Interesting how what is, and is not, a discrete commandment is interpreted where some are combined and others are made distinct.
In what sense are there different interpretations of the commandments just because the Catholics and the Protestants divide it up in different ways?
Actually, pretty much every group which respects the 10 Commandments divides them differently. It’s unimportant how they do so.
Lutherans do the same thing. And there aren’t necessarily 10 commandments, you could probably stretch the same text into 15 or so if you wanted to. 10 makes a nice even number, the actual divisions are arbitrary. It also looks better that women are not put into the same category as property.
Why single out Roman Catholics? All Christian denominations enumerate the Ten Commandments from each other and from the Jews, who wrote them in the first place.
I once had the intention of writing a novel named The Fifth Commandmant. It sounds like such a portentous name, but it’s the commandmant that everybody violates, “Honor your mother and father.”
Then I found out that not everyone considers that the fifth commandmant. It took the wind right out of my sails. :mad:
I thought I made that clear in the OP that I was talking about the categorization of what is and not lumped together or broken out as discrete commandments, and that this grouping differs between denominations.
I honor that one, and I’m an atheist. I respect them and the work they put into raising me and my brothers and their perspectives on life. Maybe you’re confusing “honor” with “slavish devotion”, which no sane person really wants.
And I thought I made it clear that dividing up the commandments differently isn’t interpreting them. A difference in categorization isn’t a difference in interpretation. Why do you think these different ways of dividing up the commandments is interesting?
It seems most atheists would actually honor most commandments. In the link given by the OP, other than the first three, which concern God and one’s relationship with God directly, the rest are things the majority of people (and societies) include in their code of ethics.
Heck, there are laws against killing, stealing, perjury, and slander in many if not all countries.
You did hear about what happened when Moses came down from the mountain?
“The good news,” he said, “is that I’ve been able to negotiate them down to only ten.”
He added, “The bad news is that Adultery is still in there.”
I prefer the Mel Brooks version:
Even some of those…
[ul]
[li]You shall have no other gods before me Check Definitely no other gods[/li][li]You shall not make for yourself an idol Check No idols either[/li][li]You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your God Check Hard to make wrongful use of the name of a god you don’t have… but more seriously, don’t make false promises. Fair enough.[/li][li]Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy Check-ish Try to do as little as possible on weekends. Roger.[/li][/ul]
