Frightening how ignorant, yet arrogant and righteous they are

[question everything]

The following letter is in the Inland Valley (CA) Daily Bulletin.
I have to wonder whether the letter writer eats ham and shrimp, wears ploy-cotton or other mixed threads garments, whether he drives on the Sabbath and whether the women in his family wear trousers. All are expressly forbidden in the Hebrew Torah.

* * * *

Challenging God's law is blasphemy

To the biblically ignorant among us, those who attribute to Jesus Christ the approval of certain sinful acts forbidden by the moral division of the law of God as given to Moses, here is a suggestion: Do not attempt to address subjects in which you possess absolutely no knowledge. Remember, it is better to remain silent and only be thought a fool than to open one's mouth (or put into writing) and remove all doubt.

Regarding these forbidden acts, this advice refers to their statement, "Aren't they what Jesus stood for?" Concerning abortion and homosexuality, here, two things must be understood.

First, the law God gave to the ancient Hebrews was both then and now an expression of his perfect will, a will that has never been abrogated (as have its civil and ceremonial divisions) by either the passage of time or changing human values.

Secondly, to base one's argument on the fact (assumed) that certain prohibitions are no longer in effect simply because Jesus did not specifically mention them is to exhibit a total lack of understanding as to the nature and purpose of the Lord's earthly ministry.

But why didn't he make the specific references you deem so important? Simply put, he didn't have to. It was expected of Israel to keep the entire law, including the portions dealing with the taking of innocent life (abortion, for our present purpose) and expressions of homosexuality.

As for abortion - the immoral touchstone of ancient heathens and contemporary decularist alike - check out Exodus 21:22-25 for a glimpse into the mind of God as concerns the loss of innocent life.

However, do avoid the unfortunate rendering perpetrated in the NASB version. The word "further" is only an assumption of the translators, with no such term being found in the Hebrew text.

To attribute the approval of acts forbidden by God's law to Jesus Christ, who is the Incarnated God and as much the Giver of that law as God the Father, is outright blasphemy.

Playing with fire is one thing; to blaspheme God the Son is something quite different.

- LES STANFIELD, Ontario

http://www.dailybulletin.com/Stories/0,1413,203~23144~2631697,00.html

[gratuitous]

1. Ha ha!

"Take the Bible literally as I interpret it, or else! And don't pay any attention to a translation that injects some doubt as to what the unchangeable Word o' God says. I don't know Hebrew, but I know exactly what the correct translation and interpretation is!"

I wonder what Mr. Stanfield makes of the story in Acts 8? Probably totally unaware of it, is my guess.

[bryant69]

2. It's kind of an interestingly arrogant letter

I don't know, bringing Jesus into the Abortion or the Homosexual debate always seems a little unseemly to me, not matter how he's used.

Plus there are always two debates going on which are, Is Abortion / Homosexuality a good thing or at least acceptable?" and "What should Government Policy be towards Abortion or Homosexuality?" Bringing Jesus into the first debate might be appropriate, depending on your beliefs, but I don't see how it is relevant to the second debate.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[ixion]

3. yeah, these creeps are all about 'innocent life' until birth, and

then it's bomb the hell out of them. :eyes:


Oh, and speaking of that... I wonder how many pregnant women, hence unborn children, our military is responsible for killing in Iraq and Afghanistan. But I guess government sanctioned killing was okay with Jesus. :crazy:

[sui generis]

4. er, what is God's law?

and where can I write him to file a complaint? About the last two thousand years or so of misery, death, destruction, and evil done in his name?

Since he's all powerful, I'd also like to sue the negligent bastard for letting all of this shit happen. Anyone want in on a class action suit?

[OneBlueSky]

5. this guy, and people like him, are blatant hypocrites . . .

who claim to follow Biblical teachings, but who pick and choose just WHICH teachings they wish to adhere to . . . the same Holiness Code (Leviticus) that explicity bans homosexual acts also prohibits the eating of raw meat, planting two different kinds of seed in the same field, and wearing garments with two different kinds of yarn . . . among many other things . . . yet the religious right chooses to pull out one prohibition -- homosexuality -- and call it a mortal sin, while neglecting virtually everything else prohibited by the very same Bible verses . . . blatant hypocrisy at its worst . . .

