tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50148252094396944812024-02-18T23:20:43.654-07:00d'AtheistAtheism, Religion and Everything else.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-7881248421986813332012-12-23T12:15:00.001-07:002012-12-23T12:15:12.598-07:00What we need to do about gunsIt is time to have a national conversation about gun control. Here's what we should do.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>First, ban assault weapons. There's no reason for private citizens to have access to military grade weapons.<br />
<br />
It also makes sense to me to ban high-capacity magazines. If you can't kill your deer in 10 rounds without re-loading, perhaps you should go back to the target range and improve your skills.<br />
<br />
If you've been convicted of a felony, you shouldn't be able to buy guns or ammunition. Of course, this implies that we have criminal background checks in place, and that we close the gun show loopholes.<br />
<br />
Gun ownership should require registration, and this registration should be current to purchase ammunition. The registration should be renewed annually. The renewal should require demonstration of basic skills, like a certificate from a gun safety class.<br />
<br />
Public Policy Poling <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/20/1172170/-Daily-Kos-PPP-Poll-NRA-and-GOP-grossly-out-of-step-with-America-including-Republicans">recently tested</a> these ideas, and found overwhelming public support.<br />
<br />
Beyond what was polled by PPP, I also think we should do the following:<br />
<br />
Ownership should also require insurance, just like for driving your car. The insurance would be to protect owners and victims from injury, death or property damage resulting from gun use.<br />
<br />
Finally, there should be a tax on the sale of guns and ammunition. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (www.nssf.org) estimates that consumers spend $27.8 billion annually on guns, ammunition and other equipment. If we added a 2% tax, that would raise 556 million annually. This money should be used to support victims of gun violence.<br />
<br />
<br />d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-65372677578652468892012-11-11T10:58:00.002-07:002012-11-11T12:38:00.419-07:00It's not just about the mandateBarack Obama has won re-election, and right on cue the right wing is attempting to tamp down thoughts that Obama has won a mandate, has political capital, and can pursue the agenda that he campaigned (and won) on. But it's not just about the impressive scope of Obama's win, it's about the ideas behind the policies that Obama will pursue.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The argument that Obama doesn't have a mandate is silly. His 332-206 win over Romney was not only impressive, it was an <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/08/1159276/-Obama-DOES-Have-A-Mandate">electoral college landslide</a>. Obama won the popular vote (at current counts) by over 3 million votes.<br />
<br />
But it's not just that Obama has won the right the pursue the agenda that he campaigned on. It's that Obama's plan for the economy is has been historically, and now electorally, vindicated. <br />
<br />
<br />
The right-wing ran on the idea that we should cut taxes on the wealthy as the major policy initiative for creating jobs. But that idea is bunk. If tax cuts for the wealthy resulted in the creation of jobs, then the Bush tax cuts, the largest tax cuts on the wealthy in history, should have resulted in unprecedented job growth. Did that happen? <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/02/02/448210/-GOP-s-job-creation-Worst-since-the-Great-Depression">Of course not</a>.<br />
<br />
If tax cuts were the primary driver of job creation, then corporations wouldn't be sitting on about <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/07/the-5-trillion-stash-us-corporations-money-hoard-is-bigger-than-the-gdp-of-germany/260006/">5 trillion in cash reserves</a>. They'd be using that cash to hire. If this idea had any merit, then Apple would be the largest employer in the country. They're not of course. They hire the number of employees they need to meet the demand for their products. In other words, supply and demand. Economics 101.<br />
<br />
Facts do matter, and elections do have consequences. I'm going to enjoy watching the consequences of this election.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-39088221356740803882012-08-12T10:00:00.001-06:002012-08-12T11:24:28.227-06:00Why isn't Romney's Mormonism an issue?<br />
As anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows, I am not religious. All religious beliefs seem whack-a-doo to me. However, I recognize that Mormonism is different from Christianity, and I wonder why Christians aren't obviously bothered by Romney's beliefs, or <i>at least</i> talking about them more.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>First of all, Mormons reject the authority of other Judeo-Christian religions. For example, if you're Catholic and believe that the Pope receives his authority through direct succession from Peter, Romney thinks you're wrong. Read about the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Apostasy#The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints">Great Apostasy</a>," and how the "divine authority" of God was given to Joseph Smith. <br />
<br />
This is quite different from being an atheist, a secularist, and fighting for freedom of religion and church/state separation. My view is that government and religion should not be entangled; that government should not take a position that imposes on another person's beliefs, and whether those beliefs are rooted in mythology is irrelevant. My view is the one proposed by the founders of this country and written into the Constitution: the first line of the first article of the Bill of Rights. This is supremely supportive of religion, but only if you value being supportive of <i>all</i> religions, not just your special flavor.<br />
<br />
Mormons claim they're Christian, but many Christians refuse to recognize Mormons as Christian. It's not hard to see why. Mormons believe they're Christians because they believe in the basic tenets of Christianity; they just also believe that all other Christians are wrong and that God took their authority away from them, and gave it to Joseph Smith instead. This is why other Christians reject the idea that Mormons are Christians. If they accepted that, then they'd have to accept that their beliefs are based on a distorted, un-authoritative doctrine. And we can't have that.<br />
<br />
This makes the selection of Paul Ryan, a Catholic, an interesting choice for Romney. It should bring into stark relief the conflict between their religious beliefs. So far, though, it hasn't. Apparently Christians only care that you believe <i>some</i> form of lunacy (mythology), but don't care so much about the particulars, even if the particulars are starkly at odds with their own beliefs. Apparently people who just want religion and government separate are more distasteful than those who are a-okay with entanglement but profoundly reject the basis of their beliefs. Strange.<br />
<br />
I just want to raise the topic of religious belief, and the role it plays in presidential politics. Amy Davidson has a great piece on this at The New Yorker ("<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/05/mitt-romney-mormon.html">Later-Day Politics: Can we talk about Mormonism now?</a>"). Especially with his VP pick, Mitts beliefs should be fair game.<br />
<br />
<br />d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-37619630744103071042012-05-17T21:57:00.002-06:002012-05-17T21:57:48.858-06:00Leviticus 16In which Aaron has to kill some animals and say he's really, really sorry for the horrible crime that his sons committed that caused God to kill them. (They burned the wrong incense while making an offering to God, so God killed them.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/16.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>1</b> And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;</blockquote>
