The Ten Commandments are among the initial religious values taught to children. The Roman Catholic Church teaches only nine of these commandments. The second commandment forbids idolatry. Catholic teaching conceals this command to conceal the idolatry that permeates its traditions. The second commandment states, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:4-6) Refusing to recognize the second commandment created a problem; it would have been foolhardy to present only nine commandments. Therefore, interpreters split the final commandment into two commands, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, [Catholic 9th Command] or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor [Catholic 10th Command].” (Exodus 20:17)

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