Slides: Deuteronomy or Pseudoronomy?
Deuteronomy or Pseudoronomy?
by David Feddes
Deuteronomy
6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Pseudoronomy
4 Hear, O people: Religions are many. 5 You shall pick and choose beliefs you happen to like. But don’t be too committed. 6 Religion provides a nice touch of ritual at baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Keep it there. 7 Never push your faith on your children. Let them choose their own beliefs and values as they watch TV at home, listen to radio on the road, party with friends before they lie down, and go to a secular school when they get up. 8 Do as you please with your hands; think what you like with your heads. 9 Keep religion private: don’t let it show in your household or your community.
Pseudoronomy Compromise
• Pluralism
• Rituals
• Junk food
• Indulgence
• Private
Deuteronomy Commitment
• Monotheism
• Total love
• Soul food
• Obedience
• Public
Pseudoronomy Compromise
Pluralism
Hear, O people: Religious beliefs are many. You shall pick and choose beliefs you happen to like.
Deuteronomy Commitment
Monotheism
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
I am who I am.
One God, One Way
Pseudoronomy Compromise
Rituals
Don’t be too committed. Religion provides a nice touch of ritual at baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Keep it there.
Deuteronomy Commitment
Total Love
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Pseudoronomy Compromise
Junk Food
Never push your faith on your children. Let them choose their own beliefs and values as they watch TV at home, listen to radio on the road, party with friends before they lie down, and go to a secular school when they get up.
Deuteronomy Commitment
Soul Food
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Pseudoronomy Compromise
Indulgence of Self
Do as you please with your hands; think what you like with your heads.
Deuteronomy Commitment
Obedience To Scripture
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Pseudoronomy Compromise
Private
Keep religion private: don’t let it show in your household or your community.
Deuteronomy Commitment
Public
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Pseudoronomy Compromise
• Pluralism
• Rituals
• Junk food
• Indulgence
• Private
Deuteronomy Commitment
• Monotheism
• Total love
• Soul food
• Obedience
• Public
Deuteronomy
6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.