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Why Do We Need Leviticus?

sandy whitelinger

sandy whitelinger

Veteran Member
sandy whitelinger said:
While that is what people interpret the meaning of the story of Onan to be it is not the meaning there. Onan was, as a kinsman redeemer, supposed to impregnate his dead brother's wife and that offspring would then be raised up as his brother's in order to continue his estate. Onan did not mastubate but performed coitus interuptus in order not to have a child by his brother's wife. That was the sin.
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I've changed my mind. I don't think the death of Onan has anything to do with "spilling his seed," masturbation, coitus interuptus, or not fulfilling his duty as a kinsman redeemer.
 
DarkSun

DarkSun

:eltiT
I Panicked! At the Disco said:
Well...why don't we need Leviticus? This seems like a somewhat loaded question to me. But whatever.

Leviticus gives us valuable insight into the Hebrew culture, especially where the laws of the Hebrews were concerned. It is important not only to Jews, but also to people of other religions because of the historical and cultural insight it gives into Bible history.
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I'm sorry if the question seems loaded. I can assure you that it wasn't rhetorical, and that I'm genuinely curious, for that matter.

But thank you for highlighting the key reason that I made this thread.

You see, in my eyes, every text is underpinned by a certain cultural context. The book of Leviticus is no different, from where I'm standing. In fact, the regulations and laws that Moses gave to the Israelites were definitely inspired by God, but a lot of them only applied to that audience, and that audience alone.

For example, I'm entitled to a slave at my age according to Leviticus. I should also run through the streets and get a holy man to bless me if I get mildew on my shirt. Oh, and if I steal my neighbour's wicker basket... Oh well, you get the point.

Don't get me started on the whole homosexuality part as per Leviticus 18:21. :no:

You see, a lot of the regulations as stated by Leviticus seem to have been lain out, such that the audience of the time would understand it. We don't have slaves in this day and age because we consider it inhumane and it's not accepted. We don't get priests to bless our tainted clothing or skin when we get bodily fluids on it because we know that's just silly. What's more, who on earth uses wicker baskets any more? Leviticus is clearly outdated, and those are only a few examples.

And we know now that homosexuals are born the way they are. What righteous God would spite his own creation for doing exactly what he designed it to do, when He even preached of love and compassion when he was made flesh?

The only truly static teachings come from Christ. Everything else is open to intepretation... and since Leviticus sometimes contradicts with what Jesus stated as per the Gospels, the only purpose it has is to serve as a historical background.

But the really bad thing about it is that people world-wide are using it as a means to source their discrimination (Look at the homosexual/slavery/racism intonations laced throughout the text).

So if it's only there for historical context, why to Christians have it?
 
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