The 'Biblical' Moral Code
Submitted by Mark on June 17 2000 22:20:47
In reply to The Moral Code submitted by Ford Prefect on June 16 2000 20:01:21
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As Ford Prefect says, *the* moral code is not so clear. We think our beliefs are based on the Bible, but do not realize how much they are really shaped by our current culture instead. After analyzing scripture related to sexual morality, here is what theologan Walter Wink says in "Homosexuality and the Bible" (pp. 8-9): Virtually all modern readers would agree with the Bible in rejecting: incest rape adultery intercourse with animals But we disagree with the Bible on most other sexual mores. The Bible condemned the following behaviors which we generally allow: intercourse during menstruation celibacy exogamy (marriage with non-Jews) naming sexual organs nudity (under certain conditions) masturbation (some Christians still condemn this) [but James Dobson, leader of the conservative Christian organization "Focus on the Family", accepts it. --Mark] birth control (some Christians still forbid this) And the Bible regarded semen and menstrual blood as unclean, which most of us do not. Likewise, the Bible permitted behaviors that we today condemn: prostitution polygamy levirate marriage sex with slaves concubinage treatment of women as propery very early marriage (for the girl, age 11-13) And while the Old Testament accepted divorce, Jesus forbade it. In short, of the sexual mores mentioned here, we only agree with the Bible on four of them, and disagree with it on sixteen! |
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