# A list of things you can do without breaking any of the 10 commandments **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 19, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566 "2009-02-19T17:08:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/41 "2009-02-21T17:56:55Z")
You can’t covet your neighbor’s wife, or covet your neighbor’s ass, but is it Ok to covet your neighbor’s wife’s ass? ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/42 "2009-02-21T18:55:34Z")
> [@Rysdad](#): > > “You shall have no other gods before me.” > > I’ve always wondered about this one. Does it mean I’m OK with making small offerings to the small, leather-winged mini-demon that lives in my sock drawer in order to maintain my current level of foot apparel as long as I keep Yahweh #1? Speaking as a Christian, this is exactly how I’ve always interpreted it. I figure if God had meant to say “I am the only god”, he would have left our the “before me” qualifier. So you’re free to believe in, pray to, make offerings to, and otherwise interact with any and all gods of your choosing, as long as you remember who’s Numero Uno. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/43 "2009-02-21T19:11:17Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > Speaking as a Christian, this is exactly how I’ve always interpreted it. I figure if God had meant to say “I am the only god”, he would have left our the “before me” qualifier. > > So you’re free to believe in, pray to, make offerings to, and otherwise interact with any and all gods of your choosing, as long as you remember who’s Numero Uno. Isn’t this in fact because the Jews were monolatrists, not monotheists? They believed in the existence of other gods but YHWH was the only one they worshipped. Eventually they moved to monotheism and the commandment was then seen in a different light. I don’t think Christianity has ever admitted the existence of a god other than the one true God, it would kind of defeat the point, wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/44 "2009-02-21T21:08:04Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > Isn’t this in fact because the Jews were monolatrists, not monotheists? They believed in the existence of other gods but YHWH was the only one they worshipped. Eventually they moved to monotheism and the commandment was then seen in a different light. > > I don’t think Christianity has ever admitted the existence of a god other than the one true God, it would kind of defeat the point, wouldn’t it? [Der Trihs mode] I fear the vast majority of Christians are willfully obuse on this issue. [/der trihs mode] ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/45 "2009-02-21T21:32:31Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > [Der Trihs mode] > > I fear the vast majority of Christians are willfully obuse on this issue. > > [/der trihs mode] **Der Trihs** would have stopped after obtuse. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/46 "2009-02-21T21:51:45Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > **Der Trihs** would have stopped after obtuse. 😃 It’s as close to DTM as I can get on this issue. Generally speaking, though, I’m at least 65! times as big an asshole as he is. And of COURSE that’s 65 factorial! ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/47 "2009-02-21T21:54:35Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > It’s as close to DTM as I can get on this issue. Generally speaking, though, I’m at least 65! times as big an asshole as he is. > > And of COURSE that’s 65 factorial! Pffffft - you’re a widdle puddy cat and you know it, your posturing is fooling no-one. _Strokes the adorable little **Skald** and rubs his belly for good measure_ ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/48 "2009-02-21T21:59:27Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > Pffffft - you’re a widdle puddy cat and you know it, your posturing is fooling no-one. > > _Strokes the adorable little **Skald** and rubs his belly for good measure_ I never had to put up with crap like this when I had the monkeys. By the way, you meant that the Hebrews were henotheists, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/49 "2009-02-21T22:21:31Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I never had to put up with crap like this when I had the monkeys. By the way, you meant that the Hebrews were henotheists, I think. No, I meant what I originally said. My understanding of the evolution of Jewish religion is that they accepted there were other gods but they only prayed to one - that’s monolatry, not henotheism. The [wiki article on monolatrism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolatrism) agrees with me. That said it’s all semantics, since I don’t believe in any god at all (other than me, that is). ---
**Author:** ![zephyr242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c5a1d2/32.png) [@zephyr242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zephyr242)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/50 "2009-02-23T05:29:23Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Yeah, I always thought of the Ten Commandments sort of as the Bill of Rights, except they tell you what you can’t do instead of what you’re free to do. Wouldn’t that make it the Bill of _Wrongs_ then? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/51 "2009-02-23T06:16:59Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > You can’t covet your neighbor’s wife, or covet your neighbor’s ass, but is it Ok to covet your neighbor’s wife’s ass? Now this is my kind of old time religion! ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Peste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Doctor\_Peste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Peste)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/52 "2009-02-24T03:33:12Z")
It’s interesting to me that (at least in the wikipedia-linked version), the Noahide Laws only seem to prohibit male homosexuality, without even mentioning lesbianism. Is this just a matter of translation/interpretation, or is that law deliberately worded that way? ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/53 "2009-02-24T10:14:27Z")
