if you look again, I said that it should be the parents responsibility. > > If you go back and read what I said, and quit putting words in my mouth like you are so want to do with me, David, you would see that. Actually, you made a false dichotomy between posting the 10 Commandments and just telling kids that anything is ok. I pointed that out; you didn’t respond. You also said: > [@](#): > > Ideally it’s the parent’s job to teach right and wrong and moral values. I responded: “Indeed it is. So who are you to try to post your commandments, which may conflict with those taught at home?” You didn’t respond. You also said: > [@](#): > > Unfortunately, there are so many lousy parents out there that don’t give a damn about their kids or what they do. I responded: “So that means you have to take their place?” You never answered. You also said: > [@](#): > > Morality has to be taught somewhere and sadly it’s falling on the backs of the schools and they are doing nearly as poor a job as those parents are. I responded: "I have no problem with teaching that stealing is wrong, murder is wrong, etc. I mean, if a kid steals in school, he should get in trouble. But that is quite a different subject than posting the 10 Commandments (whichever 10 you decide are “the” 10, of course). And if you think that just teaching or posting “don’t steal” is going to change anything, you’re living in a fantasy world. [/quote] You, of course, never responded. Now, this is all quite different than your version of what happened, quoted above. I didn’t put words in your mouth – I asked you to explain your own words, and you ignored it. So we can draw one of two conclusions from this: You _can’t_ support what you said, or you _won’t_ support what you said. Which is it? Oh, and you also brought up, from the dim past: > [@](#): > > You wouldn’t still be sore at me for setting Ol’ Daniel Schwarr straight on another 10C discussion over at LBMB would you? You know, the one where you were dead wrong about the Judge Roy Moore case in Alabama? Frankly, I’d forgotten it. I mean, it’s not like you’ve done anything to make me take you seriously, Mike. As far as that case, I started to look for info to back me up, but when I realized that it would be gone in a few days when the LBMB board folks got rid of the thread, I didn’t think it was worth my effort. Besides, even if you are right, so what? That would mean you saw an article that I didn’t, and you were able to back up one out of about a thousand claims you made. Whoop-de-doo. I mean, just the fact that you have to harken all the way back to that indicates how few and far between even your own perceived victories are. Truly sad. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/106 "2000-04-11T02:09:00Z")
MKM said: > [@](#): > > But, again, I never made the claim that posting the 10 Commandments would solve social ills. I did say I didn’t see how they could hurt anything in that regard, because something is better than nothing. Sure, as long as it’s _your_ religion’s “something.” It doesn’t seem to occur to you that others might think differently. Then again, I’ve noticed that it never does occur to you… Oh, BTW, I noticed you never responded after you accused me of being anti-Christian. So you’re willing to make the accusations but not admit when you’re wrong. I especially liked how you thought the 10 Commandments were Christian, forgetting that they were handed down to the Jews… ---
**Author:** ![Biscuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@Biscuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biscuit)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2000, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/107 "2000-04-12T18:09:00Z")
I’m new here. I have perused the comments above, but may have missed it if this one was mentioned previously. I think it is interesting that the Religious Right feels the 10 Commandments posted in school will provide a sound compass to improve moral direction in this country. Any one of us could have written a better set of 10 rules to live by. Why don’t we change the four commandments telling us how to worship God to: You shall not hold slaves You shall respect your children You shall not rape The commandments were obviously interpreted by men at a time when women and children had value only as property. Thou Shall Not Covet…lists, wife and servent after house. How did the long list of rules God gave to Moses get reduced to ten? Why did the one with instructions for selling your daughter into slavery not make the final cut? ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2000, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/108 "2000-04-12T18:18:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Biscuit** : > > How did the long list of rules God gave to Moses get reduced to ten? I believe originally Moses was given fifteen on 3 stone tablets, but dropped one. 😃 (With thanks to Mel Brooks) **Biscuit** , I have to ask - do you happen to work with Ally McBeal, by any chance… 😉 Esprix * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) (or, if you prefer the Jesusfied version, [Asketh the damn Priest Guy!](http://www.askjesus.org/ask.cgi?http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Biscuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@Biscuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biscuit)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2000, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/109 "2000-04-12T22:19:00Z")
