The Bible, taken too literally

[TeriB19]

Ok all, I am not starting this thread to stir up any trouble, but I was sent this email and it is pretty thought provoking. This, to me, really says it all when it comes to NOT taking every word in the bible literally.

Dr. Laura (Schlessinger) is a U.S. radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination to her according
to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura which was posted on the Internet.

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 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 - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

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 cleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. 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?

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?

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?

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, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan, Jim

Now again, I'm not here to start any fighting, just my opinion that this shows just how the bible cannot be taken word for word, literally in this day and age.

[JenRN]

Oh man..... I have been down this road so many times in my life! I always would ask questions like this to priests, ministers etc.... I always would say "who's intrepretation of the bible is correct? The Catholics think they are right and so do the Jews" I would go round and round. It is hard I know and frusterating too. There are people out there who are extremists and that is just as frusterating. I have a deep faith and I could not be without it. If you think about these things too hard it will turn you off from any spirtuality. I try to listen to all angles and go with my heart. I know that without my faith I would not have been able to get through a lot of things in my life. I know that so many people take this so literally, and those are the people who have blinders on. It is a constant battle to find that "balance" for some people.

[theseeker018]

I agree with you that the entire Bible can not be taken literally. But notice that all of his texts were from the old testament. Jesus came to shatter the rules and laws of the old testament. That is why we don't have to offer animal sacrifices and such anymore, because Jesus was our sacrifice once and for all. Most of his questions were trivial, petty, and unimportant in my mind. Although I am interested in what her response to him is going to be so when she does respond would you mind posting it here Teri?

[TeriB19]

Sorry, Seeker. It was an email that I got, and I believe it's fairly outdated as well. I just thought that I'd post it to see how those who say that the bible is to be taken word for word would be able to explain those passages in todays modern times. I don't know if she ever responded to this or not.

[Jez]

I really enjoyed reading that...thanks!

[Dogstar]

Thanks for that, Teri. I look at the Bible as sort of a guidebook for life, not an absolute. There are definite words of wisdom in it, but I don't take it literally.

[Torn Signs]

thnks for putting it on

[TeriB19]

Quote:

Originally posted by Dogstar
Thanks for that, Teri. I look at the Bible as sort of a guidebook for life, not an absolute. There are definite  words of wisdom in it, but I don't take it literally.

IMO, that's exactly what the bible is, a guidebook, not a rulebook or a playbook.

[Xterminator27]

wow you just learned the key to all religion.

And yhea its liek you said, a guide. to help people have hope when their is no hope, and to fix people when they need fixing.

If you look deeper, its really a humongus book full of thousands of medaphors

(i think i said this a whiel ago but teri didnt agree....)
OH WELL im not here to convince people about stff, just to say my 2 cents

[SCOTTSMYMAN]

Thanks for posting that Teri. Very interesting. I try to stay away from here myself and have only posted a few times. I hate debating about religion. There are so many different views and no one ever agrees with each other! Unfortunatley, no one can just leave it at that! I believe in God, I believe in Heaven and Hell. I believe Jesus died on the cross for our sins and let's just leave it at that! I have never taken everything in the bible too the extreme! Like you say ,I've used it as a guide to help me get through this world!

[TeriB19]

My thoughts exactly, Kris.

[ZION1010]

I Dont Belive That The bible Can Be Taken To Literally Thats New Age Trash And I May A Ofend A Lot Of You But This Happens The Word Is sharper Than A Two EDGED SWORD I Cant Say This old Testament And New Testament Heres The Differ In t.o.t. God Showed The People He Was God The Old Testament shows That He Was A Powerfull God Hes Creation Failed Him Over And Over Again The New Testament Shows Us How Powerful Hes Love Is The Old Testament Shows Us A lot Of His Wrath In His Word Our Many mystries That Man Desires to Know Its THE TRUTH THE WAY AND THE LIGHT THE LORD SAID WHEN YOU HOLD MY WORD YOU HOLD ME IT IS MY SHELID MY ARMOUR MY STRENGTH WITHOUT IT IM NAKED Its the only link to God And His People So Saying His word is to Be taken To Literally Would Be to say Dont take god Literally I Know Theres A lot Of babes Out there That Dont Get It And I know There Is Some Of You That Knows How Wrong This is PLEASE SPEAK UP This Information That Teri Has Got Is Move Of The Spirt Of The Beast Some Of You Our Not Wise Enough To Know This I Dont want To Start A Fight Its A Warring Please Here It It May sound Okay And Make Sense But Its The Way He Moves HES WORD IS TO BE TAKEN VERY LITERALLY JESUS IS LORD AND LOVES US ALL

[TeriB19]

Um, what?

[theseeker018]

ok, while i was swimming through zion's message i picked up on a couple of good points:
1) the new testmament is the evidence of the amazing love for man, and
2)that to not take PARTS of the Bible literally, is to not take God literally.
i think there are parts of the Bible to take literally, especially that God has this amazing love for all of mankind and that it is avaliable to everyone. and that other parts are written in a metaphoric language, like revelation which is a whole other topic.

thanks for posting it teri.

[TeriB19]

Quote:

Originally posted by ZION1010
This    Information    That   Teri    Has    Got    Is    Move   Of    The   Spirt     Of    The   Beast    

Um, what about this?

ps.....You're welcome, seeker, thanks for clearing some of it up for me!