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bishop's perspective:
Put the Ten Commandments back where they belong
“Put those Ten Commandments back into the courthouse where they belong” has become a rallying cry for many people. But the truth is, the moral imperatives of God really belong in the practice of everyday living. Even displaying the Ten Commandments within a church sanctuary does not translate into living just and holy lives.
Moses was the first to get rid of the Ten Commandments written in stone. He smashed them to pieces. But he did not destroy God's directives which transcended stones and monuments.
A long time ago a wise King Solomon wrote that we must write these precepts of God “on the tablet of our hearts” (Proverbs 3:3) and in so doing please God.
What is most troubling about this misdirected protest against the Ten Commandments monument being removed from the courthouse is that it diverts attention from the real issue: Are we in our churches and families instilling the mandates of God?
When Alabama Gov. Bob Riley called it “immoral to hammer someone making $5,000 a year” with taxes he was labeled a “Judas.” Whether or not his tax proposal was sound in every aspect, he was at least attempting to live out the moral implications of the Ten Commandments.
He said that “…according to our Christian ethics, we're supposed to love God, love each other and help take care of the poor.” He expressed concern that his government was cutting medicine for the mentally ill and Medicaid payments for many nursing home residents.
All of this makes me wonder whether or not it would have been a more faithful witness for Christians to rally around the tax issue than the Ten Commandments issue. The governor's proposal was defeated by persons who called themselves Christians.
We use to sing, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” My challenge is that we renew our spiritual campaign to put the Ten Commandments back where they belong – in our hearts, in our daily living and, yes, in our discussions and decisions about taxation.
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Bishop Ray W. Chamberlain
Resident Bishop
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