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Thou Shalt Not…
When Moses came down the mountain, carrying the stone tablets, there were found to be only ten commandments inscribed on them. God obviously thought that number was sufficient for the civilised ordering of our lives.
Would that life was still as simple. For years now August has been the month when we have been therapeutically sunning ourselves, wearing as few clothes as possible without being arrested. Now we are told to cover up or smear ourselves with fantastically expensive cosmetic lard. If we prefer to sit in a safe, dark cinema and watch a film we are not allowed to enjoy a packet of crisps because we have been told not to eat too much salt and potato crisps are saltier than the Dead Sea.
Consuming more than two pints of shandy in a week is classified as binge drinking, and not to be recommended as it causes brain damage. As for smoking, don’t even mention it. Smokers are the modern-day equivalent of lepers. Any moment now the health police will be insisting that nicotine abusers carry a bell and hang a placard round their necks proclaiming that they are unclean.
Even though gangs of mixed infants are alleged to be roaming the streets mugging grannies, their parents are not permitted to chastise them physically as this is viewed by some as assault. Their teachers cannot shout at them because that is classed as verbal abuse. Our youth cannot be blamed for being frustrated. The time-honoured pastime of slug stamping has been proscribed as an infringement of the rights of invertebrates. Has swatting a fly become insecticide?
Jesus would not have been allowed to tell the paralytic to take up his bed and walk, instead legislation would require him to build a ramp up to the Temple to facilitate wheelchair access.
King Solomon had the right idea; “So I commend enjoyment, since there is nothing good for a man to do here under the sun but to eat, drink and enjoy himself…” (Ecclesiastes 8:15) - but not too much alcohol, sugar, saturated fat or e-numbers, and definitely no tobacco. Oh happy day! Enjoy yourselves.
May God bless you all, Fr Allan
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