The 1st Restatement of the Ten Commmandments

Here are the Ten Commandments as generally agreed upon and used. These versions are as accurate a portrait as possible from their mention in The "Old Testament" as translated and discussed by many religions and historians.

They and the comments underneath them are based upon the Talmud, New Testament, historians, and the Koran. They are taken from Wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_commandments ) and the World Almanac, and I think after researching them, this is the best list to work with as it is encompassing enough to satisfy most people and the text and ideas distilled enough to foment discussion simply.

"I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me..."

This commandment is to believe in the existence of God and His influence on events in the world ^[24], and that the goal of the redemption from Egypt was to become His servants (Rashi). It prohibits belief in or worship of any additional deities.

"Do not make an image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above..."

This prohibits the construction or fashioning of "idols" in the likeness of created things (beasts, fish, birds, people) and worshipping them.

"Do not swear falsely by the name of the LORD..."

This commandment is to never take the name of God in a vain, pointless or insincere oath.^[25]

"Remember [zachor] the Sabbath day and keep it holy" (the version in Deuteronomy reads shamor, "observe")

The seventh day of the week is termed Shabbat and is holy, just as God ceased creative activity during Creation. The aspect of zachor is performed by declaring the greatness of the day (kiddush), by having three festive meals, and by engaging in Torah study and pleasurable activities. The aspect of shamor is performed by abstaining from productive activity (39 melachot) on the Shabbat.

"Honor your father and your mother..."

The obligation to honor one's parents is an obligation that one owes to God and fulfills this obligation through one's actions towards one's parents.

"Do not murder"

Murdering a human being is a capital sin.^[26]

"Do not commit adultery."

Adultery is defined as sexual intercourse between a man and a married woman who is not his wife.^[25]

"Do not steal."

According to Rashi, this is not understood as stealing in the conventional sense, since theft of property is forbidden elsewhere and is not a capital offense. In this context it is to be taken as "do not kidnap."^[25]

"Do not bear false witness against your neighbor"

One must not bear false witness in a court of law or other proceeding.

"Do not covet your neighbor's wife"

One is forbidden to desire and plan how one may obtain that which God has given to another. Maimonides makes a distinction in codifying the laws between the instruction given here in Exodus (You shall not covet) and that given in Deuteronomy (You shall not desire), according to which one does not violate the Exodus commandment unless there is a physical action associated with the desire, even if this is legally purchasing an envied object.

So, we can start here to expand upon, clarify, and make agreed-upon notes of the Ten Commandments, one of the oldest codes of behavior. Like the American Legal Institute's "restatements of the law", these are of course not binding (how could they be?); they are merely suggestions for following or incorporating. For example, the Restatement 2nd of Torts, or the Model penal Code has been adopted in whole or in part by legislators in order to simplify and codify common laws, thereby making courts deal with a simple statute (in theory, and for a time) rather than sifting through sometimes conflicting precedent and/or overstepping their authority and causing fewer appeals.

Therefore, The Rule here is the Ten Commandments must stay intact but there may be subsections and clarifying commentery after the Commandment or added subsection . Therefore each Commandment gets a Roman Numeral and subsections follow in standard english outline form:

EXAMPLE

I First Commandment

(a) (i)

(ii) (A)

(iii) (B) (1)

(iv) (C) (2) (b)

(v) (D) (3) (c) (i)

(vi) (A) (4) (d) (i) A

(vii)(A) (1) (a) (ii) C

(b) (i)

II. Second Commandment

(a)

So, I will have my first comments somewhere within the Ten Commandments outline I will make, then anyone may post in the outline (cut and paste).

I plan on making a separate blog in which we can then discuss the additions and/or comments.

Remember, the additions and their explanations must fall within the framework of the Ten Commandments, so cannot be radical enough to alienate them 80%.