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Should the Bible be Taken Literally?


Guest Elizabeth K

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Guest Elizabeth K

This is not intended to be disrespectful to the Bible - but rather to show there are potential problems with it's interpretations. These horribly misinterpreted examples can be useful in combating someone quoting Bible and Verse without thinking what is being said. Taking verse out of context can really be deceptive. From the internet - and this has be around for a long time.

On her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, written by a US resident, and posted on the Internet. It’s funny, as well as informative:

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.

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?

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?

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.

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?

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?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this? Are there ‘degrees’ of abomination?

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?

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?

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

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 that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:1016. 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)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I’m confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your adoring fan.

James M. Kauffman, Ed.D, Professor Emeritus,

Dept Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education

University of Virginia

PS (It would be a damn shame if we couldn’t own a Canadian)

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Guest KarenLyn

OMG! I've read this before and it's always a hoot! Oh, and I can clarify one thing for you. Your friend is wrong. It is allowed to own a Canadian though they tend to be much more expensive. ;)

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Guest Donna Jean

.

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this? Are there ‘degrees’ of abomination?

Ok...this one kinda sux.......

I mean......I live in New Orleans and we eat lots of mudbugs (crayfish)...

That isn't considered "Shellfish" is it?

That would suck out loud because we'd have to cancel a load of festivals this year....

How about pork rinds?

'

Dee Jay

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Guest Jenny C

For me, the old testament is outdated... it is old.

And more than that, when I was young, we sometime played the phone game... A chain of children would have to convey a message... At the end of the chain, the message was always transformed... And could not be taken literally... As are translation or transcription made sometime centuries after the actual events...

Truth is in the eye of the beholder... So truth is relative... and can be transformed...

There is only one message in the bible... Love and acceptance of God. The rest is a cream on a cake that has receive dust for centuries...

Sorry if I am direct !!! I do not wish to offend anyone but just express my opinion.

Love,

Jenny

P.S Can someone tell me what is the signification of the expression : "to own a canadian" ?

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Guest Elizabeth K

P.S Can someone tell me what is the signification of the expression : "to own a canadian" ?

Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. In some people's case - Canadian's - they can own a Yankee.

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  • Admin

That one has been around for a while, and yes it is funny as all get out. It was also aimed at a good target for that sort of stuff. The nice thing is that there are people who know more than the know-it-alls who populate the entertainment media.

Homosexuality as we know of it today does not appear in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and therefor is not prohibited nor is it a real issue. Leviticus is a handbook for the Jewish clergy (Levite's a priest tribe = Leviticus) and not for the general public, and J or E (depending on your point of view) did not want them acting like the other churches and their clergy down the proverbial block. "The other diety's priests do this type of thing, and I won't take that from you guys." "Try it and I'll fire you and take away your health care plan and your retirement benefits!!"

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  • Admin

Yes, its very funny, and I laughed.

What's not so funny is that real people the world over murder, and are murdered, for taking their beliefs to their logical extremes.

That's why I gave up organized religion over 40 years ago, when I realized that there wasn't a whole lot of difference between the practices of pre-literate indigenous people and the stuff I learned in Hebrew school, based on 5,000 year old texts. Superstition is superstition. The difference is that one is passed on through spoken language and the other is written.

Sorry for the downer. My fault. But yeah, it is a funny piece.

Carolyn Marie

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  • 1 month later...

LOL!!! I take great offense to this post, miss Lizzy... not as a Christian, but as a Canadian! ;)

Just try to own me! I dare ya!

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Guest ZensandT

To me, the question should be either, "Should the bible be taken seriously?" or "Should be bible be taken as truth?" Personally, I say no to both of those. But anyways, it doesn't matter if it's old testament or not, the god of the bible is unchanging, so you can't discard it.

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Guest ~Brenda~

We all need to remember that the bible as we know it is a collection of books voted on by comittee to become the bible. In reality, humans were involved from the beginning in the formation of the bible.

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Guest Stuck

I wonder if that was the source of inspiration for the scene from the West Wing, or if the letter is based on dialogue from the show. For anyone who hasn't seen it, youtube "West Wing Bible Lesson"... it is a very well spent 3-4 minutes.

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When studying the bible, there are many factors to be taken into consideration. I've spent much time studying Lev. 18:22. What is to be considered is who the message is for, why was it spoken to these folks, the people and culture surrounding them; the political, social, and spiritual climate during that period. While it applied to that particular time, it does not apply to today.

