A Secular Education Lesson Plan for The Ten Commandments: Law vs. Moral Code

Originally, the Ten Commandments served as part of the Legal Code for the Israelite Nation. The Ten Commandments was an important legal document for the country. It was if the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and other laws were placed all into one document.

The Ten Commandments include matters involving morals and values. The term moral applies to the notion that there is both good and bad conduct. The term values refers to the notion that there are principles or standards of behavior. Honoring one’s parents is one of the commandments which touches on morals and values.

Eventually, the Israelite Nation which was based upon the Ten Commandments was defeated. The nation’s people were sent into exile and started to live in a multitude of foreign lands.

Each and every foreign land had their own sets of laws. As a result, the People from the Israelite nation, and other groups who also followed the Ten Commandments had other nations laws to comply with. They, however, decided that they would keep the Ten Commandments as a part of their values; their moral code.

Thus, while murder, theft, and lying under oath are likely to be considered crimes in many countries, the people following the Ten Commandments also believed that those actions were also immoral.

The uniqueness of the Ten Commandments is that it includes rules that are not usually part of the traditional civil law of nations. Honoring one’s parents, not coveting, not promising and breaking one’s promises, and enjoying a day of rest after a six-day work week are not items that most countries may not have laws prohibiting. Individuals believing in the Ten Commandments, however, self-regulated themselves out of moral concern. Thus, while each country had laws, these people also following additional guidance with respecrt to matters of values and morality.

After the reading of this, and the reading of the Ten Commandments,

Children can discuss the following topics:

What is Morality?

Is There A Difference Between Morality and Law?

What are Values?

Is There A Difference Between Values and Laws?

Do You Employ Values or Morals In Your Life? How?

In Honoring One’s Parent, How Could A Child Accomplish That? What Positive Things Can A Child Do? What Things Could A Child Avoid To Honor One’s Parent? If One Does Not Have A Parent, Can Someone Honor Other People? Who Would They Be?

In sum, this is a proposed Ten Commandments’ Lesson Plan. Please feel free to comment with any suggestions to improve.

Be well!!

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