faith for faith

When we speak about the Law in Christianity, it is an extremely touchy subject. It is such because there are so many varying understandings and applications of it that one can scarcely make any comment on the subject whatsoever without offending someone. And because the responses to critiques are such, few venture to comment on it not wishing to dirty their hands in the process. Therefore, we have little in way of healthy discussion upon the Law and its implications on Christian life, and we see bits and pieces taken from the Law applied here and there in church settings without much explanation as to why some laws are valid and why others are considered annulled.

However, when we turn to the New Testament and especially in the writings of Paul, we find that the authors are not hesitant in the least to address the matter. Paul’s letter to the Galatian church, for example, is almost in full an explanation of the Law and a critique of the Galatian church’s view and practice of it. Since the New Testament writers (i.e. those who lived and wrote after the coming of Christ) are not silent on the Law, why have we become so? And even if we have not been silent, why is there a seeming disparity between our own interpretations and applications?

Read more…

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before thyself or thy Mother, the Earth.
2. Thou shalt worship thy god(s) in the way that seems best to thee.
3. Thou shalt use the name “Jesus” and any of its variations (e.g. geez, Christ, Jesus H. Christ, etc.) to comment upon the most fleeting of things, but thou shalt not profane the name of any other religious figure for that is intolerant and disrepectful and therefore forbidden.
4. Thou shalt work as little as thou possibly canst and demand compensation that is more than thou deservest, or thou shalt work too much for the sake of living “well.”
5. Thou shalt despise thy parents and blame them for all thy deficiencies … that is when thou actually ownest up to thy deficiencies. Thou shalt also place thy parents in a nursing home when they are unable to care for themselves since thou art too occupied with commandment number four.
6. Thou shalt respect a mother’s right to butcher her own child if she so desireth, and thou shalt be horrified at the brutality and injustice of capital punishment and at the mistreatment of animals.
7. Thou shalt divorce thy spouse if thou so desirest for any reason.
8. Thou shalt not smoke.
9. Thou shalt recycle and reduce thy carbon footprint.
10. Thou shalt desire all things that thy neighbor owneth and strive to outdo them.