These commandments have always been regarded by Bible believers as being a remarkable display of infinite wisdom, and as being morally perfect beyond criticism; and consequently they have passed from age to age without examination, when a little investigation would have shown any logical mind that they contain palpable errors both in logic and morals.

First commandment: "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me" (Exod. xx. 3); that is, as commentators have interpreted it, "Thou shalt prefer no Gods to me." And why not? What harm can it do? Supposing the people prefer a golden calf, as the Jews did under the leadership of Aaron, in the name of reason how can it injure either God or man? if not, where is the objection? The feeling of devotion is the same in all cases, whatever may be the object worshiped. Hence the worshiper is as much benefited by worshiping one object as another. On the other hand, it would be a slander upon infinite wisdom to suppose he can desire the homage, adoration, and flattery of poor ignorant mortals, and desire them to crouch at his feet. It would make a mere coxcomb of him to suppose he can be pleased with such adulation, or that he desires such homage. We worship no such God.

Second commandment. The second commandment prohibits our making "the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, the earth beneath, or the waters under the earth" (Exod. xx. 4). Let us look, in the first place, at the effect of this prohibition, and then at the character of the act. It effectually cuts off the use of photographs, portraits, and pictures,—illustrations of every description; for all these are likenesses of something.

Hence thousands of oases of the violation of this commandment take place every day in all Christian or civilized countries. Books are issued every day containing likenesses of something in the heavens above or the earth beneath; especially are school-books illustrated with the likenesses of all kinds of living beings, and often with inanimate objects, by which children learn. The second commandment is utterly disregarded and trampled under foot by all Christendom.

Third commandment. This commandment prohibits our bowing down to and worshiping any other God but Jehovah, because "I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God" (Exod. xx. 5).

As for "jealousy," it will make any being hateful and despised, according to William Penn. But why not worship other Gods (that is, beings supposed to represent or resemble God)? Can any serious evil result from such an act, either to God or his worshipers? If so, what is it? Let us assume, for the sake of the argument, that the heathen who bow down to images of wood and stone suppose them to be the veritable living and true God (which, however, is not true), yet it would be the very climax of folly to suppose that an infinite being, of such infinite perfection that it places him at an infinite distance beyond human flattery, can take the slightest offense at such an act. It is childish to entertain such a thought. A thousand times more sensible is the doctrine of the Hindoos' Vedas, which makes God (Brahma) say, "Those who worship other Gods worship me, because I hear them, and correct their mistake." We will illustrate:—

A rebel soldier (son of a doctor) was wounded near his father's house, in Kentucky, during the war, in which he immediately sought refuge. As he entered the hall (it being evening twilight), he observed some person at the farther end whom he supposed to be his father, and exclaimed, "Father, I am wounded! Can you aid me?" His father, being in a room above, overheard him, and responded, "Yes, sir." Had he had the vanity of Jehovah, he should have replied, "No, sir: you mistook the servant in the hall for me: therefore I will not assist you, but punish you, and kill you." Remember, Jehovah is represented as killing the worshipers of other Gods (Deut. 3. iii. 6). If an illiterate heathen in like manner should, in his ignorance, call upon idols or mere imaginary beings for aid, would not his heavenly Father, "in the room above" or the heaven above, hear him and reply, "You are mistaken; I am here, not there; but no difference, the mistake is not important: your intention was good, and your motives honest; therefore I will grant your request"? This would be sensible. But Jehovah is represented as saying, "If thy brother or son or daughter, or even the wife of thy bosom, shall say, let us go and serve other Gods, thou shalt not pity nor spare, but kill them" (Deut. xiii. 6). Here is the most shocking cruelty, combined with supreme nonsense. We are commanded to kill wives, sons, and daughters, if they entertain a different view of God from ours, no matter how honest they may be; and there is no question but that all worshipers are honest. They can not be otherwise. And yet there is no sin more frequently or more fearfully denounced in the Christian Bible than that of worshipping other Gods. Who can not see that it all grew out of the bitter sectarian bigotry of the Jews, which engendered feelings of animosity toward all nations who refused to subscribe to their creed? This has been the fault of all creed worshipers. As "no man hath seen God at any time" (John i. 18), it must be a matter of imagination with every human being as to what is the form, size, and character of God. And therefore it can make no difference what God, or what kind of God, we call upon in our prayers. We would be equally heard and answered, if there were a God answering prayer. The third commandment, therefore, is devoid of sound sense.

Fourth commandment: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" (Exod. xx. 7). The word "vain" is defined to mean "worthless, fruitless;" that is, attended with no good results. And we can not conceive that it can be any more sinful to take the name of God in vain than that of a human being, or of any other object. It is not rational to suppose God, while superintending the movements of eighty-five millions of worlds, pays any attention to the manner in which the inhabitants of this little planet use his name, or that he cares any thing about it. And then how is it possible for us to know when we are using his name in vain, and when we are not?

Fifth commandment: "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy." This commandment is universally laid aside by all Christendom. Nobody keeps the sabbath but the Jews. And as God himself does not keep the sabbath, but lets all nature run and work (her laws operate the same on that day as on all other days of the week), we can not believe the sabbath was instituted by him.

Sixth commandment: "Honor thy father and mother" (Exod. xx. 12). Pretty good; but the reason assigned for it is devoid of sense,—"That thy days may be long upon the earth." We have never learned that long-lived persons have been more dutiful to parents than others.

Seventh commandment: "Thou shalt not kill" (Exod. xx. 13). If the word "not" were left out, we would concede this commandment has been faithfully obeyed. His "holy people" were killing nearly all the time; and their successors (the Christians) have inundated the earth with blood by a constant violation of this command. What good, therefore, we would ask, has resulted from this commandment?

Tenth commandment. The tenth commandment forbids us to covet our neighbor's house, wife, or servant, or any of his property (covet, "to desire earnestly"). We can not conceive how there can be any moral turpitude in the act of desiring to possess any of our neighbor's property, or even his wife, if no improper means are used to obtain them. The command was doubtless issued to keep the poor man from aping the rich, and to make him content with his own lot and condition.

The above will be understood to be the true exposition of "the holy commandments of the Lord," "the ten glorious laws of God," when people become accustomed to use their reason in matters of religion.