You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
The second film explores the issue of the oath, vow, promise, or more generally speaking, the contractual "statement of intent." Contrary to popular opinion, the second commandment does not condemn foul language ("Jesus, that hurts!") nor is it so narrow as to only apply to judicial hearings ("Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"). Rather it is an invective of the rather sorry state of the human condition from prehistorical times right up until the present day, characterized by the making of promises one has no intention of keeping.
For example, last week I told someone at church I would call him before today (Sunday) to let him know if our Sunday School class was canceled. It was. I called him Friday afternoon, left a message on his voice-mail telling him the class was, in fact, canceled, and entered the weekend with a clear conscience. I kept the second commandment.
On the other hand, last summer when I was interviewed for a teaching position at a local high school, the principal told me he would call me and let me know his decision. After a couple weeks of fretting and pacing, I finally realized the man had no intention of calling me. That was just something interviewers say, in order to avoid an awkward or unpleasant telephone call, but at great expense to my own peace of mind over the course of a couple months, at first due to my growing but ever uncertain feeling that I hadn't landed the position, and afterward because I was mad at my interviewer (and our culture) for being so casually dishonest. He broke the second commandment.
I want to live in a society where a person's word is her bond. As Jesus taught during his Sermon on the Mount,
Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Jesus lived in a culture where there were "little oaths" and "big oaths," "small promises" and "real promises." If you swore by Jerusalem or by heaven or by my head, it was a biggie, and if you should not carry through on the intention you communicated, you were in trouble with the Man Upstairs. Traditionally, Christianity has followed suit and made a distinction between promises and oaths, only the latter being taken as binding.
In characteristically sage fashion, Jesus sweeps all of that nonsense away. If you tell someone you're going to do something, you should do it. Period. If you let your words fall without meaning - or if a community should fall into that same habit - you've lost something that makes you human, and you've added a destructive element to the world's composition. Shame on you.
There's one exception to the rule. If something ridiculously serious takes you by surprise, you shouldn't be held accountable to your promises. For example, if I told a friend I'd pick them up at the airport tomorrow at 8:00 PM, and at 7:00 PM I get a call that my wife died, I'm sure, even if I forgot to text my friend that I'd be unable to fulfill my responsibility that evening, that when they found out what had happened, they would immediately and unconditionally forgive me. Only a completely unreasonable person would be disappointed that I had not still managed to follow through with my pledge.
Of course, not every situation where breaking a promise "makes sense" is as dire as the situation I describe. The Hadith teaches that if a Muslim makes a promise but then is confronted by something better to do, he should do the better thing, and afterward make atonement for what was left undone. For example, if I ask someone to meet with me at a certain time, but then I find out I need to spend an extra hour grading my students' assignments, I should ask for forgiveness, and... what else? I'm not sure.
After watching only the first two episodes of The Decalogue, I'm fully convinced that I've underestimated the universal and timeless significance of the Ten Commandments. I think the second commandment was targeting a ubiquitous ailment that poisons human relationships at all levels, whether between strangers, colleagues, or friends, whether between child and parent, spouses, or employer and employee.
And thus, my question to you, reader, is simple. How important is your word? Do you make promises so casually that you can't keep track of them all? Do you have your excuses lined up, like I do? I was just so busy I forgot. Something came up. I meant to. You should have e-mailed me. You should have reminded me. And so on. Shame on us all. Together, let's pledge right now to find ways to break that awful habit and be known as people on whom others can rely without worry.
Amen! (Heb. "So be it")
One thing to keep in mind is to pay attention to what we say, to keep ourselves from speaking carelessly. I know that I have done this. I give my assent or tell someone I will do something without really being present or conscious of what I have said. I would add that I want to keep my mind clear and focused on the present moment, to take all of my promises and commitments seriously, and to keep them.
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly, OkieChic! Rock on!
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