Leviticus 19:26-37
I read this passage with perhaps a bit of delight mixed with great sadness. The state of the religious world is such that, just as Jesus said, brother is against brother, father agains mother and basically the world is in a religious shambles. I am not sure if there is anyone or any group to blame. There seems to be a great deal of blame to throw around for almost everyone.
When I say delight, it's not like I am happy about the state of affairs, but I have to chuckle in a sad way. We argue over such minutia and over translations, over who is thee best God or the one true God and over who did what when. We are all guilty. Even if we have not committed a wrong ourselves, we let the 'stuff' happen. We often sit idly by while evil flourishes.
I cannot help but think of that cute letter to Dr. Laura that picks apart people that selectively choose to take Scripture literally and out context, historical and otherwise. I have reprinted it beneath today's Scripture passage for your entertainment.
I am not of sufficient wisdom or intelligence to come up with the Rubic's cube solution of reconciling the myriad religions and philosophies of the world. I know several people have come close and they stand apart in human history. In our time I would suggest Thomas Merton. He seemed to cut through (or put aside) dogma and policies to get to the common core of religions. This garnered him great respect in many faiths. He had said that if we argued different religions based on rules, rubrics and dogmas we would never be able to reconcile any religion. I'm not sure if he included Christian denominations in that mix but I'd say it is true also. Like I said, he had the ability, wisdom and knowledge to cut to the common core in a way few others have been able to. I am certainly not up to the task.
There is another person who had an even greater impact than Merton, in fact Merton was a follower of his. He really cut to the core. His teachings are often quoted and seldom followed. He railed against rules and rubrics and spoke in a mesmerizing way that both enchanted, inspired and enlightened the masses. He also challenged the power elite and for that he was in fact killed - brutally. Yes, that man is Jesus, God and man. He spoke of love, inclusion, forgiveness and only two commandments. I do not think we will ever reconcile everyone to each other on this side of the grave but if we have any chance, I know it involves Jesus' message of love. That's the broad stroke, but the real answer to the world's problems is surely love.
When we can disengage from the rules as a litmus test to faith and use them to enrich our lives and as a loose guide for living we will begin to hope in the heaven Jesus proclaimed was here now. The heart of the matter, no put intended, is love. Pure and simple.
You shall not eat anything with its blood. You shall not practise augury or witchcraft. You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. You shall not make any gashes in your flesh for the dead or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord.
Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, so that the land may not become prostituted and full of depravity. You shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.
Do not turn to mediums or wizards; do not seek them out, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.
You shall rise before the aged, and defer to the old; and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.
When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
You shall not cheat in measuring length, weight, or quantity. You shall have honest balances, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You shall keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and observe them: I am the Lord.
Dr Laura Schlessinger ("Dr Laura") broadcasts a 3 hour long, radio program each weekday on a network of over 500 radio stations in the U.S. and Canada and has an estimated audience of 20 million people. She holds a Ph.D. in physiology (study of the functions of living matter), not psychology as some assume.
In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger has 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 was posted o
n the internet and is best regarded as an essay clearly meant for a wider audience than just Dr Laura. It is a general reminder that many belief systems pick and choose their way through biblical teachings in determining what is "right" and "wrong". Authorship has been attributed to several, but remains unconfirmed.
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 neighbouring 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 neighbours. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbour 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 am confident you can help.
Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Your adoring fan.
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