I just received an email advising me that “help is on the way,” with a link to Scott Teague’s Ten Commandment Awareness Walk’ to Washington, D.C.. Teague is apparently the founder of “The Ten Commandment Warriors,” ("warriors"?) and claims he is answering a call from God to make America aware of the ten commandments. Because, you know, there is so little awareness of these things right now.
My mission is to bring awareness to our great nation and to remind all that the Ten Commandments are the historical foundation of American law, moral values and code of conduct.
Well, perhaps Teague isn’t really that aware himself of what those ten commandments actually are. Only two – you shall not kill and you shall not steal – are actually laws in the US. You shall not bear false witness is only a law in the specific case of where an oath has been sworn. A “code of conduct”? We need to be told not to kill people?
Teague doesn’t care. He thinks the recession is punishment from God because we have turned our back on him, or something:
He believes the cause of the economic recession and other problems across the nation are a result of America turning its back on God and is claiming the scripture in II Chronicles 7:14 (If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land) as the solution. Teague says he is asking men and women everywhere to join him in prayer for America on March 4th.
Oh I see, they’re going to pray also. Well that’s a relief. For a minute I thought it was going to be a walk only – a purely symbolic act that would make people feel they’re doing something but ultimately would have absolutely no effect at all. But they’re going to pray as well. Phew! Good to know this Teague guy has fully thought this through.
The best bit was at the end:
Teague says he he has no doubt that God has blessed a drought stricken Johnson County with rain and snow recently because so many people have fought to keep the Ten Commandments in the courthouse. “It works at this level, and God can work at any level, and I believe he will.”
Wow, Teague has never heard of winter. I guess it’s not mentioned in the bible.
Snow is just a liberal media myth.
Well, I've satisfied my urge to relive an old JREF forum running gag of mine.
Posted by: Bronze Dog | February 05, 2009 at 08:08 PM
He should actually read a bible or something there were originally 14 commandments, so he‘s forgotten about 4 of them.
I think he needs some more awareness.
Posted by: Wrysmile | February 06, 2009 at 01:15 AM
They never give up, do they?
Posted by: C Woods | February 06, 2009 at 02:16 AM
So now we know who was shorting all those bank shares. I wonder who his broker is?
Posted by: Dunc | February 06, 2009 at 03:04 AM
Australian pensioners are being hurt - badly - by a worldwide recession which it appears was largely caused by some greedy US bankers.
Any god that would exact that sort of punishment on innocent people, many of whom would believe in him, is not a god that's worthy of praise.
Posted by: AndyD | February 06, 2009 at 06:12 AM
Which ten would that be as there are two sets, in fact if memory serves me correctly, the traditional ten are not even referred to as the ten commandments. Then there are all those other whacky commandments 'n' rules, just take my advice and don't pick up sticks on the sabbath, not a good idea.
"Teague says he he has no doubt that God has blessed a drought stricken Johnson County with rain and snow recently because so many people have fought to keep the Ten Commandments in the courthouse."
Yeah and what about all those other poor, drought 'n' famine suffering peeps that have never even heard the good word? They don't get the love and merciful intervention until they pony up enough works in His name?, thats the work of a proper asshat. Or it could just be winter, meh.
Posted by: Darthcynic | February 06, 2009 at 08:29 AM
And when eventually things will get better through tireless efforts of policy makers and fiscal policy experts, Teague will be able to claim the credit. It kinda like me telling someone they will die and taking credit when it eventually happens.
Posted by: Igor | February 06, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Is he also pushing for us to acknowledge the punishments for those commandments?
1. Exodus 22:20: He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
2. Leviticus 24:16: And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death.
3. Exodus 31:15: Whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
4. Exodus 21:15: He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
5. Exodus 21:17: He that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
6. Exodus 22:19: Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
7. Leviticus 20:13: If a man lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death.
8. Leviticus 20:10: And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.
9. Mark 16:16: He that believeth not, shall be damned.
10. Malachi 2:1-4: And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, ... behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces.
Posted by: Procrustes | February 06, 2009 at 10:23 AM
He's walking? To D.C.? When he gets there he can ride the atheist bus.
