Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Ten Commandments, Anyone?

It appears many members of the Church of England have not been learning their Catechism, as directed by the 1662 B.C.P.; and I think it but just to note that dissenters, recusants, pagans* and infidels have not learnt analogous lessons either from their respective masters:
Question. What is thy duty towards thy Neighbour?
Answer. My duty towards my Neighbour, is to love him as myself, and to do to all men, as I would they should do unto me: To love, honour, and succour my father and mother: To honour and obey the Queen, and all that are put in authority under her: To submit myself to all my governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters: To order myself lowly and reverently to all my betters: To hurt no body by word nor deed: To be true and just in all my dealing: To bear no malice nor hatred in my heart: To keep my hands from picking and stealing, and my tongue from evilspeaking, lying, and slandering: To keep my body in temperance, soberness, and chastity: Not to covet nor desire other men's goods; but to learn and labour truly to get mine own living, and to do my duty in that state of life, unto which it shall please God to call me.
To repeat the salient points at this present, which lessons it appears the long arm of the law (possibly to be supplemented by armed might, if need be) may now need to teach the untaught and rebellious:
...To honour and obey the Queen, and all that are put in authority under her: 
To submit myself to all my governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters: 
To order myself lowly and reverently to all my betters: 
To hurt no body by word nor deed: 
To be true and just in all my dealing: 
To bear no malice nor hatred in my heart: 
To keep my hands from picking and stealing, ... 
Not to covet nor desire other men's goods; 
but to learn and labour truly to get mine own living...
*It will be noted that I do not include Turks in this list: for media reports indicate that such Mahometans, schooled in the doctrines of the Alcoran, defended their neighbours' property whenas Christians and atheists alike did not.  O tempora!  O mores!


P.S.  Nor do I include Sikhs – who are monotheists also – since they, too, stood up for the rights of property, family and tradition against the revolting masses.

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