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.