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the new year
By Tom Lowe
A friend posted the image to the right on Facebook last week. I was intrigued, so I tried to find its origin. Its Wikipedia citation has it being published in 1989 by Viesti Associates, which currently is the name of a stock photo agency.
The commandments have struck a cord with quite a few people who have created art around them. Here’s a YouTube video:
Somehow the language seems more European philosophical, as another friend notes:
Having spent many years in the company of Native Americans, the written material doesn't ring true. I do not believe it was written by a native person.I wonder whether John G. Neihardt’s 1932 Black Elk Speaks, or the words of Chief Joseph, as quoted by Charles Erskine Scott Wood, provided inspiration. Whatever the source, they make a good basis for some New Year's resolutions.
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Copyright © 2013 by Tom Lowe
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Tom, thank you for sharing this item, which I have given the label new ten commandments; i.e., an alternative to the original ones as provided variously in the Old Testament of the Bible. The label will reveal other Moristotle posts over the years having to do with such alternatives and the need for them. Richard Dawkins proposed a set in his 2006 bestseller, The God Delusion, and Christopher Hitchens gives a devastating critique of the original set in his 2011 book of essays, Arguably.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I looked for a corrected version of the Native American list, but couldn't find one with "an" changed to "and" in Commandment 1.
Doesn't it seem to you that Commandments 1 and 3 are redundant with regard to respect for "all who dwell [on the Earth]" and "your fellow beings"?
Similarly, Commandments 6 and 9 seem to overlap, in that one would suppose that being "truthful and honest" is an example of doing "what you know to be right." Or does the latter sometimes include not being truthful and honest—in which case Commandment 9 would seem to need to have "at all times" changed to "as appropriate" or something along that line.
Isn't it fun to critique something so august-sounding as "Ten Commandments"?
Nevertheless, in the spirit in which the list was compiled and we are sharing it today on Moristotle & Co., I hope that a few readers at least can take something of value away from contemplating "The Native American Ten Commandments."
I prefer the Scout Law, which exhorts us to be Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.
ReplyDeleteThat would be the Twelve Commandments, right? <chuckle>
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