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RE: From another conversation...
On Thu, 24 Jan 2002, Kelvin Bailey wrote:
> Not all "laws" in the "Law of Moses" were given for the same purpose.
> Type 1 - moral laws. all people, all times
> Type 2 - ritualistic laws (cleanliness, etc.)
> Type 3 - laws for national protection and preservation
This is a common argument many Christians make, now that we have done away
with a bunch of laws (which arguably never applied to Gentiles anyway),
but I wonder if anyone in ancient Israel would have made this distinction.
The fact remains, according to I Samuel, God told Saul to commit genocide,
and Saul failed, and Saul was punished for his failure, and this story is
trotted out in Sunday School classes and Christian-education programs
again and again to show children that they need to be *obedient*.
And when David Letterman, who evidently has a positive view of faith and
religion, asks how it is possible for "religious fervour" to lead to
events like September 11, I am disturbed by the fact that I know the
answer to his question, not just in my head, but in my gut.
--- Peter T. Chattaway --------------------------- peter at chattaway_com ---
"I detected one misprint, but to torture you I will not tell you where."
Winston Churchill to T.E. Lawrence, re Seven Pillars of Wisdom
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