<br />
Remember, Nadab and Abihu are murdered by God in <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/10/leviticus-10.html">Leviticus 10</a> for getting their offering wrong. They weren't bad people; they weren't violating any of the 10 commandments; they weren't raping 11 year old boys or having sex with family members (oh wait, those aren't a problem for the God of the Old Testament, sorry). They were just making an offering to God and used the wrong combination of incense and fire, and BAM! God kills them.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>2</b> And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.<br />
<b>3</b> Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: </blockquote>
<br />
I just can't follow this crappy writing. Tell Aaron never to come into the holy place, and then thus he shall come into the holy place. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.</blockquote>
<br />
Here we go with the animals again. I feel a slaughter coming on.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>4</b> He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired : these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on .</blockquote>
<br />
Wash yourself and then put on the magic linen clothing!<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>5</b> And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.</blockquote>
<br />
Wait, first he needed to bring a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, and now it's another two goats for a sin offering and another ram for a burnt offering? <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>6</b> And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.</blockquote>
<br />
Yes, Aaron must atone for the fact that his sons, who have been murdered, were killed for praising God in a slightly wrong way.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>7</b> And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.<br />
<b>8</b> And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.<br />
<b>9</b> And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell , and offer him for a sin offering.<br />
<b>10</b> But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.</blockquote>
<br />
Interesting that this is a different use of the word scapegoat than we find today. Usually the scapegoat is one to whom blame is assigned in the place of the actual guilty person, usually unwillingly, and usually resulting in the scapegoat's punishment. But in this case the scapegoat is the lucky one that gets away without getting slaughtered in the name of this bloodthirsty god.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>11</b> And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:<br />
<b>12</b> And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:</blockquote>
<br />
Be careful Aaron! Your sons were killed for burning incense!<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>13</b> And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:</blockquote>
<br />
Um, I really don't get this. If the sons were killed for burning incense, then why is it that Aaron needs to burn incense to make up for the fact that his sons burned incense? <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>14</b> And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.</blockquote>
<br />
I guess Aaron's sons didn't use enough blood?<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>15</b> Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:</blockquote>
<br />
Picture this scene. There's a dead bull, a dead goat, burning incense, and splattered blood all around. Aaron must be covered in blood (at least his hands), and blood on the floor where the animals are bleeding. This is one disturbingly disgusting, gory scene of death and blood. Bram Stoker has nothing on God. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>16</b> And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, </blockquote>
<br />
I'd say that covered in blood is pretty unclean.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.<br />
<b>17</b> And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out , and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.<br />
<b>18</b> And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.</blockquote>
<br />
Let's smear some more blood around, shall we?<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>19</b> And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.</blockquote>
<br />
I just figured it out! They think that blood is something like spiritual soap!<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>20</b> And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:<br />
<b>21</b> And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, </blockquote>
<br />
Now, how can Aaron speak for all of the iniquities of the children of Israel? Even if he knew literally every sin committed by these people (which he couldn't possibly know), he can't speak for them. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:<br />
<b>22</b> And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.</blockquote>
<br />
Symbolically removing all sin from the village, but letting it survive (by not killing the goat), so, like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Myers_(character)">Michael Myers</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Voorhees">Jason Voorhees</a>, they can come back to kill another day.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>23</b> And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:<br />
<b>24</b> And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth , and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.<br />
<b>25</b> And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.<br />
<b>26</b> And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.<br />
<b>27</b> And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.</blockquote>
<br />
Oh, just YUCK. What a filthy, disgusting book this is. Ugh.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>28</b> And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.<br />
<b>29</b> And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur">Yom Kippur</a>, the Day of Atonement.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>30</b> For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.<br />
<b>31</b> It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.<br />
<b>32</b> And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:<br />
<b>33</b> And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.<br />
<b>34</b> And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.</blockquote>
<br />
Interesting. I just read the wikipedia page on Yom Kippur, and there's nothing there about this origin story. Oh, there's a reference to Leviticus 16, and to the slaughtering of the animals, and atonement and repentance, but there's nothing there about how God killed Aaron's sons for no good reason, blamed Aaron and made him atone for their "sin" during his grief, or any of the nonsensical, capricious madness that is the basis of this story.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-37804442307263707932012-05-09T19:32:00.004-06:002012-05-09T19:33:36.600-06:00Obama supports marriage equality!Today is an historic day. Finally our President has said what many of us have known for a long time: gay and lesbian couples deserve the same rights as everyone else.