Vatican: Thou shalt not drive like an idiot
Seriously. That's what the Vatican said on Tuesday, June 19th -- basically.
In more detail, the Holy See issued a set of commandments for drivers and travelers of the roads. Mostly, they're addendums to The Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," which, quite frankly, would make driving much more pleasant and possibly safer too.
We're guessing the pope had the "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road" drawn a day after one too many Vespas cut off his Popemobile in traffic. The document tells drivers to behave themselves, follow all traffic laws, watch out for pedestrians, and, while driving, pray. We're sure most of us do that anyway, right?
If you've ever experienced Rome's traffic, you can understand why the Vatican is so concerned with driving habits, and won't be surprised that this isn't the first time it has spoken directly to drivers. In fact, in 1956, Pope Pius XII said, "Do not forget to respect other road users, be courteous and fair with other drivers and pedestrians and show them your obliging nature. Pride yourselves in being able to master an often natural impatience, in sometimes sacrificing a little of your sense of honour so that the courteousness that is a sign of true charity may prevail. Not only will you thus be able to avoid unpleasant accidents, but you will also help to make the car a more useful tool for yourselves and others that is capable of giving you a more genuine pleasure" Couldn't have said it better ourselves.
Read the entire "Guidelines" document here, or just click to the jump for the much shorter, "The Christian virtue of drivers and their 'Ten Commandments.'"
Bless you, Chuck Goolsbee, for this most righteous of tips.
UPDATE: Ferrari responds.
[Source: Reuters]
The Christian virtue of drivers and their "Ten Commandments"
I. You shall not kill.
II. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
III. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
IV. Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents.
V. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
VI. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
VII. Support the families of accident victims.
VIII. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
IX. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
X. Feel responsible towards others.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jose 2:03PM (6/19/2007)
As a Muslim leader once said, drive as if it was your family sharing the road with you.
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Todd 2:36PM (6/19/2007)
XI. Thou shall you thy turn indicators for two seconds before abruptly changing lanes
XII. Thous shall NOT yack endless about nothing on the cell phone while driving to the point where you get tunnel vision and are oblivious to your surroundings.
XIII. Thous shall not sit in the left lane and drive ten miles an hour UNDER the speed limit. If you do thou shall spend eternity in the fires of Hell!
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Doogs 3:04PM (6/19/2007)
You are assuming that they have lanes in and around the Vatican.
In my experience, while there are some white stripes painted on the ground, they are mostly for decorative purposes.
CookieHaid 4:20PM (6/19/2007)
Ha! Forget about 10-MPH under the speed-limit: no matter what speed; if you're not in the process of passing someone on your right, and ESPECIALLY if there's someone behind you, get out of the lane. Personally, I have no problem with people speeding if they drive defensively. If the left-most lane was only used for what's it's named for, there'd be far less road-rage accidents and we'd all get to where we need to much faster. It's so simple: Not passing someone? Get to the right.
rfrathmann 10:58PM (6/25/2007)
Couldn't have said it better myself!!! Great comments.
Blue Courier 11:28PM (6/25/2007)
My Prayer when I drive my Civic in large circles each day for work:
"Oh my. Please don't let me be distracted so I miss the big truck coming at me from the right, or left. Please help me remember to keep an eye on each and every intersection always whether they have a red light or stop sign or not. Please protect me when I am driving in the parking lot of any business that is consider private drives by the law. In return I will execute my duties and have respect for all that I encounter. Thanks. "
DA Murphy 3:14PM (6/19/2007)
Here's a video of some traffic in Naples.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dml0Xq_BVI
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Ben 6:02PM (6/19/2007)
"V. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin."
Damn. Looks like I'm going to hell, guys.
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WillTheThrill 1:21PM (6/20/2007)
Thou shall not assume he is the lord and make commandments. Last time I looked, the pope nor the Vatican resembled a flaming bush.
This is why I don't attach myself to any religion, they all have gods with different names but basically make the same point. Religion is only used to get what you want out of someone or something and/or to sway a decision. Always has and always will be.
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Tom 10:14AM (7/09/2007)
Just because the message comes from a sourse of whom you do not approve, does not mean it is an evil statement. There are far too many assholes, criminals and drunks on the road. Driving is a prividledge, not a right. When people disregard the rules of the road, this prividledge should be revoked. If you ignore that, then maybe some jail time would help you abide by it.
WillTheThrill 12:12PM (7/11/2007)
I love how you religion buffs try to change a statment to make it sound way out of proportion. No where in my statement does it say that I didn't approve of the "SOURCE" nor that the "SOURCE" was evil! Yet another reason I'm not drawn to commit.
