I can only hope that the "Big Man Up There", the man with the capital "G" in his first name, really is an all-powerful, all-forgiving kind of individual. Otherwise I'm in a heap of trouble. I'm far from an expert on biblical verses, but I remember enough about the Bible and its rules regulations and commandments that I've dropped the ball more than a few times.

Fortunately we adults tend to get less arrogant as we get older. Maybe I just have more time on my hands and I have more opportunity to ponder the meanings of religion in general and the Bible in particular.  It's been pointed out more than once that biblical verses contain all the information a person needs. All the info is there, it just needs to be read, deciphered and digested.  The Bible's rules regulations and helpful hints pretty much spell out the do's and don'ts. And you know what; there really isn't a lot of grey area for interpretation.

The 10 Commandments are kind of like all the things you learned when you were 5 or 6 and are still valid today. Don't steal, don't lie, don't covet your neighbor's wife and honor your mother and father. I mean, right there, you have four good pointers on how to get ahead in life! Fortunately I haven't broken too many of the Commandments. At least not the bigger ones. You know the ones that will damn you for all eternity. Like Don't Kill or Don't Covet Your neighbor's wife. As a kid, I kind of messed up on the commandment regarding stealing and looking at obscene material. I'm still not adverse to looking at an occasional issue of Playboy. My days as a teenage thief are far behind me.

Now, it's not for me to say whether these should be posted in schools or public places or whatever the basis is for the crisis-of-the-moment in the United States. I thought religion was supposed to be more of a personal thing. I certainly don't try to force my beliefs down someone's throat. In terms of rules regulations and general standards for living, like I said, all the information is on the printed page. As far as all this being instilled from a "jealous G-d". I don't know if I buy into that. But who am I to don't the Good Word anyway?

On one level I feel like when I'm dead and gone it won't matter much anyway. But in the event that there is something waiting for me on the other side, I'd like to know I have a free pass to get in and all my past mistakes and foibles won't be held against me. Remember, I did say I was sorry!

All these religious rules regulations and whatnot are constantly being debated. Debate is good. But let's not get carried away. We're supposed to be living in a free society. You know, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to decide whether or not we want to watch the Home Shopping Network. So all this re-interpretation of the Bible puzzles me. All this cross-analysis of biblical verses. Does it really do any good? What part of "Thou Shalt not Kill" do you not understand? What part of "Thou Shalt Not Covet..." aren't you picking up? I don't believe it's a question. It's not "Do you mind if I covet your wife and your ox?" (not at the same time mind you).

We can learn a lot from the Bible if we choose to. And if we choose not too, well...that's o-k also. Just don't try to cut in front of me when we're in line at the Pearly Gates.