Why the obsession with 10 commandments?

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But for some reason that I do not understand, Christians pick and choose parts of the 613 to follow and at the same time treat the Aseret ha-D’varim (see Ex. 34:28, Deut. 4:13 and Deut. 10:4) as mitzvot when they are not.
Jews also pick and choose.
For another example, consider #171 or #172. Any Jew who has a mortgage on his house will have to pay interest, even if the head of the bank is Jewish. Jews regularly violate #171, and #172. And also Jewish ladies are wearing pants all the time.
 
I don’t think that non-Jews should be required to follow any of the 613. By the text of the Tanakh they are only required to follow the Seven Laws of Moses.
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Catholics are required to observe many of the 613 Mitzvot:. Here are the ones which in my opinion are binding on Catholics. Some of the others, being open to interpretation could be interpreted in such a way that Catholics may be obligated to follow them But others, Catholics would not be obligated to follow them, according to our priests.
Here are some which Catholics must follow. Perhaps you could interpret them as being in some way related to the 7 Noahide Laws which you have mentioned. So this would be why Catholics would follow them from your point of view, because in the end they are related to the seven Laws of Noah. But Catholics generally, don’t go by that. Catholics go by what is called the “Natural Law” and also the ten Commandments and the Tradition of the Church.
I am going by the list as enumerated at:
jewfaq.org/613.htm
Catholics must obey and follow the following Mitzvot:
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11.
However, please note for #6, that the unity of God in Catholicism is different from that of Judaism, since Catholics believe in the Trinity.
22, 25 (24 is encouraged, but not required).
26,27,28,29,30,31,32,
(36,37,38,39 are encouraged in charity)
40,52
53,54,55
[Catholics will not follow #56]
59,60,61,62
For 63, it applies generally, but would not apply to monks or priests. Also, Catholics seem to disregard this one to some extent if they use NFP, which is approved by the Church for serious reasons.
Catholics will observe: all of 82- 105, but in some cases they did allow in the past #106. I don’t agree with their allowing #106, but that is what happened before.
BTW, do Jews ever neuter their cats? If so, then they are violating #106, isn’t it?
109, 110, 111.
170,181,182,183.
Catholics should observe 203,204, and 205, I think.
Also, I like #206, and I think that Catholics should observe it. But with the explosion in marriage annulments given out by the Catholic Church recently, I am not sure that Catholics are following this one.
207,208,209.
241 must be observed, and some of the others here also.
271, 272, 274, 275, 276, 277.
278,279,280,281,282,283,284.
314, 315, 318, 330,331,332.
348 is a good one in my opinion, but I don’t think that Catholics are following it.
I don’t think that Catholic women follow #366, since I see them wearing pants all the time.
Also, it doesn’t look like the USA follows #600. Does Israel always follow #600? I am not sure if the Palestinians would agree that Israel follows #600, but I could be wrong on that.
Thank you for this topic.
 
We don’t even follow all 10 commandments. We only follow 9. The one about the sabbath isn’t followed. Actually we don’t follow the first one literally in every sense, in the sense that we use statues in worship.

And as others have pointed out we do follow some of the 613 rules. We just follow the ones that are required by natural law and divine law.

The ten commandments, expanded in meaning to include the spirit behind the laws as taught by Jesus in the sermon on the mount, are a convenient way of organizing Catholic moral rules and ideas.
Why do Christians (including Catholics) care so much about the 10 commandments? Why should non-Jews care about any of the 613 Mitzvot? Shouldn’t the concern for non-Jews, according to the Tanakh, be the Seven Laws of Noah? If Catholics are not going to follow all of God’s Mitzvot, should they be picking and choosing in a manner not given by God?
 
Jews also pick and choose.
For another example, consider #171 or #172. Any Jew who has a mortgage on his house will have to pay interest, even if the head of the bank is Jewish. Jews regularly violate #171, and #172. And also Jewish ladies are wearing pants all the time.
Those only apply to loans between Jews. Most observant Jews will seek out loans that do not involve other Jews. There are also interpretations of these mitzvot that allow for something that is close to interest, but is not considered interest.

And again, while there are some Jews that see wearing (woman’s) pants as a violation most do not.

