The Ten Commandments From my Spritual Soap Box

Two things I generally try to steer clear of in most any conversation -- or blog post -- are politics and religion.  But on occasion something tweaks my interest, and in my effort to post a little more regularly, I will violate that restriction.

I describe myself as a pragmatic Jew.  Let me define that a bit for you.  The easy part first -- I'm Jewish.  At risk of oversimplification, the biggest difference between a Jew and a Christian (75% of the US population in 2008) is their belief pertaining to the Son of GOD.  The Christians think he has been here once already and the Jews are still waiting for him.

Like Christianity, Judaism is also greatly fragmented into smaller groups from zealots to...... well, I guess pragmatics like me.  The dictionary describes pragmatic as "... a practical point of view or practical considerations....treating historical phenomena with special reference to their causes, antecedent conditions and results."  In other words a VERY logical person that is less on 'faith' and more on 'show me'.

Jews and Christians both agree on the first part of the Bible - The Old Testament.  One of the stories in the Old Testament is about Moses leading the Jews out of slavery in Egypt.  Remember Charlton Heston crossing the Red Sea when GOD opened a path for them?  Later on in their travels they end up camping at the foot of Mt. Sinai (aka Mt. Horeb) in the Sinai Desert.  Moses goes to the mountain top to see what GOD wants him to do.  He was gone for 40 days and 40 nights but returned with, among other things, The Ten Commandments - two stone tablets inscribed with the WRITTEN word of GOD; the ONLY written words of GOD in the Bible.

Okay, here's the part where I put it together for you.  I identify SIGNIFICANTLY with most of the Jewish ideologies.  It makes me comfortable.  And I have been to at least 30 or 50 different religious services in my life -- comparing.  I believe in the Old Testament.  I think you would be the perfect person if you lived by those guidelines.  I'm not that.

So I blend the ideology of Judaism with the practicality of Common Sense and logic.  I have a couple foundations in my belief.  One of the Top 3 is: "Have Fun without stepping on anybody else intentionally."  Life is short.  Tomorrow is NOT guaranteed.  Live like you're dying, cuz you are.

That's a Pragmatic Jew.  To me.

Oh, and the Ten Commandments?  In my mind, if those 10 things were important enough for GOD to put them in writing, then I'm really going to try my HARDEST with them first.  Isn't that like the teacher giving you the answers to the test BEFORE you have to take it?