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is what America is all about. Treating people equally, being tolerant of others, embracing diversity, fairness. And part of being an American is accepting that sometimes, people do things you don't agree with. But as long as it doesn't hurt you, doesn't cost you anything, doesn't impose upon others and doesn't take anyone else's rights away, then we have to be mature enough to accept things we don't necessarily like or agree with sometimes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So if you're opposed to gay marriage, I have a question for you: what does it matter to you? I mean that seriously and sincerely. If a gay couple gets married, what harm or impact does that have on you (and if you're married, on your marriage)? There are six states in the US today where gay marriage is legal: New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire. Also, the District of Columbia. Are heterosexual marriages any less meaningful in these states? Is there really any harm being done? What possible reason could you have for being opposed to this for loving, committed gay couples? If you don't like the idea of gay marriage, then don't have one. Really. But don't deny that right to others just because you think it's icky.</div>d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-18363071263958382412012-05-06T11:02:00.000-06:002012-05-06T11:02:48.681-06:00Leviticus 15In which we learn how many of what kind of animals to kill if you're bleeding.<br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/15.html" target="_blank">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>1</b> And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, <br />
<b>2</b> Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.</blockquote>
<br />
More skin conditions. This time it's a "running issue." I guess this means that it's some kind of fluid, and it's ongoing. Not like a blister that has a little fluid and stops, but more like a bleeding infection. Or something.<br />
<br />
More pre-scientific medical ignorance.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>3</b> And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness.</blockquote>
<br />
Of course he's unclean, he's got a bleeding infection. Get him some penicillin, Neosporin and gauze! Oh, wait...<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>4</b> Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue , is unclean : and every thing,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5014825209439694481" name="a"></a> whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean . <br />
<b>5</b> And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.</blockquote>
<br />
Even if you touch his bed at 8am and immediately wash your clothes and take a bath, you're still unclean until the sun goes down. Because, of course you are.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>6</b> And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. <br />
<b>7</b> And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.</blockquote>
<br />
More wonderful examples of bad writing. Yeah yeah, we get it: wash your clothes, take a bath, unclean until the even. Wash clothes, bath, even. There's this little thing called a conjunction where you can combine "touch his bed," "sitteth on any thing whereon he sat" and "toucheth the flesh of him" and refer to all three in the same verse, rather than repeating the bulk of the sentence each time.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>8</b> And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. <br />
<b>9</b> And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean . <br />
<b>10</b> And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. <br />
<b>11</b> And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue , and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.</blockquote>
<br />
Oh for crying out loud. We get it already: clothes, bath, even. Clothes, bath, even. Can we just stipulate as understood that anything this "issue" touches makes the toucher unclean, and you then have to wash your clothes, take a bath and wait until nightfall to be clean again? <br />
<br />
With all this focus on washing clothes and taking a bath, you'd think there'd be some mention of what it would actually take to be clean. You know: detergent, soap, shampoo, a friggin' washcloth.<br />
<br />
And before you complain that this is before the knowledge of such things, keep in mind that this is the Bible, it's supposedly the "word of God," and this god is supposed to be all-knowing and stuff. If he didn't know about, you know, *soap*, then I'm not really impressed with his "knowledge."<br />
<br />
Not to mention the fact that this is all part of a bullshit remedy for someone who touched something that might have been touched by someone who has a bleeding ailment. I would think the immediate focus would be on the person who is sick, and only subsequently on keeping the surrounding environment and caregivers clean. And these standards of cleanliness would apply regardless of the type of ailment. A patient who has influenza may not have a bleeding skin condition, but still would require sanitary conditions for the sake of the patient, the caregivers, visitors, and other patients. <br />
<br />
Okay, perhaps you're saying that yes, of course God knew about soap, but he couldn't reference it directly because the people who he was writing for at the time would not have known about this modern invention. I direct you to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap#History_of_cleansing_soaps" target="_blank">history of soap</a>, in which we see references to soap as early as 2800 BCE in Babylon, and including many references to soap used in Egypt and Rome at a time when such knowledge would apply to this story. Ancient Greeks <a href="http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/InventionsS.htm" target="_blank">had soap</a> too. (Greek baths, anyone?) So that can't be it. <br />
<br />
If you believe this stuff, you have to accept that God knew about soap (all-knowing), it was available and known to the people of time time, it would have been beneficial to apply to the specific situation of keeping people clean and reducing the risk of infection while in proximity to a sick person, and this God, being the benevolent and protective father figure that he is, witheld this information from his people while specifically instructing them on what to do to keep them safe in this situation. Instead, though we haven't seen it yet, I'm sure that we're going to kill a bird or a goat or something and use its blood. This is just ancient ignorant nonsense, and fortunately we've long since learned the correct way of treating illness and disease.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>12</b> And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue , shall be broken : and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.</blockquote>
<br />
Yes, rinse it in water, but don't bother with the soap. Um, why do you destroy something that's earthen but you can just rinse something that's wooden? <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>13</b> And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; </blockquote>
<br />
No word on *how* the sick person was healed...<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.</blockquote>
<br />
Because water has such inherent healing properties. <br />
<br />
And we're not talking about modern, sanitized water, with purification, filtration, etc. We're talking about unfiltered, unsanitized water from a river or pond. This would be just as likely to cause a wound to be further infected as to help clean it out.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>14</b> And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:</blockquote>
<br />
Oh yes, here we go with the killing of animals again. Turtledoves or pigeons, not a whole goat. I guess that makes sense, since a bleeding infection is somewhat less serious than leprosy. Oh wait, IT DOESN"T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL. Ugh. Here's a hint: if it made any sense, then today, when you go to the doctor (or your priest, I guess), you'd check to make sure you have a couple of turtledove to take with you so the doctor/priest could slaughter one of them and sprinkle you with blood. What, your doctor/priest doesn't do that? Oh right, because it's bullshit.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>15</b> And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue.</blockquote>
