Would you be successful in writing Ten new Commandments?

[PoolBoyG]

The concept of commandments is that they are strict, without room for any deviation, and can't be loosely interpreted. That's why, even with reasonable ones, people don't approve of them.

But would you be able to come up with Ten new Commandments that could be relevant 5000yrs ago, and 5000yrs in the future?

So, as stated, the criteria is:
1. Must be followed.
2. No room for (re?)interpretation.
3. Applicable to all time periods (past and future).
4. Written in 100 words or less, total.
5. Humanity is better off for it (or, better off as you see it)

[TrainWreck]

(26-10-2012 01:26 AM)poolboyg88 Wrote:  But would you be able to come up with Ten new Commandments that could be relevant 5000yrs ago, and 5000yrs in the future?

I believe I have a more encompasing social contract, if you are not afraid to understand that the Ten Commandments is not much different than any other social agreement. Better classification of human knowledge is always relevent.

[Aseptic Skeptic]

Aren't the original 10 commandments much longer than 100 words?

KJV version has 381 words:

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Nevertheless, here's mine, only 74 words.

1. Treat others the way you want them to treat you, honorably and respectfully.

2. Do not hurt or kill people.

3. Do not lie, cheat, or steal.

4. People are not property.

5. Honor all commitments to your spouse, family, community.

6. Always seek to learn new things.

7. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

8. Do not worship any gods. Ever.

9. Live life with a sense of joy and wonder.

10. Question everything, including these commandments.

[TrainWreck]

(26-10-2012 12:45 PM)Aseptic Skeptic Wrote:  Question everything, including these commandments.

Classic example of atheist circular reasoning being used, as a false hypothesis or something, for critical thinking; ultimately corresponding to the theists' circular reasoning in their doctrines of social organization - so deplored by atheists.

When are atheists going to finish analysing and get to establishing Truth!?!?!

Let's move on to the next step in the evolution of Mankind.

Oh, I forgot, we have to wait for the Christians to submit to the atheists demands in order for us to think straight.

[Vosur]

(26-10-2012 01:10 PM)TrainWreck Wrote:  

(26-10-2012 12:45 PM)Aseptic Skeptic Wrote:  Question everything, including these commandments.

Classic example of atheist circular reasoning being used for social organization, ultimately corresponding to the theists' circular reasoning - so deplored by atheists.

Keep baiting, old chap.

[Aseptic Skeptic]

I'll take the bait.

(26-10-2012 01:10 PM)TrainWreck Wrote:  

(26-10-2012 12:45 PM)Aseptic Skeptic Wrote:  Question everything, including these commandments.

Classic example of atheist circular reasoning being used, as a false hypothesis or something, for critical thinking; ultimately corresponding to the theists' circular reasoning in their doctrines of social organization - so deplored by atheists.

I don't understand what you're saying. Would you please troll me with greater lucidity or at least with less methamphetamine?

I used no circular reasoning for there was no reasoning. Just a "commandment" to question everything including the "commandment" itself. That's not even circular. It just says that we should take nothing for granted and we should be prepared to understand why we do everything while at the same time allowing for the fact that even this suggestion should be examined and not taken for granted - it might not apply to everyone, and nobody will know if it's right for them without examining and questioning it first.

It was also not a hypothesis, false or otherwise. Any chance you just used this word because it's big and impressive, but you really don't know what it means?

I don't even agree that theists have circular reasoning in their social doctrines - their circular reasoning mostly comes from believing in god because the bible says so, and believing the bible because god created it. Two really different things entirely.

(26-10-2012 01:10 PM)TrainWreck Wrote:  When are atheists going to finish analysing and get to establishing Truth!?!?!

Is that our job? Do you have any idea what "atheism" means? I can't even find one dictionary that includes "establisher of Truth" in the definition.

Truth is self-defining. If something is true, then it is just true. It doesn't need to be established as true. Water is wet. Water does not need your nor I to establish the fact that it's wet. It just is. I'll grant that if someone disagrees, then maybe someone else might want to throw some facts around to convince the person who disagrees, and that might be providing evidence of the truth, but it's still not establishing truth (with or without your capital-T).

(26-10-2012 01:10 PM)TrainWreck Wrote:  Let's move on to the next step in the evolution of Mankind.

Working on it. So are you (though I'm inclined, thus far, to believe just might be farther along the evolutionary path than you). We're going to evolve with or without either of us, so what's your point?

(26-10-2012 01:10 PM)TrainWreck Wrote:  Oh, I forgot, we have to wait for the Christians to submit to the atheists demands in order for us to think straight.

Finally we agree - as a society we would think much straighter if Christians began thinking like atheists. That is what you meant, right? Otherwise, I guess I might have missed your point about submitting to atheists' demands - do we have a manifesto that I've overlooked? Can you link it for me? I'd sure love to learn what my demands are.

Or maybe you're just misinformed, clueless, and have no idea what atheism really is.

But thanks for playing.

[Chas]

Fuck commandments.

[Bucky Ball]

(26-10-2012 01:10 PM)TrainWreck Wrote:  

(26-10-2012 12:45 PM)Aseptic Skeptic Wrote:  Question everything, including these commandments.

Classic example of atheist circular reasoning being used, as a false hypothesis or something, for critical thinking; ultimately corresponding to the theists' circular reasoning in their doctrines of social organization - so deplored by atheists.

When are atheists going to finish analysing and get to establishing Truth!?!?!

Let's move on to the next step in the evolution of Mankind.

Oh, I forgot, we have to wait for the Christians to submit to the atheists demands in order for us to think straight.

"Truth" ?

1. How would you know it if you saw it ?
2. How exactly did you perceive it ?
3. How did you decide what that is ?
4. What was the standard you used to determine it was the "truth" ?

If there was a standard, it ain't THE truth.

[GirlyMan]

Girly likes recursion, it's more powerful than iteration.

12 words.

1. Don't be an asshole.
2. Unless it's called for.
3. See Commandment number 1.

[Aseptic Skeptic]

(26-10-2012 02:42 PM)Chas Wrote:  Fuck commandments.

Your list is a bit short. You need 9 more commandments.