List of actions prohibited by the Bible

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{{hatnote|Not to be confused with the [[list of actions prohibited by the Qur'an]].}}
{{cquote|I'm not a [[Evil|bad]] [[man]]. I don't [[Alcohol|drink]] or [[Fun:Morris Dancing|dance]] or [[No Cussing Club|swear]]. I've done ''[[Biblical literalism|everything the Bible says]]'', even [[Biblical_contradictions|the stuff that contradicts the other stuff]]! I've even kept [[kosher]], just to [[Divine retribution|stay on the safe side]].|||Ned Flanders, "Hurricane Neddy", ''[[The Simpsons]]'''<ref>[http://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Hurricane_Neddy/Quotes Simpsons Wiki — Hurricane Neddy Quotes]</ref>}}
There are a lot of '''actions prohibited by the Bible'''. How many have you done? Can you count them all? 

==Overview==
The biggest single set of crimes are [[sexual]] in nature, usually punishable by the [[death penalty]], followed by a whole set of religious prohibitions. Things we consider sexual crimes (like [[rape]] and [[child abuse]]) are not what the [[Old Testament]] is talking about. Sexual transgressions typically relate to a failure to comport oneself ([[sex]]ually) in a manner that the [[Israelite]]s approved of. [[Adultery]] and [[masturbation]] were regarded as worse than modern crimes such as molestation or rape — arguably because they challenged such [[moral]] issues as "Which of my children is really mine, so gets my land?" and "The more sons I have the more land I can work, so the more [[money]] I own." Taken by the word of [[God]] alone, however, one just has to assume that God cares if you touch yourself or find someone sexy before you are [[married]].

Though exactly ''why'' God should have such a deep and abiding interest in the sexual and [[Marriage|marital]] predilections of his creations is not clear. The religious laws describe the various rituals and [[taboo]]s involved in the proper way of worshiping the Israelite God, and also seek to prevent [[apostasy]]. At least in this case, the reasoning behind assassinating anybody who stepped out of line is clear.

There are also a few [[fundamentalist]] [[Christian]]s such as [[Dominionism|Dominionists]] who feel that the death penalties as described should be enforced today.<ref>http://www.religioustolerance.org/reconstr.htm</ref><ref>http://www.theologyonline.com/DEATH.HTML</ref>

==Old Testament==
The [[Hebrew]] Bible, or [[Tanakh]] (the source for the Christian Old Testament), which forms the core texts of the [[Halakha]], or corpus of [[Judaism|Jewish]] divine [[law]], includes a surprising number of [[crime]]s that merit the death penalty as [[punishment]]. These laws were believed to form an integral part of the overall "Covenant" between the [[Israel]]ites and [[YHWH]]. When the Christians adopted the Old Testament as their canon, neither they as a body, nor [[Jesus]] as the [[Messiah]], revised or redacted any of these laws, for all they edited was the Hebrew texts. Many of the following belong to the ceremonial and civil categories of the Mosaic Law, which Christians regard as defunct and Jews regard as binding on themselves only.

===Sexual acts===
All of these used to merit ''death'' in ancient times; however, with the destruction of the second Jewish temple, the Jewish Sanhedrin courts all but abolished the death penalty. In [[Israel]] (where Judaic religious courts still exist), capital punishment is allowed only during wartime and only for [[genocide]], [[crimes against humanity]], [[war crimes]], and treason (and has been employed only twice: against {{wpl|Meir Tobianski||,}} who was later found out to be innocent, and against {{wpl|Adolf Eichmann||,}} who deserved it).