<br />
This is just a strange perspective here. Really, think about it. A person gets sick, and part of the process of restoring their cleanliness (spiritual purity, whatever) is to make a "sin offering" and make an atonement for the ailment. As if the person willfully did something wrong by getting sick? It's like the person is apologizing to God for having been sick, and asking God's forgiveness for his crime. This is rubbish, but it's also a sick and twisted form of psychological abuse against the people who are unfortunate enough to believe this crap. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>16</b> And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water,and be unclean until the even.</blockquote>
<br />
An argument for a daily shower.<br />
<br />
Because a natural part of male physiology, semen, makes you "unclean." So so strange that we're talking about this in the same chapter as "running issues." <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>17</b> And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.</blockquote>
<br />
Now I know that this sense of "unclean" isn't talking about spiritual purity, because it doesn't make any sense to talk about the spiritual purity of garments. Any more than it makes sense to talk about houses being infected with leprosy.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>18</b> The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even. <br />
<b>19</b> And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.</blockquote>
<br />
More oppression of women. Yes, women bleed. It's natural. But since all women do it, this is a handy way of keeping them in line for something they can't control.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>20</b> And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean : every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean . <br />
<b>21</b> And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. <br />
<b>22</b> And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. <br />
<b>23</b> And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even. <br />
<b>24</b> And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.</blockquote>
<br />
Got that guys? If you're wife (because of course you're married if you're having sex, right?) is menstruating and you get any of that blood on you, then *you're* unclean for seven days too. <br />
<br />
This is the biblical version of cooties. Don't touch girls or you'll regret it.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>25</b> And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. <br />
<b>26</b> Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. <br />
<b>27</b> And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, </blockquote>
<br />
(...but don't bother with soap...)<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
and be unclean until the even. <br />
<b>28</b> But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.</blockquote>
<br />
So basically, post-pubescent and pre-menopausal women spend 1/4 to 1/2 of their time being "unclean." Hard to be a productive member of society when you're separated from everyone for that long, innit?<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>29</b> And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.</blockquote>
<br />
Oh really now? We have to go through this bloody mess again with the killing of the birds?<br />
<br />
Here's a question for you. If the woman is "unclean" because of the blood, then how is it that adding more blood will make her clean?<br />
<br />
Women of this time must have been exceptionally skilled at catching birds.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>30</b> And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness.</blockquote>
<br />
Again, it's not her fault that she's menstruating, and treating it like a crime she's committed that she has to atone for or apologize for is a form of psychological abuse.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>31</b> Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. <br />
<b>32</b> This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith; <br />
<b>33</b> And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.</blockquote>
<br />
Interesting that when a woman menstruates she has to be separated 7 days, and then on the 8th day she has to take a couple of birds to the priest in order to perform some witchcrafty rituals in order to be made "clean" again. But if a man jacks off, all he has to do is take a bath, wash his clothes and wait until nightfall, and then he's clean again. This harassment of women is really appalling.<br />
<br />
Now, how does this comport with <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/07/genesis-38.html">Genesis 38</a>, in which Onan is killed for "spilling his seed"? This has been interpreted as an injunction against masturbating (because "every sperm is sacred"), but now we learn that all you have to do is take a bath, wash your clothes, and wait until nightfall in order to be clean? Um, contradict much?d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-66764429208737432212012-05-06T11:01:00.003-06:002012-05-06T11:01:40.953-06:00Long absenceWow, time flies. It was not my intention to stop posting to this blog. I went from being unemployed with tons of free time on my hands, to having a job that occupies most of my daily productive hours (plus a commute). I'm still interested in blogging in general, and committed to the primary topic at hand (blogging the bible). But I may post less frequently than I used to because of having less free time. Hopefully in the future it won't take me 4 months between each post.<br />
<br />
Another reason I stopped was that I was so disgusted by what I read in Leviticus 14. I just went back to re-read what I had last posted, and it's really unconscionable. I guess it's a good thing that nobody believes that this is an appropriate treatment for someone with leprosy (or that houses can be afflicted with leprosy), but it's really frightening that at any point at history people may have believed this stuff. And that anyone who knows what's in this book would continue to defend it.<br />
<br />
And I've just finished a post for Leviticus 15, which I'll post in a few minutes. It doesn't get any better. The unnecessary killing of animals, the disgusting blood rituals, the oppression of women, the inconsistencies and contradictions in the text itself, the really really bad writing: all of these continue in full force in this next chapter. <br />
<br />
Onward.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-39940556695798035962011-11-20T10:49:00.001-07:002011-11-20T10:52:05.118-07:00Leviticus 14God explains to Moses what to do with people and houses that are infected with leprosy. Yes, it involves killing animals.<br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/14.html"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/14.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>1</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,</blockquote><br />
God sure does a lot of speaking in the OT.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>2</strong> This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing:</blockquote><br />
The last chapter was all about the diagnosis and treatment of leprosy. This chapter is about what to do once the leprosy is cured by the skilled treatment of an untrained priest.<br />
<br />
So what could it mean to "cleanse" someone who is no longer afflicted by a disease? It can't have anything to do with healing them physically, because, by definition, they're already healed. No, this is more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbo_jumbo_(phrase)">mumbo jumbo</a> about meaningless superstitious nonsense, derived from a lack of understanding of actual medicine and disease processes.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>He shall be brought unto the priest:<br />
<br />
