3-commitments.md

Freescribe Media Foundation

promotes practice of traditional scribal arts, the transmission of ancient and significant modern texts, and the study of textual criticism. We also produce educational materials to help our students acheive success in using modern information technology.

Anyone may apply to receive tutoring from our volunteer mentors, regardless of race, class, creed, religion, age, gender, expertise, ability, disability, language, or ability to pay. We receive students on a need-blind basis, and offer work-study in lieu of payment.

All mentors, tutors, and students

Bless the Name // Do not make graven images or bow down to worship them

1. We will not use our skills to make inscriptions for statuary, will not bow down, kiss or burn candles before statues, or perform other rituals before them, take and exchange photographs of statues. We are scribes, not sculptors. We deprecate the image and appreciate the Word, and even our own written words, engraved, carved, or inked we subordinate to the spoken and sung word. The word seen on the page, and written by the hand exists for the purpose of being spoken and heard, and understood and practiced, not for the purpose of being worshipped for its visual beauty.

"The 'gods' of the nations are wood and stone. They have eyes but do not see, ears but do not hear. Whoever bows down to them and worships them will become like them." - Yeshayah

Be fruitful and multiply // Do not practice adultery or uncover nakedness

1. We value our sexuality, marriages, and children - and reject pornography in all its forms - whether the statuary of the greeks, the hyper-sexed advertising and social-media culture of today, or the commercial video porn that accounts for ~5-30% of internet traffic today. To this end our community members all install filters on their computers. OpenDNS FamilyShield is one of many possible solutions, that is easy and reliable and uses an external, optionally configurable, DNS filter.

Remember the Sabbath Day to Sanctify it

1. Do no creative work (melachah) From Sundown Friday to Sundown Saturday.
   No drawing, writing, or annotating of any kind, whether on paper with pen or on computer or phone with keyboard.

Exceptions are made where it is necessary to save life, or to perform a shabbastik act of restitution or peace-making. Some hold at different levels. Observance is a ladder, and community members are ask to make small steps toward sanctifying the day.

If you can't put down your phone, or your computer for one day a week, you are a slave to it.