{"id":106059,"date":"2024-07-05T14:34:28","date_gmt":"2024-07-05T20:34:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=106059"},"modified":"2024-07-05T14:34:28","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T20:34:28","slug":"are-there-ten-commandments-for-latter-day-zion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2024\/07\/are-there-ten-commandments-for-latter-day-zion.html","title":{"rendered":"“Are There Ten Commandments for Latter-day Zion?”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/a>
\u201cMoses Breaking the Tablets of the Law\u201d (1659), by Rembrandt
(Wikimedia Commons public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
These items went up today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation. \u00a0They represent, by my calculation, the 624th consecutive week in which the Foundation, which has existed for slightly more than 625 weeks, has published at least one article in its online journal:<\/p>\n
\u201cAre There Ten Commandments for Latter-day Zion?\u201d<\/a>\u00a0written by Dennis Newton<\/a><\/p>\n
Abstract:<\/strong> New faith traditions often modify existing religious tenets to accommodate the particulars of their membership\u2019s needs. A specific example is how different faith communities have modified the Ten Commandments both inside and outside the historic Jewish community. This paper argues that Joseph Smith received a Latter-day Decalogue that was canonized in the Doctrine and Covenants but went unrecognized as such by either Smith or the early Saints. While some of the commands in this new set of commandments are familiar (thou shalt not kill, steal, nor commit adultery), others are specific to the conditions of the latter days. This paper also argues that this revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 59) warrants elevated consideration whenever Latter-day Saints discuss soteriology. When a Latter-day Saint asks the age-old question, \u201cMaster, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?,\u201d section 59 should reside in the proverbial quiver of response arrows alongside the Deuteronomist, the Pauline epistles, Nephi\u2019s appendix, the words of Alma, the sayings of Jesus from the Gospels and the New World, and the temple covenants.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cInterpreting Interpreter<\/em>: The D&C Decalogue,\u201d<\/a> written by Kyler Rasmussen<\/a><\/p>\n
\n "
This post is a summary of the article \u201cAre There Ten Commandments for Latter-day Zion?<\/a>\u201d by Dennis Newton in Volume 61 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship<\/em>. All of the Interpreting Interpreter<\/em> articles may be seen at https:\/\/interpreterfoundation.org\/category\/summaries\/<\/a>. An introduction to the Interpreting Interpreter<\/em>series is available at https:\/\/interpreterfoundation.org\/interpreting-interpreter-on-abstracting-thought\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The Takeaway:<\/strong> Newton proposes that D&C 59 represents a version of the ten commandments brought to us via modern revelation, and that, given associated promises of eternal life, Latter-day Saints should strongly consider this section when outlining a path to salvation.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
<\/a>
The cover of Morgan Deane\u2019s new book, from Amazon.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
I\u2019m excited to read a new book by Morgan Deane that has just appeared: \u00a0To Stop a Slaughter: Just War and the Book of Mormon<\/a><\/em>:<\/span><\/p>\n
"
\u201cIn a world filled with what seems like \u201cone continual round of bloodshed and murder\u201d (Mormon 8:8) the debates in how to stop that slaughter are filled with partisan talking points, competing vociferous voices, unexamined assumptions about the use of force, fearful hot takes, and self-serving politicians and media narratives that only serve to increase the tension.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this the war of words and tumult of opinions (JS History 1:10) acclaimed military historian Morgan Deane applies a Hugh Nibley like command of numerous Christian and Chinese philosophers to engage the rich, intellectual debates from history, and apply them to the ethics of war and peace within the Book of Mormon. The result shows that Book of Mormon offers robust comments on such pertinent topics as the paramount importance of the heart, when and how a nation should use force, the limits of the word and the sword, the intent of people making war, preemptive war, insurgency, and a resolution between, instead of cross talk and proof text citations of oft cited pacifist and isolationist verses and those that support the use of force. This book amplifies the clarion call of the Book of Mormon to love your neighbor enough to be like the Nephites, reluctantly compelled to use arms to stop their slaughter (Alma 48:21-23).\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
This item in the New York Post<\/em> recently caught my attention, and I thought that perhaps you too might find it worthy of a look: \u00a0\u201cThe sacred Pride flag and the new double standard blasphemy laws.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n
It appeared only a little while after our brief June visit to Sweden, from which I filed this impression:<\/p>\n
"
It\u2019s Pride Month in Sweden \u2014 as it is around much of the world right now, though perhaps not in Gaza \u2014 and rainbow flags are much, much more visible here than are the flags of Sweden and the European Union. \u00a0They fly from buses and trams and hang as banners in the huge Nordstan shopping center near us (where there is also a very large LGBTQ+ display and information center. \u00a0They adorn public squares and major buildings and hotel reception desks, and the like. \u00a0A new religion has swept over Sweden: In hoc signo<\/em> vinces<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I didn\u2019t mention it \u2014 I think that the blog entry was written before it happened \u2014 but we also saw drag queens on the streets and, in one restaurant, sat adjacent to a large table surrounded by about four or five of them and their associates.<\/p>\n
Afterwards, though, in Switzerland and still during the merry Pride Month of June, I was struck by the absence<\/em> of pride flags. \u00a0I don\u2019t think that I saw a single one of them, anywhere. \u00a0Nor any analogous public displays. \u00a0And I began to look<\/em> for them, but saw none. \u00a0And then, reflecting on that singular fact, I realized that I had not, to the best of my recollection, seen any pride flags or displays or demonstrations in Italy, either, or in Austria, our two previous locations. \u00a0(Both of those visits were, still, within the month of June.) \u00a0I\u2019m not exactly sure what to make of that. \u00a0Perhaps nothing. \u00a0I certainly don\u2019t think that either of those countries is particularly conservative or devoutly orthodox Christian. \u00a0But the contrast was stark.<\/p>\n
<\/a>
A principal focus of Latter-day Saint humanitarian work is providing accessible and clean water in third-world countries. \u00a0(LDS Media Library)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n***
** ***And here\u2019s a little something \u2014 actually, a trio of appalling horrors \u2014 from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial \u201cHow Religion Poisons Everything\u201d File<\/em>\u2122 that may help you to make it through the weekend with your indignation fully and gratifyingly stoked:<\/p>\n\u201cPresident Johnson Shares Women and Children\u2019s Initiative in San Diego:\u00a0Nonprofit organizations in California collaborate to serve their community\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n
\u201cA look at this senior missionary couple\u2019s unique service in American Samoa:\u00a0How a missionary couple\u2019s concern for the hearts of those they serve has been literal, not just metaphorical\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n
\u201cChurch and UNICEF\u2019s Learning for Life changing young lives in Africa: Through Church support, UNICEF teaches South Sudanese refugee students resilience and new skills\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n
Posted from Newport Beach, California<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 These items went up today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation. \u00a0They represent, by my calculation, the 624th consecutive week in which the Foundation, which has existed for slightly more than 625 weeks, has published at least one article in its online journal: \u201cAre There Ten Commandments for Latter-day Zion?\u201d\u00a0written by Dennis Newton […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":88754,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[56,35571,2827,35934,22189,5868],"class_list":["post-106059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-book-of-mormon","tag-dennis-newton","tag-doctrine-and-covenants","tag-just-war","tag-morgan-deane","tag-ten-commandments"],"yoast_head":"\n"Are There Ten Commandments for Latter-day Zion?"<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\" 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