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Guest winterangel

That was humorous, Elizabeth; it gave me a good laugh. :P

I would like to more deeply analyze this all, but I think that'd simply result in me being chased off with torches and pitchforks. :lol:

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  • 1 month later...
Guest pockychaser

Before I start, I really mean no offense to anyone. From the moment I joined you all, I've been wrapped with love and warmth, and I cherish that. I'm a Christian, myself, and I wanted to share in the appropriate forum. *deep breath* Okay, here goes.

--

Personally, I believe that yes, the Bible should be taken literally, and that it is God's Word, conveyed by human authors He inspired. -But- I also believe that the whole Bible points to Jesus, including the Old Testament. I definitely agree with Gennee here. Jesus' parables, for instance, were told in terms familiar to every one of His listeners. The Old Testament is filled with signs to the Israelites of their Messiah that are later fulfilled by the New Testament (including the fact that His own people wouldn't know Him), something that Jesus explicitly points out in Matthew 5:17. The New Testament, after the Gospels, is a series of letters to the Gentile churches and, by extension, today's believers. The Old Testament is geared toward the Israelites. They're both the Bible, though, and if you look at the Old through the lens of the New, a lot of new meanings start popping up everywhere! For instance, the sacrifice of the spotless lambs, looked at from a NT perspective, it becomes a sign of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. And of course, there's also Acts 10:9-19 to consider. Essentially, "Don't call unclean what I have made clean". That right there anulls the dietary laws, ne? (Another thing that someone pointed out to me a long while back is that a lot of the Old Testament laws are common sense precautions. I mean, can you imagine how devastating something as simple as a salmonella outbreak would have been back then? Ick! I assume that by the time of the New Testament, though, they'd heard of the concept of "thorough cooking".)

Ehehe, that's all I can think of for now. Apologies. I'm not trying to preach here, just share my views, as I said, along with the 'why's for them (though I admit that even Wikipedia, with its impartial presentation of Christian beliefs, does a pretty good job of being persuasive anyway, in my opinion). ^^;

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Guest Robin Winter

OMG! I've read this before and it's always a hoot! Oh, and I can clarify one thing for you. Your friend is wrong. It is allowed to own a Canadian though they tend to be much more expensive. ;)

We're harder to break too, we're such a willfull people!

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  • Admin

For people living in the 5th to 3rd centuries BC (or BCE) the people who can read must take the books written then literally or get the heck into some other non-jewish culture fast to save their skins. (I have a serious doubt any of them are living now, but if you are, better knuckle down, its the law.)

Likewise for any person living in the second through fourth centuries AD (or CE) IF your particular sect of "Christians" has adopted the books of scripture that were adopted by the Council Of Nicea, then they get taken literally so far as the other scriptures that your group used will allow. At the Council Of Nicea, literally hundreds if not thousands of proto orthodox scriptures were abandoned, denounced, burned or declared demonic or worse (the posession of some of the proto orthodox scriptures was the basis for a death sentence in the years following that Council.) Does anyone alive remember those fun times?

Or fast forward to the 12th to 15th centuries with their roasty toasty good times on Biblical literality.

Fast forward to today, what does the neighbor with a shot gun to your head believe in biblical literality? You better believe it literally!!

I love the Bible, all 50 of the different versions I have in print or in digital media, and I am a lay reader in my church who tries to vocally interpret the scriptures by voice inflection and attention to pucntuation, and a couple of good commentaries on the Jewish and Greek interpretations of some equivocal passages. Good honest translators come out with different readings, literally hundreds of times, and most hard passages in modern languages are committee efforts and we know what those do. There are also words that only occur in the Bible's most ancient manuscripts which people have fun bending to their own meaning, but we can't go back and ask, "hey bub, what WEREE you really talking about>).

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Guest pockychaser

Hi again, everyone. I wanted to expand a bit on my earlier thoughts. I mentioned that the Old Testament should be read through the lens of the New. Hebrews especially is good for this, as it references the Old Testament laws -a lot-. (It was, after all, written to Jewish believers.) It also mentions that the New Covenant was given to replace the Old, meaning that we as believers no longer have to rely on it for salvation, but in Jesus. The laws remain, but can now be interpreted for their moral doctrine rather than being necessarily strictly binding. Also, when I think of "taking the Bible literally", I think of 2 Timothy 3:16: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness". The Bible is the literal Word of God. The key, I believe, is context, like Gennee mentioned. What needs to be asked is, "In light of 2 Timothy 3:16, why did God choose to include this in His Word, and what can I learn from it?" That's where devotions come in. That, though, is a topic for another time.

