Large Organization Releases Ten (More) Commandments

The Vatican is a large organization responsible for working on a complex task, getting people to heaven. To do this, they undertake a lot of committee work, and because those are busy committees, occasionally they generate a report. One release came out recently and caught people's attention because it was writ in the form of Ten Commandments, always (apparently and for some reason known mainly by the Hebrews) an eye-grabber.

These Ten were writ on aluminum and steel sheet metal with baked on primer and coatings too numerous to count. MSNBC called it, "An unusual document from the Vatican's office for migrants and itinerant people." Cardinal Renato Martino heads the office, and said at a news conference that driving is such a big part of contemporary life the Vatican felt it necessary to address, "the pastoral needs of motorists."

The Vatican has a lot of offices and so forth, one for heretics, one for dealing with Jews, and this office, "tasked with dealing with all "itinerant" people, from refugees to prostitutes, truck drivers to the homeless. In fact the Cardinal noted the Bible was full of people on the move, including Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus.

And in the modern context, "We know that as a consequence of transgressions and negligence, 1.2 million people die each year on the roads," Martino said. "That's a sad reality, and at the same time, a great challenge for society and the church."

Is the Vatican's message really all that late" After all, the Government of Ontario just got around to making street racing a crime. Yes the message comes about 100 years after the invention of the mass-produced automobile, but I was once told by a 'deep' source within the church "the church thinks in terms of centuries."

This document regards the past 100 years of a particular development, thus the timing of the delivery perhaps. (What the real smart Jesuit father said to me was the church thinks in terms of centuries 'ahead' of everything, but also apparently genuflects with a backward glance now and again.

For the faithful and the curious, the Driver's 10 Commandments are as follows: 1. You shall not kill. 2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm. 3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events. 4. Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents. 5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so. 7. Support the families of accident victims. 8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness. 9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party. 10. Feel responsible toward others.