Basically what I said was that the last time a commandment was made, it came from God. Now we have the common man making commandments? I thought we made laws that governed us. So what the pope says is that every country's laws of driving are so lame that he just had to make a commandment to try to make people feel guilty about doing it? Hell, people rarely follow the origional commandments, and that's all people. So who's to say these so called new commandments are going to make any difference?
But I do agree with you though, driving is a "PRIVLEDGE" not a right. That's why those black and white cars with red and blue blinking lights pull you over and restrict or revoke your driving privledge if you do not obey them, you know, one of those laws that govern us. When given the chance, people aren't going to stop shaggin' in their ride and say, "Well gee golly honey, this is a violation of the commandments and just isn't morally right!"
c 11:13PM (6/19/2007)
Doh,all my life I thought I had a chance...Not anymore...see you in Hell...I just cant admit to being truly sorry for all the engine reving,tire smoking,second gear chirps,300 foot burnouts I have done in my life, now I might as well comit all the other sins..(couple of em sound not too bad)
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Blue Courier 9:49PM (6/26/2007)
Hey!! I liked your comments. The purpose of some of these philosophical "entities" is to create guilt. But I have found one very common one that has its' basic premise as "Sin, and be forgiven". I dispise this philosophy. Anyway, just as Kevin Spacey said on K-PAX (or something close to this...) - ALL CREATURES KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG
Greg 11:44PM (6/19/2007)
Good for the Vatican... it's about time some organization with authoritarian guidance took issue with the complete and utter breakdown of civility on the open roads.
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Itchy Biscuit 2:31AM (6/20/2007)
Authoritarian guidance for whom? Certainly the Vatican doesn't speak for all of us, especially about things courtesy while driving a vehicle. Give me a break - this is nothing more than a PR stunt.
And besides, I'm sure some of those folks out on the roads tossing middle fingers and hogging left lanes are all churched up come Sunday mornings. Moral highground my arse....
-IB
Kyle A. Miller 11:37AM (6/20/2007)
Itchy Biscuit,
The truth speaks for itself. The Vatican is only a messenger. If the Vatican releases a statement saying "murder is evil," would you object simply because it comes from the Vatican?
Be nice to each other on the road is a PR stunt? No one can be intellectually honest and say the Vatican's document is not rooted in moral convictions.
Do people going to church on Sunday fail in living up to the standard outlined in the document? That's true. Not just that document, but the Bible too. Yes, people who go to church sin. Shocking! Then again, if they never erred, why would they need religion?
Failing to meet a standard is no argument for the irrelevance of a standard or the effort to meet to a standard. There are objective truths.
jester370 11:15AM (7/09/2007)
Kyle A. Miller,
You write:
"No one can be intellectually honest and say the Vatican's document is not rooted in moral convictions."
And then:
"Failing to meet a standard is no argument for the irrelevance of a standard or the effort to meet to a standard. There are objective truths."
I think you need to check your own hypocrisy. The former states a relativist conclusion, stating that the Vatican's stance is rooted in their own goodwill and, therefore, is authoritative; the former suggests that the Vatican's stance is authoritative because it finds relevance in some a priori Truth.
And ohbytheway, that whole bit about failing to meet a standard not being an argument for the irrelevance of that standard? No so sure that's a strong argument. See, that's kind of why so many people have a problem with organized religion (witness all the boy-touching by Catholic Priests and the subsequent quelching of facts).
WillTheThrill 1:30PM (6/20/2007)
Kyle, I understand your statement, but do you really thing people driving habits are irritating God so much that he had to make commandments for it?
I fail to believe that our driving habits irritate God so much that commandments had to be made on this one subject. This whole thing is a joke; there are more pressing things to deal with and they make commandments about uses of a vehicle. Are these guys really serious?
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FM 5:22PM (6/20/2007)
Looks like the Pope got bored..VERY bored.
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Eette Dewng 3:43PM (7/09/2007)
lOOKSLIKE THE vaTICAN FINALLY WOKE UP TO A CARNAGE THAT RIVALS DECLARED WAR BLODO SHED AND MISERY - SO MUCH OF IT PREVENTABLE. sO MUCH OF IT CAUSED BY SELFISH, ME-FIRST WANTS. EGOCENTRICTY, WHICH IS THE OPPOSIT OFWHAT THE LOVE ONE ANOTHER COMMANDMENT IS ALL ABOUT.