WHY IS THIS WRITING CENSORED?

Since I'm involved in things related to the release of my new book, Peach Blossom Rancher, I'm rerunning this article which appeared in The Pueblo Chieftain in Colorado and a similar article in The Springfield News-Leader in Missouri. 

  

By Ada Brownell

Perhaps this writing is banned because it speaks of love, adultery, theft, murder, tall tales and cursing. It has been the subject of many court cases.

Yet, the words are wrapped in shalts and thou shalt nots. They are The Ten Commandments.

I wonder why people hate them so much. They blame separation of church and state, which isn't in the Constitution. The First Amendment says Congress shall make no law respecting establishment of a religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, and it doesn't mention state or church. "Church" would single out Christians.

Beyond the Constitution, there a deeper reason the document is hated. Our society is on a feeding frenzy of all things sinful. It's entertainment and some lives revolve around the prohibited attitudes and activities.

Lying and cheating is common.  Too many practice adultery, which is interpreted as any sexual activity outside of marriage. Thieves and murderers come out of unexpected places. Americans have killed approximately 55 million unborn children.

No wonder a percentage of our society doesn't want to hear or see "Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal.

Hearing the commandments triggers guilt. So ban the document.

The first four of The Ten Commandments have to do with loving and respecting God; the last six surround loving others. Breaking one hurts us or someone else.

All kinds of benefits are available for loving God, among them eternal life. We profit from not being stupid enough to worship an idol. The reason we shouldn’t use the Lord’s name frivolously, but show respect, is because it is a powerful name, especially in prayer. The Bible says demons tremble at the sound of it (James 2:19).

"Honor thy father and thy mother" is the only commandment with promise: That we might live long on the earth.

We're told when we break one commandment we are guilty of all” (James 2:10). If we don't “love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul and mind and our neighbor as ourselves,” as Jesus said (Matthew 22:37), we often end up crashing into them all.

The commandments are great guidelines to live by, and the reason laws were based on them.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8.   Thou shalt not steal.

9.   Thou shalt not bear false witness.

10. Thou shalt not covet.

--- Found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5

Ada Brownell's Amazpm Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/adabrownell

Ada Brownell is a free lance writer and retired newspaper reporter. Her latest book is Imagine the Future You, a teen motivational Bible study. Her blog: http://www.inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com