Love you all!

~Mel

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest ZensandT

Just posting a link to a video on YouTube, all hail the infallible and non-contradictory and inspired word from god. /watch?v=RB3g6mXLEKk

Every question asked in the video has answers with the corresponding passage the answer goes to, should you wish to look it up.

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"What's the matter?" "I am pretty touchy." "Okay.  Untie the straps in front and tie them the other way, like mine." "I don't have a belt." "There. That is right. You will get a belt after three months and passing tests on kata, kumite and karate knowledge." "I don't know what that is." "And we touch a lot here.  Not romantically. You see how Sensei Bob is going around and adjusting people's stances and arm locations." "Yes, I see that." No enthusiasm. "You are Sensei Bob's girl, right?" "Yes.  What is important to him is important to me, so here I am."  He wished her well and told her to go see Margie, who handled registration at the little table. "Hi, I heard about you." Margie began. "What does that mean?" "It means we treat everyone here with respect.  That was the wrong way to start." "I'll say. Try again." "Good morning. How can I help you?" "I want to register for the beginner class." "You are Taylor, right?" "Right." "Sensei Bob paid for your lesson today." He would. She gave name, address, age, height, weight, and they came to gender. Margie asked it twice. "Put down female." "The only other choice is male." "Then that is it." "Earlier I was thinking about tournaments, which are big here. The rules are that boys fight boys and girls fight girls - there are Men's and Women's Divisions.  I know you look like a woman, but they go by the birth certificate." This was awkward.  Really awkward.  Down at the other end of the room they were moving in unison when Bob said HAI!, turning, punching, kicking, etc. "I don't plan to go to tournaments.  One step at a time, shall we?" "Okay.  And I meant it when I said respect.  We bow to each other.  You will see. As a sign of honoring other people." Margie bowed slightly, sitting down.  Taylor returned the bow and smiled. The class moved into sparring, breaking into twos and practicing moves against each other.  Bob was moving among the pairs, adjusting positions of hands, hips, feet.  Taylor was unsure about someone touching her like that, her hips particularly.    The green belt class ended as new students came in for the beginners' class. Down at the other end the brown belt class began.  The room was large enough you could do two classes at the same time.   The other beginners, nervous, lined up at Margie's table.  People got into gis, the men in their big area and only woman in the little restroom that was for them.   Sensei Mark greeted them and showed them where to stand: on the little x's on the floor. He explained the School Code.  They would recite it at the beginning of class and they needed to memorize it for the white belt test, at which time they would, of course, receive a white belt. He explained some terms.    They warmed up with some basic, easy stretches.   They learned a kata called Taikyoku Shodan, involving blocks, punches and some movements. This was not bad.   She was now paired off with Judy.  Things were going well and this was not too bad. Judy was sixty years old and had been told to exercise by her doctor.  Taylor said her boyfriend was teaching the other class, which was impressive, and he wanted her involved.   "You remember the gedan barai - downward block?"  They did. Everyone showed him and he went around and made sure everyone had it down. "And the lunge punch?"  They did. "Now we are going to put them together. One of you will punch and the other block it. Okay?"   Taylor squared off against Judy.  Her heart was pounding.  She practiced her gedan barai as Judy practiced her lower lunge punch.  Then they faced each other. "Okay, first partner, lunge punch.  Second partner, lower block.  Slowly.  Go!" Taylor saw the punch coming at her, but instead of blocking it her eyes welled up with tears and she dropped to the floor, weeping uncontrollably. "Oh God, Oh, God, Oh God, make it stop, make it stop" she shouted to parties unseen. Fetal position, rocking back and forth. Crying hysterically. "I didn't go near her," Judy said, bewildered. "Taylor?"  this was Sensei Bob.  Both classes had stopped and were looking at her. She kept crying. "I am here, "Bob told her, not touching.  "Oh Bob you need a wife who can be a real woman to you. I am making you into a monk or something." And she continued crying at full volume. "You need someone better than me, someone who can give you kids." Everyone could hear this.  They were turning away, trying to pretend they could not hear this. "I need to get her out of here and take her." Bob said, and he and Mark bowed to each other. He scooped her up and she bawled into his shoulder.  She clung to him.  