*Having [[Homosexuality|homosexual]] intercourse between men ({{bible|Leviticus|18|22}}, {{bible|Leviticus|20|13}}).
*Committing [[adultery]] between a man and a woman ({{bible|Leviticus|20|10|12}}, {{bible|Deuteronomy|22|22}}).
*Lying about [[virginity]] ({{bible|Deuteronomy|22|20|21}}).<ref group=note>Applies to girls who are still in their fathers' homes, who lie about their virginity, and are presented to their husband as a virgin. {{wpl|Presumption of guilt|The accused is guilty until proved innocent}}.</ref>
*Being one of the majority of women who don’t bleed when losing their virginity ({{bible|Deuteronomy|22|20}}–21).<ref>[http://facts.randomhistory.com/hymen-facts.html 44 Interesting Facts About Hymens], “One study revealed that only 43% of women bleed during initial intercourse. Bleeding does indicate ‘breaking’ of the hymen. The ‘first bleed’ could be caused by tense vaginal muscles, inadequate lubrication, rushed entry, or vaginal abrasions.”</ref>
*Being the daughter of a [[priest]] and practicing [[prostitution]] ({{bible|Leviticus|21|9}}).<ref group=note>Death by fire. This should probably be seen as a ban on {{wpl|sacred prostitution}}</ref>
*Raping an engaged female [[virgin]] ({{bible|Deuteronomy|22|25}}).<ref group=note>If she is not engaged, you only have to marry her and give her father 50 shekels. No mention is made of the girl’s opinion, and no punishment is specified for raping a single non-virgin female.</ref>
*If an engaged female [[virgin]], being raped in a city ({{bible|Deuteronomy|22|23|27}}).<ref group=note>If it takes place in a field, the victim is spared, because nobody would have heard her screams. Lovely.</ref>
*Being male and practicing [[bestiality]] ({{bible|Leviticus|20|15}}).<ref group=note>Both the human and the animal die &mdash; because the animal is obviously responsible.</ref>
*Being female and practicing [[bestiality]] ({{bible|Leviticus|20|16}}).<ref group=note>As above, both the human and the animal die.</ref>
*Having sex with your father’s wife ({{bible|Leviticus|20|11}}).<ref group=note>"Your father's wife" is distinct from "your mother," as it was permissible at the time for men to have several wives. Both die.</ref>
*Having sex with your daughter-in-law ({{bible|Leviticus|20|12}}).
*Having [[Incest|incestual]] sex ({{bible|Leviticus|20|17}}).
*Marrying a woman and her daughter ({{bible|Leviticus|20|14}}).<ref group=note>Mother, daughter, and husband are all burnt to death.</ref>
*Having sex with a woman who is [[Menstruation|menstruating]] ({{bible|Leviticus|20|18}}).

A few of these crimes demand that the "sinners" be burned to death rather than stoned to death, the more usual form of capital punishment. One can wonder why these crimes in particular merit this especially horrible fate.<ref group=note>One possible explanation is that those acts punished by burning were those considered forms of [[heresy]] or [[blasphemy]] and thus "crimes" against [[YHWH]], rather than against other humans. This would certainly fit with the ban on priests' daughters practicing (sacred) prostitution (note that the [[Canaan]]ite {{wpl|Canaanite religion|religion}} featured sacred prostitution, and indeed one of its [[gods]], [[Moloch]] (''"Molech"''), is mentioned several times in Leviticus 18 and 20). That would suggest that marrying a wife and her daughter was not "just" considered a sexual taboo, but an outright blasphemous act (possibly again connected to sacred prostitution and/or {{wpl|Hieros gamos|divine marriage}} rituals among the Canaanites). It would also mean that [[witchcraft]] was considered a "civil offense" to be punished by stoning, rather than heresy or blasphemy (unlike in the later [[Christian]] tradition). For instance, Jewish tradition has {{wpl|Solomon}} controlling [[spirits]] and [[demon]]s, which was not seen as a problem, unlike his [[idolatry]] as described from {{bible|1 Kings|11|4}} onwards.</ref>

===Food and drink===
*Consuming blood ({{bible|Genesis|9|4}}, {{bible|Leviticus|17|10}}).<ref group=note>Blood in meat is not exempt. This would presumably include eating black pudding or blood soup. It would presumably also include any blood accidentally consumed when an Ultra-Orthodox Jewish mohel sucks the blood from a newly [[Circumcision|circumcised ]]baby's penis. (Yes, they really do this.)</ref>
*Eating a cheeseburger or anything that mixes meat and dairy ({{bible|Exodus|23|19}}).
*Sacrificing anything with yeast or honey ({{bible|Leviticus|2|11}}).
*Eating leavened bread (bread with yeast) during the Feast of Unleavened Bread ({{bible|Exodus|12|15}}). <ref group=note>The punishment is to be 'cut off from Israel', which some read as death and others as excommunication </ref>
*Eating fat ({{bible|Leviticus|3|17}}).
*Eating [[pork]] ({{bible|Leviticus|11|7}}–8).
*Waiting too long before consuming sacrifices ({{bible|Leviticus|19|5}}–8).
*Eating aquatic creatures lacking fins or scales ({{bible|Deuteronomy|14|9|10}}).
*Eating any meat not killed according to the [[Kosher]] practice ({{bible|Deuteronomy|12|21}}).
*Eating peace offerings while ritually unclean ({{bible|Leviticus|7|20}}).

