(no subject)
This is from a review online of the book The Chalice and the Blade. It's the most inspirational anarcho-feminist book I've ever read that never intended on being anarcho-feminist.
This review reveals something about the way modern Christians, particularly modern Christian men think. I'm sure one of you who reads this will think "It's not fair to generalize all Christian men that way!" but remember being Christian is a choice, just like being vegan is, and besides, isn't that why LJ allows for comments?
FROM AMAZON.COM READER MICHAELCKNAPP: Although I applaud seemingly non-Christians for looking to the bible for truth. Many do not understand it. Here is a paragraph extracted from the "Spirituality" chapter, with a response from my Christian men's group - you can respond to me at mickeymike30@fmtc.net.
QUOTE from Book.
A. How can we make sense of the biblical commandment 'Thou shalt not kill,' when passage after passage contradicts this commandment? In Numbers 31 and Deuteronomy 20, we are led to believe that God approves of massacres of whole populations. In Leviticus 20:9, we are told that children who curse their parents must be killed. B. How do we take biblical passages approving of slavery (Leviticus 25:44-46) and even of a man selling his daughter into slavery (Exodus 21:7)? C. What should we make of Jesus' teaching that we should love one another and live in peace, when in Revelations 12:19 angels pour out 'the wrath of God upon the earth,' and terrible horrors are unleashed on everybody - except the chosen 'hundred and forty and four thousand,' who, according to chapter 14:3, 'were redeemed from the earth'?
A. This centers on the subject of murder, not killing. Murder is an act of violence from one person against another with the motivation for the act erupting from emotion or sinful impulse. That is quite different from 1) wars of defense, 2) capital punishment, and 3) divine pronouncements of "war on God's enemies". The latter three derive from national survival or from an indisputable source outside the personal motivating factors. If someone attacked your wife, and the only way to save her was a counterblow that would kill the offender, then this is not from those motivating factors. Is killing but not murder.
B. Slavery in those times and social conditions (in the sense of the biblical reference) was really more like long term employment to pay a large debt. We call it "indentured servitude". If one has a home mortgage today, it is really no different. Truly...ask anybody who has a big mortgage and a required big job to pay it.
C. Jesus was not a kindly suntanned carpenter who loved kids and told us all that if we just get along all will be well. He said "I come NOT to bring peace on earth, but a sword". God's message is very tough to those who think along the lines of this question. Its just the way that it is.
God is the sovereign creator and king of the universe. We owe every breath we take to Him. His ways are higher than our ways, and He is not subject to the laws impressed upon mankind because He is the author of right and wrong. "The wages of sin is death". God says what He means and means what He says. His absolute righteousness demands punishment for sin, yet in His righteousness He has made a way of salvation for those of us that truly understand his intent: "...its your kindness that leads us to repentence". He is a savage lover.