“Second, the Roman Catholic Catechism by Rev. William Cogan, now in its 44th year of print, has altered the 10 commandments of God. The 2nd commandment given to Moses reads, “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth” (Exodus 20:4). The Roman Catholics have deleted this commandment but still came up with ten by splitting the 10th one into two separate commands. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s good; and you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Exodus 20:17). I was reminded of the scriptural warnings for those who add to or subtract from the Bible.”
What an ignorant dweeb (not the poster) I can not believe any one gives creedence to this statement. The commandments also appear in Deuteronomy and it is from that ordering Catholic take them. Notice the wording of them does not change at all.
While I presume you are correct, and that the commandment listed 1st here is meant to incorporate the section about idols, the site implies that the text of the commandment as taught would not include the term about idols.
- I am the LORD your God. You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not kill.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
- You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
Both the Exodus and Deuteronomy passages include the text about idols, and it is true that most christian faiths break out the idol text as the 2nd commandment. In fact, I was unaware that the Catholic Church did it differently. Also, it appears the Jewish faith for which the 10 commandements were originally given counts the Idol text as the 2nd commandment, but only because they cound "I am the lord your God" as a commandment, and then lump "no other gods" and "idols" together.
I know that the PCA church, at least in some of their specific churches, put a good bit of emphasis on idol worship -- my particular church for example will not have pictures of Jesus, or endorse films depicting him (can't say I agree with that).
So, in light of my meager investigation, could you clarify your point about the difference between the 10 commandments and how it doesn't actually change anything?
I should have also noted that earlier Judaic traditions listed the Idol text as the 2nd commandment, much as other protestant churches do. Also, there is a good deal of text about how the “first 4 commandments” deal with God’s relationship with man — clearly that wouldn’t be the case in the Catholic version, as it is only the 1st three.
It is also interesting that, as a child growing up Lutheran, I believe I was taught the Catholic version. But when I list them now, I list them in the more traditional protestant form, with Idol being it’s own, and the covet being the last. However, when I do, I always remember thinking that Covet was really TWO, because of my early childhood training.