How can we know, Rufus?

HMMM...Js it worse for a Jew or Muslim to contract the swine flu?

..........Rufus Leroy Tanksley Jr.

One Facebook Friend responded with ????? I don't get it!!!! Well, I think I do, but cannot answer. All I could think of as a response was, "Probably, but I don't think the swine flu cares".

I've mentioned this before. In the same book of The Holy Scripture that gives us the "abominations", eating swine, as well as fish without scales, is forbidden, as well as (I think, although if you read it, you might get a different opinion) sexual acts between men. There are many "Thou shalt nots" in that part of The Bible, but that's the OLD Bible. I have heard some Christians say that the Old Testament doesn't count.

I think they were of a rather off-beat denomination, however. Many Christians put more faith in the Old Testament than in the New, but most at least acknowledge the Old!

It's a crazy world we live in, and it gets even crazier when our religion gets involved. I'd be willing to say that the majority of conflicts between human beings are centered around disagreements about religion.

I'm an eater of pork. Will I go to Hell for it, or do I get a dispensation because of Jesus? I'm not sure that was clearly explained to me in Sunday School.

Some of the people who also eat pork will shout it from the rooftops, "GOD HATES GAYS"!!! Is that actually what The Bible says, or is it just the way it's viewed by those who accept it as so? Again I don't know.

The Bible I spent the most time with in my formative years was the old King James (you know, the one that the apostles used... ;^}). Later, my church used more modern translations, but let us not forget, that they're ALL translations, which puts the frailty of man into the picture. The Holy Bible is an editing job!

In the flowery King James English translation, Leviticus 20:22: Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.

So, we know that Leviticus spends many chapters on the preparation of bullocks for sacrifice, and uncovering nakedness of all kinds of people, and ways in which a righteous person is to prepare and eat his food, and also mentions that "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them".

It doesn't say exactly who should do the "putting" (simply that they shall surely be put), but elsewhere we find that, "Deut:32:35: To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." If the Lord wants to inflict punishment, it will happen without the intervention of "righteous" people. The Bible tells me so.

Does anyone know how it's possible to lie with mankind as with a woman? Maybe the standards for "doing it" were different back in those days.

I guess I must now refer back to that part about "Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes", and say, "Doesn't this mean that if you cherry-pick the things you decide are abominations, and ignore the others, isn't God going to order the Promised Land to spue you out?"

I do not intend in any way to belittle or rebuke anyones pathway to God, but it seems that everyone thinks they have the answer, yet I'm not sure that any of us do! Also, in the old King James, the scholars of their time took the Hebrew combination of letters, YHVH, which, even in the Hebrew was intended to be unpronounceable, and inserted a few vowels to make it Jehovah, which IS pronounceable.

Now, my favorite Jehovah's Witness, with whom I had a couple of fascinating discussions before she quit coming around, told me that if I did not call THE LORD by his correct name, Jehovah, there was no point in speaking to him at all. So, if God felt his name should be unpronounceable, and I insist on calling him Jehovah, am I not committing one of those abominations? I don't think there's any rule that really says so, but I'll always wonder about it.

After quite a number of years, I've come to question some of the different people's interpretations of the infallible and unchangeable Bible, and wonder if perhaps it's better to let each interpret it, with the concurrence and guidance of their clergyman (or physician or attorney), and not try to make everyone see it my way, or to force the state to make laws which agree with my interpretation.

Heck, I'm still having trouble with the Holy Trinity. God in three persons, blessed Trinity, and each and every one of them is a male figure! I'm certainly not worthy to influence legislation. I'm not even sure why the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY is sometimes referred to as "The man upstairs".