05-18-2011, 09:54 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-18-2011, 09:57 AM by Bring4th_Austin.)
This is my personal opinion and how I view somethings as negative.
For one, many of them start with "You shall not." This turns any sort of positive information automatically negative. Instead, a positive energy would be to say "do this," not "don't do this."
Now let's dissect some individual commandments...
Do not have any other gods before me." - The negativity in this is obvious to me...no matter your definition of "God" or "gods," this is demanding exclusion, setting limitations. That is negative.
"You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,
but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments." - Again, extreme exclusion. There's no question for me how "I am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me" is negative. Jealousy is a negative emotion. Punishment is a negative concept. Punishment of children who had nothing to do with their parents' "iniquity" is nothing more than a scare tactic, extremely negative.
"You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name." - God is supposedly excluding those who choose to use a word in a certain way, which would not be unconditionally loving nor honoring free will. Negative.
"You shall not commit adultery." - This is assuming itself that adultery is inherently negative (it may or may not be, circumstantially), and again not honoring free will.
"You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." - Doesn't it strike you as ironic that God claims to be jealous in a previous commandment, and then goes on to tell you that you may not feel the same way? Not allowing one to feel their own emotions however they please is infringement on free will.
For one, many of them start with "You shall not." This turns any sort of positive information automatically negative. Instead, a positive energy would be to say "do this," not "don't do this."
Now let's dissect some individual commandments...
Do not have any other gods before me." - The negativity in this is obvious to me...no matter your definition of "God" or "gods," this is demanding exclusion, setting limitations. That is negative.
"You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,
but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments." - Again, extreme exclusion. There's no question for me how "I am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me" is negative. Jealousy is a negative emotion. Punishment is a negative concept. Punishment of children who had nothing to do with their parents' "iniquity" is nothing more than a scare tactic, extremely negative.
"You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name." - God is supposedly excluding those who choose to use a word in a certain way, which would not be unconditionally loving nor honoring free will. Negative.
"You shall not commit adultery." - This is assuming itself that adultery is inherently negative (it may or may not be, circumstantially), and again not honoring free will.
"You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." - Doesn't it strike you as ironic that God claims to be jealous in a previous commandment, and then goes on to tell you that you may not feel the same way? Not allowing one to feel their own emotions however they please is infringement on free will.
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The only frontier that has ever existed is the self.
The only frontier that has ever existed is the self.