<strong>3</strong> And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;</blockquote><br />
I think this means that the priest has to take the leper to a safe distance from the camp (town, village, whatever) before examining the skin lesions.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>4</strong> Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:</blockquote><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedrus">Cedar</a> is a genus of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conifer">coniferous</a> trees; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyssop">hyssop</a> is genus of semi-woody and aromatic plants. I can't tell what scarlet refers to here, as it's not today known as a plant, and none of the other senses could have applied. (For example, it could refer to a type of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_(cloth)">cloth</a>, but that meaning wasn't in use until the 5th century.)<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>5</strong> And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:<br />
<br />
<strong>6</strong> As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:</blockquote><br />
Gross.<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>7</strong> And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, </blockquote><br />
How is this any different from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft">witchcraft</a>?<br />
<br />
It's amazing what people could believe prior to the advent of the scientific method. Oh wait, some people still believe this crap.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>and shall pronounce him clean, </blockquote><br />
I would pronounce him dirty from having animal blood splattered on him, but that's just me.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.<br />
<br />
<strong>8</strong> And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: </blockquote><br />
Here we have a nice, clear example of the intentional confusion caused by the misuse of terms. We've seen the word "clean" be used to mean "healthy" (no longer sick); spiritually clean (no longer marked by sin, I suppose); and now it means physically clean (not covered in blood and/or dirt). By associating the bullshit sense with a valid sense, they try to lend credibility to the bullshit sense. I'm sorry, but bullshit covered in sacrificial blood is still bullshit.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.</blockquote><br />
You can come back into the village, but you can't go home yet.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>9</strong> But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.</blockquote><br />
So does he shave and take a bath when he first returns, or on the seventh day, or both? The lack of clarity is maddening!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>10</strong> And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.</blockquote><br />
Three lambs, flour and oil. I guess only rich people get leprosy? <br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>11</strong> And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:<br />
<br />
<strong>12</strong> And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD:</blockquote><br />
We've already gone through 9 chapters of descriptions of how to kill animals for various offerings, but now we get treated to another one for the special case of offering for leprosy. <br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>13</strong> And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:<br />
<br />
<strong>14</strong> And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:</blockquote><br />
I am so sick of all the disgusting rituals involving blood. These people are so preoccupied with blood you'd think they were vampires. It's so gross it's hard to remember how ridiculous the idea of putting it on the guy's right ear, thumb and toe is.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>15</strong> And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:<br />
<br />
<strong>16</strong> And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD:<br />
<br />
<strong>17</strong> And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:<br />
<br />
<strong>18</strong> And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD.<br />
<br />
<strong>19</strong> And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:<br />
<br />
<strong>20</strong> And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>21</strong> And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; </blockquote><br />
Oh good, there's recourse if you can't afford three lambs, some oil and flour. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;<br />
<br />
<strong>22</strong> And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.</blockquote><br />
If you're too poor to bring three lambs, then you can just bring one lamb and two birds, plus a little less flour. How nice!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>23</strong> And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD.<br />
<br />
<strong>24</strong> And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD:<br />
<br />
<strong>25</strong> And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:</blockquote><br />
Really, we have to go through the gory descriptions of animal killing again, just because now it's only one lamb? Ugh.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>26</strong> And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand:<br />
<br />
<strong>27</strong> And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD:<br />
<br />
<strong>28</strong> And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering:<br />
<br />
<strong>29</strong> And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD.<br />
<br />
<strong>30</strong> And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get;<br />
<br />
<strong>31</strong> Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD.<br />
<br />
<strong>32</strong> This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.<br />
<br />
<strong>33</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,</blockquote><br />
In verse 1 God was speaking only to Moses. Now he's speaking to both Moses and Aaron. I wonder why the difference?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>34</strong> When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;</blockquote><br />
God here admits that he's the one that's causing people to be afflicted with leprosy. What a jerk.<br />
<br />
But now we're giving leprosy to houses? I know sometimes I say things to be silly or point out how crazy these verses seem to me, but in this case I'm not kidding: they're literally talking about a house being infected with leprosy.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>35</strong> And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house:<br />
<br />
<strong>36</strong> Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house:<br />
<br />
<strong>37</strong> And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall;<br />
<br />
<strong>38</strong> Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days:<br />
<br />
<strong>39</strong> And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house;<br />
<br />
<strong>40</strong> Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city:</blockquote><br />
Infected stones. Yeah, these people really have no idea what they're talking about.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>41</strong> And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place:<br />
<br />
<strong>42</strong> And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other morter, and shall plaister the house.<br />
<br />
<strong>43</strong> And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plaistered;<br />
<br />
<strong>44</strong> Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean.<br />
<br />
<strong>45</strong> And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.<br />
<br />
<strong>46</strong> Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even.<br />
