Contemplating The Commandments Thou Shall Not Commit Acts Loathed By Gods
Contemplating The Commandments
Thou Shall Not Commit Acts Loathed By Gods
For some time I have wondered about the Commandments, not sure if they covered every aspect of the Code of Behavior. I often wondered about the little things in life that we do that were apparently not covered in the Seventy-Seven Commandments. For example, if someone made fun of a person who was mentally retarded and physically challenged, I didn't see a specific commandment that covered this behavior. I now know that all of the negative behaviors that a human can have are addressed in the commandment: Thou shall not commit acts loathed by Gods.
This commandment is vital because human beings constantly commit acts that are loathed by Gods. There are many acts that humans (especially in the USA) commit. For example, did you have a fight with a friend, you may both get angry. Once the fight ends, sometimes you both appear to be finished disputing and your relationship seemingly turns normal and "okay" again... you say hello, give each other hugs, and maybe even gifts. Meanwhile, inside your heads, you still hate each other. This attitude is in violation of this commandment. The Commandment Thou shall not commit acts loathed by Gods works on two levels: the physical level and the non-physical level. For me, it is important to understand that committing loathed acts works on the non-physical level as well as the physical. One often has thoughts in one's head that are not expressed or shared with others; no one could know what another is thinking based on physical appearance. It is only the individual who knows what he/she is thinking. Jealousy, envy, lust, deception, dishonesty, hatred, etc - these are all things that can be seen as well as not seen. It is hard to control one's thoughts at es, like Makeru Naba has said, you cannot stop thoughts from passing through your head, but you can stop them from sticking in your mind and gaining your attention.
Another example is adultery, which is a loathed act that can be done physically or non-physically. A man or woman can be married, and while they are married to their mate, they are daydreaming about being with another. This is considered adultery in the Kemetic paradigm. One does not have to be physically sleeping with another person to be committing adultery. Men in this country are bred to be animals with hypocritical thoughts. We are raised to be sexually perverted, with respect for women: we drool over other women, but at the same time, we don't want other men to look at our mother, wife, sister, or daughter in the same way.
In breaking this commandment, one can also be breaking other commandments at the same time. For example, if a man commits adultery, will be breaking more than one commandment: Thou shall not commit acts that are loathed by Gods, Thou shall not cause suffering to humans (after the wife finds out about the cheating), Thou shall not cause crying, Thou shall not cause pain, Thou shall not be the cause of anger or hot tempers, Thou shall not cheat, and Thou shall not sleep with another's wife.
This is a key commandment. It is a beautiful thing to think that, at one time, everyone lived according to these commandments. At The Earth Center, we all strive to bring these qualities back to mankind.
- Initiate #1
Thou shall not commit acts loathed by Gods is one commandment that must be considered at all times by the human being wishing to live a spiritual life. While other commandments are in relation to other human beings, other beings, the Earth, and the ancestors, this commandment is one that addresses the human being's battle with oneself.
Acts that are loathed by Gods include more than just those that break the other commandments. The acts referred to in this commandment are the ones that occur mostly within ourselves.
Several examples are:
1. Cheating on one's ablutions - Ablutions done before prayers and meditations are usually done in private and involve the purification of one's body. When an ablution is not done properly or a body part is not cleansed thoroughly, there is no way for anyone to know this except the individual or the Gods. This act is loathed by the Gods.
2. Holding a grudge - When individuals have disagreements with others and eventually come to an understanding, an individual holding a grudge is committing an act loathed by Gods. This is because the person upon whom the grudge is held does not know that he/she is being regarded with such negativity. It also makes the grudge-bearer a liar and creates a dishonest relationship, but the only ones who know this are the persons holding the grudge and the Gods.
3. "Emotional infidelity" to one's spouse - when a married woman, for example, maintains a relationship with another man which could be regarded as inappropriate, but the inappropriate nature comes from the crossing of certain boundaries of a psychological nature. Even if there is no physical contact, the woman knows that her actions would be hurtful and betraying to her husband, but because he doesn't know, there "is no harm". The only ones who know are herself and the Gods.
This commandment is also one that brings about the question of "thought vs. deed". Through this commandment, we can see that thinking of breaking a commandment or comfortably imagining one's self breaking a commandment is just as much a violation as physically committing the act. Becoming angry and wishing to strike someone carries the same weight as actually doing it. We are not being "better" people just because we do not act on our thoughts. To truly live a spiritual life, our code of behavior must be internalized to the point of not even having an inclination to break commandments.
This commandment, "Thou shall not commit acts that are loathed by Gods", is really the commandment that addresses one of the biggest poisons to living a spiritual life - hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy is something that one is guilty of within one's self and therefore the only witnesses to such destructive behavior are the Gods. When we represent to others and to the world a strict code of conduct and behavior, but in the privacy of our own minds and homes we stray from these same rules, we are committing a violation of this commandment.
Initiate #2