Panther Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 God's cure for leprosy Leviticus (14:2-52) "This shall be the law of the leper." (summed up version) God's law for lepers: Get two birds. Kill one. Dip the live bird in the blood of the dead one. Sprinkle the blood on the leper seven times, and then let the blood-soaked bird fly away. Next find a lamb and kill it. Wipe some of its blood on the patient's right ear, thumb, and big toe. Sprinkle seven times with oil and wipe some of the oil on his right ear, thumb and big toe. Repeat. Finally find another pair of birds. Kill one and dip the live bird in the dead bird's blood. Wipe some blood on the patient's right ear, thumb, and big toe. Sprinkle the house with blood 7 times. That's all there is to it. Link Is this not ridiculous? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piprus Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Works every time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panther Posted November 23, 2006 Author Share Posted November 23, 2006 I was wondering how "literal xtians" make sense of this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everglaze Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 That sounds...quite nutty. I want to know what elaborate explanation Christians come up with on this one. They'll probably interpret it in some crazy way where it sounds nowhere as nearly in context with what it's really stating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panther Posted November 24, 2006 Author Share Posted November 24, 2006 That sounds...quite nutty. I want to know what elaborate explanation Christians come up with on this one. They'll probably interpret it in some crazy way where it sounds nowhere as nearly in context with what it's really stating. Yep, either that or they won't touch it with a ten foot pole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixentrox Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Oh oh! We obviously reading it out of context! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 To be fair the translation for this isn't really leprosy but a generic skin disease (which could be leprosy). So now that you know that doesn't it make much more sense? mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonkey Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I don't think leprosy is even considered a specific type of skin disease, as your post seems to imply. Leprosy is a disease of the peripheral nervous system. As for the OP... makes me wonder how I ever swallowed the notion that the Old Testament purity laws actually reveal a sophisticated understanding of hygienics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currentchristian Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 God's cure for leprosy Leviticus (14:2-52) "This shall be the law of the leper." (summed up version) God's law for lepers: Get two birds. Kill one. Dip the live bird in the blood of the dead one. Sprinkle the blood on the leper seven times, and then let the blood-soaked bird fly away. Next find a lamb and kill it. Wipe some of its blood on the patient's right ear, thumb, and big toe. Sprinkle seven times with oil and wipe some of the oil on his right ear, thumb and big toe. Repeat. Finally find another pair of birds. Kill one and dip the live bird in the dead bird's blood. Wipe some blood on the patient's right ear, thumb, and big toe. Sprinkle the house with blood 7 times. That's all there is to it. Link Is this not ridiculous? In many cases, the laws found in the Torah are attributed to Moses. Granted, the people had to abide by them, or else. On occasion in the gospels, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Moses said..." but I say. (For example, Mark 10.2-9, in which Jesus nullifies the teaching of the Law in favor of his teaching.) This ritual for the cleansing of a skin disease is ridiculous from our point of view. But perhaps it provided a placebo effect for the participant? Perhaps it made the person better, or at least made the person feel better? (As the scapegoat may have been for the psychological benefit of the people.) I also wonder if "then the Lord spoke to Moses" found often in the ritual and purity laws really means "here's a rule and it came from the Lord so you better follow it" when the rule actually was established by Moses or the community of elders who were looking for some backup? (Jesus refers to the commandment regarding honoroing one's mother and father as a word not from "the Lord" but from Moses in Mark 7.9-13) If any of you, dear readers, has a skin disease, please call a dermatologist! -CC in MA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest God's Prosecutor Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 God's cure for leprosy... In many cases, the laws found in the Torah are attributed to Moses. Granted, the people had to... If there were gods then they would, of course, be able to explain to their prophets how to actually cure disease, rather than just offer a placebo effect. So that leaves the following options. 1) The prophet was in communication with a superior intelligence, but that superior being offered him misleading information. 2) The prophet was not in communication with a superior intelligence and wrote Leviticus 14 without divine guidance. Either way you end up with gods, books, and prophets that aren't worthy of worship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramen666 Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 In many cases, the laws found in the Torah are attributed to Moses. Granted, the people had to abide by them, or else. On occasion in the gospels, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Moses said..." but I say. (For example, Mark 10.2-9, in which Jesus nullifies the teaching of the Law in favor of his teaching.) This ritual for the cleansing of a skin disease is ridiculous from our point of view. But perhaps it provided a placebo effect for the participant? Perhaps it made the person better, or at least made the person feel better? (As the scapegoat may have been for the psychological benefit of the people.) I also wonder if "then the Lord spoke to Moses" found often in the ritual and purity laws really means "here's a rule and it came from the Lord so you better follow it" when the rule actually was established by Moses or the community of elders who were looking for some backup? (Jesus refers to the commandment regarding honoroing one's mother and father as a word not from "the Lord" but from Moses in Mark 7.9-13) If any of you, dear readers, has a skin disease, please call a dermatologist! -CC in MA But if the Bible says it, it must be followed because it is truth and nothing but the truth. (Honestly don't you Christians read) I am off to kill a lamb right now because I almost got it done, the blood sprinkled bird just flew away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Boy, CC, you're a slippery one going from thread to thread but that's okay with me. I see that you're still talking about the OT laws and placebo effects and all. On occasion in the gospels, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Moses said..." but I say. (For example, Mark 10.2-9, in which Jesus nullifies the teaching of the Law in favor of his teaching.) Under what authority did jesus do this? (this is rhetorical...I think everyone know the "right" answer even though to "nullify" the law was not an option) I also wonder if "then the Lord spoke to Moses" found often in the ritual and purity laws really means "here's a rule and it came from the Lord so you better follow it" when the rule actually was established by Moses or the community of elders who were looking for some backup? (Jesus refers to the commandment regarding honoroing one's mother and father as a word not from "the Lord" but from Moses in Mark 7.9-13) You say that Moses (we'll just assume there was a Moses and all that's true) simply added the whole "This law came from YHWH" bit to add some authority to his, or the tribal elders, own laws. This I'll agree with you on. This is not an uncommon phenomenon. So write a bunch of laws and since you don't have a lot of authority add "Oh yeah, they're from god so you'd better do them." Now for the interesting part. Skip ahead to 1st century CE. Now you're telling us the same thing. "There was a law, by some guy Moses, but god came a long and changed so it's a good idea to do the new version." Neat trick. Are you sure that the words of "Mark" aren't simply put there to give YOU a placebo affect? To make YOU "feel good?" If any of you, dear readers, has a skin disease, please call a dermatologist! Good advice. mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts