MICHAEL WESTFALL:

Bob, I would like to welcome you to The American Conservative Worker and thank you for your participation in this interview discussing God's 10 Commandments. I have several questions to ask you but first could you tell us a little about yourself and your work at Ford Motor Company?

ROBERT HAARER:

I started work in the automobile business with an independent company when I got out of the army in April 1955 and couldn't find a job in my chosen field as a draftsman. I started working for Ford Motor Credit in July of 1964 and retired from there in April of 1994.

I started as an assistant branch manager. Other positions I held were Personal Operations Manager, Management Training Instructor, supervisor of several Central Office units and Branch Manager.

For several years I worked directly with the chairman and president on management culture change with an Employee Involvement process.

MW:

Bob, you are very active in the church. The Ten Commandments were authored and personally delivered to humanity by God himself as a moral blueprint for mankind to follow. Could you give our readers some insight as to the importance of God's Commandments to our nation?

RH...

The Ten Commandments were of immense importance to our forefathers when forming of our Nation. They viewed them as commands for personal living and the formation of a government. Unfortunately over the years, due to attacks by organizations like the ACLU and opposition from a liberal judicial system they have become a non-factor and we are paying the price with declining morality and decency in our nation.

MW:

If people refuse to take the time to understand God's word, then on what criterion do they base their behavior?

RH...

They base their reasoning on the criteria of the lifestyle that gets the most publicity from the media. Once in a while someone who does a heroic deed or gives a lifetime of service to a good cause will be recognized. The vast majority of attention is given to the flashy, sinful and immoral lifestyles of the Hollywood crowd.

MW:

In the more conservative 1950's, various American organizations constructed thousands of Ten Commandment monuments. Today the ACLU and other special interest groups have gone to court in an effort to have the Commandments eliminated from these public places.

How does this impact our nation going forward?

RH...

America is obsessed with the concept of "My Rights". The concept that I should be able to do anything I want with no responsibilities because you have no right to try to change or correct me. The display of the Ten Commandments may cause me to consider there may be a better way; therefore, I don't want to even see them. The ACLU and other groups want to ensure that the Commandments are not seen or even considered.

MW:

Jesus said that the first and greatest commandment was to love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with your entire mind, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.

Do we as Americans follow this command? Do some people and groups now consider God's laws as antiquated, unimportant and just too restricting?

RH...

The quote "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all they soul and with all thy might' comes from Deuteronomy 6:5 and "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself' is from Matthew 22:39, spoken by Jesus. He brought these together. There is a common thought that the Old Testament does not apply to today. Jesus rebuked that thought by quoting from it many times. All of God's word is applicable today

MW:

Whatever largely dominates your concentration other then God can make one an idolater by definition. Many bow down to false dogma, materialism, education, celebrities, political ideologies, sports or other personal beliefs.

Can our society continue to exist, as we know it, if we fail to uphold God's first and second commandments, which pertain to the worship of man-made gods or idols?

RH...

I recently attended an Imax theatre presentation on ancient Greece. At one time it was one of the most powerful and beautiful societies on earth. Now it is rubble and some building foundations. As I watched I was struck by the thought that the United States of America would look like that in the not too distant future if our society continues to decline.

In the condition we are in right now we could probably exist forever. However, with much more decline in moral and ethical standards we will be in trouble.

MW:

Today we regularly hear the Lord's name used loosely or taken in vain and many ignore the Sabbath?

What kind of impact do those who do these things make on our culture?

RH...

It grieves me every time I hear the Lord's name taken in vain. It shows a total lack of respect. Unfortunately many people who do this don't realize what they are doing because it has become so normal for them. People don't realize that there is a judgment day coming when they will be held accountable for actions and words.

MW:

God's Commandment to honor your parents is directed to children of all ages. Not all of America's children are loving and respectful. Some are self-centered and choose to ignore the sacrifices their parents made for them. They forget the love, protection, stability, teaching, and support of critical daily needs including physical and spiritual.

Do those who deny God's obligation to honor and respect both parents and their own heritage also dishonor God?

RH...

Absolutely! David said that he had sinned against God when he had immoral relations. All sin is against God. On the other hand, this is a commandment with a reward for following it. "Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee".

MW:

Thou shall not kill is a Commandment which obviously bans killings.

Mankind is made in the image and likeness of God. In a world that has chosen to cut itself off from God, many have little regard for the sanctity of life. Crimes of violence involving killings have been increasing in our towns and cities.

What are your thoughts on this Commandment?

RH...

This is a very complex issue. Obviously the taking of someone's life for personal gain, hatred, revenge etc. is totally against God's commands. However, self-defense military action, police action, etc. are not acts of murder.

MW:

Israel, in Moses' day, was a carnal nation. Carnality is a broad issue with many forms. Carnal minds refuse to obey God. Immorality is all around us. You see it on the TV, at the movies and you hear it on the radio. When it comes to adultery, God's Commandments direct man to refrain from sexual impurity.

Could you explain the morality decline today relative to the years that you spent as a youth?

RH...

A few unmarried schoolgirls got pregnant when I was a teenager. But then they disappeared for a time and then reappeared with or without a baby. Today it appears to be a time for celebration, congratulations and schools making preparations to make the expectant mother comfortable. Our nation has been overcome by our fascination with sex. The media and entertainment world portray it as the natural outcome when male and female meet. It doesn’t matter if it's someone other than your spouse. If you are a virgin you ought to get over it fast.