[JDPriestly]

6. God's Law

I wonder if the letter-writer has actually read and obeys all of the laws in the Old Testament. For example, the Bible recommends stoning, but we don't allow it, for good reason.

Why would a newspaper waste newsprint on such a letter?

[question everything]

9. Good question. Ask them

Letters to the editor must be signed and a daytime phone number included for the paper's records only.
Send letters to The Daily Bulletin, Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 4000, Ontario, CA 91761.
Or via e-mail to [e-mail].

[BrklynLiberal]

7. Weren't the ORIGINAL versions of the bible written in Aramaic and Greek??

Everything after that could be open to doubt and interpretation....and as far as I can recall, not that much was written from firsthand memories.
Saul/Paul, in particular, had his own agenda.

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. Not a new phenomenon - here are three quotes that fit

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts."
-- Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), Welsh philosopher and reformer

"The true fanatic is a theocrat, someone who sees himself as acting on behalf of some superpersonal force: the Race, the Party, History, the proletariat, the Poor, and so on. These absolve him from evil, hence he may safely do anything in their service."
-- Lloyd Billingsley, "Religion's Rebel Son: Fanaticism in Our Time", Multnomah Publishers (1986)

An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. -Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948)

[Catfight]

10. Good stuff, those quotes are true...n/t

[eallen]

11. In the Old Testament, there are only two laws concerning abortion....

The first says that if a man fighting accidently strikes a woman, causing her to miscarry, he must pay a fine to the father. (Ex. 21:22.) The other tells a jealous husband to take his wife to the priest, who will put her throught a trial by ordeal, including an abortifacient, that causes her to miscarry if she has been unfaithful.

If there are any other passages referring to abortion, I'd welcome someone pointing them out. The notion that the fetus is a full-fledged person is modern. It is completely absent from the Old Testament.

[unpossibles]

12. please try to keep your facts away from this person....

they may not be able to handle them.

:tinfoilhat:

I guess slavery is now ok again too.

[Behind the Aegis]

13. Irony

If only he had followed his own advice. "Remember, it is better to remain silent and only be thought a fool than to open one's mouth (or put into writing) and remove all doubt." At least he removed ALL doubt about himself!

[K-W]

14. The bible contradicts itself many times.

How do these people keep thier heads from exploding?

Heck, Christ was fairly clear on the fact that he was going against old testament ideas, but these idiots would have you believe in the seemless transition from old to new testament as if Jesus was preaching to sinners that god's wrath would be upon them.

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. Indeed. Concern over the contradictions...

...is said to have made Martin Luther regret making the Bible available to common people by translating it into the vernacular language. He worried about it a lot.

We all know how selectively quoting Biblical verses to support what one already wishes to do is not exactly an uncommon practice. That is why the classic "Open Letter to Dr. Laura" is so valuable as a rebuttal to people who do this. When they push their Bible in your face, pull out the equally "authentic" Biblical quotations in this wonderful piece and ask your own questions in return. My personal favorite from the list:

(d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed 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?

Here is the whole thing -- read it and keep a copy handy if you don't already have one.
http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~susan/joke/laura.htm

One other site recommended on this board recently and new to me is a real find:
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com

[stanwyck]

15. If we all truly followed God's laws

we'd all be Democrats or Greens. There are two references to homosexuality in the Bible. There are hundreds on protecting the earth. Plus, there's that troubling parable about the rich man bragging about how much money he gives the church, though it's just a pittance of his income. Meanwhile, the beggar woman gives all she has. Guess which one is exalted by Jesus?
Not what you're going to hear from the hypocrites who treat God's words like a Chinese menu. I'll just take an item from Column A and one from Column B...but ignore all those that pertain to, uh, ME.
Wouldn't you just love to hear Cheney or Perle or Wolfowitz preach on giving all you have to the church? Or maybe Kenny Boy Lay?
Not going to happen.

[Tony_Illinois]

17. How incredibly simple life must be when you are this ignorant.

This man is just absolutely convinced--without a doubt in his under-educated mind--that things are just that simple. Black and white. No gray areas, no room for an opposing view. This is why Rush and Sean and Bill O'Lielly and that trailer-trash Ann Coulter are so popular. Simple, and stupid answers, to complex issues.

I'd like to ask this guy if he has a daughter. And if he does, would he ever like to sell her into slavery, as sanctioned in
Exodus 21:7. Good God, I hope she behaves herself.