Posted on 06/19/2007 7:37:40 AM PDT by Kaslin
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Thou shall not drive under the influence of alcohol. Thou shall respect speed limits. Thou shall not consider a car an object of personal glorification or use it as a place of sin.
The Vatican took a break from strictly theological matters Tuesday to issue its own rules of the road, a compendium of do's and don'ts on the moral aspects of driving and motoring.
A 36-page document called "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road" contains 10 Commandments covering everything from road rage, respecting pedestrians, keeping a car in good shape and avoiding rude gestures while behind the wheel.
"Cars tend to bring out the 'primitive' side of human beings, thereby producing rather unpleasant results," the document said.
It appealed to what it called the "noble tendencies" of the human spirit, urging responsibility and self-control to prevent the "psychological regression" often associated with driving.
The document's Fifth Commandment reads: "Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin."
Asked at a news conference when a car became an occasion of sin, Cardinal Renato Martino said "when a car is used as a place for sin."
One part of the document, under the section "Vanity and personal glorification," will not go down well with owners of Ferraris in motor-mad Italy.
"Cars particularly lend themselves to being used by their owners to show off, and as a means for outshining other people and arousing a feeling of envy," it said.
It urged readers not to behave in an "unsatisfactory and even barely human manner" when driving and to avoid what it called "unbalanced behavior ... impoliteness, rude gestures, cursing, blasphemy ..."
Praying while driving was encouraged.
Vatican City, the world's smallest sovereign state, doesn't have many of the problems listed in the document.
It has about 1,000 cars, the speed limit is 30 kph and one Vatican official said the last accident inside Vatican City's walls was about 1-1/2 years ago, resulting in minor damage.
Oh my!
“Cars particularly lend themselves to being used by their owners to show off, and as a means for outshining other people and arousing a feeling of envy,” it said.”
Like the pope mobile.
The Pope has signed a deal to become the 4th “Pep Boy”...
So, the Pope isn’t a target of assassination, eh?
Wasn’t he the Cardinal that complained about how we were treating Saddam when we captured him?
Yeah, remember that time John Paul cranked that sucker up to 90!
"Born to Run" was blaring on the speakers, if I recall correctly.
Sententia vadum non have saevio of via.
I agree with the sentiment that cars bring out the worst in people’s behavior. I would go without, but it just isn’t convenient to not have one. Everything is so spread out these days.
I take back roads whenever possible and avoid the interstate because no matter how fast you are going it usually isn’t fast enough for the guy who uses his car as a weapon.
I try very hard to keep my temper in check because I live in a city where there is a large population with hair-trigger tempers. I used to scream the most unbelievable things at people who would cut me off, tailgait, or drive at dangerously reckless speeds. Now, I tell myself they are on the way to the hospital to see their dying mother one last time.
I also use it to practice not being self-righteous. It’s really a difficult thing to succeed at.
You have heard it said to love your neighbors and to hate your enemy. I say to you love your enemy and pray for those who maltreat you. What good is it if a man is loves his own? Do not even the pagans do this?Another words, God calls us to be like him instead of yielding to base human instincts. The cardinal did nothing wrong, sorry.
It ain’t nothing ‘til it has, “Thou shalt not travel in the left lane unless thou art overtaking a slower vehicle.”
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then...
The "blind squirrel" didn't say anything that the Sermon on the Mount didn't say. It goes like this - beginning with chapter 5 of Matthew:
You have heard it said to love your neighbors and to hate your enemy. I say to you love your enemy and pray for those who maltreat you. What good is it if a man is loves his own? Do not even the pagans do this?
Another words, God calls us to be like him instead of yielding to base human instincts. The cardinal did nothing wrong, sorry.
Father, I have sinned with my finger.
It’s OK, he knows. That little Jesus statue on the dashboard now contains modern electronics. It’s all being recorded, along with the stuff in your airbag black box...
So- how many rosaries for a finger-flip?
Anyone who has ever dealt with the drivers of Rome would understand why this might be on the Church’s front burner. Italian drivers are nuts. They think little things like lane markers and stop lights are merely suggestions.
One of the scariest days of my life was the day I sat near the front on a Roman bus. If I had known the Italian word for “BREAK!!!”, I would have yelled it a half-dozen times.
The only drivers I’ve encountered that were as bad were Massachusetts drivers although my brother assures me that South Florida is worse with all their immigrants and senior citizens. In theory, he may be right but I had no problems the week I visited there.
Well, perhaps the Italian word for “BRAKE!!!” might have worked better...
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