First hug ever. Death grip, more like it. "Judy, would you get her things?" "I did nothing," Judy said, and moved towards the restroom, stunned.  "Nothing." "I know what she was wearing," Margie said, and got them. "I've got a gym bag. It 's red and it says Roosters on it. Can you get it? Mark got it.  He accompanied them to the car.  Taylor was non-stop crying deeply, clinging to him for dear life. Mark unlocked the car and together they managed to pry Taylor off of him, even though it took both of them to do it.  She was in the car seat and they managed to buckle her in it. "I am going to take you to your apartment," he said. "No. Emergency room," she said. "Maybe the psych ward."  He didn't doubt it. She calmed down in a few minutes on the way. "Well, that was embarrassing." "Everyone remembers their first day of karate class." "Bob, what I love about you is your sense of humor." "I love everything about you." "Even this?" "Yes. Even this." She managed to walk into the ER.  They were both still in gis. "Karate accident?" "No. I am Taylor and I am a nut. I wear a gi all the time. I make my boyfriend wear one, too." "She had a triggered event.  She's had some difficult times." "I see. Do you you know are bleeding?" "No."  Her crotch was wet with blood and the blood was seeping down both legs. She was wheeled away. "Sir, please wait here." He did.  He had no legal right to see her right now. After a while a nurse came out and said he could come on  back. There she was in a hospital gown.  "Seems like old times." "yeah.  We gotta stop meeting like this." The nurse buzzed around and left them. "They are running tests." "I bet they are." "I got an MRI. On a Saturday morning, too."  First ever. "You rate.  But why?" "They figure some of the old scar tissue - you know, from the- from the past - ripped open and they need to see what is going on." "We know what is going on,"said a doctor, stepping in. He looked at her. "I am Doctor Michaels.  They called me in.  I just happened to be in the building and they wanted me to see this and take the case.  My specialty is Disorders of Sexual Development. But what I am seeing is little in the way of disorder.  Look at this." They looked at the image. "This is a perfectly ordinary uterus." "Uterus?" "Yes, your uterus." "What?" "That is not all.  This is a cervix, and this is a vagina." "It's blocked up." "Yes.  It looks like you had surgery to do exactly that when you were an infant.  They used to do that." "This is me?" "You." "Really?" "I imagine this takes some getting used to. "Can it be undone?" "Absolutely. I mean, I cannot guarantee it, but it is more than likely. I would like to run some tests." "And the bleeding?" "It looks like the hormones you have been taking have kicked of a regular monthly cycle. Then you did a whole bunch of exercise.  Not surprising." "What?" "I want you to come to my office next week for follow-up.  Have you ever had a genetic test of any sort?" "No." "Well, your testes - one looks at first glance more like an ovary." "Ovary. Can I have kids?" "Too soon to tell.  You look happy." She did.  "Bob, you look stunned." "I am." "Given what happened earlier today we want to keep you overnight for observation.  I understand you are a trauma victim and something triggered it." "I got a punch thrown at me in kara-tay class, is all. I am a wimp." "Well, I will let you two talk for a minute and they will come and get you shortly.  No bad news here." "They are coming to take me away, hah-hah, they are coming to take me away," Taylor chanted. "Bob, I am not done with kara-tay.  I want to at least finish a first class. I mean, you paid for it and I want you to get your money's worth." "I think I got that." "Kiss me, you fool,"  she said, and he did, with energy.        
    • April Marie
      These arrived in yesterday's mail. I'm out working in the yard today so just old clothes. I'm looking forward to wearing this t-shirt dress when the weather warms up a bit more.  
    • missyjo
      Ashley I've known busty girls who wore b nice bras tl work n such then like a sift sports bra to lounge or sleep in hugs
    • missyjo
      your nails b hair came wonderful  congratulations  enjoy
    • Willow
      The one thing about this position, if you want more hours just wait and be flexible.  I’m now working until 7:30 pm instead of 4:30.  
    • Ashley0616
      I hope your head cold goes away soon! Sorry you have to cut grass with that.   Love the new t-shirt   I love that one.    What Jeep would you want to get? That is awesome about your wife getting better!
    • Ashley0616
      Welcome Mattie! I would recommend the first step is finding a gender therapist and see if you are or aren't. Then one of the biggest steps if you are do you want to start hormone replacement therapy. The decision should be thought long and hard. There are irreversible effects. Looking forward to your next post! Take care!
    • Ashley0616
      Congratulations on being able to pick up a cancellation! I hope to hear more updates about your transition. 
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