Ten Commandments Make a Difference
This morning on the Stossel Report (Fox News), there was a gentleman speaking of a cheating and a study he had done on cheating. Stossel did a study of his own as well.
There were many variables to this study -- ranging from classroom behavior, attire differences to "follow the leader" mentality with a buffet set up for SFN (Something For Nothing) convention by Stossel himself. At the buffet, when outsiders began sneaking up to the buffet, more people followed. When confronted, they made excuses, acted embarrassed and some even felt entitled because they were underpaid teachers. Somehow society owed them, but it didn't seem to matter that they were encroaching on a buffet that did not belong to them. It was intriguing to say the least and I found myself wondering if I would also be tempted to do the same. We all have tendencies to allow ourselves little sins -- little white lies to keep from hurting others, and other infractions for whatever reason we rationalize at the time to keep from being held accountable. Let's face it. We all do it -- even the best of church going Christians. It doesn't make it right, but maybe we should start considering how often we do it and how these little sins do break down the fabric of integrity in the world around us. The more these things become acceptable, the more we open ourselves up for more and bigger infractions. More important, what are we teaching the next generation? What are children learning from our frequent disregard for total truth?
One of the most memorable points of this study that these gentlemen showed this morning on the Stossel Report was when the questions used for a test were the Ten Commandments. The reporter said that when he tested people on general questions and told people they'd receive money for how many were answered correct (after they were allowed to shred their own test). Most people fudged their answers by just a small amount -- Most got 4 right, but reported 6 correct answers.
When the questions was about naming the Ten Commandments, all of the participants answered honestly about the number of Ten Commandments they named correctly -- even Atheists. This can answer several questions... America does have a conscience and does care about some assimilation of integrity... People are effected by the Bible and the truths therein... Some things do affect us and keep us in mind of what is right versus what is wrong.
So, in considering this, we can ask ourselves if the display of the Ten Commandments in public places is such a bad thing after all. If our integrity is directly affected by the very thought of them, why would it be considered a bad thing to allow them in our schools where children are becoming more unruly each passing year? In the courtrooms across the country, wouldn't it be nice to now that criminals were looking at a list of standards that should rightly apply to all humans? Why do we consider them to be so bad when they, undoubtedly, show they hold us accountable to ourselves at least? If an Atheist does not believe in God and the Ten Commandments even effect their behavior, then it shows that they at least help them have more integrity in themselves and toward others of the human brotherhood. How can this be seen as anything but good?
One conclusion would be that we are coming into a phase of life where people don't want to be held accountable. Our own government touts that they are transparent when they are anything but. We allow those who are supposed to be working for us to compromise our integrity among other world leaders. Where is the accountability? The only way that we can stop them from continuing is to vote for people with integrity, but now they want to take the integrity out of the voting booth as well. We are being told that people don't even have to be accountable when they vote. The government is fighting states who want to have voter integrity. Why is this? The same government that does not allow us to display the Ten Commandments which clearly affect Americans in a good way -- are also undermining the only method we have to hold them accountable -- our vote.
Let us make it know that we want accountability among our government officials, in our courtrooms, in our schools and in our homes. Start with yourself and ask yourself daily if you are being a good example to the people in your life. Are you being a person of integrity when no one is looking? Chances are, someone is watching and taking notice of the little white lies and small infractions you think no one else sees. At least you can lay your head down at night and know you did what was right. Let's get back to a place where a handshake means something and when we look each other in the eye, we can see integrity and honesty and know it is genuine.
God bless you today as you thank God for the Ten Commandments of the Bible and God bless America. Let's continue to display the Ten Commandments and the integrity we find ourselves holding onto when we think of them.
examiner.com
The guy was Dan Ariely and I saw it too. The 10 commandments were only a part of what he was talking about ... but it does seem that empirical evidence shows that just asking people to think about the 10 commandments, even if they don't know them all, causes people to cheat less. That judge who wanted them hung on the wall of his courtroom had a good idea. |