Now, you might disagree with these interpretations* of these mitzvot and say that Jews are not actually following that fact is observant Jews (I am sure there are exceptions) attempt to follow all the mitzvot and would follow the ones that are currently impossible if they were to become possible in the future.
  • In Rabbinical Judaism the power to interpret the Torah rests with Rabbis. Their interpretation even trumps anything God might say about the matter. As the Talmud says “The Torah is not in Heaven.”
 
And again, while there are some Jews that see wearing (woman’s) pants as a violation most do not.
Suppose that a woman were to find herself in a foreign country and she did not know the language. Now suppose that she had to use the restroom and she was directed to an area that had two doors. On one door was an icon of a figure with pants, and on the other door was an icon of a figure with a dress. Now if pants were female apparel, the lady would choose that door. But she will not. She will always choose the door with the icon of the skirt. This proves conclusively that pants are male apparel. Since Jewish women regularly are seen wearing pants, this means that they are not really observing this rule against men’s clothing.
 
  • In Rabbinical Judaism the power to interpret the Torah rests with Rabbis. Their interpretation even trumps anything God might say about the matter. As the Talmud says “The Torah is not in Heaven.”
Well, then there is also a similar answer as to why Catholics obey some of the 613 but not all. Catholics are bound by the Natural Law, sometimes called the Divine Law, similar in some sense perhaps to the 7 Laws of Noah but not exactly so. And in addition, there is the Tradition of the Church together with the Bible. Catholics see some of the 613 as a simple logical conclusion from the Natural Law and so they must be obeyed. Others are not so much that way and are seen to apply to Jews only, and Catholics see themselves as being released from some of the 613 by Jesus.
Also, there are a few of the 613 which I think are controversial among Catholics and they may not agree with themselves within Catholicism on some of the Mitzvot.
 
Suppose that a woman were to find herself in a foreign country and she did not know the language. Now suppose that she had to use the restroom and she was directed to an area that had two doors. On one door was an icon of a figure with pants, and on the other door was an icon of a figure with a dress. Now if pants were female apparel, the lady would choose that door. But she will not. She will always choose the door with the icon of the skirt. This proves conclusively that pants are male apparel. Since Jewish women regularly are seen wearing pants, this means that they are not really observing this rule against men’s clothing.
That is just not the interpretation that the most Jews follow.

Are you a man? If so, would be be willing to go down to Saks Fifth Avenue and get a pair of pants and where them since you see all pants as male apparel?

Would you wear these?
saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446166504&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574491979559&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395222441&bmUID=1188272501683&ev19=1:1
 
This is not possible in many cases, since the officials of many banks are Jewish.
Wow. I guess the stereotyping of Jews is alive and well here.

This the second time this week I have seen stereotyping of Jews of these boards. The other instance was in a thread on Mel Gibson that disappeared.
 
Well, then there is also a similar answer as to why Catholics obey some of the 613 but not all. Catholics are bound by the Natural Law, sometimes called the Divine Law, similar in some sense perhaps to the 7 Laws of Noah but not exactly so. And in addition, there is the Tradition of the Church together with the Bible. Catholics see some of the 613 as a simple logical conclusion from the Natural Law and so they must be obeyed. Others are not so much that way and are seen to apply to Jews only, and Catholics see themselves as being released from some of the 613 by Jesus.
Also, there are a few of the 613 which I think are controversial among Catholics and they may not agree with themselves within Catholicism on some of the Mitzvot.
Which brings me back to original question. Why do Catholics make such a big deal about the 10 Commandments? Especially considering that, at least according to Neil_Anthony, Catholics do not even follow the Ten Commandments.
 
Wow. I guess the stereotyping of Jews is alive and well here.
I am sorry about this, but I think you are overreacting. I thought it was the case that there are banks that have Jewish officials working there? But i could be wrong on this. Take for example, in Israel. Do you mean to say that the banks are all headed by gentiles? I don;t think so.
 
Which brings me back to original question. Why do Catholics make such a big deal about the 10 Commandments? Especially considering that, at least according to Neil_Anthony, Catholics do not even follow the Ten Commandments.
Neil_Anthony is wrong. Catholics have to follow the Ten Commandments. These are seen as part of the Divine Law and part of the Natural Law which is binding for everyone, similar to what you think about the 7 Laws of Noah.
My interpretation of what Neil_Anthony is saying is that he is nitpicking. Catholics have to keep the Lord’s Day holy. It is just that the Lord’s Day for Catholics is Sunday, not Saturday - so he sees a technical violation. Also, there is the commandment about idol worship and graven images, Although Catholics have graven images in their Churches, they do not worship; them, but they are used as a reminder of Saintly and holy individuals. So Catholic priests do not see the use of these statues as a violation against idolatry.
 
