20 March 2000, written by Bill Teysko

Only Ten Little Commandments

Is it just me or are the morals of this country going downhill at a dead run? Is the sleaze and crime I see in the media real or sensational journalism? Let me slow down and approach this emotional issue in a composed and sensible manner.

In philosophy and science, there is no certainty and there are no absolutes; there are no such things as "ultimate truth" and "absolute right"; everything is relative to the individual. And so, one should not say, "This is true," but simply, "This is true for me"; and not "This is right," but, "This is right for me." This is what pragmatic philosopher, John Dewey (1859-1952) would have us believe. The name given this way of thinking is "intellectual relativism".

This intellectual relativism has found favor and become the dominant view in the liberal, enlightened society and government we know. Our U.S. Supreme Court has implemented this modern view with fervor by banning the "Ten Commandments of the Bible" from our public education system. The average high school graduate of recent vintage would probably have only a vague knowledge of these ancient rules. I strongly contend this lack of knowledge is contributing to the disrespect for law and resulting lawlessness in our country. I recommend we return to teaching about the "Ten Commandments" in our schools as our heritage and basis for morals.

Yes, the founding fathers of our nation noted the problems in Europe with a "state" religion and added the First Amendment to our Constitution separating church and state. However, our Supreme Court, in the last fifty years, has interpreted the intent to exclude the God of the Bible from public classrooms. This presents a problem when a student is expected to find a motive to follow our laws with the moral reason excluded by the court.

Until recently, the ethical convictions of most people were based not on the writings of philosophers, but on religious authority. In the western world, this authority was the Bible, the storehouse of Judaeo-Christian tradition. Simply stated, ignoring the "Ten Commandments" removes the ground floor on which our system of laws and morality is built. For centuries these same "Ten Commandments" have given man fundamental moral guidance in the formation of a personal, family and community life (Ten Commandments).

Intellectual relativism, a kind of new-age thinking, is accepted without much discernment. The problem I find with the philosophy is that it leaves no place for God. Man is placed at the center of the universe. Without a "higher being" or God, a person looking to find a basis for ethics, morality, and law is forced to look to man for a "raison d’être." So we are required to look within man for nobility and an inner good, which in my opinion, is lacking. I will admit to flashes of good and noble acts in people. But as I honestly examine the inner workings of a subject human being, myself, I must admit to being selfish, rebellious and consider laws as rough guidelines. As I search my core and consider the built-in ethics and morals, I am suspicious of the purity of my heart, and similarly others.

I need more. To me a man without God is like a ship without a rudder, incapable of maintaining direction and therefore without purpose. I cannot imagine a world without a creator, nor understand someone who can. I must recognize my place in this universe in relationship to my creator. Call me naïve, call me simple. However, in this I can claim the company of many of the greatest men in history, including our nation’s founding fathers. They too believed in the "Ten Commandments."

I know I am swimming against the current with this "radical" view. I can hear it all now. That religion stuff is just an opiate to control the masses, it’s just superstition. We have grown beyond the need to rely on those old tales. Our society is sophisticated enough to know what we need; there’s no reason to consider those old, outdated mores. I argue that this enlightened sophistication is a thin veneer, for we can control virtually nothing; neither our actions, nor the actions of others, our own tongue, nor our own motivations. Furthermore, to my knowledge there has never developed a society on this planet, which did not recognize a Supreme Being and have similar laws. I suggest there is a reason for the commonality; that the creator revealed himself to his creation.

As I look at the trends, twisting and weaving through society, I admit to knowing few facts from my limited viewpoint. Conjecture and theory are available in abundance. To observe a result or symptom then with argument and reason nail down the cause is difficult. To sort out the theories that can convince and compel is an elusive task. Difficulty does not excuse the requirement, however. When I think of my increasingly lawless society, with jails and prisons overflowing, I look back to the causes. One solution would be to reaffirm our moral heritage and the wisdom of millennia by studying and honoring the "Ten Commandments of the Bible." In conclusion I quote a man whose wisdom is legendary, King Solomon of Israel, "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Eccles. 12.13-14).

Works Cited

The Ten Commandments, the Moral Foundation of Society. 28 Aug.1997. Ed. Alexander

(Mileant), Archimandrate. 19 Mar. 2000 <http://ww.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english

/command.htm>.

The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984.