No, I’m not talking about Charlton Heston. In fact, ABC’s Nightline recently launched a series on The Ten Commandments. The perspectives are remarkably balanced, though rather than going through the commandments chronologically, they opted to start with #7 – thou shalt not commit adultery – obviously a “sexier” way to kick off a new series.

The episode was titled “Are we born to cheat?” and Beliefnet provides an interesting review.

“Were we born to cheat? Is adultery an outdated concept? Should multi-partner relationships be considered under the realm of religious freedom and expression? Are the Ten Commandments relevant? Has the separation of church and state become as much of a cultural reality as it was a Constitutional mystery? Do you invite God into bed with your spouse? Does the woman who has a husband and a female lover have a healthy relationship in God’s eyes because she’s honest about it?

These questions and more were part of a relevant and respectful dialogue that had more candor than “Dr. Phil,” more articulated passion than “Oprah,” more steamy material than any of the “Desperate Housewives” series, and more healthy and compelling questions and answers than any church service I can remember.”

Christianity always fares well when given the opportunity to fairly compete with other faiths, rather than – as so often happens – being the lone religious perspective selectively excluded by “separation of church and state.” As Beliefnet put it, “the separation of church and state was not governing the intersection of faith, media, and culture.” And so there was a lively, engaging discussion of faith and culture on national media. Granted, Christianity had the “home court advantage,” but then again, how many churches would invite the other perspectives to be presented? The series began on Thursday, Sept. 24, so you can still catch some of the remaining programs live.