A menacing monolith

I ask myself, “What is it about a cold slab of stone with a few etchings that enrages a human being to the point of destroying it at the expense of his personal property and reputation? What frightening message threatens him that he lies awake at night planning ruin?”

Oh, wait, this isn’t the first time … why, the owner of the first slab of stone(s) with the same words did the same thing. A short time after those words were etched into his inanimate tablets, he threw them down in a fit of rage and smashed them to smithereens. Albeit from entirely different motivation.

I also ask why the power of the Ten Commandments is so strong that it seems people are afraid of who or what it represents. Since anger is usually preceded by fear, this must be the reason.

Could it be that the book from which it is lifted gives the clue to its power? It says of itself it is living, as in having breath and vitality and consequence. It is active, contains energy and movement. It is doing something. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. That is scary!

Do we know of any other writing or book that makes such bold claims of itself ?

Think about it.

SUSIE W. MARSH

Little Rock