Biblical Clarifications...

[transgirl23ny (imported)]

Dear Dr. _____,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding

God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your radio

sermons, and I try to share that knowledge with as many

people as I can.

When someone tries to defend the crossdressing lifestyle,

for example, I simply remind them that Deuteronomy 22:5

clearly states it to be an abomination, end of discussion.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of

the other specific laws and how to follow them:

1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know

it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord. The Leviticus

1:9 problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not

pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

2. My pastor ignores me when I point out that his clothing

is unbiblical because he wears a cotton/polyester blend

(in violation of Deuteronomy 22:11) and because he

doesn't have tassels at the four corners of his cloak

(in violation of Deuteronomy 22:12). Should the whole

church stone him to death?

3. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanc-

tioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you

think would be a fair price for her?

4. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while

she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness (Leviticus

15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I've tried

asking, but most women take offense.

5. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both

male and female, provided they are purchased from neigh-

boring nations. A friend of mine claims that this

applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify?

Why can't I own Canadians?

6. 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?

7. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish

is an abomination (Leviticus 11:10-12), it is a lesser

abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you

settle this?

8. Leviticus 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?

9. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed,

including the hair around their temples, even though

this is expressly forbidden by Leviticus 19:27. How

should they die?

10. I know from Leviticus 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a

dead pig makes you unclean, but can you still play foot-

ball if you wear gloves?

11. My uncle has a farm. He violates Leviticus 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 to-

gether to stone them (Leviticus 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)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am

confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us

that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

A devoted fan of the justice, wrath and vengeance of the

LORD JEHOVAH

Have a good day

[Leona Lee (imported)]

My Dear, do you not realise that we are in the new dispensation of Christ. This Old Testament stuff is all written as to what Christ was to fulfill. You must dig into the new testament for the up to date answer's to your questions. You will find much more in the Old Testament that seems odd.

Christ was the sacrifice for our sins and stands in front of God so that we look perfect in Gods sight. That is why he is so hated and dispised the world over. You may have noticed that right here. Hugs, Leona

[kb57z (imported)]

I'm wondering whether the reference to "Jehovah" was deliberate, because the "name" is in fact an error of mediaeval scholarship that leaked into the King James translation of the bible.

"Jehovah" arises because when the markings for the vowel sounds were added to the texts of what is now the "Old Testament", the "personal name" of God (YHWH) was annotated with the vowels of the word (adonai - Lord, I think) that was actually read out.

"Jehovah" is thus doubly blasphemous - a) it's a name that is too sacred to be uttered, and b) it's garbled!

[Blaise (imported)]

I respect the idea of sacrifice (making holy) but abhor the notion of the idea of Jesus dying as a substitute for other human beings or the glorification of suffering depicted in, say, the Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ.

The purity laws in Toran intrigue and baffle me. The anthropologist Mary Douglas has written interesting studies of them. transgirl23ny's little piece delighted me.

[sag111 (imported)]

One of the things i try to remember is what God told the pharacees when they asked him what laws were the best to follow.His reply to them was above all love your neighbor as yourself and be obeacent to me love me as i love you.I feel to many people dont do this and judge people and never get to the love part and with this all we see is the hate and fear they show each other.Thies people are not living as christians as they think they are but living a life against Gods wishes.Since comming in here i have relised we are all Gods children and we need to show everyone that love and understanding we all need and want.Thats why i will not judge or show hate to thoes who may be diffrent i just wish everyone felt this way.Why shouldent a transgender feel just as much a woman as a woman bone that way and who are we to say God dosent love them even more then anyone elas.

I feel love is the key folks and we all need more of that dont we and stop the bashing so many seam to engage in for what ever they do it for

[Paolo]

One thing that no one seems to understand, or doesn't WANT to understand, is that the vision that St. Peter had did away with all of those Old Testament laws.

In the vision, Peter was told to rise up, kill, and eat...taking his choice of dinner from a glowing cloth lowered from on High and filled with animals (perfectly edible) that were considered unclean by the old laws. Every one of them. God told him to eat them...that He had made them clean.

Now, you'll argue the metaphore in this one, I'm sure someone will. But it's also taught that this interpretation is the right one. Lots of papers have been written on it, from what I've seen of some of Auntie's old Bible College stuff. She also subscribes to this interpretation, and holds a few degrees, so who am I to question her?!

[sag111 (imported)]

Paolo what God was saying their is get on with life and stop beating yourself up with laws that we dont need

[n3rf (imported)]

Dear Sag et al. Yes many of our religious zealots demand that all other be like them. I am for being nice to all others. You said it all./Johan [email protected]

[Patient (imported)]

Jessica,

I hope you mean this thread as a joke. If you mean it seriously you are beating one of the longest-dead horses I know---the one that died with Christ on Calvary two millennia ago. The posts by Leona Lee and by Paolo are exactly correct: as St. Paul has explained in exquisite detail, Christ's "precious death and passion" have freed his followers from the duty of obeying the Mosaic Law and by his grace have justified them before his father. He offers us this grace, this justification, as an absolutely free gift. There is no way we can earn it; we can only accept it. This is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That some people who claim to be (and perhaps even believe they are) his followers act as if this gospel were false does not in fact reduce its truth, though it does admittedly and lamentably create problems for some other people in accepting the gospel.

.

[A-1 (imported)]

So, were it allowable, i.e., not cannibalism, would the human body qualify as food under the Levitical Law?

Well, kids... here's looking at you! (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/Heyes.jpg)

A-1