I have some questions:
a) 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?
b) 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?
c) 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.
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?
e) 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?
f) 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?
g) 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?
h) 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?
i) 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?
j) 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 24:10-16) 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.
strider44,
a-j are written to JEWS. Not applicable to Christians. A better question is, “do they still apply to Jews.” Perhaps you should ask a Jew. They can speak very well for themselves.
ampu
I realize your list is written in a sarcastic and/or humorous way, but here is a response nevertheless. Most of the laws you quote were civil laws expressly written for and observed by the children of Israel and worked well for maintaining civil order. Some of these laws concerning hygiene were amazing considering they knew nothing about germs at that time. Some sound strange to us because they are taken out of cultural context, such as “if a man sells his daughter as a slave...” Others of these are external forms of laws that were later “written on our hearts and minds” under the new covenant of Jesus Christ. Now our body is the temple and the sacrifice is complete in the cross.
What you don’t understand is that the Jews in the OLD Testament were making Judiasm a LEGALISTIC ritual and the Priests were HYPOCRITES. Maybe that could help clear your head.
The problem is that you WANT to believe what you do. You do NOT want serious discussion. You simply want to mock Christians and Jews.
There is something else you should note. The Bible RECORDS what people did. It doesn’t necessarily CONDONE what people did. For example, no where does it work out well for men to have MUTLIPLE WIVES. Yet it happens all the time. The intermarrying for political reasons was routinely done and that didn’t work out well either. Why? Because from the beginning it was to be ONE man for ONE woman. Finally Christ calrified that as well as the deciples because the people were not being obedient and obeying the prophets.
Of course you have every right to proselytize, until the person tells you to stop. The catholic church has every right to teach that everyone outside the church has a soul that is in mortal danger. To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson it neither breaks my bones or pricks my flesh.
Considering we have a constitution that allows us to violate 7 of the ten commandments I find it funny when people want them posted all over the place.
Answers to your questions can be found in the new Testament (which is also part of God’s word).
a) 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?
First, is the Temple contructed? No, still knocked down. It is against the Law to have a sacrifice anywhere else. So, no. Also, no one but a Cohen can offer the sacrifice. Are you a descendant of Aaron? Thought not.
b) 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?
Actually, it’s not “sanctioned,” but forbidden but for this circumstance. Also, this is inapplicable to non-Jews. Are you Jewish? If so, does the law of the land forbid slavery? Ah, it does, so that makes this practice against the Law, as well.
c) 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.
Your are Levite offering sacrifice to the Temple? Oh, still no Temple. Never mind.
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?
Only applicable to Jews in Israel and then only if not otherwise against secular law. Slavery is illegal in Israel.
e) 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?
Is your neighbor Jewish? If not, not applicable. Are you part of the Sanhedrin tasked with enforcing this? No Sanhedrin? No authority.
f) 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?
Is your friend Jewish? If not, shellfish does not apply to him. If so, either is wrong, and the one that puts a persons’ life in danger is the greater abomination.
g) 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?
Wake me when there is again a Temple and you are the High Priest.
h) 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?
Are your male friends Jewish? Ah, again, does not otherwise apply. And, again, no Sanhedrin, no authority to enforce.
i) 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?
Given this would be a concern only if you are approaching the alter of the Lord and are the High Priest, I would go play football.
j) 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 24:10-16) 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)
Is your uncle Jewish? And planting in Israel?
Is he trying to pass off the cotton/poly blend as something more expensive, thereby cheating the customer? If not, not a problem.
Etc.
The Bible is not remotely weird in context.