<br />
<strong>47</strong> And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.</blockquote><br />
Yeah, because if you eat near where there's an infection, you can become healthy again by washing your clothes.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>48</strong> And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.</blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/lGMmmeNhcAg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<blockquote><strong>49</strong> And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:<br />
<br />
<strong>50</strong> And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:</blockquote><br />
More killing for God. And I'm guessing we're going to do things with the blood again.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>51</strong> And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:<br />
<br />
<strong>52</strong> And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:</blockquote><br />
Yup.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>53</strong> But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>54</strong> This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall,<br />
<br />
<strong>55</strong> And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house,<br />
<br />
<strong>56</strong> And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot:<br />
<br />
<strong>57</strong> To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.</blockquote><br />
What about cancer? Heart disease? Lupus? Influenza? Or does God only care about diseases that cause skin conditions?<br />
<br />
How can anyone read this and not realize that this is pre-medical superstitious nonsense? And how can I trust someone who would be so willfully ignorant with something important, like preparing my taxes, teaching my children or running my government?d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-75480522476806896712011-11-11T11:56:00.000-07:002011-11-11T11:56:23.262-07:00Leviticus 13In which we learn about the staggering ignorance of medicine, infection and disease on the part of the authors of the Bible, while they try to diagnose and treat leprosy.<br />
<br />
Please, if you're sick, see a doctor, not a priest.<br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/13.html"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/13.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>1</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,<br />
<br />
<strong>2</strong> When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:</blockquote><br />
Yeah, don't take him to a doctor. That would just be silly.<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>3</strong> And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.</blockquote><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprosy">Leprosy</a> is a respiratory disease caused by a bacterial infection, the primary symptom of which is lesions on the skin. About 95% of people are naturally immune. For the rest, with proper treatment the disease can be easily cured, and patients are no longer infectious after about two weeks of treatment. <br />
<br />
I'm just saying this up front, because I assume an all-knowing deity would already know this, and the Bible, in its mission to reveal divine wisdom to people who look to God for guidance, is about to teach us about the proper treatment for this disease (since God is kind and loving).<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>4</strong> If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days:</blockquote><br />
If it's not leprosy it's the plague? Are these really the only two options? And the cure for the plague is a 7-day isolation?<br />
<br />
"The plague" usually refers to a disease caused by a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yersinia_pestis"><i>Yersinia pestis</i></a> bacterial infection, and that causes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubo">buboes</a> as part of the symptoms, such as the bubonic plague. These can look like large blisters, but are actually swelling of lymph nodes. Different causes, different symptoms (which may look similar).<br />
<br />
In some cases, such as pneumonic plague, without treatment the disease can be fatal in one to six days. So, locking them up for seven days would guarantee their death, if this is what they had.<br />
<br />
I'm guessing that they're not actually referring to what we call "the plague" here, but are just being more general, like we might say "the affliction."<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>5</strong> And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:</blockquote><br />
Well, in this case we know it's not the plague, because if it were the victim would be dead.<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>6</strong> And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.</blockquote><br />
With bleach, preferably. No, not in the contaminated river or community well, you'll infect the whole village! Oh, I guess that would require an understanding of infectious disease processes. No reason to think that, you know, God would *know* about this stuff.<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>7</strong> But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:<br />
<br />
<strong>8</strong> And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.<br />
<br />
<strong>9</strong> When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;<br />
<br />
<strong>10</strong> And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising;<br />
<br />
<strong>11</strong> It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.<br />
<br />
<strong>12</strong> And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;<br />
<br />
<strong>13</strong> Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.</blockquote><br />
If the leprosy has spread over the person's entire body, now he's "clean"? I know I'm poking fun at the lack of medical knowledge being displayed in this book; I know it was written by people who did not understand medicine and disease, and instead were superstitious and afraid of what they didn't understand. But even in that context, you HAVE to know that having a disease afflict a person's WHOLE BODY doesn't mean that it's suddenly run its course and you're cured. That's not just stupid, it's dangerous!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>14</strong> But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.</blockquote><blockquote><strong>15</strong> And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.<br />
<br />
<strong>16</strong> Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest;<br />
<br />
<strong>17</strong> And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>18</strong> The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,<br />
<br />
<strong>19</strong> And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest;<br />
<br />
<strong>20</strong> And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.<br />
<br />
<strong>21</strong> But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:<br />
<br />
<strong>22</strong> And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague. </blockquote><blockquote><strong>23</strong> But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.</blockquote><br />
Nothing wrong with burning boils.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>24</strong> Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;<br />
<br />
<strong>25</strong> Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.</blockquote><br />
What idiotic nonsense. Don't take your loved ones to priests when they're sick; take them to a doctor!<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>26</strong> But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:<br />
<br />
<strong>27</strong> And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.<br />
<br />
<strong>28</strong> And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the burning.<br />
<br />
