The Importance Of The Ten Commandments

There are many commandments in America. Most of them are very important in our society. Some are written rules, and some are unwritten. They go from not stealing to saying bless you. All Americans should follow these seven commandments to show that they have respect and manners.

What do you think was the original purpose of the 10 Commandments? Do you think people in general have the correct perception of the original purpose of the 10 Commandments as a covenant document?

The Wage and Price Regulations in Connecticut is an example of common laws being justified by the bible. Also in this document the word "community " is emphasized, just as Winthrop emphasizes it saying: "we must be knit together in this work as one man". The immigrants to New England formed very family and religiously oriented communities. Looking at the emigrant lists of people bound for New England it is easy to observe that most people came in large families, and large families support the community atmosphere. There were many children among the emigrants, and those children were taught religion from their early childhood, and therefore grew up loyal to the church, and easily controllable by the same. Any deviants from the regime were silenced or persecuted before they could start any movements that would be a threat to the authority of the church. Even people like Ann Hutchinson and Roger Williams, who only slightly deviated from the teaching of the Puritan church were expelled and forced to move to Rode Island. As a result of this tight religious control the society became very conservative in New England, and life evolved to be simple and not elaborate as in Virginia.

The rules of the church help to keep the members of the community in check and to help remind them to practice humility in their everyday lives. The main rules that the church has to direct humility have are in regards to how the members dress for their daily lives and for worship on Sundays. In the general community there are no set rules against receiving credit for jobs and tasks that an Amish man or woman may have accomplished, but it is looked down upon by the community as the person receiving the praise is thought to be prideful and sinning in their lives. In their lives through religious teachings and readings they are taught to walk through life as a humble servant of God and to give forgiveness to all as Jesus did when it was his time on Earth.

It is a day of rest (they do not work or have others work for them, emergencies are exceptions) and connection to God. Sabbath is kept from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday. The Seventh-day Sabbath originates from Creation, when God rested from His work on the seventh day. Keeping the Sabbath is a perpetual sign of the everlasting covenant between God and his people, a symbol of love. God gave each one of us life, and guarding the Sabbath and keeping it holy shows reverence and respect to God, our creator. The Sabbath is a golden opportunity to engage in activities that will help establish and enhance a long-lasting relationship with God, rest and fellowship in nature along with reading the Bible are common activities on the Sabbath as well as other days. On Sabbath, as well as every other day, constant contact with God is kept. Adventists talk to him like a friend, we serve a wonderful God who wants to be our friend, He is a loving, caring God who wants us to feel loved and protected by

Although no Baptist was known to have been executed for religion in the Colonial America, many Baptists were severely whipped, forced to pay taxes to support the state church, had their properties confiscated, paid fines, suffered lingering imprisonments, and faced public harrassments. Baptist preachers endured occasional indignities (e.g., Hezekiah Smith complained that "a beetle was cast upon him" as he walked a public street), and public baptisms were often mocked or disrupted by onlookers. [1]

Sunday was often the only day that enslaved blacks did not have to work. The Sabbath became a full day of preaching, community building and socializing. The African American church still maintains this practice of an extended worship day with longer services and sermons than most other religious. The average time for blacks’ churches services is about ninety minutes, with the sermons lasting more than thirty minutes long. This is the etiquette article of African American churches. The Methodist church, however, rules governs differently. Their etiquette is designed specifically and honorably to God. The honoring of the sanctuary in reference to the pulpit, communion table, maintain silence before God, church bibles and hymnals, treatment of the pews. Languages that honors God, enter and exit as directed appropriately. Honoring the Lord’s Supper which includes, kneeling at the communion rail, receiving the bread, receiving the cup, and remaining in church after receiving the Lord’s Supper and honoring the church building, that is, cleanliness is next to Godliness, eat only where it is allowed, keep the outside of the church building neat and clean and treat Christian symbols with respect. AME church, simple put etiquette is respecting the place you worship and embracing your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Etiquette is also an opportunity for teenager or youth church. Youth should also know the sacredness of God’s house. Their attire, language and behavior should

In Salem, men are placed into stocks due to their uncaring attitudes towards the poor. The Bible says that, “ He that hath mercy upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord: and the Lord will recompense him that which he hath given”(1599 Geneva Bible, Prov. 19.17).The Bible tells Christians that they should be kind to the poor and promises a reward as a result. By helping the poor, the people of the New England colonies do the will of God, and as a result are rewarded with blessings. Furthermore, the rank ways of New England are better because their social hierarchy respects their elders.

