Christianity, Fundamentalism and Human Rights

[Endless]

:biglaugh: So it was the concept of a single 'Male' God that started the whole thing off eh? That's possibly the most rediculous thing i have ever heard in my life.

 

[standing_alone]

Well, they were pretty prejudiced against bathing, cleanliness, sensible sewage disposal, that sort of thing. They didn't respect science, hmmm, kind of sounds like the present situation in the US.

But does that have to do with the fact that they were Christians or does that just have to do with the fact of the daily life of those peoples at the time?

 

[DakotaGypsy]

Hmmm....sounds like an ignorant, unintellegent generalization.

But they were opposed to bathing. The idea of taking one's clothes off was repulsive. The idea that one should see oneself nude was evil. The idea that one might touch oneself "down there" was repulsive--those things were for elimination and procreation, sanitation not required.

 

[Scuba Pete]

But they were opposed to bathing. The idea of taking one's clothes off was repulsive. The idea that one should see oneself nude was evil. The idea that one might touch oneself "down there" was repulsive--those things were for elimination and procreation, sanitation not required.

aCould you POSSIBLY provide the scriptures that they used to justify this? These concepts can not be found in the Scriptures ANYWHERE, so I don't see how you can blame Christianity.

 

[Sunstone]

There has always been a strain of ascetism in Christianity. During the Middle Ages, this strain did manifest itself as a revulsion with the world and a refussal by some holy people to accept such things as bathing or basic sanitation. The idea was that a concern with such things was worldly and distracted one from holy things.

 

[Mister_T]

But they were opposed to bathing. The idea of taking one's clothes off was repulsive. The idea that one should see oneself nude was evil. The idea that one might touch oneself "down there" was repulsive--those things were for elimination and procreation, sanitation not required.

I can see you point on the nakedness and the "touching" part. Those ring familar truths in religious history (and even today). But the bathing I'm having a hard time with. I don't ever remember being taught the Black Plague and not bathing being the result of religious dogma.

 

[Endless]

If you look in the Old testament and see the laws given to the people concerning washing and sanitation - well it's pretty advanced considering they didn't know the basics behind skin diseases and the spreading of disease etc.
Anyhow - the black plague was caused by fleas which bred in the rats. Rats being present not because of lack of personal hygiene but because of the lack of good sewage and rubbish removal in the city. If you want to blame anyone then blame those in charge of the cities - to try and pin this on personal hygiene and personal hygiene on Christianity is in my opinion.

 

[DakotaGypsy]

I'd say that dumping your chamber pot out the window poses a hygienic problem and is a serious matter of filth, not cleanliness.