Without the Ten Commandments, would we have known it was wrong to commit adultery?

Question

These basic ten laws have been around for milleniums. Would we think the way we do without them?

Triple T: Why are you implying that? That's quite a stretch...

Answer 1

For the most part, yes, there would have been some other law or rule written against it. The 10 Commandments didn't fall out of the sky; they have their origins in Hammurabi's code. Whenever people started getting together to form cities and what not, regardless of geography, they drew up rules. It's not like people and moral codes didn't exist before the 10 Commandments.

Whether or not those codes included prohibition of adultery is another story. Adultery has not always been considered universally "wrong", because monogamy has not always been considered the one and only one way to live. Though back when you needed offspring to help with work, when women were considered property, and before the days of DNA tests and contraceptives, I can see why people would frown upon adultery.

By the way, I think plural of millennium is "millenia".

Answer 2

First, like maximum of others you're analyzing the ten Commandments with a twenty first. Century mentality as though they have been written in English and for individuals who think of ways we do. that is to not say that the ten Commandments at the instant are not appropriate as we talk, merely that we fail to appreciate how they have been meant. at the start, the ten Commandments initially have been widely used as "The Decalogue," or the ten words. those 'Ten words' have been inscribed in God's Holy Language (extremely than present day English) and have been divided into the 'do' and the 'do not' lists. initially the ten Commandments have been ten single words written in a much less complicated language that conveyed a which skill just about impossible to translate right into a single English word. as an occasion, 'thou shall not kill...' A extra appropriate translation for this Commandment into English could be: "No-homicide," if a single word existed in English that ought to particular this which skill. None-the-much less, in our own day and age 'homicide' remains unacceptable on a similar time as 'killing' is often times unavoidable and is often very mandatory. Adultery, thievery, mendacity and covetous conduction all defy suitable ethical norms and fall into the 'do not' type. what's so marvelous approximately this? the 1st 5 Commandments are addressed to a people who universal a Covenant with God and in undemanding terms element out the 'regulations of habit.' back, what's so marvelous approximately this? As an atheist you ought to evaluate your self an urbane and state-of-the-artwork guy or woman a lot too clever to have self assurance in God. the ten Commandments have been meant for a simplier human beings so why are you even bothering us undemanding-individuals on the non secular and Spirituality communicate board of Yahoo Questions and solutions??? Are you consistent with probability not merely an atheist yet in addition a... Troll? Inquiring minds want to appreciate! H

Answer 3

Many other cultures were in existence during and long before the Jews that recognized adultrery as wrong.

Morals have nothing to do with the bible exclusively. There are many non-biblical cultures with morals and values as well.
Look at Japan, it was non-Christian for the longest time and still is mostly non-Christian and has one of the LOWEST murder rates in the world, compared to America which is 80% Christian and has the largest prison population and one of the highest divorce rates in the world.

Answer 4

I don't think we would have known it was wrong. There are many cultures that didn't consider it wrong before they new of Christianity. And it sure seems like our culture thinks it's OK now, too.

"...I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." Romans 7:7

Answer 5

Sexual infidelity is important for many social animals. Depending on ecological aspects of reproductive behavior, most species are either monogamous or polygamous. However, the problem in humans is that at different times in our evolutionary history it made more sense to be either one. So now we are basically monogamous with definite trends toward polygamy.

The commandments are nothing more than a codification of instinctual human morality.

Answer 6

Yes, there are many ancient and modern cultures that recognize adultery as wrong and they never were officially given the 10 commandments.

Answer 7

Good question. My answer is No. I believe God has put it on our hearts to seek him and his righteousness, however, it is a free will decision. We do what we do because we are taught one way or another by our environment we live in. Without the word of God and those that teach it correctly we would be without hope. That is why societies that do not have the Bible are in the bad shape that they are in.

Another thought, if you took all of the laws of this land and boiled them down to their core, you would find the 10 commandments. God knows what he is doing.

Answer 8

I don't think adultery is a really good example given the amount of times it happens and has happened since Moses.

Answer 9

The problem is that *with* the Ten Commandments, everyone thinks it's a sin - even though we have perfect contraception.

CD

Answer 10

Don't ask these simpletons.

They really believe the entire human race sprung from some desert tribe.

They can't even explain how the Egyptians got there and why they were more advanced than the little goat herding idiots they worship.