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bell
20th June 2007, 17:02
Heavy stuff the old Ten Commandments...what will the Church begin chastising us about next I wonder?

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/20/1956526.htm

'Cross yourself before driving' Vatican tells motorists

By Barbara Miller

The Vatican is urging motorists not to use their vehicles as an expression of power.
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The Vatican has taken a break from matters purely theological to issue a list of Ten Commandments on driving.

The document urges motorists to be charitable, not to use their vehicles as an expression of power and to cross themselves before setting off on their journey.

There is a 30-kilometre an hour speed limit in Vatican City and the last recorded accident was a year-and-a-half ago resulting in only minor damage.

But the Vatican says that the fact that outside the walls of the world's smallest sovereign state an estimated 1.2 million people die in road accidents each year means driving is an issue it should address.
Cardinal Renato Martino explained his decision to issue the unusual guidelines, saying road deaths were a sad reality of contemporary life and presented a great challenge for society and the Church.

The 36-page document - 'Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road' - says driving tends to bring out the primitive side of human beings, producing rather unpleasant results.

It is no accident then that the Cardinal chose to word the guidelines in the form of the Ten Commandments.

"First, you shall not kill - taken from the Fifth Commandment; second, the road shall be for you, a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm," he said.
"Third, courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforseen events; fourth, be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents' fifth, cars shall not be for you, an expression of power."
So the list goes on, addressing drink-driving by urging Catholics to charitably convince the young and the not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
And if there is an accident, calling for the guilty party to come together with the victims, at the appropriate time, so they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
Driving in Rome is a notoriously risky undertaking, with its motorists known for their impatience, horn-blowing and daredevil manoeuvres.
But some of the city's residents gave a positive reaction to this foray into driving culture by the Catholic Church.

It was not all bad news on driving from the Vatican though, Cardinal Martino says driving allows families to go on outings and the sick to be brought to hospital.

And in any case, the Cardinal says, that the Bible was full of people on the move, including Mary and Joseph.

(I think they would've found BMW GS Adventure to be quite a good match for them!)

Storm
20th June 2007, 17:42
Good on them for moving with the times and addressing current problems. I'm quite frankly delighted to see such "up to datedness" being in the headlines as opposed to obscure rants.