No, I but I have seen the show a couple of times 🙂 I loved the History of the World - (particularly the late Madeline Kahn) however I was referring to the actual set of rules given to Moses (not Mel), there are a lot more than ten in the bible (mostly dealing with property) and not in a particular order - how did they get reduced to 10? Who picked which 10? and why do we need four on how to worship God? (Seems like God may be a little vain) 😃 I don’t think posting the 10 Commandments at school is the Be-All-End-All to crimes of moral turpitude. Three Religious T-Shirt Wearing kids(all good church-going types) recently stole and destroyed my son’s $2,500 trumpet. I assume they get the 10 Commandments at home, but it didn’t take. They only got caught by pure luck, and were only sorry they got caught, not for the actual crime committed. However, I guess as long as they have Jesus in their back pocket, they are off the hook when Judgement day rolls around. ---
**Author:** ![Medicine\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Medicine\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Medicine_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2000, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/110 "2000-04-12T23:36:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Biscuit: > \*\*No, I but I have seen the show a couple of times 🙂 > > I loved the History of the World - (particularly the late Madeline Kahn) however I was referring to the actual set of rules given to Moses (not Mel), there are a lot more than ten in the bible (mostly dealing with property) and not in a particular order - how did they get reduced to 10? Who picked which 10? and why do we need four on how to worship God? (Seems like God may be a little vain) 😃 > > I don’t think posting the 10 Commandments at school is the Be-All-End-All to crimes of moral turpitude. Three Religious T-Shirt Wearing kids(all good church-going types) recently stole and destroyed my son’s $2,500 trumpet. I assume they get the 10 Commandments at home, but it didn’t take. > They only got caught by pure luck, and were only sorry they got caught, not for the actual crime committed. However, I guess as long as they have Jesus in their back pocket, they are off the hook when Judgement day rolls around. > > \*\* \*\*Hello…\*\*I am new to the board and I must say I totally agre with you on this one. Furtermore…If the 10 (or so) commandments are going to be posted in state run schools…why not also post them from all the other religions too. * * * May The Great Spirit Bless You May The Wind Always Be At Your Back ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/111 "2000-04-13T03:06:00Z")
The Ten Commandments did not get “reduced” to ten. There are several explicit references to that fact that there _are_ ten commandments. Ex 34:28, Dt 4:13, and Dt 10:4 all make reference to “the ten commandments.” The _lists_ of those commandments are found at Ex 20:1 - 7 and Dt 5:6 - 21. This follows ancient Talmudic tradition that says that the purpose and beauty of the entire Law can be represented/summarized by the Ten. * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/112 "2000-04-13T04:14:00Z")
TOM is correct, the Bible does refer tothe “10 Commandments”, BUT in l Leviticus there are a whole host of other laws,(including the famous don’t eat pork & no milk/meat) all of which are jsut as valid as the big 10C’s. So why don’t we post the rest of them in the schools? No pork, no shellfish, keep separate dishes, etc? Because Jesus specifically exempted Christians from having to follow the Law, that’s why! If you insist on the Big 10, then the rest of the Law is valid (are you circumsised?). If you believe Jesus WAS the Messiah, and he WAS your new Covenant, then the 10 C’s are an interesting(and sacred) bit of history, that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/113 "2000-04-13T12:18:00Z")
Tom said: > [@](#): > > This follows ancient Talmudic tradition that says that the purpose and beauty of the entire Law can be represented/summarized by the Ten. Of course, the Christians and Jews don’t agree on which parts are the actual commandments (and some Christians don’t agree with other Christians about which 10 are the actual 10). Medicine Hawk said: > [@](#): > > If the 10 (or so) commandments are going to be posted in state run schools…why not also post them from all the other religions too. Now _that_ would get crowded. We don’t even know how many religions there are (not to mention however many different atheist and humanist groups might want something posted). I bet MKM would just _love_ to see Branch Davidian texts on the wall (David Koresh was God) or a humanist manifesto or… ---
**Author:** ![Biscuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@Biscuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biscuit)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/114 "2000-04-13T12:51:00Z")
If we really MUST post a rule, something like “Treat all people, creatures, and property with respect” would say it better than the 10 commandments which don’t do a very good job of covering the various (and many) poor behaviors our species engages in. Posting rules (or commandments) are not going to improve morality. Children learn by example, not rhetoric. It is our day-to-day BEHVAIOR that molds their value system. Render unto Ceasar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things which are God’s. –Matthew 22:21 ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/115 "2000-04-13T13:04:00Z")
How about “Don’t be a jerk”? Dr. J * * * “Seriously, baby, I can prescribe anything I want!” -Dr. Nick Riviera ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/116 "2000-04-13T13:17:00Z")