===Religious===
*Being a male who is not [[circumcision|circumcised]] ({{bible|Genesis|17|14}}).
*Trying to convert people to another religion ({{bible|Deuteronomy|13|1|11}}, {{bible|Deuteronomy|18|20}}).<ref group=note>Interesting trying to convert others to atheism is not prohibited.  The penalty is to be stoned to death</ref>
*[[Idolatry|Worshiping idols]] ({{bible|Exodus|22|20}}, {{bible|Leviticus|20|1|5}}, {{bible|Deuteronomy|17|2|7}}).
*Practicing [[magic]] ({{bible|Exodus|22|18}}).<ref group=note>Unless you're doing '[[Faith healing|divine healing]]' [[Televangelism|on national television]].</ref>
*[[Blasphemy|Blaspheming]] ({{bible|Leviticus|24|14|16,23}}).
*Breaking the [[Sabbath]] ({{bible|Exodus|31|14}}, {{bible|Numbers|15|32|36}}).
*Consulting a [[psychic]] or [[spiritualist]] ({{bible|Leviticus|19|31}}).
*Being a psychic, [[medium]], or spiritualist ({{bible|Leviticus|20|27}}).<ref group=note>Death.</ref>
*[[Astrology]] or astrolatry ({{bible|Deuteronomy|4|19}}, {{bible|Jeremiah|10|2}}).
*Being a town that [[infidel|believes in another, non-YHWH god]] ({{bible|Deuteronomy|13|12|15}}).<ref group=note>Kill everybody, including animals, and burn the town, and the people who ''do'' believe in that god. This is really some kind of [http://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Exterminatus "Exterminatus"] instruction. The Bible is less specific about ''individual'' apostasy within the community. This is also reflected in the [[Qur'an]], although the [[Sharia]] does have a stated law to follow in the event of an individual's [[apostasy]] that leads to either imprisonment until conversion, or the death penalty.</ref>
*Giving one of your descendants to Molech ({{bible|Leviticus|20|2}}).<ref group=note>Probably refers to [[human sacrifice]], which is not now as commonly practiced. Or not, since [[Abraham]] is not punished for attempting to sacrifice his son. Or is it because God asked for that?</ref>
*Not being a priest and going near the {{wpl|tabernacle|tabernacle}} when it is being moved ({{bible|Numbers|1|51}}).
*Being a false [[prophet]] ({{bible|Deuteronomy|13|5}}, {{bible|Deuteronomy|18|20}}, {{bible|Zechariah|13|2|3}}).
*Performing any work on the [[Sabbath]] ({{bible|Exodus|20|10}}).
*Going to the temple in an unclean state ({{bible|Numbers|19|13}}).
*Engaging in ritual animal sacrifices other than at the temple ({{bible|Leviticus|17|1|9}}).
*Manufacturing anointing oil ({{bible|Exodus|30|33}}).

===Violent and legal crimes===
*Murdering a [[slave]] ({{bible|Exodus|21|20}}).<ref group=note>However, if a slave is beaten to death, the owner is “punished” &mdash; not necessarily killed. If the slave survives the beating, then there is no punishment-unless the slave's tooth or [[eye]] is damaged. This is part of a wide range of [[Slavery in the Bible|slavery laws in the Old and New Testament]]. ({{bible|Genesis|9|6}}, {{bible|Exodus|21|12}}, {{bible|Numbers|35|16}}–21)</ref>
*Kidnapping and selling a man ({{bible|Exodus|21|16}}).
*[[Perjury|Perjuring]] yourself (in certain cases) ({{bible|Deuteronomy|19|15|21}}).<ref group=note>{{bible|Deuteronomy|19|20}} explicitly identifies that the purpose of this is deterrence. "The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing (malicious and false testimony by one man against another) be done among you." Presumably, all the other death penalties are assumed to be for deterrence as well.</ref>
*Ignoring the judgment of a judge or a priest ({{bible|Deuteronomy|17|8|13}}).
*Not constraining a known dangerous bull, if the bull subsequently kills a man or a woman ({{bible|Exodus|21|29}}).<ref group=note>Both the animal and the reckless owner of the dangerous bull are to be put to death.</ref>

