Introduction

Not long ago, cable TV mogul Ted Turner declared the Ten Commandments obsolete:

“We’re living with outmoded rules. The rules we’re living under are the Ten Commandments, and I bet nobody here even pays much attention to ’em, because they are too old. When Moses went up on the mountain, there were no nuclear weapons, there was no poverty. Today, the Ten Commandments wouldn’t go over. Nobody around likes to be commanded. Commandments are out.”

Of course, Turner is dead wrong in calling the Ten Commandments outmoded rules, as we will see. The commandments are as relevant as ever. On the other hand, he is somewhat right in saying, “Nobody likes to be commanded.” In fact, contemporary culture actually celebrates sin and mocks virtue. We are living in a time where wrong seems right, and right seems wrong.

The words of the prophet Isaiah are just as appropriate to our generation as they were to his: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20).