Today is known as Maundy Thursday on the Christian calendar.  It is the day of the Last Supper in the Upper Room with Jesus and his disciples, before his arrest and crucifixion on the next day, Good Friday.  Jesus washed the disciple’s feet on that night, emphasizing a life of humility and servanthood.  But he also said something very important , something integral to his coming kingdom—Jesus gave them and us a new commandment:  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”—John 13:33–35 (NIV).

I don’t know about your state, but Arkansas is one of those states that has a monument of the 10 commandments posted on the grounds of the state capital.  You may also know that this all began in Alabama about 15 years ago, and has gone to the supreme court a couple of times.  At the moment, such monuments are legal if they don’t promote a “specific religion.” The argument for such a display is at least two-fold: First, the proponents claim that these commandments transcend religious differences and peoples of all faith shouldn’t have a problem with the precepts in the commandments. We shouldn’t kill, right?  Others claim that the U.S. legal system is based on said commandments. The problem is, neither one of these premises are remotely true.  Just read the first four commandments.  In essence they say:  have no other Gods before the Old testament God; make no graven images; don’t take the Lord’s name in vain and keep the Sabbath Holy (which is not Sunday BTW).  Those are undeniably specific to a particular religion, friends.

And as far as our law being based on the 10 commandments, Joseph C. Sommer writes in his blog, “The constitutional principle of church-state separation excludes such sectarian Commandments from having any part in the legal system – let alone being the foundation of it. That position is further supported in a brief filed at the U.S. Supreme Court by several legal historians and law scholars in a 2005 case. The brief, coordinated by Professor Steven K. Green of Willamette University College of Law, notes the Constitution and Bill of Rights “did not include even a perfunctory or formalistic reference to God.” The brief continues: “Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Ten Commandments and biblical law received nary a mention in the debates and publications surrounding the founding documents. In the wide-ranging debates . . . the Founders mentioned Roman law, European Continental law, British law, and various other legal systems, but as can best be determined, no delegate ever mentioned the Ten Commandments or the Bible.” No wonder the Treaty of Tripoli, which was approved by President John Adams and unanimously ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1797, declared that “the government of the United States of America is not founded in any sense on the Christian religion. . . .” (humanismbyjoe.com)

So I have a Holy Week idea for those who would use the backdoor to push the Christian religion on us in the public arena.  Why not post the only commandment given to us by Jesus, you know, the one he gave on Maundy Thursday: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  To not offend other religions, how about the spirit of the command simply, “Love one another.” How would that be?

You see there is nothing more critical to the kingdom message than these three words” Love one another.

So why do Christians want the 10 commandments, and not the one? I believe it is because religion is more satisfying than spirituality to us. Obviously, religion is a unique and powerful force in society. And personally, most people are slaves to it. It promotes both good and evil. Historically, religion has helped to abolish slavery. It has promoted racial integration, equal rights for women.   It has motivated individuals to create massive support services for the poor, the sick, the hurting, and the broken. Magnificent hospitals such as Baptist Health and St Vincent’s grew out of a Christian concern and compassion to heal the sick. 

But wait for the rest of the story: Conversely, it has been used to justify slavery, racial segregation, oppression of women, and discrimination against homosexuals, genocide, extermination of minorities, and other horrendous evils.  Religion drives some to dedicate their lives to help the poor and needy– think Gandhi, Albert Schweitzer, MLK or Mother Teresa.  It drives others to exterminate as many “heretics” as they can….Religion has the capability to generate unselfish love in some people, and vicious, raw hatred in others. There is a major disconnect here.

Jesus said that we are to love one another.  I believe that means at a minimum to accept and tolerate others, to change the world not by the sword but by our love.   To love like Jesus did, to wash feet that we believe are dirty, to sacrifice for the sake of others, to measure our Christianity against the standard of sacrificial love.  His love went the second mile when he was only required to go one; Jesus’ love turned the other cheek, he forgave regardless.  Jesus love accepted others unconditionally, and his love was extended to his enemies, because anyone can love a friend.  Jesus’ love always put people before rules, and while he honored the 10 commandments, he knew that religion had contorted their straightforward message into anything but straightforward.

We are to love as Jesus loved, but it ain’t easy for religious folk, me included. After all, as we will find out tomorrow, Jesus’ love got him crucified, for practicing those three words.  And at the end of the day, Jesus’ command is simple- it doesn’t need scholars or linguists to interpret.  It is all too plain and simple: love one another. That’s it.  What would happen if we put half as much energy in promoting those three words and we do promoting our version of those 10 commandments?

So I say, add Jesus’ commandment to your monuments if you must have a monument. Write them on the wall. You see, these three words can change the world– beginning with you. Beginning with me.