Huckabee's Confusion Over the Ten Commandments and the Constitution

Mike Hukabee, who wants to be President of the United States, seems to think that our godless Constitution -- the first Constitution to exclude any reference to a deity -- is supposed to be brought in line with the Bible. He has pointed out that the Constitution has been amended, while the Ten Commandments are precisely the same as they were when given by God to the Jewish people more than 3,000 years ago.

Hukabee ought to go back to divinity school. He simply does not know what he's talking about when it comes to the Ten Commandments (to say nothing about the Constitution). The Ten Commandments have been amended on numerous occasions, especially by Hukabee's personal savior, Jesus. Let's start with the Commandment that mandates a day of rest. It specifically mandates the Seventh Day, namely Saturday, as "a Sabbath unto the Lord." And it gives a specific reason for picking Saturday: "For in Six Days the Lord made Heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."

Along came Christianity and amended that Commandment, changing the day of rest from the seventh day to the first day -- Sunday. The reason for sanctifying Sunday was also changed.

Jesus also amended the prohibition against adultery. When God told the Jewish people not to commit adultery, He was very clear about its definition. It prohibited sex with or by a married woman. Married men, however, were totally free to have sex with as many single women as they chose. Jesus improved on that and made the adultery prohibition gender neutral.

And what about the Commandment that says: "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation on them that hate me." When's the last time a minister quoted that commandment? As Thomas Jefferson pointed out, it is the most un-American of all commandments since we believe in personal guilt and not guilt being passed from generation to generation. Indeed our constitution specifically prohibits Bills of attainder which are based on the Ten Commandments.

Finally, the Ten Commandments mentions slavery twice, requiring that slaves be given a day of rest and prohibiting the coveting of a neighbor's slave. You don't see those commandments ever quoted in full in the bumper sticker version that adorns churches and synagogues and that the Hukabees of the world want to see in our schools and courtrooms.

Hukabee cites the constitutional amendments that enfranchised women and abolished slavery. Both were improvements on the Bible, which disenfranchised women and permitted slavery. Bad examples Mike!

So Mike, go back to divinity school and learn a bit more about the Ten Commandments. Then go back to elementary school and retake your civics course and learn about the First Amendment that mandates that our country is ruled by our Constitution, not by your Bible.

Comments

[EspressoAtNoon]

Religion is so silly. So this all-so-pow­erful-and-­perfect God supposedly laid out 10 simple rules that he would then need ammended, because he didn't get it right the first time? heh heh heh

By the way, Alan, I'm assuming that if this "God" you speak of were giving 10 simple rules to live by - he probably wasn't giving them just to Jews (as you stated), but to all of mankind (Gasp!). Don't sweat it. It's nothing, but mythology anyway. Huckabee is indeed a frightening quack.

[Tankan]

I think it's true to say that nothing of Gods word would altered until the end of all things!

However, mankind has taken it upon himself to blaspheme the word of God by doing exactly that and assuming authority not given by God to do so!

Matthew 15, 8 and 9 sums up the Catholic Church and her daughter churches, and Mr. Huckabee perfectly.

[katq]

Good article Alan. I am glad to see that others are also concerned with the fact that Huckabee wants to change the Constitution. A good portion of this country was originally settled by those escaping religious persecution: Pilgrims, Puritans and Quakers from the Church of England; French Huguenots, such as Paul Revere (original family name Revoire) and Sephardic Jews from the Catholics. Even Thomas Jefferson was a self-proclaimed Deist.

However, as to Jesus amending the commandment to keep Shabbath on the proper day, implied by your next paragraph of “Jesus also amended the prohibition against adultery, “ Jesus never did change that commandment. In fact, Yahusha’ (Jesus in the Anglicized Greek) said in Matthew 5:17, 18, “ ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah [Law] or the Nebiim [Prophets]; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until the heavens and the earth disappear, not a yod [ the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet that looks like an apostrophe], not a taggin [ a Hebrew stroke of a pen in the Torah], will by any means disappear from the Torah until everything is accomplish­ed.’ “

It was correct to state that Christianity changed Shabbath to Sunday, but not that Yahusha’ (Jesus), a Hebrew upholding Torah, did. Having read and listened to Huckabee on a number of issues, I am concerned what he would impose on our nation in the name of “God” and “Christianity”. Our freedom of religion is necessary to prevent governmental crusades, pogroms and inquisitions.

[JohnKelly]

So Alan.... welcome back to the reasonable side of things ... gee, I hope nobody mentions Israel or we will see your demonic twin stunt double from a fascist parallel universe surface again : )

John

[SteveL]

Always wondered why the Hukabee types always ignore the Bible’s references to interest rates charged on loans.

[DoninJoisey]

Pretty sad. We are faced with Islamic wackos, and one of our own religious wackos is being listened to.

Okay, I admit I don't know how life began, but I'm quite sure it isn't the invisible man theory. Even as a kid, it didn't make sense. If there were a god, why wouldn't he (substitute "she" if you're Hillary)show himself? Why would he create us? For amusement? Why would he let innocent children suffer? And the bible - dropped from that great printing press in the sky?

I also find irony in the neo-con use of Christianity - Christ, we're told, preached compassion, charity, hunility, forgiveness, care for your fellow man,... all most unlike the behavior of chicken hawks.

[Advocate123]

Don't forget Alan, most of the Ten Commandments must be obeyed or are punishable by DEATH!!

I don't think that is advocated anymore either, otherwise my Friday Nights would be pretty dangerous.

Advocate123
http://copiousdissent.blogspot.com

[Merlin7]

Well argued! But, as you know, religion is 90 percent hucksterism. Expecting Bible-thumpers to base their arguments on logic is really over-optimistic. Actually, religion -- all religion -- is a serious global threat to humankind and should be viewed as such by governments and humanitarian organizations.

It's increasingly difficult to defend a "good religion" while condemning the extremism of a "bad religion." Scratch the surface of either and one finds superstition and tyranny.

[Dap]

Just a thought...

But it seems to me, that Mike Huckabee is not the *only* one around here that trys to be a revisionist when it comes to our beloved Constituti­on...

Not mentioning any names Professor.

Have you heard the adage about stones and the people that live in glass-houses?

[sarge]

Bravo, Alan: I saw the title and got excited because I figured it would be an Alan Dershowitz article I could actually agree with. IT WAS. (Finally). Nice work.

Now, can you please explain what a "graven image" is?

[ceu]

I don't understand people like Huckabee. They claim to "love" America and yet want to change the most fundamental things about it - the things that make America America.
Why would anyone who truly cares about this country vote for him??