<strong>29</strong> If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;<br />
<br />
<strong>30</strong> Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.</blockquote><br />
A <a href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/scall">scall</a> is any scaly or scabby disease of the skin. So, this is basically saying: if you have a skin condition, go see the priest. The priest will look at it and tell you that you have a skin condition.<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>31</strong> And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days:<br />
<br />
<strong>32</strong> And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;<br />
<br />
<strong>33</strong> He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more:<br />
<br />
<strong>34</strong> And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>35</strong> But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;<br />
<br />
<strong>36</strong> Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.<br />
<br />
<strong>37</strong> But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>38</strong> If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots;<br />
<br />
<strong>39</strong> Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>40</strong> And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>41</strong> And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>42</strong> And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.<br />
<br />
<strong>43</strong> Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;<br />
<br />
<strong>44</strong> He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.<br />
<br />
<strong>45</strong> And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.</blockquote><br />
This is the cure we've been waiting for from our kind, all-knowing God? <br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>46</strong> All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.</blockquote><br />
I guess this is the primitive version of a quarantine.<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>47</strong> The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;<br />
<br />
<strong>48</strong> Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;<br />
<br />
<strong>49</strong> And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:<br />
<br />
<strong>50</strong> And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days:<br />
<br />
<strong>51</strong> And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.<br />
<br />
<strong>52</strong> He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.<br />
<br />
<strong>53</strong> And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;<br />
<br />
<strong>54</strong> Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:<br />
<br />
<strong>55</strong> And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.<br />
<br />
<strong>56</strong> And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:<br />
<br />
<strong>57</strong> And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.<br />
<br />
<strong>58</strong> And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>59</strong> This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.</blockquote><br />
Since Hansen's Disease (leprosy) is a bacterial infection of the respiratory system, it doesn't make any sense that the skin problems it causes would be manifest in textiles.<br />
<br />
At least in the US, the primary source of new cases of leprosy is, in fact, from the armadillo. The disease is transmitted from human to human by droplets of nasal mucosa. It is a difficult disease to study because it cannot be cultured <i>in vitro</i>. <br />
<br />
All of this nonsense about scalls and boils and the color of hairs and depth of infection and 7-day isolation and infection of garments is just that: nonsense that demonstrates that these people had no idea about the causes or treatments for this disease. Anyone who can read this and conclude that this is the divinely inspired word of an all-knowing deity is being willfully ignorant, and anyone who ignores modern medical knowledge in favor of this nonsense is a danger to himself and others.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-42137114473397544642011-11-09T09:48:00.000-07:002011-11-09T09:48:55.580-07:00Leviticus 12In which we learn that women are "unclean" after childbirth and must be redeemed by slaughtering animals; baby girls are less "clean" than baby boys; and that two turtles == one lamb.<br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/12.html"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/12.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>1</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<br />
<strong>2</strong> Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.<br />
<br />
<strong>3</strong> And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.<br />
<br />
<strong>4</strong> And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.<br />
<br />
<strong>5</strong> But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.</blockquote><br />
Let me get this straight. If a woman has a male child, she's "unclean" for 7 days and "purifies" for 33 days; but if she gives birth to a baby girl, she's "unclean" for 14 days and "purifies" for 66 days? What possible reason for this is there? I understand that this is a primitive people trying to protect themselves without understanding of medicine, disease and such, but I would at least expect there to be some connection with observable reality. Oh wait, what am I saying?<br />
<br />
Still, terribly offensive to women, I would think. Any Jewish / Christian women want to weigh in on how they feel about being twice as "unclean" as males?<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>6</strong> And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:</blockquote><br />
Wow. Do so many people still keep lambs and pigeons for their offerings? My niece is pregnant; maybe I should give her a lamb as her baby shower gift. (Yes I'm being facetious, but it's hard not to poke fun at such silly things.)<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>7</strong> Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This [is] the law for her that hath born a male or a female.</blockquote><br />
Why does a woman need atonement for giving birth? This view that women are "dirty" and something that is such much a part of nature like childbirth is some kind of crime or mistake requiring atonement, is a terrible way to view and treat women. <br />
<br />
And by the way, this kind of gives lie to the claim that "<a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-is-natural.html">natural</a>" is better, more moral or more desirable, doesn't it?<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong>8</strong> And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.</blockquote><br />
Oh, that's a relief; I wasn't sure where I was going to buy a lamb. This explains the booming turtle business at our local pet store.<br />
<br />
What is the consequence of not bringing (a) a lamb and a pigeon / turtledove; or (b) two turtles; or (c) two pigeons? So far there's no hell or punishment except what God delivers personally (in a rather capricious and callous manner).<br />
<br />
And also, while we're at it: more examples of God wanting us to kill animals to make him happy. That is so perverse.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-43620407629269423362011-11-02T10:39:00.000-06:002011-11-02T10:39:24.277-06:00Atheist opposes Ill. funding restoration of 111-foot crossIs this a religious symbol?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.christianpost.com/middle/48669/bald-knob-cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.christianpost.com/middle/48669/bald-knob-cross.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Yeah, I thought so. It may be other things as well, like a tourist attraction and a local landmark. But as it's a symbol of Christianity, the funds to repair it should not be supplied by the government. However, in 2009 the state of Illinois provided a $20,000 grant towards its repair. <br />
