Who in the world hasn’t already heard about the Ten Commandments? The code of conduct from the Bible? The ancient rules dictated to Moses by The Almighty and chiseled into two tablets, a story from thousands of years ago occurring on a high mountain in what today would be the Middle East? The purpose of Christian missionaries for spreading the gospel to other nations as their gold and jewels came up missing soon afterwards?
And what in the world were Texas lawmakers a-thinkin’ this time: mandating the Ten Commandments be posted on the walls of every classroom in the public schools? How many posters that gonna be?
Were our legislators thinking the Ten Commandments will miraculously intervene with our students’ comparatively low test scores in reading and math? Texas students rank 44th in the U.S.
That a list of the Ten Commandments will somehow instill into our young Texans a good heart? That they’ll no longer ‘covet thy neighbor’s ass?’
Have you been in a school classroom lately? These commandments might be laughed off the wall. Or more realistically ignored.
What language will the Texas Ten be printed in (English and Spanish and?) and what script and font size? Will the English version be modern or the King’s Own as in reading from the King James’ version of the Bible with words like ‘covet’ and ‘ass’ and phrases like ‘bear false witness?’
Do Texas lawmakers think there will be less school shootings now that the holy Ten Commandments are posted in every classroom?
As for the teachers, on top of every other societal and cultural change the state warrants addressing in the classroom, teachers are expected to act as ‘ministers’—because they’ll sure have to interpret each commandment. [Pssst. Some Christian denominations interpret each commandment more sternly than the progressive sects. That’s gonna be a problem.]
The Texas Lege is missing a few national realities in this age and time. One is: MOST FAMILIES DO NOT ATTEND CHURCH. Which could be why the Lege is posting the commandments.
Another is: A GROWING NUMBER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE NOT CHRISTIAN. And Texas isn’t about to post Buddha’s Eight-Fold Path or a list of Islam’s fundamental teachings.
From Enlightened to Awakened
Buddhism’s Eight-Fold Path is simple and straight forward and without potential cuss words or nasty thoughts:
Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.
Who can argue with any of that—besides Texans? Who determines what’s Right? Why, the individual, of course. You know if your work is making you miserable or happy. You know if your speech is appropriate. You know if you’re treating people right or wrong.
But, the thing is … these commandments and Eight-Fold Path discussions are more suitable for adults or older young people, say high school age–and none of it should be required in school:
“Thou shalt not have no other gods before me.”
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.”
“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
“Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.”
“Honor thy Father and thy Mother.”
“Thou shalt not kill.”
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
“Thou shalt not steal.”
“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”
“Thou shalt not covet.”
Sounds familiar. We’ve all heard them, some all our lives. I’d say most people try to live this way as well.
What kind of backwoods state would post the Ten Commandments in every classroom? Didn’t work in Louisiana. Won’t work here neither.
The only explanation I can figure, for why every Texas classroom has to post the Ten Commandments, is it’s a last-ditch effort by our old legislators to stop school shootings. Texas had 31 mass shootings last year, a few in the schools, a couple in Dallas. Actually, the number of school shootings nationwide may be dwindling due to everybody being on guard all the time nowadays.
Posting the Ten Commandments isn’t going to stop school shootings. Learning the Ten Commandments won’t stop people, especially kids, from: stealing, lying, cheating, being jealous, killing, honoring their parents; or return families to church and by all means make everybody love God … again. Like every American Texan did in the 1950s: the years of the KKK, polio, and racially segregated schools and neighborhoods and businesses.
Humans have free will. Kids already know this. Have you spent any time with a bunch of kids? They live freely and are very willful.
Preaching the Ten Commandments isn’t going to change our enormously complex global high-tech super-duper fast-changing modern times.
Gun control will stop a lot of mass shootings. Locked-up guns will stop most kids from accessing them.
Not that the Texas Legislature was even wanting to address gun control. Such a messy topic in this state. A buzzkill and a dealbreaker ’round these parts. Still and even though.
But I’m for discussing the teachings of world religions. Can you imagine: Lil Texans learning about Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism with all those gods and goddesses and signs and symbols and chakras and whatnot?
It does sound absurd. But only in Texas.