From: rpitts@emperor.gatech.edu (Richard Pitts)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: The sin of shaving? (was Homosexuals anywhere...)
Date: 29 Jul 92 15:29:57 GMT
Organization: CERL-EE, Georgia Institue of Technology

In article <jWcqr*5h1@bkhouse.cts.com> nkraft@bkhouse.cts.com (Norman Kraft) writes:
<Some examples from Leviticus 19: (Jerusalem Bible)
<
<19 You must keep my laws. You are not to mate cattle with those of 
<   another kind; you are not to sow two kinds of grain in your field;
<   you are not to wear a garment made from two kinds of fabric.
<
<   [So, what about all the meat we eat that is the result of breeding
<   various types of cattle together to arrive at a stronger breed?
<   What about our fields, which often have two or more grains in them,
<   or grow hybrid grains? What about 50/50 cotton/polyester shirts? 
<   Do you own one?]

You forget that in the NT Jesus is recorded as saying that defilement
comes from within (sin, greed, etc.) and not from without (the eating
of foods or dirty hands.)  In fact, I believe, it is recorded somewhere
in Mark, that in saying this or something similar, that Jesus DECLARED
ALL FOODS CLEAN.  Then later in Peter's vision he had the dream
of the 'clean and unclean' foods that God told him to rise and eat
and to not call anything unclean that He had called clean.

<23 Once you have entered this land and planted a fruit tree of any
<   sort, you are to regard its fruits as its foreskin. For three years
<   it shall be a thing uncircumcised, and you must not eat it. In the
<   forth year, all the fruit shall be a thing consecrated to Yahweh in 
<   a feast of praise. In the fifth year, you may eat the fruit and
<   gather the produce for yourselves. I am Yahweh your God.
<
<   [Is this done? Though the land spoken of is Israel, is this done
<   by Christians even there? Are you aware that this is all part of
<   a discussion that derives from the consideration of those who are
<   uncircumcised are unclean? What about uncirsumcised Christians?]

See above - Peter's vision was practically applied as he, a Jew, went
to the formerly unclean (uncircumcised) Gentile and shared the Good News
with them.  Peter later is recorded as saying that we (Jews) are saved
just like they (Gentiles) are saved - by faith.  It is written that
God would make Abraham's seed a blessing to ALL nations.  

<27 You are not to round off your hair at the edges nor trim the edges of
<   your beard. You are not to gash your bodies when someone dies, and
<   you are not to tattoo yourselves. I am Yahweh.
<
<   [Uh, oh. Haircuts and shaving are out, as are tattoos. Seems like
<   that "clean cut" look that is so popular among some groups of 
<   Christians is quite contrary to God's law.]

Inward or outward defilement?

<32 You are to rise up before grey hairs, you are to honor old age and
<   fear your God. I am Yahweh.
<
<   [Do we all rise when a grey haired person enters a room? Do we give
<   honor (not just politeness, but honor) to the old people in our lives?]

Some do - publically society in general does not.

<Now I realize that some Christians are fond of saying that Christ in
<the New Testament abrogated these laws, and instituted new laws that 
<they are following. If one wants to stay with a "literal" reading, however,
<Christ did no such thing, and in several cases confirmed that the Old 
<Testament laws are still fully applicable: 
<
<   "Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.
<    I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly,
<    till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke
<    shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore,
<    the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments
<    and teaches others to do the same will be considered least in the
<    kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will
<    be considered great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-19)

What does fullfill mean - to bring to completion????

Jesus became the perfect final sacrifice - He did once and for all
what the OT priests had to do daily and now He has sat down at the
right had of God, whereas the OT priest continually worked.

<    "After he had come down from the mountain large crowds followed
<    him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. 'Sir', 
<    he said, 'if you want to, you can cure me.' Jesus stretched out
<    his hand, touched him and said 'Of course I want to! Be cured!'
<    And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, 'Mind
<    you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest
<    and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them."
<    (Matthew 8:1-4)

I'm not sure what your emphasis was in quoting this passage.

<    "Did not Moses give you the Law? And yet not one of you keeps
<    the Law!"  (John 7:19)

He said this and maybe your are quoting for the same reason - that
the people were teaching for doctrines the commandments of men and
thereby negating the law of God.  It was a rebuke.

<I'm sure there are all sorts of complex justifications for the
<fundamentalist position of picking out Leviticus 18:22:
<
<"You must not lie with a man as with a woman. This is a hateful thing"

I guess this is a too straight forward of a statement to understand.

<yet ignoring the entirety of chapter 19. For all of that, however, it is
<clear that fundamentalists and literalists are as much the cafeteria
<Christian as they are always accusing others of being. If homosexuality
<is damned by this passage, then so are those that shave and wear 
<permanent press shirts.

Do you strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, yourself?

Again - defilement comes from within and not without.

A man sins when he is drawn away BY HIS OWN DESIRE.

<Norm.
<
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<Norman R. Kraft 			   INET  : nkraft@bkhouse.cts.com
<Senior Partner				   UUCP  : ucsd!crash!bkhouse!nkraft
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Sincerely,
Richard Pitts


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