On her radio show, Dr. Laura 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. Schlesinger, written by a US man, and posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as quite 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.24:10-16. 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 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
P.S. (It would be a damn shame if we couldn't own a Canadian.)
If you're interested try Apologetics.com Radio Show on iTunes, it's a podcast that answers question like yours.
Thank you, I've found this all really interesting. I've personally lost nearly all respect for Manny over the years - admission of serial adultery and rumours of domestic abuse certainly tarnish the nice guy image but hey he is a politician. Regarding the bible thing, I just feel that if this stuff was in black and white as Gods word, then to a believer it's surely GODS WORD.... with religion the most important thing in Pacquia's life (allegedly) he'll not see anything wrong in what he has said - he's just quoting the main man. Crazy.
What the haters don't like is male on male penetrative anal sexual intercourse. Yet there is silence when it comes to male on female penetrative anal sexual intercourse which in some places has been practiced as a form of birth control for centuries. Especially when artificial birth control aids are unavailable or unaffordable. What consenting adults do in private is very largely their own business, and if same sex people tastefully demonstrate care and affection in public, well good for them.
What the haters don't like is male on male penetrative anal sexual intercourse. Yet there is silence when it comes to male on female penetrative anal sexual intercourse which in some places has been practiced as a form of birth control for centuries. Especially when artificial birth control aids are unavailable or unaffordable. What consenting adults do in private is very largely their own business, and if same sex people tastefully demonstrate care and affection in public, well good for them.
He's preaching to his audience, a mostly poor population of devoted Catholic people, who have nothing to look forward to except a miserable existence. He really should be turning his attention his country's appalling record on sex crimes.
He is allowed to hold such views je should be allowed To say them without fear of being demonised
It's for more considered and less bigoted minded people to put a different opinion to him and make him see that his opinion is not correct and that there are alternatives to that view
This whole scenario proves that people still don't know what "freedom of speech" actually means. What he said isn't illegal but he can still be called a moron.
He is perfectly entitled to his opinions, BUT the use of 'animals' as an adjective was definitely out of order, and can't be condoned, whatever one's opinion on the rights and wrongs of a homosexual lifestyle
I'm not religious and don't know much about Christianity, but I think Christians believe that Jesus' death rendered the Book of Leviticus obsolete. In Leviticus it was necessary for people to make regular offerings to God to atone for sins and give thanks. Jesus' death (the greatest sacrifice in their eyes) allowed God and the people to begin again without the need for sacrifice. Jesus had basically paid in advance for any sins that would be committed.
So when Jesus died he wiped out the need to kill homosexuals as those laws were superseded by the new relationship with God. Obviously Christians still see homosexuality as a sin but presumably this sin is no worse than any other since their God always forgives. So instead of stoning I assume a "proper" Christian would just quietly condemn.
If Pacquiao is insistent on keeping to the laws of Leviticus then I hope he sticks to the funny ones too. My favourite is the one that prohibits the wearing of clothing woven from two types of material.
Except that many Christians, especially evangelicals in the US, choose to ignore the various other bits of the old testament like not cutting your hair and not eating pork but quote as gospel (see what I did there) the bit they choose to. So homosexuality is more and far worse than just any other sin such as adultery, the world was created in seven days, etc etc.
The Old Testament is still part of the bible and still believed by many Christians
Prefacing this with I'm half Jewish, half Christian, an atheist, an amateur library scholar, and someone who believes religious organizations can do some wonderful things (see black churches in the southern US) as well as terrible things (see white churches in the Southern US).
Per my interpretation, @Just_Llera you are largely correct, although as always, the devil often lies in the details. Christians would argue that the traditional teachings of Judaism became null and void during his interactions with the Rabbis at the old temple. Other things are treated as void due to mistranslations (not eating milk and meat together is can be excused because the original intent was not eating an animal cooked in its mothers milk). Because Jesus is resurrected on the Sunday, that day is the Sabbath for Christians, not Saturday as it is for the Jews (and many Jewish principles of the Sabbath are thrown out with the day).
That said, Jesus is the Christ in part because he theoretically comes from the Davidic bloodline (though Joseph, his adopted father, I think, when you get into Biblical bloodlines shit gets weird).
There is also the council of Nicaea and then ensuing iterations where "Uniform Doctrine" is declared, and that doctrine remains relatively static in text after ~400AD (if not interpretation) through Martin Luther's (SPLITTER) reformation. Remember, there are many "lost" books of the bible, ones either lost to time completely, discovered in the Ancient Sea Scrolls, or that remained but remained outside the bible.
Oh, and there is always, of course, ignorance. Plain ignorance can be why Christians have phased out the old testament. And marketing. How to be competitive in a competitive market? Differentiate yourself!
On a serious note, I took a class at uni on the early writings of Christians, Jews, and Romans about Christianity and it was, at times, very fascinating, and some of those writing deal with these kinds of issues.
What the haters don't like is male on male penetrative anal sexual intercourse. Yet there is silence when it comes to male on female penetrative anal sexual intercourse which in some places has been practiced as a form of birth control for centuries. Especially when artificial birth control aids are unavailable or unaffordable. What consenting adults do in private is very largely their own business, and if same sex people tastefully demonstrate care and affection in public, well good for them.
What about when I try to penetrate myself? I have invested a lot of time and effort into this and I am not impressed by these attempts to interfere with my human rights.
Comments
On her radio show, Dr. Laura 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. Schlesinger, written by a US man, and posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as quite 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.24:10-16. 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 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
P.S. (It would be a damn shame if we couldn't own a Canadian.)
Rasta is largely based on it too
What consenting adults do in private is very largely their own business, and if same sex people tastefully demonstrate care and affection in public, well good for them.
He really should be turning his attention his country's appalling record on sex crimes.
It's for more considered and less bigoted minded people to put a different opinion to him and make him see that his opinion is not correct and that there are alternatives to that view
I know many stories about Manny as friends of mine are very close to him.
Per my interpretation, @Just_Llera you are largely correct, although as always, the devil often lies in the details. Christians would argue that the traditional teachings of Judaism became null and void during his interactions with the Rabbis at the old temple. Other things are treated as void due to mistranslations (not eating milk and meat together is can be excused because the original intent was not eating an animal cooked in its mothers milk). Because Jesus is resurrected on the Sunday, that day is the Sabbath for Christians, not Saturday as it is for the Jews (and many Jewish principles of the Sabbath are thrown out with the day).
That said, Jesus is the Christ in part because he theoretically comes from the Davidic bloodline (though Joseph, his adopted father, I think, when you get into Biblical bloodlines shit gets weird).
There is also the council of Nicaea and then ensuing iterations where "Uniform Doctrine" is declared, and that doctrine remains relatively static in text after ~400AD (if not interpretation) through Martin Luther's (SPLITTER) reformation. Remember, there are many "lost" books of the bible, ones either lost to time completely, discovered in the Ancient Sea Scrolls, or that remained but remained outside the bible.
Oh, and there is always, of course, ignorance. Plain ignorance can be why Christians have phased out the old testament. And marketing. How to be competitive in a competitive market? Differentiate yourself!
On a serious note, I took a class at uni on the early writings of Christians, Jews, and Romans about Christianity and it was, at times, very fascinating, and some of those writing deal with these kinds of issues.
I need a lie down.
What about when I try to penetrate myself? I have invested a lot of time and effort into this and I am not impressed by these attempts to interfere with my human rights.
Because that's what he is.