Am I just a slave to religion?
I WOULD like to respond to the letter from Yagyah Adams (“Too much empathy for ‘gay agenda’ “, Cape Argus, July 7).
I find it astonishing that religious groups are so selective in what they choose from the scriptures to justify their somewhat bigoted views. I quote below from a letter sent to Dr Laura Shlessinger after her pronouncement on homosexuality on her show. DearDrLaura, Thankyoufordoingsomuchtoeducatepeople regardingGod’sLaw.Ihavelearnedagreatdeal fromyourshow,andItrytosharethatknowledge withasmanypeopleasIcan.Whensomeonetries todefendthehomosexuallifestyle,forexample,I simplyremindhimthatLeviticus18:22clearly statesittobeanabomination.Endofdebate.
Idoneedsomeadvicefromyou,however, regardingsomeofthespecificlawsandhowto bestfollowthem.
WhenIburnabullonthealtarasasacrifice, IknowitcreatesapleasingodourfortheLord (Lev1:9).Theproblemismyneighbours.They claimtheodourisnotpleasingtothem.ShouldI smitethem?
Iwouldliketosellmydaughterintoslavery, assanctionedinExodus21:7.Inthisdayandage, whatdoyouthinkwouldbeafairpriceforher?
IknowthatIamallowednocontactwitha womanwhilesheisinherperiodofmenstrual uncleanliness(Lev15:19-24).Theproblemis,how doItell?Ihavetriedasking,butmostwomen takeoffence.
Lev25:44statesthatImayindeedpossess slaves,bothmaleandfemale,providedtheyare purchasedfromneighbouringnations.Afriendof mineclaimsthatthisappliestoMexicans,butnot Canadians.Canyouclarify?Whycan’tIown Canadians?
Ihaveaneighbourwhoinsistsonworkingon theSabbath.Exodus35:2clearlystatesheshould beputtodeath.AmImorallyobligatedtokillhim myself?
Afriendofminefeelsthateventhougheatingshellfishisanabomination(Lev11:10),itisa lesserabominationthanhomosexuality.Idon’t agree.Canyousettlethis?
Lev21:20statesthatImaynotapproachthe altarofGodifIhaveadefectinmysight.Ihaveto admitthatIwearreadingglasses.Doesmyvision havetobe20/20,oristheresomewiggleroom here?
Mostofmymalefriendsgettheirhair trimmed,includingthehairaroundtheirtemples, eventhoughthisisexpresslyforbiddenby Lev19:27.Howshouldtheydie?
IknowfromLev11:6-8thattouchingthe skinofadeadpigmakesmeunclean,butmayI stillplayfootballifIweargloves?
Myunclehasafarm.HeviolatesLev19:19by plantingtwodifferentcropsinthesamefield,as doeshiswifebywearinggarmentsmadeoftwo differentkindsofthread(cotton/polyesterblend). Healsotendstocurseandblasphemealot.Isit reallynecessarythatwegotoallthetroubleofgettingthewholetowntogethertostonethem?(Lev 24:10-16)Couldn’twejustburnthemtodeathat aprivatefamilyaffairlikewedowithpeoplewho sleepwiththeirin-laws?(Lev.20:14)
ThankyouagainforremindingusthatGod’s wordiseternalandunchanging.
The counter to the “homosexuality is wrong because the Bible says so” argument that is the Dr Laura letter was penned by Kent Ashcraft and was indeed mailed to her. It only became an Internet-circulated piece after its author e-mailed a copy to one friend whom he thought would find it amusing. She in turn forwarded the item to several of her friends, and the letter went viral within a couple of weeks. (Source: http://www.snopes. com/politics/religion/drlaura.asp)
Bearing all this in mind if we apply all these rules with equal fervour our constitution would be in tatters.