Now that David has mentioned the problem of numbering, here is the shorthand version of who holds/has held which list: The division of the Commandments (with some supporters of each list): \_\_I. - Philo of Alexandria, Jewish philosopher (ca. 10 BCE - 50 CE) - (Flavius) Josephus, Jewish historian (fl. 1st Century CE) - Greek Fathers of the Church - Modern Orthodox Churches - Reformed Protestant Churches 1. Prohibition of false or foreign gods 2. prohibition of images 3. Prohibition on vain use of Divine name 4. Honor Sabbath 5. Honor parents 6. Prohibition of murder 7. Prohibition of adultery 8. Prohibition of theft 9. Prohibition of false witness 10. Prohibition of covetousness \_II. - Clement of Alexandria, Christian theologian (150 - 215?) - Origen, Christian theologian (ca. 185 - 254) - Augustine of Hippo, Christian theologian (354 - 430) - Modern Catholic Church - Evangelical/Lutheran Protestant Churches 1. Prohibition of false or foreign gods and images 2. Prohibition on vain use of Divine name 3. Honor Sabbath 4. Honor parents 5. Prohibition of murder 6. Prohibition of adultery 7. Prohibition of theft 8. Prohibition of false witness 9. Prohibition of coveting neighbor’s wife 10. Prohibition of coveting neighbor’s goods III. - Modern Judaism 1. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” 2. Prohibition of false or foreign gods and images 3. Prohibition on vain use of Divine name 4. Honor Sabbath 5. Honor parents 6. Prohibition of murder 7. Prohibition of adultery 8. Prohibition of theft 9. Prohibition of false witness 10. Prohibition of covetousness * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/117 "2000-04-13T14:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Medicine Hawk** : > > Hello… I am new to the board and I must say I totally agre with you on this one. Furtermore…If the 10 (or so) commandments are going to be posted in state run schools…why not also post them from all the other religions too. Welcome, **Hawk**. Since you’re new, allow me to point out that it is customary to read the _entirety_ of a thread before posting. Posting religious credoes from other religions has been probably half the discussion in this thread, so although “me too!” posts are fine, restating what’s already been stated for 50 posts is redundant. Again, welcome! Esprix * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) (or, if you prefer the Jesusfied version, [Asketh the damn Priest Guy!](http://www.askjesus.org/ask.cgi?http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/118 "2000-04-13T15:30:00Z")
If we’re going to post a New List of Good Ideas, I say take them from “All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum: > [@](#): > > Most of what I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was > not at the top of the graduate mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school. > > These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up > your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you > eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw and paint > and sing and dance and play and work every day some. > > Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of > wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or > why, but we are all like that. > > Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the cup – they all die. So do we. > > And remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and sane living. > > Think of what a better world it would be if we all – the whole world – had cookies and milk about 3 o’clock every afternoon > and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nations to always put things back where we > found them and cleaned up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is > better to hold hands and stick together. Simplistic, but no more so than the 10 C’s. Esprix * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) (or, if you prefer the Jesusfied version, [Asketh the damn Priest Guy!](http://www.askjesus.org/ask.cgi?http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Biscuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@Biscuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biscuit)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/119 "2000-04-13T16:17:00Z")
Esprix: Good plan on the Kindergarten quotes. Not nearly as frightening as the 10 Commandments (all of that hell-fire and damnation stuff associated with them). Back to my original proposition that any of us could make a better set of ten rules to live by - why don’t each of us contribute one and pass it on to the Supreme Court. I’m sure they would be interested in our collective opinion 😃 Off the original subject, but I am curious about this can anyone explain how is Commandment #2 interpreted? I see lots of religious jewelry, some of quite large, around. These seems like violation of The Prohibition of Images commandment. “Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a censor morum over each other.” – Thomas Jefferson (1782) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945/120 "2000-04-13T16:37:00Z")
tomndebb, biscuit: The Ten Commandments stand out from amongst the other commandments in the Bible because those were the ones G-d chose to present in his initial address to the Israelite nation at Sinai. Also, I should point out that in Hebrew, the term usually translated as “Ten Commandments” actually means “Ten Statements.” _Dibros_ is a form of the word _diber_, “to speak.” The true Hebrew word for “commandment” is _mitzvah_ (from the root _tzivah_, to command), which is often translated these days as “good deeds.” So, while to Jews, the ten “commandments” are no more significant in their importance (for performing them) than the other 603 commandments listed in the five books of Moses, as **statements** they have extreme significance since those were the statements that G-d chose as his initial public address (which turned out to be his only public address, since immediately afterward, the Israelites demanded en masse that Moses represent them, since the experience was too intense for them). * * * Chaim Mattis Keller [ckeller@kozmo.com](mailto:ckeller@kozmo.com) “Sherlock Holmes once said that once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the answer. I, however, do not like to eliminate the impossible. The impossible often has a kind of integrity to it that the merely improbable lacks.” – Douglas Adams’s Dirk Gently, Holistic Detective [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-commandments/17945.md?page=5)