What??? Jesus came down to clarify that which was already crystal clear (note, as examples, the following commandments):
Exodus 21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
These are just 3 of hundreds of very clear commandments and rules. What part of these could possibly need clarification? Or are you suggesting God's attitudes towards sins evolve over time.
Enough of that old hat. For what kind of fools would you take us? This is so over explained it isn't even funny to debate it.
Go read the books of Romans and Hebrews, as if you ever would, but that's a good start.
But in God's own words: I cam not to change the law, but to fulfill it.
The law was NOT a list of do's and don'ts at all. It was a PROPHESY.
re: “Exodus 21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
These are just 3 of hundreds of very clear commandments and rules. What part of these could possibly need clarification? Or are you suggesting God’s attitudes towards sins evolve over time.”
I agree with you that God’s attitude towards sin does not “evolve” over time. I think murder, assault of one’s own parents, and homosexuality are still repugnant to God.
However, I’m sure you realize that not all the laws mentioned in the Old Testament were intended as universal - that is, for all nations to follow. The laws given by God to Moses were part of the covenant God made with the people of Israel - not the rest of the world. Some of these laws are applicable to all, but some are not.
Israel was to be a theocratic nation - that is, a nation established upon the laws of God for its civil and moral daily life. These laws were to be followed by Israel in order to keep them “different” from the other nations around them, and to keep them from practicing the same immoral practices of the nations around them.
Some of the punishments for disobedience seem harsh to us, but it was part of the Covenant agreement that Israel be “holy” and separate in behavior from the pagan nations around them.
Another point that should be noted is that many of the Old Testament’s laws, rules, that seem odd to us, had to do with the “sacrifical”, “tabernacle” or even “temple” system of the worship of God. I admit that many of these things are hard to understand, but it is my opinion (for what it’s worth) that God was teaching His people that we come to Him on His terms - not ours.
As time went on, even in the Old Testament, there were those leaders and individuals who began to realize that following these rules and regulations were not all there was to following/pleasing God.
For example, David in Psalm 51:16-17 said: “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
And again in Isaiah 1:10-12: “The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the LORD. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
In Hosea 6:6 is says: “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”
Also in Habakkuk 2:4 - “but the righteous will live by his faith”
And last, in Jeremiah 31:31-34 - “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
My point?? Though God’s attitude toward sin may not change, the manner in which He deals with it has - As it says in Jeremiah 31, God brought about a New Covenant. Christians believe the Jesus is the fullfillment of that New Covenant - not just with Israel, but with all mankind.
God saw that we could never follow all the rules and regulations to achieve “righteousness” before Him - that’s why He had to send us a Savior - He, Himself, could be the only one who could remove the guilt of our sin - that’s who Christians believe Jesus is - God in the flesh. God paid the price of our guilt Himself because we couldn’t.
What I’m trying to say is, just as God began to deal with sin in a different way with the New Covenant, over time, during the Christian era of influence upon western civilization - western law began to apply punishment for certain crimes/sins in different ways as well.
Even so, the New Testament teaches that the purpose of government is to protect the innocent and punish those who do evil, to provide law and order (Romans 13:1-7), but how that punishment is carried out has gradually been tempered by the Christian influence of “redemption” and “forgiveness” that has been shown us by God.
I guess what I’m trying to say to you is that this is a very deep subject, and just saying the teachings in the Bible and the Koran are equal in what they advocate is simply incorrect.