Certainly this fascination is a major contribution to our immorality and decline in our purity

MW:

Theft, in one form or another, is running rampant in America. Businesses are forced to build elaborate security systems, and continually increase prices to compensate for shoplifting. The   eighth Commandment demands that we strive for honesty, fairness and integrity in all our dealings. God views stealing as lying which is an act of deception. Why do some people seem to have a problem with this Commandment?

RH...

Violating the eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not steal" is actually a result of previously violating the tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not covet". We become aware of something that entices us, and then we covet it and think it should be ours.

Theft causes financial losses to businesses of billions of dollars per year and then we the consumers must pay for it. The basic cause of theft is a lack of respect for others. I believe that the greatest theft losses in our nation are not the theft of material things but the theft of time. People don't realize that making a half dozen, or one, personal phone call on company time is theft. If a study would be done I would predict they would find that 30% or more of the average employee's time is being stolen from the company for the employee's personal use. "It's my right. "

MW:

God tells us to not give false testimony against our neighbors. We all know those who slander others. Many of us have been the victims of such people. God condemns deception in every form including lying, false advertising, slander, gossip, character assassination and false testimony in court. Are these important issues in society and if so, why?

RH...

Our recent elections gave us examples of slander, false testimonies and lies in campaign rhetoric. Being truthful was a non-issue! It all goes back to the lack of respect for another person. There's a silly old saying that parents have given to the kids for years. "If you can't say something nice about a person don't say anything." Wouldn't the world be a better place if we would practice that!

MW:

To covet is to desire or lust for something pleasant or of alleged precious importance. It can take many forms such as coveting your neighbor's possessions. Look at the debt of the people in this country because people want what they cannot afford. Are the covetous people of this materialistic world ever really satisfied or do they always want more?

RH...

When asked one time how much money he really needed, John D.Rockefeller replied, "Just a little more". To be content with what you have is truly a blessed experience. I've heard it said that God wants to bless His people and He will give them all that He can trust them with. Things that we covet or lust for are beyond our needs but we don't want to admit that.

MW:

Our lawmakers are deceptively giving the immoral minority the right to violate God's laws by exchanging and legislating man's laws that blaspheme, defy, and debase our God under the full protection of the American legal system. Look at the way our lawmakers are working to redefine God's definition of marriage. God calls homosexuality an abomination, yet our court system is fixated on redefining marriage so men can marry men.

Abortion is America's holocaust and our Supreme Court has passed laws legalizing abortion, which is the murder of America's unborn, which are all created in the image of God himself.

Look at how our lawmakers have supported further cultural devastation by allowing pornographers the right to use our public airwaves to get their filth and trash into our homes through our TVs, radios and computers.

Observe how our laws have been twisted to allow gambling across America to the point where Americans now view gambling as a favorite past time and the casinos as entertainment and vacation destinations. Has America turned its back on God and his Commandments?

RH...

We cannot say that America in total has turned it's back on God and His commandments. I don't think we can even say that a majority has but the number is disturbingly growing. Some states and communities that recently approved same sex marriages are now reversing their decisions. There is hope but we have to be very careful who we allow to be in our judicial system.

MW:

Do you think that 200 years ago our founding fathers could have pictured our society as it is today?

What do you think they would say about our culture if they could come back for just a few days?

RH…

There's no way that our founding fathers could have pictured today’s society. I think they would see some of our achievements in areas like civil rights, property ownership, personal rights, etc. and say, that's good, why didn't we think of that?" And then, they would be shocked by the conflicts we have in our politics and government. How could there be actual hatred between political parties? We must take heed of the truth, "A house divided against itself cannot stand".

MW:

Why is it that our lawmakers have excluded themselves from protecting God's laws? They continue to legislate more laws that are just plainly anti-Biblical and evil. Shouldn't they be held accountable for developing legislation that debases our God, who rules us all?

Have we considered the legacy that we are leaving to our children and their children as we desecrate these Commandments?

RH...

I believe that the whole issue goes back to the "It's my right" concept. Today we cannot ask the question, "Is it right or wrong". We have no standards for right or wrong. Everyone has his or her own standards.

God and His commandments are non-factors. If you don't believe in God and His supreme control they are nothing. Hopefully there are enough true believers with courage enough to stand for God and His commandments to reverse the trend and bring us back to a God serving nation.

MW:

We are the most educated society in the history of the world. Rather then read and follow the greatest book ever written and pursue God's laws, which are a manual for living, many of our children instead subscribe to the ideology of MTV or Hollywood, which is the blueprint for decadence. What does this mean for the future of our next generation?

RH...

Without the Bible our next generation is lost. The church must be the catalyst for renewed respect and use of the Bible. Unfortunately, many fundamental churches are moving away from the Bible itself and using “so and so's” book or “so and so's” series of Bible guides for their guides. Too many Christians go to every Bible study within a three county radius and then don't do anything to be good testimonies in their lives.

MW:

Bob, in conclusion what is the most important message that you would like to pass on to our readers?

RH:

Our nation is still powerful and great today because our founding fathers 230 years ago formed our government on the principles of the Bible and in particular the Ten Commandments. To keep our Nation great we must renew our emphasis on them.

MW:

Bob, thank you so much for participating in this interesting interview. Your comments will enlighten and bring comfort to our readers.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS:

I. You shall have no other gods before me.

II. You shall not make yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or the earth beneath or in the waters below.

III. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. IV. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

V. Honor your father and your mother.

VI. You shall not murder.

VII. You shall not commit adultery.

VIII. You shall not steal.

IX. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

X. You shall not covet.

…………………………………

…Robert L. (Bob) Haarer is a close personal friend of mine. Bob was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan May 30,1933 and married Lois Wilson in 1954 while serving in the United States Army. Bob and Lois have two children and ten grandchildren.