Posted by: Reginald Selkirk | February 06, 2009 at 12:56 PM
I would just like to start out saying that if you only knew the situations that God has helped you (the people of USA) through and no the heart ache that this has brought to his family to know that there is people out there like you that he has to face on the road way and be frowned upon. I think that it is a crying shame that there is mean cruel people that will not look up to him for this. YES you will regret these things that you have said, because as in the BIBLE GOD told many people to do things that the world would laugh and frown upon but to trust in him " GOD ALMIGHTY " and he would protect his children. YES "YOU" are one of them no matter what you may say or even think. He BLEED AND DIED for you to be saved and free from HELL. I just dont understand why this is happening in the first place. If we had more people like him " Scott Teague " this world would not have to beg and plede to have the rights that was in the beginning. The ones that is out there that do not believe need to read Revelations and you will understand more then what you THINK you know. I am not even sure about why you would want to throw it up in GOD's face that the world only has two commandments. I have been raised and brought up in the belief of the sweet God Almighty. Just think of it this way, if you were the one that had to die for billions of people to be set free from HELL's flames would you want people to second guess you. Or even a family member. Think people... God is REAL he has always been real.... and ONE GlORIOUS DAY!!!! We shall see his beautiful loving face for us that believe. Those that do not need to do more studing and leave us BELIEVERS alone.... I am not shy of telling anyone who I am because I am a BELIEVER Unlike some people they do not post their names but I am Chassie!!! . Words out to those who believe and those who do not. Please get right before it is everlasting to late. May GOD BLESS Scott Teague and the family. And most of all GOD BLESS THE USA!!!!
Posted by: Chassie Brown | February 26, 2009 at 05:37 PM
Y'know, I hate normal salad. The word kind makes me retch.
Posted by: King of Ferrets | February 26, 2009 at 07:09 PM
I think we've got a live one here...
Actually, I've read Revelations. Very carefully. Several times. Never been able to make a lick of sense of it. It's gibberish, much like most of your post.
Posted by: Dunc | February 27, 2009 at 03:23 AM
That always cracks me up. as if atheists a) havent read the bible or b)havent read enough of the bible or c)don't know the history of the making of the bible..better than most christians.
Hey doopa head, We read the dumb book, its filled with childish stories and myths. It has been modified over hundreds of years. It was edited and transliterated multiple times. We don't care what is in your story book any more than we care what is in the Koran, Dianetics or Grimm Fairy Tales.
If yo wan't to convince me that hell or heaven exists, you are going to have to show it to me before I am dead (or before you are).
I was listening to a great podcast these days, called Hardcore History (I say, if you like history at all, you should go for this one). He flies all over the world and all over time, assyrians, babylonians, WWII, Black Death. Its pretty good.
Anyway, here is a little tidbit I picked up. Why, during the Black death, was the mortality rate amongst priests the same as for everyone else? I have my answer, what is yours?
May I presume it has the words "mysterious ways" in it?
Posted by: TechSkeptic | February 27, 2009 at 07:09 AM
FAIL. If you had read it yourself you would know it is the book of Revelation, not Revelations.
Posted by: Skeptico | February 27, 2009 at 07:47 AM
Ha! Good catch Skeptico. Revelations is, of course, one of the bests tracks on the classic Iron Maiden album Piece of Mind. And it makes a good deal more sense - although I'm still not entirely clear what it's about. I believe Bruce Dickinson once claimed it was about opening a pair of curtains. ;)
Posted by: Dunc | February 27, 2009 at 08:47 AM
Yep, definitely a live one.
Read it again, because that's not what Skeptico said. He said that only two commandments are reflected in American law, thus putting the lie to the claim that "the Ten Commandments are the historical foundation of American law." Just for a laugh, let's compare the first three Commandments (common Protestant version) to the Bill of Rights:10C: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me"
BoR: "Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof [...]"
10C: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."
10C: "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain [...]"
BoR: "Congress shall pass no law [...] abridging freedom of speech, or of the press."
Right off the bat, the Ten Commandments and the Bill of Rights stand in direct opposition to each other. How could the former possibly be the basis for the latter?
Posted by: Jurjen | February 27, 2009 at 10:57 AM