Rtn Keith Otter: The Forty-Two Commandments

We welcomed Angela Terry of EGFR+, President Mo’s chosen charity for his year of office. EGFR+ supports sufferers from a rare form of lung cancer caused by a genetic condition. The photograph shows President Mo handing her a cheque for the sum we raised.

Our speaker was member Keith Otter, who spoke about the Forty-Two Commandments. These are found in “The Negative Confession” in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. In this passage the newly-deceased has to face the 42 “Judges of the Duat”, address each one and deny having committed whatever offence that judge is concerned with.

Keith didn’t go through all 42 and pointed out that there aren’t actually 42 as some are duplicated. Many of them reveal that views of morality and concerns about behaviour 3,500 years ago were not much different from those of today. However some of the negative confessions he thought particularly relevant for certain people today. For example:

• for the directors of sewage companies: “I have not polluted water”;
• for journalists: “I have not pried into matters in order to make mischief”;
• for Mr Putin: “I have not stirred up strife” and “I have not laid waste the lands that have been ploughed”;
• for a certain former Prime Minister: “I have not made myself deaf to the words of right and truth“; and
• for that Prime Minister’s friends: “I have not sought distinctions”.