We have all kinds of rules and regulations in the Bible, many of which are outdated or seem to make little sense. Even some of the sacrosanct ones become inconvenient at times (like when we're trying to help people). Following Jesus can sometimes feels like we are being tested; how able are we to serve others in the correct way, how selfless are we, how do we react to testing by Satan and do we stick rigidly to rules or do we try our best to do the right thing? The Old Testament Pharisees were condemned by Jesus and John the Baptist for being wrapped in red tape (or as Jesus put it in Matthew 23:24, "Ye blind guides, that strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel!"). Matthew 15:2: "Why is it that your disciples disobey the teaching handed down by our ancestors?" This implies that we should be breaking the rules handed down by our ancestors too.

I'm a rule breaker, so I'll summarise some of the things that I do that the Bible says we shouldn't – and I'll tell you why I do them.

Jesus says, "Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:19). At first glance, this statement seems to suggest that breaking rules in the Old Testament is the wrong thing to do because it will make you the "least". In Luke 22:27, Jesus says that the one who is served is greater than the one who serves. Therefore, the least person is the one who serves the most, and is the greatest servant. Those who teach people to follow the Law or Pauline theology enter the New Age at least 1000 years in the future, and they will have been served by a huge number of people; therefore they are greater than those who break the laws and serve. Therefore, followers of Paul "shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven."

Jesus himself broke the rules by encouraging people to judge by true standards and not by Old Testament laws. True standards means that we should actively break any rule, law or social convention if our actions will reduce suffering.

Jesus says, "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. For with whatever judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you tell your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye;' and behold, the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-4). I am guilty of making judgements about people by indicating that Christians are not following Jesus. In doing so, I will also bring the same judgement onto myself (through my previous life as Mary Magdalene and through Simon Peter). However, I am doing this to reduce suffering, so by true standards I am justified in doing this. If no one is prepared to say anything, then nothing gets done, and we would continue on our Lemming-like paths of following people who throw themselves and others off the metaphorical cliff; the beam in the eye of a modern Christian is Pauline theology. The teaching about judging is an anti-pride law, because if we judge others we are declaring ourselves to be superior. Declaring judgement can also be an attempt to restrict the freedom of choice of other people and their right to judge things for themselves. Judging people can be distinguished from offering them advice and teaching them.

The Ten Commandments are false teaching. For example, Jesus broke the Sabbath Law. The Jews took the Sabbath Law to mean 'do no work'. We should serve people on the Sabbath day in the same way that we do on any other day. If we were to take the Jewish interpretation, then we could be following Jesus on every day except the Sabbath, which would be ridiculous. What if aid workers in Africa suddenly stopped doing anything on Sunday, and five African children died of starvation as a result?

Jesus also taught that the Commandment about respecting our parents should be ignored if they object to their children following Jesus. I subscribe to Jesus' teaching here. I also sin just by virtue of living in modern society. For example, if I turn on a light, then oil is burned in a power plant, which contributes to war and suffering. I have to use money to buy food and other things that I use to follow Jesus (e.g. website hosting). This is not my fault, but that of society. So really, it is the structure of society that needs to change. Judging by true standards, this is a very good area for followers of Jesus to concentrate their efforts.

I believe that 'morality' and 'moral values' are completely different from true standards. I have no moral values; I do not regard sex to be sinful and I believe that poverty should be tackled by any and all means necessary. There is no rule or law that I would not break if true standards demanded it for a given set of circumstances. For example, I have been able to defraud thousands of pounds to fund the distribution and advertising of this website, which is justified by true standards.

So when should we break a law written in the Bible in order to follow Jesus? The two commandments of Jesus are:

1. Love the Lord with all your strength, heart, mind, body and soul.
   
2. Love your neighbour as yourself.

These two laws override anything else. Our true judgements are our own responsibility and no one should judge us for making them.