Neil_Anthony is wrong. Catholics have to follow the Ten Commandments. These are seen as part of the Divine Law and part of the Natural Law which is binding for everyone, similar to what you think about the 7 Laws of Noah.
It is not what I think. It is what YHWH said in Genesis.
Catholics have to keep the Lord’s Day holy. It is just that the Lord’s Day for Catholics is Sunday, not Saturday - so he sees a technical violation.
The 3rd says to keep the Sabbath holy. The Sabbath is from Sunday on Friday until sundown on Saturday. Sunday is just not the Sabbath.
 
I am sorry about this, but I think you are overreacting. I thought it was the case that there are banks that have Jewish officials working there?
It is not that hard to find a bank that is not Jewish.
Take for example, in Israel. Do you mean to say that the banks are all headed by gentiles? I don;t think so.
Most banks in Israel use something called a Shtar Iska that allows for money to be loaned without interest while still allowing for the bank to make money.
 
It is not what I think. It is what YHWH said in Genesis.

The 3rd says to keep the Sabbath holy. The Sabbath is from Sunday on Friday until sundown on Saturday. Sunday is just not the Sabbath.
Well, which is it? Are Catholics obsessed with following the ten Commandments or is it that they don’t really follow the ten Commandments after all. Which way are you arguing?
Catholics have reinterpreted these commandments to fit in with Church tradition. Catholics follow the ten Commandments according to their interpretation of them.
For a Catholic, the Lord’s Day has been moved to Sunday and we do not follow the observance of Saturday as the Lord’s Day. This is because of the Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ from the dead on Sunday.
 
It is not that hard to find a bank that is not Jewish.

Most banks in Israel use something called a Shtar Iska that allows for money to be loaned without interest while still allowing for the bank to make money.
Is it required for a Jew in the USA to make sure that the bank where he has the mortgage for his house has no Jewish officials working at the bank? I don’t think so.
And as for Israel, I don’t know the bank rules there. But does Israel have mortgage loans on houses or developments? And when the money is paid back in installments, is only the principle amount paid back, or is there added on some extra charges which you don;t call interest, but would be called interest in any other country in the world? Is this method you have referred to, simply a way of circumventing the law against interest, so that in the end you are really paying interest after all ? All you are doing is calling it selling a loan at a discount which is mathematically equivalent to charging interest on a loan.

And by the way, what about the use of credit cards. Do you always have to pay your debts before any interest would accrue?
 
Well, which is it? Are Catholics obsessed with following the ten Commandments or is it that they don’t really follow the ten Commandments after all. Which way are you arguing?
Catholics have reinterpreted these commandments to fit in with Church tradition. Catholics follow the ten Commandments according to their interpretation of them.
For a Catholic, the Lord’s Day has been moved to Sunday and we do not follow the observance of Saturday as the Lord’s Day. This is because of the Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ from the dead on Sunday.
The 3rd commandment says nothing about “The Lord’s Day.” It says the “Sabbath.” I don’t care if Catholics follow the Ten Commandments or not. But the Sabbath is from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday.
 
Is it required for a Jew in the USA to make sure that the bank where he has the mortgage for his house has no Jewish officials working at the bank?
Whether or not a single Jew worked at the bank would not make a difference whether he was an official or a janitor.
And as for Israel, I don’t know the bank rules there. But does Israel have mortgage loans on houses or developments? And when the money is paid back in installments, is only the principle amount paid back, or is there added on some extra charges which you don;t call interest, but would be called interest in any other country in the world? Is this method you have referred to, simply a way of circumventing the law against interest, so that in the end you are really paying interest after all ? All you are doing is calling it selling a loan at a discount which is mathematically equivalent to charging interest on a loan.
The use of a Shtar Iska does not violate the mitzvah. You may not like the interpretation that Jews (obviously there are different interpretations) have given this particular mitzvah or some other mitzvot, but that does not mean that they do not follow the 613. Observant Jews try to follow all the mitzvot that are possible to follow under the proper interpretation.
 
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