Literally Reruns – The Ten Commandments by Hugh Cron

When Galileo published a similarly themed dialogue which featured a God-defending character named “Simplicito,” who had the mental acuity of a centipede and was obviously meant to represent the Pope, he had to recant or die. Fortunately the world is a little more forward thinking overall, but we still live on a planet in which religious “heresy” can still get you killed quicker than a Star Trek phaser. If Hugh Cron’s The Ten Commandments somehow got published not all that long ago, in the historical sense, he’d probably wound up on the gallows or had his head decorating London Bridge. One should think he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Just one question, but it is big:

Q: The response to the story was interesting. It opened the door to other keen observations, and perhaps a little defence of the Bible. And yet we live in a world still slow to let go of things that no one would believe in unless they are reinforced by dogma, tradition and power. I believe that those who were supposed to administer the Word only did so to maintain control over the population. Why else would the average person not be able to read “the letter from God” to him unless he/she knew Latin. Why else invent Hell? Masters and husbands never taught their slaves and women to read because ignorant people are easier to control. Perhaps I have passed cynical on my way to bitterness, but I see the hierarchy in churches (not one out there is better than any other) is the ultimate Ponzi scheme. The last ones get screwed. Your thoughts?

Leila

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The Ten Commandments

Hi Leila,

Thanks as always – I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you choosing these and making me re-visit and re-think.

The short answer is – I totally agree with you!!

Class / Education / Affluence / Influence / Blood are traits that normally all come hand in hand. For those to have the status that they have, some folks need to be kept down. We are kept there to vote for them, to fight for them and to make their lives as lucrative as possible.

All old establishments have this ingrained in them. You mention the church. I would add in the Justice system, Politics, Royalty, Military, Police, Education and Medicine. Up until very recently they have all only given opportunity to their idea of type. Opinion now-a-days is maybe forcing them to be a bit more subtle about their barriers but they are still there. Maybe one day we will all be equal with the same opportunities, the same knowledge and the same standing – But not in my fucking life-time.

For example – Equal pay is huge at the moment and I totally agree that it doesn’t matter who or what you are, if you do the same job you should get the same pay. (I have no problem with an enhancement due to years of service.) But what I have seen in my thirty nine years of employment, is that I’ve never been paid any more than anyone else who did the same job. That’s one thing about minimum wage – That is all you fucking get no matter who you are!

My point is the more salary there is, that is where the problem lies. This all comes from the deep rooted. Unfortunately in so many establishments, we all know what type is deep rooted and has the control.

Another example – My housing scheme suffered an explosion where four houses were destroyed and dozens more damaged. This happened on the 17^th November, which is four months back. There hasn’t been a whisper about what happened. The silence is deafening. Four Months!!

I’m more than sure if this had happened in the affluent areas of Ayr, there would have been answers.

This is all a long winded way of saying that I agree, the church has those and such as those and they are used accordingly – And so does all of the establishment.

Thanks again Leila. This might have come out more as a rant but hopefully I have answered the long question with an even longer answer!

Hugh