Namaste Bandit, while your list is intriguing, I don't think all can be categorized completely by your list. Obviously many Christians will agree with one or more of your assertions.
I don't think the liberal, or moderate Christians are by proxy to be considered less moral than the literal or dogmatic. The KKK claims to be a very religious biblical based organization and the bible has been thumped on pretty heavy as a war drum over the past 2000 years. The book is often used in negative ways, to lambast folks and 'prove' concepts regarding slavery, treatment of women, and sexual preferences. I think you know what I mean, they may hear forgiveness, and peace and tolerance message from the pulpit.....and then honk and curse trying to get out of the parking lot....spare the rod, spoil the child and all that...
I think that WWJD thought is pretty powerful. How do we encounter the woman at the well, what do we do when asked to judge on someone being stoned?
But I think, and I am biased that my view of Christianity is often times has more personal requirements than most.
-Not sure what you mean here?
Take the ten commandments for instance....I think on the surface they are pretty easy to follow...
Thou shall have no gods before me- but I take that to mean the football god, the tv god, not to raise anything upto a place of worship that controls your life...ie fan is short for fanatic....and a lust for anything, call it habit or addiction is creating a god...
Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image- Now I know the ten commandments vary from denomination and have been altered muchly to allow crucifixes, medalliions, statues and the like, even by the so called literalists, but again, I see this as not worshipping icons, be they sports or tv shows, I think it speaks to pornography, anything that degredates our thought.
Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy G-d in vain- As I see you with the light of Christ within, as an expression of G-d in the physical realm (in his image) if I curse you, deride you, I am indicating that this creation of God, this expression of G-d, is not worthy in some way and I am guilty of this commandment.
Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy- Now I know Jesus released us regarding this, yet we have Chick-a-fila a fast food restaraunt in the US that is closed on Sundays....and of course we took Sunday as the sabbath since Saturday was taken, so the Muslims took Friday...us litteralists that organized this methodology appear pretty liberal...I do see it important to not only set time aside weekly, but daily, often to create the sabbath, and devote the time....seems most of us have tossed this one....keep that hour and a half a week holy....make it another time if you can't be there on Sunday...and oh, going to church does not make one spiritual...it is an option (especially if there is a football game on)
Honor thy father and thy mother- Now of course we know who Jesus indicated was the father we should honor here...and I believe this is both and more...biological parents...whoever is raising you....whoever is taking the time to be concerned in your welfare (teachers, preachers, aunts and uncles) and then of course G-d and Mother Earth....if we don't take care of this big blue ball we've been given to play on...this is truly a sin.
Thou shall not kill- Well duh, unless of course it is war and they have resources we want, then it is all out the window. So taking human life, pretty obvious it is wrong. But what about killing creativity, enthusiasm? How many of us have had the life sucked out of us by some 'father/mother' figure who in our youth intentionally or unintentionally used words that murdered a portion of our psyche....and it has never returned....again tis a sin in my book.
Thou shall not commit adultery- again, duh, you've made marriage vows, to obvious to limit this to such a small scope. Adultery comes from adulterate, to dilute, to add a foreign substance to a pure product...don't water down your drinks for profit, don't dilute your principles, don't put up with racist jokes, insensitive talk, or sexist behaviour....stand up, state your beliefs in open court...make yourself known...otherwise you will be diluted by allowing it to go on around you...
Thou shall not steal- Makes me think of the American Indian who realized the land, the horses, was all from the creator. Can we steal if it is all G-ds? All we have comes from source. So what can we steal? I think by not giving G-d or others credit when it is due....that is stealing. When claiming owneship and not providing others with what they need to survive, that is stealing...conspicous consumption...not giving back to the community...all fall under this commandment.
Thou shall not bear false witness- Most of the world most of the time is either trying to not make themselves look bad, or make themselves look good. I should change that to Americans...I've traveled the states extensively, the world I know not of. And while most people are honest and generous to a fault (I've hitched around this country for years and put myself at the mercy of others, and never been let down, stayed in beds and made up couches in almost every state....) Despite that, when it comes to work or sports or investing....getting ahead in life... the norm is to place blame on others, take credit when it is not really due, avoid looking bad at all costs....something we need to work on.
Thou shall not covet- Envy, jealousy, grass is always greener, keeping up with the Jones's...and I wish I was smarter, more beautiful, thinner, faster, richer....if only I had the advantages that they had, if only....
I think the ten commandments are a pretty hard act to follow....and then there are those that follow a few hundred more....but is it ritual or do they take them to heart...
But perhaps more important is what that double-edged sword symbolizes--the Truth that comes from the Word that He speaks and His embodiment of that Word displayed as well in His action.