> [@Doctor\_Peste](#): > > It’s interesting to me that (at least in the wikipedia-linked version), the Noahide Laws only seem to prohibit male homosexuality, without even mentioning lesbianism. Is this just a matter of translation/interpretation, or is that law deliberately worded that way? I don’t know for certain but I suspect the creators of Noahide laws had the same mindset as queen Victoria when thinking about human sexuality. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/54 "2009-02-24T13:04:32Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > I don’t know for certain but I suspect the creators of Noahide laws had the same mindset as queen Victoria when thinking about human sexuality. I keep reading this a “Naugahyde” laws. The laws that govern fake leather. Personally, what I find cool about the [del]Naugahyde[/del] Noahide laws is that if you aren’t Jewish but follow them, you’re ok. It’s about how you act, not what you believe. Cool. ETA: other things I can do- slowly tease my cat by dangling and twitching this piece of string. Bwahahaha ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/55 "2009-02-24T13:46:56Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Personally, what I find cool about the [del]Naugahyde[/del] Noahide laws is that if you aren’t Jewish but follow them, you’re ok. It’s about how you act, not what you believe. Cool. But why would you _want_ to follow them if you’re not Jewish? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/56 "2009-02-24T15:50:43Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > Speaking as a Christian, this is exactly how I’ve always interpreted it. I figure if God had meant to say “I am the only god”, he would have left our the “before me” qualifier. > > So you’re free to believe in, pray to, make offerings to, and otherwise interact with any and all gods of your choosing, as long as you remember who’s Numero Uno. I read “before me” as “in my presence”. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/57 "2009-02-24T15:55:06Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > [The Seven Noahide Commandments.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Laws_of_Noah) Hmm… > [@](#): > > Prohibition of Sexual Promiscuity: You shall not commit any of a series of sexual prohibitions, which include adultery, incest, bestiality and male homosexual intercourse. > [@](#): > > The Rainbow is the modern symbol of the Noahide Movement I could see this maybe creating some confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/58 "2009-02-24T16:23:48Z")
> [@Suburban Plankton](#): > > Speaking as a Christian, this is exactly how I’ve always interpreted it. I figure if God had meant to say “I am the only god”, he would have left our the “before me” qualifier. > > So you’re free to believe in, pray to, make offerings to, and otherwise interact with any and all gods of your choosing, as long as you remember who’s Numero Uno. “Before” is often translated “besides”, as is made clearer by the context - > [@](#): > > I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. > > 3 "You shall have no other gods before me. > > 4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/59 "2009-02-24T16:23:58Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > But why would you _want_ to follow them if you’re not Jewish? 😕 To me it underlies a philosophical idea- that your acts are more important than your beliefs. The people that this rule pertains to are trying to co-exist and the idea says that if you respect the laws you don’t have to be Jewish to be righteous. Contrast that with the idea held by many, for example, that regardless of your actions if you don’t accept Jesus you will be damned. It also lays the groundwork for why I can reconcile atheism and Judaism in my own life, and that I can be surrounded by theists (at my synagogue) that have no problem with my atheism. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566/60 "2009-02-24T17:23:12Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > To me it underlies a philosophical idea- that your acts are more important than your beliefs. > > The people that this rule pertains to are trying to co-exist and the idea says that if you respect the laws you don’t have to be Jewish to be righteous. Contrast that with the idea held by many, for example, that regardless of your actions if you don’t accept Jesus you will be damned. > > It also lays the groundwork for why I can reconcile atheism and Judaism in my own life, and that I can be surrounded by theists (at my synagogue) that have no problem with my atheism. Okay, - I see where you’re coming from. Just be thankful you’re not gay. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-list-of-things-you-can-do-without-breaking-any-of-the-10-commandments/486566.md?page=4)