===Parenting===
*Striking your parents ({{bible|Exodus|21|15}}).
*Cursing your parents ({{bible|Exodus|21|17}}, {{bible|Leviticus|20|9}}).
*Being a stubborn, rebellious, profligate, and drunkard son ({{bible|Deuteronomy|21|18|21}}).<ref group=note>Stoning.</ref>

===Daily life===
*Planting more than one kind of seed in a field ({{bible|Leviticus|19|19}}).
*Wearing clothing woven of more than one kind of cloth ({{bible|Leviticus|19|19}}).
*Cutting the hair on the sides of your head or clipping of the edges of your beard ({{bible|Leviticus|19|27}}).<ref group=note>This commandment is the reason why [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jews]] often sport sidelocks and big beards.</ref>
*Touching the dead carcass of a [[pig]] ({{bible|Deuteronomy|14|8}}).
*[[Cross-dressing|Dressing across gender lines]] ({{bible|Deuteronomy|22|5}}).
*Cutting your bodies for the dead or putting tattoo marks on yourself ({{bible|Leviticus|19|28}}).

===Things that don’t go anywhere else===
*Living in a city that failed to surrender to the Israelites ({{bible|Deuteronomy|20|12|14}}).<ref group=note>Kill all the men, make the women and children slaves.</ref>

==New Testament==
Although many &mdash; probably most &mdash; Christians maintain the [[New Testament]] ultimately served as an abrogation of the stricter forms and practices of the Mosaic Law, it did codify a few new prohibitions unstated in the text of the Old Testament.

Note that none of these can be demonstrated to have been said by Jesus himself &mdash; indeed, as nobody was taking notes when Jesus was speaking, we have no real way of knowing what Jesus may have said about these things. 
 
However, it is also worth noting that, notwithstanding certain episodes where he is claimed to have interpreted laws in a relaxed way (e.g., the Sabbath working law), Jesus did not explicitly say the old laws were now invalid, and dispensations from following them largely came as a result of the spread of Christianity to non-Jews by [[Paul of Tarsus]]. On the contrary, Jesus endorses Mosaic Law in {{bible|Matthew|5|18}}, where he says, "For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."<ref group=note>This is how it's translated in the [[Guide to Bible translations#New International Version|New International Version]], whereas [[RationalWiki:Annotated Bible|''The RationalWiki Annotated Bible'']] uses the good old [[Guide to Bible translations#King James Version|King James]] translation.</ref>

===Food and drink===
*Consuming strangled things and blood ({{bible|Acts|15|20}}).

===Slaves===
*Disobedience ({{bible|Ephesians|6|5}}).

===Women===
*Speaking in church (if also a woman) ({{bible|1 Corinthians|14|34|35}}).
*Homosexual intercourse between women ({{bible|Romans|1|26}}).
*For a woman to pray without covering her head ({{Bible|1 Corinthians|11|5}}).
*Teach (or possibly only teaching men)({{Bible|1 Timothy|2|12}}).

===Men===
*Homosexual intercourse between men ({{bible|Romans|1|27}}).
*Praying with their head covered ({{bible|1 Corinthians|11|4}}).

== See also ==
*[[List of actions prohibited by the Qur'an]]
*[[Examples of God personally killing people]]
*[[Ten Commandments]]
*[[Deuteronomy]]
*[[Dominionism]]
*[[Punishment]]
==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note|2|90%}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|90%}}

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[[Category:Bible analysis]]
[[Category:Crime]]
[[Category:Law]]
[[Category:Lists]]
[[Category:Old Testament]]

Categories: Bible analysis, Crime, Law, Lists, Old Testament