The Ten Commandments

Everybody knows the Ten Commandments, right? Let's see. There's something about stealing, lying, murdering...ah...but that's only three...what are the rest? More people claim to live by the Ten Commandments than seem to know what they are, let alone what they mean. And in this modern, jet-propelled, nuclear, genetic-engineered world, how important are they?

Each day we make innumerable decisions about things that don't really seem earth-shattering in importance. So what if we break a promise? So what if we are married but find passion in another bed? So what if we are too focused on work, TV, or clubs to spend time with family? In The Ten Commandments, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, America's "Mommy" and the conscience of talk radio, reminds is that it is in everyday decisions that we give meaning to our lives or diminish it; and she shows us why adhering to the higher ideals and consistent morality found in the Commandments can create a life of greater purpose, integrity, value, and lasting joy.

The Ten Commandment's are the first direct communication between a people and God. Designed to elevate our lives above mere frantic, animal existence to the sublime levels humanity is capable of experiencing, they are the blueprint of God's expectations of us and His plan for a meaningful, just, loving, and holy life. Each of the Ten Commandments asserts a principle, and each principle is a moral focal point for real-life issues relating to God, family, sex, work, charity, property, speech, and thought. These principles, and the Commandments they are based upon, are as relevant today as they were in Biblical times.

Written in collaboration with Rabbi Steward Vogel, The Ten Commandments is a modern application of God's laws, incorporating lively discussion on the Bible and the Judeo-Christian values derived from it. Filled with passion, emotion, and provocative, profound insight. The Ten Commandments will move, enlighten, inspire, educate, and entertain you. You won't be able to look at even mundane moments in your life the same way again.

1. I am the Lord, your God, who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery
   Acceptance of God as the ultimate author of morality and leaning of life.

2. You shall not recognize the gods of others in My presence
   Beware of idolatry. Attaining money, power, stimulation, professional success, and accumulating possessions, while legitimate pursuits, are not the ultimate purpose of life.

3. You shall not take the Name of the Lord, your God, in vain
   How we acknowledge or deny God and godliness through our words and deeds.

4. Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it
   Recognize the value of time by refocusing on the most important elements of life; family, obligations to others, prayer, kindness, justice, and decency.

5. Honor your Father and your Mother
   The obligation to parents reinforces the concepts of treating others responsibly in spite of sentiment or situation.

6. You shall not murder
   Each human being is the essence of uniqueness, yet equally created in God's image. Not only can a life by physically taken, but demoralization and humiliation can kill our souls.

7. You shall not commit adultery
   Sexual relations are made special and hole through a consonantal marriage. The honoring of commitments provides the family stability necessary for individual growth and health, community peace, and societal welfare.

8. You shall not steal
   Respecting the property and reputation of others provides mutual safety, peace, and prosperity.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your fellow
   While we should keep far from falsehood, knowing when information could or should be shared can make the differences between destroying and helping others.

10. You shall not covet
    Desire for the possessions of others destroys relationships and leads us to violate the other Commandments.