The benefits of illegal proposals

[James E. Clapp]

James Smith wrote [re the moral values, such as they are, in
the Ten Commandments]:
>
> [I]n Western society, the 10 Commandments have been one of
> the primary, at times the primary, means of expressing
> and transmitting those values.

This is certainly the conventional wisdom, and it might even
be correct.  I'm just saying I don't know what the evidence
for this is.  From what I've seen so far, it's pretty weak.

> Shouldn't children at some
> time in their education come to know not only that
> slavery existed, but that moral people condoned it as
> a normal human condition?

Interesting to see that a booster of the Ten Commandments
like you is such a moral relativist.  Yes, children should
know that people who were regarded as "moral" within the
ethical framework laid down in the Bible (Old and New
Testaments) were comfortable with slavery.  Unfortunately--
to bring this back to my original point about the language
of the Ten Commandments as promoted for posting in schools
and other public places--the purpose of the language chosen
is not to teach about history and moral relativism but to
conceal the truth and to promote simplistic thinking and
uninformed religious belief.

James E. Clapp