The Ten Commandments brought to us through Moses were said to be man's first laws. According to the Bible society was devoid of morality with the people running rampant. There were no laws to govern the actions of society and this created a hedonistic environment with people doing whatever they wanted without regard to the ramifications of such behavior. Obviously unable to govern their own impulses and without any moral compass the society was in danger of breaking down completely. According to Moses' account God spoke to him through a burning bush and voila the Ten Commandments were born. I believe these to be a good example of Divine Command Theory. Of course, there are problems with this

Colonial America’s social life was probably the most interesting aspect of their new lives. They had two main laws by which to live by; The Moral Law and the Law of Grace. According to the Moral Law, every man was to love his neighbor, and help in times of want or distress. However the Law of Grace, calls men to put a difference between Christians and others.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth century, religious toleration in the American colonies increased steadily. This was due in part to numerous factors like tolerant ideas and practices expressed and practiced by religiously communities, economic necessities, and The Great Awakening. The Great Awakening occurred in the early 18th century and can be depicted by enthusiastic and fervent worship in a series of revivals that spread throughout the American colonies. The type of revivalism that was found within the colonies during the Awakening was not necessarily the intended outcome of religious freedom, but nonetheless it produced a train of thought that opposed the idea of an act or a church as a single truth for all. As preachers visited town after town, sects, moved by the oration of these reverends and ministers, began to break off from larger churches and a multitude of Protestant denominations sprouted. As we see in Nathan Cole’s description of the excitement in hearing George Whitefield preach at Middletown, “ [he] felt the spirit of God drawing [him] by conviction; [he] longed to see and hear him and wished he would stay.” During the eighteenth century, uncertainty in politics and the economy depicted life in the New World and, in doing so, shifted attention away from Puritanism and other religious duties. Cole’s description serves to demonstrate the anticipation and open-mindedness of many to hear and accept what was being preached to them. The Great Awakening promoted an individualistic way of life. We see this in Reverend Charles Woodmason writing- that among the congregation he visited, “not one had a Bible or common prayer.” Of what he witnessed in the backcountry of South Carolina, people were “educated in the principles of [his faith]” but, because of how individualistic each person of faith was,

Religion professor Stephen Prothero says Baptists "were seen as a significant threat" in colonial Virginia. To support his statement, the Anglicans and their elites were deeply rooted in their traditional religion beliefs. Baptists’ new way of thinking about religion was, it is about “the heart”, and it threatened the Anglicans’ way of religious views, it is all about “the head”. Anglicans religious intolerance with the Baptists is what lead to the great shift to religious freedom.

Cultures and groups of people that pursue different lifestyles tend to disagree with each other. If these people would follow one set of rules they would always be able to go back their set of beliefs, the Ten Commandments, and resolve the issue based on their rules. The Ten Commandments make sense and they supersede the Beatitudes. If a group of twenty people viewed the Ten Commandments with no bias, they would all come to the same conclusion. If that same group looked at the Beatitudes with no bias, they would come to a plethora of conclusions. In comparison, the Ten Commandments prevail as rules while the Beatitudes remain suggestive and perplexing. To adduce the Ten Commandments even further a culture could inspect the contrast between a few of the Commandments and the Beatitudes. Exodus 20:8 reads “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy,” and Matthew 5:6 reads “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” When an individual reads the line from the Ten Commandments they know exactly what they need to do. Simply do not forget about the Sabbath. When looking at the Beatitudes, that individual would draw several outcomes. These two rules share a similar thought, the idea that being righteous will lead to eternal life. But, the Ten Commandments states this in a more translucent way than the

Rowlandson’s bible brought a tremendous amount of comfort to her that she kept it by her side at all times. Another Sabbath day has come and Rowlandson cannot participate. She thinks back to when times were great and she could rejoice her faith with friends and family. It’s a big disappointment to her as a Christian not to be able to practice her beliefs in the proper way. Rowlandson says, “I cannot express upon my spirit; the Lord knows it. Yet the comfortable Scripture would often come to mind. ‘For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee’ Isaiah 54.7” (275). Puritans take part in the Sabbath day and it’s a sin to them not follow the religion to a T’.

In 1581 a fines was imposed  for non-attendance at Church of England services (aimed at Catholics) were greatly increased (although in some areas they were not imposed). In 1585 all Catholic priests were ordered to leave England within 40 days or face a charge of treason. Despite these measures the great majority of English Catholics remained loyal to the Queen Mary.