I'd Rather Risk My Fate Than To Lose My Faith

[el_gremmo]

I was thinking - dangerous - about religion - dangerous - and superstition (shh you can't equate religion with superstition that's when people get defensive) - dangerous - and the evolution of language - dange... wait, what

Comments

[kiwiria]

...then maybe eating easily tainted shellfish or pork products when you can't refrigerate or an extramarital affair that breaks some sort of accord between two families or having a relationship with someone the same gender as you when procreation is important to the survival of your tribe is risk-taking behaviour that should be warned against because they might result in negative consequences, rather than things that people in silly hats are to condemn you to mortal termination and eternal damnation for.

You hit your head on the nail here (oh... ouch!) A LOT of the rules mentioned in the Old Testament should be seen in the light of the circumstances the Israelites were under when they were written.

You mentioned shellfish (I literally wrote shelffish first... sheesh!) and pork yourself.

There was no such thing as prisons (walking in the desert and all), so serious crimes HAD to be punished by death. Something we tend to think a serious overreaction now, but there wasn't really any choice at the time.

Witch-craft was punishable by death - when God was literally keeping you alive in the desert (providing manna, water etc.), you'd definitely want to stay on his good side! Besides, see re. no prisons above.

Etc. etc. etc.

[el_gremmo]

I hadn't thought about the context of a nomadic existence either, thanks for that it makes a lot of sense