Hartley NeitaTHE TEN Commandments were promulgated 2,000 years ago.
At that time, crime was in its infancy. The only recorded murder before was when Cain killed his brother Abel. His punishment then was deportation.
Crime today, however, has become much more sophisticated. And as such, we can now imagine and conjecture the changes, if any, and additions to those commandments which would reflect today's criminality.
STEALING
The original Commandments state quite clearly, that "thou shalt not steal".
Stealing, however, has become so varied that each deserves special mention.
Take praedial larceny, for example. Moses and the Israelites were nomads walking through the desert.
Consequently, they did not plant anything because the sand of the desert was infertile, and hot, and in any case they did not stay in any one place long enough to reap, or to have it reaped by praedial thieves. So, a new commandment should state, "thou shalt not commit praedial larceny".
Another new crime is that of extortion.
Once again the Israelites were never in one place long enough to construct shops and stores, so extortionists could not threaten these businessmen to burn down their establishments.
Kidnapping is also a new crime. There was nowhere in the vast expanse of the desert to hide victims.
What is more is that God was talking to Moses constantly and He would have told him where to find the kidnapped.
RAPE
Rape requires a safe soundproof place to carry out this criminal act. Tents were not soundproof. God was also nearby, and He would have been angry and there would have been "thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountains smoking".
Everybody would therefore have known that something wrong was being done. The committer of the deed would have been caught and he would have been dealt with appropriately.
So, we have to add the commandment that "thou shalt not commit rape" to the list.
A crime of today is sexual harassment. There are man-made laws to deal with this offence, but it is hard to prove. So let us make it a commandment.
Other commandments should also warn against overcharging, bribing, paying payola, victimisation, and stealing electricity and water, and withholding payments for work done under any pretext.
GOV'T AS CRIMINAL
The Government should also be called on to obey its own laws. Still on the books is the punishment by hanging.
So, there should be a commandment instructing the Government to hang criminals when it is prescribed by justice. And if it is not done, we should arrange for protestors to circle the St. Catherine District Prison in Spanish Town with "We Want Justice" placards.
Politicians should also be commanded to respect the law. There should, therefore, be a commandment which warns them not to enter places under curfew, and never to threaten the police while they are carrying out their duties.
