when embarking on a debate with oneself about a religious and/or spiritual matter, many people tend to reflect on what they know, and reinterpret the data presented, in a new form that makes more sense to them. I think this is generally unwise.
I do not believe that the Lord God judges each and every one of our beliefs on a wrong/right basis. I believe he judges the intent of our hearts. In being a Christian, there are only two requirements, and each leads to the other so you could say there is only one. They are accept the salvation offered by Christs' sacrifice and resurrection, and to love(both God and man). To accomplish the latter requires development of a spiritual relationship with "the Father". The term "born-again" is not used without intent. There are states of development. This is a very ancient concept that, generally, still persists today. One can die a Christian beliving something contrary to another, and both still have access to eternity. I do not believe in trans-substatntiation at communion. I know people who do. One of us is wrong, but we both still cleansed.
You cannot look as sin as something you must continually wash off. Christ died not for those sins that had been commited but for all sin that will ever BE commited. This liberation can be taken to far as those in the church of Corinth found out. It is not something to be taken advantage of, but something to be appreciated. In short, it is our attempts to do well that get us rewarded, not being successful at those attempts.
If an aboriginal person accepted Christ into their life with honest conviction, and was then immediatly executed or passed in some other manner, are they given any less respect in heaven? I think heavenly social classes undermine the places very purpose. Once forgiven, always forgiven.
Thus, the interpretation of what you know into new ideas is unwise, because you very well might be wrong. As i said before it is not a sin to be wrong, but because of your good intent, you should STRIVE to be right. By basing your ideas off of what you know and creating new ideas, you might very well come up with a truely divine and profound concept. or you might come up with something that might damage your spiritual development.
I had a friend who converted to christianity, within a few months he went to a mission trip to Haiti. There he ministered to those who practived Voodoo mixed with Chrisitianity. He was not ready for this. When you build an overpass you first build the hills on eitherside as a foundation. You let this foundation settle and compress before you attempt to build on it. This process takes time, and if you rush it, you will find that your bridge will collapse under stress. My friend was influenced by the voodoo and when he returned home developed a form of schitzophrenia and begain to think he was Jesus Christ incarnate. Afterwhich he developed an apocalyptical viewpoint and started to threaten holy wraithe and destruction. He is on medication, has been treated, and as far as i know has acknoledged that he had be decieved, and is working on a true relationship with God now. I have not heard from him since he left for the hospitol, but i have heard this from others who kept in touch.
For this very reason, when i come upon a spiritual question, i tend not to look for FURTHER development of concepts, nor do i jump to conclusions, nor do i accept what i am told, but instead reflect on the concepts in a more primitive state, and try to view them as those who originally practiced them would. The closer you get to Ancient Judaism, and Christ, the closer you get to the God(s) who inspired them. To say our understanding of God and his will/purpose is more acccuate than the views of those who wrote the letters and tombs we take today as scripture is refelctive of our modern ego-centric societies.
If you have a question about the 10 commandments, dont look at the catholic bible, and dont look at you tried and trusted king james. Try to find a literal translation of the oldest actual hebrew texts.
My uncle once told me that Jesus came to fullfill the Torah, not replace it. So true. You cannot consider the ancient Jewish belief system to be incorrect now. For if something was right with God then is it not right with God now? Does God change? I think not. Do I think the extreme punishments listed in the ancient laws should still be performed? no, but i believe that what was wrong then is wrong now, our physical means of dealing with these sins have changed but not the spiritual implications. You sin, there must be sacrifice. The concept remains.
So when you claim this translation is wrong, and this one is right, i encourage you to look for yourself at the original documents. To say the catholic text is wrong and the king james version is right is ignorant. Look at literal translations you will see that they are both worded differently, but the same meaning resides.
i provide you, reader, with a resource: http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Torah/Ten_Cmds/ten_cmds.html
both translations combine two commandments and expound upon the others
the commandments concepts are simply this:
1) God IS God.
2) worship no other - gaven images or otherwise
3) do not invoke the sacred name of God in vain
4) remember the sabbath
5) honor your parents
6) do not commit murder
7) do not commit adultry
8) do not steal
9) do not bear false witness
10) do not covet
to say that the catholics removed the commandment against graven images is foolishness.
it is contained within the text "no other gods before me" and for some circumstance they expounded upon coveting. Just as the KJV expounds upon worship of others.
It is true to say the KJV is a more accurate word for word literal translation. but, regardless of the version the meaning and the intent is the same. To claims one denomination has modified the scripture to suit its own purposes can damage your own personal witness to others.
place not much significance on the letters on the paper, for they are not holy. the holy word of God is behind them. They are symbolic of it. The word of God is written on the hearts of all.
I write this not in spite, or in anger, but in love... in hopes of greater understanding. I welcome rebuttle if u wish to discuss this further. I am hardly an expert on the subject, these are mearly my "observations and analysis". perhaps they are unwise =P
--cody | 
