Two hot topics: gays and religion

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Registered: 04-03-2003
Two hot topics: gays and religion
5
Fri, 03-05-2004 - 10:05pm

I received this in an e-mail today; and though it is highly irreverent, I thought it also thought provoking. I am an agnostic and my dh is atheist; we regard the Bible as a book of stories that are worth reading not a sacred text--so we were not offended by what you're about to read.


Both these topics are hot in the news these days, so I should issue a warning that it may be offensive to some Christians, Jews, and maybe many others. I apologize in advance if I picked an inappropriate bulletin board to post this to.


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Laura Schlessinger is a US radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, she cannot condone homosexuality under any circumstance and is backed up by holy scripture. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura, which was posted on the Internet.

Dear Dr. Laura:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination... End of debate.
Leviticus 18
22   'You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.



I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify?  Why can't I own Canadians?

Leviticus 25
44   'As for your male and female slaves whom you may have--you may acquire male and female slaves from the nations that are around you.



2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

Exodus 21
7   "If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do.

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev. 15: 19-24. The problem is how do  I tell?  I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
Leviticus 15
19   'When a woman has a discharge, if her discharge in her body is blood, she shall continue in her menstrual impurity for seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening.
20   'Everything also on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean, and everything on which she sits shall be unclean.
21   'Anyone who touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
22   'Whoever touches any thing on which she sits shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
23   'Whether it be on the bed or on the thing on which she is sitting, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until evening.
24   'If a man actually lies with her so that her menstrual impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.



4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev. 1:9. The problem is, my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
Leviticus 1
9 He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.


5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

Exodus 35
2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.

 

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is offensive, per Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality.  I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?
Leviticus 11
10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales-whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water-you are to detest.


7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Leviticus 21
20   or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed testicles.


8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

Leviticus 19
27 You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard.

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play touch football if I wear gloves?

Leviticus 11
6   the rabbit also, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you;
7   and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you.
8   'You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary for us to go to the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev. 24:10-16.  Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

Leviticus 19
19   'You are to keep My statutes. You shall not breed together two kinds of your cattle; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor wear a garment upon you of two kinds of material mixed together.


Leviticus 24
10   Now the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the sons of Israel; and the Israelite woman's son and a man of Israel struggled with each other in the camp.
11   The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. (Now his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)
12   They put him in custody so that the command of the LORD might be made clear to them.
13   Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
14   "Bring the one who has cursed outside the camp, and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then let all the congregation stone him.
15   "You shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ' If anyone curses his God, then he will bear his sin.
16   'Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

 

Leviticus 20
14   'If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no immorality in your midst.

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help.  Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Your fan,
Homer Simpson-Caldwell
Avatar for waywardestates
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2003
Fri, 03-05-2004 - 11:13pm
hahaha,that was a really good paragraph.Made me and my family open our eyes to a whole new world of hypocrisy.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-27-2004
Fri, 03-05-2004 - 11:38pm
FIrst Of All Awsome name; Second great post.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Sat, 03-06-2004 - 8:33am

I received a similair email some time ago. It shows the bible can't be taken literally, IMO.


I would like to own a Royal Canadian Mountie policeman... love those spiffy red jackets & does the horse come in the package?

 


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Registered: 08-07-2003
Sun, 03-07-2004 - 4:22am
I didn't get to read all of the questions with scriptures, but I totally get the point. I will love to have some of those examples in hand when I get into discussions with some of my family. My DH and I were both raised by charasmatic (almost fanic) christians. I am a believer, and I know in my gut that discrimination and close-mindedness is wrong.

Most of all, as a believer I believe that Jesus did not discriminate or put anyone down. The poeple he had conflict with were the hypocrites and pharisees who felt that they had the right to judge others.

I am a straight woman with a great husband and two baby girls. I know what it is like to be in love and be loved, so when I hear stories about gay and lesbian couples who are denied the right to receive a flag or to be recognized as the significant other in different situations it makes me feel angry. People should be able to love and care for who they choose.

I think that in ten years from now we are going to look back and think how silly it was to deny gay and lesbian couples to marry. It will be history and we will be done with all the controvery surrounding gay marriage and we will have moved on to some new controvery.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Sun, 03-07-2004 - 7:45am

>"I think that in ten years from now we are going to look back and think how silly it was to deny gay and lesbian couples to marry."<


ITA


Hi Rose

 


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