<br />
Rob Sherman, an atheist and the founder of <a href="http://robsherman.com/">Rob Sherman Advocacy</a>, is contesting the state's action with a lawsuit. He's presenting his arguments today before Chicago's 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.<br />
<br />
Good luck Rob!d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-69720963945585509272011-10-31T10:46:00.000-06:002011-10-31T10:46:09.189-06:00Leviticus 11We finally learn what "clean" vs. "unclean" means, and get a list of animals we can and can't eat. And nobody bothered to count the number of legs a grasshopper has.<br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/11.html"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/11.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>1</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,<br />
<br />
<strong>2</strong> Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.</blockquote><br />
Finally, we get a definition for what "clean" and "unclean" means.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>3</strong> Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.</blockquote><br />
A "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloven_hoof">cloven hoof</a>" is a hoof split into two primary toes of the same size (analogous to the third and fourth fingers of the human hand). This is descriptive of some members of the mammalian order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates (an "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungulates">ungulate</a>" is an animal with a hoof).<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Capreolus_capreolus_cloven_hoof.jpg/300px-Capreolus_capreolus_cloven_hoof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Capreolus_capreolus_cloven_hoof.jpg/300px-Capreolus_capreolus_cloven_hoof.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
To "chew the cud," or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruminant">ruminate</a>, means re-chewing food that is partially digested. The animal typically has a stomach in two compartments. When food is first eaten it is partially digested in the first compartment, and then regurgitated and chewed further. This helps break down fibrous plant matter for more effective digestion.<br />
<br />
So, we're looking for the subset of Artiodactyla that ruminate and have split hooves.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>4</strong> Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.</blockquote><br />
While the camel is a even-toed ungulate, the two primary toes of the hoof are not separated, so therefore you can't eat it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Camelsfootforexceedinglyimportantarticle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Camelsfootforexceedinglyimportantarticle.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(By the way, as a public service message, be careful if you try to search the web for pictures of a camel's toe. You're welcome.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<blockquote><strong>5</strong> And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.<br />
<br />
<strong>6</strong> And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.</blockquote><br />
The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyrax">hyrax</a> ("coney") and hare aren't ungulates, so they're unclean too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/images/taiga/snowshoe_hare_1298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/images/taiga/snowshoe_hare_1298.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>7</strong> And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.</blockquote><br />
Animals in the genus <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig">Sus</a></i> are even-toed ungulates, and they have split hooves, but they don't ruminate, so you can't eat them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k315/AsetoW/pig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k315/AsetoW/pig.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>8</strong> Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.</blockquote><br />
Well, I'm glad we got that sorted. Wait, what about fish? They're not ungulates but we eat them, right?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>9</strong> These shall ye eat of all that [are] in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.</blockquote><br />
Ah, I see. So salmon, tuna, haddock, flounder, grouper, halibut, and so on are okay.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>10</strong> And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:</blockquote><br />
If it doesn't have fins and scales, don't eat it. This excludes catfish, clams, lobsters, shrimp, mussels, crabs, squid, etc. That's a shame, because all of these are delicious.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>11</strong> They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.</blockquote><br />
Like I said, don't eat it.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>12</strong> Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that [shall be] an abomination unto you.</blockquote><br />
...If it has no fins and scales. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunting_of_the_Snark#The_Bellman.27s_rule-of-three">What I tell you three times is true</a>.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>13</strong> And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,<br />
<br />
<strong>14</strong> And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;<br />
<br />
<strong>15</strong> Every raven after his kind;<br />
<br />
<strong>16</strong> And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,<br />
<br />
<strong>17</strong> And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,<br />
<br />
<strong>18</strong> And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,<br />
<br />
<strong>19</strong> And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.</blockquote><br />
<br />
I find this confusing. With the ungulates, there was a specific rule that could be followed to see if something is ruled in or ruled out (split hooves and ruminates). Same with fish (scales and fins). But with birds, it's just a list of things not to eat. I guess if it's not in this list, it's okay? Condors? Emu? Peacock? Penguin?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>20</strong> All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.</blockquote><br />
Um, birds going on all four? Does this even make sense?<br />
<br />
Ah, apparently this may just be a mistranslation, and the original here may in fact be referring to insects. It's important to remember that this is just a book, that it's gone through many stages of translations, and that the original authors and all of the translators are fallible humans.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>21</strong> Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;<br />
<br />
<strong>22</strong> Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.</blockquote><br />
Yummy! Locusts, beetles and grasshoppers are good to eat! Yay!<br />
<br />
(<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locust">Locusts</a> are just a specific type of grasshopper, so it's probably not necessary to mention them specifically, but whatever.)<br />
<br />
Is this a bad time to mention that grasshoppers actually have six legs, not four?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://wordnuggets.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/grasshopper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://wordnuggets.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/grasshopper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Oops.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>23</strong> But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.<br />
<br />
<strong>24</strong> And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.<br />
<br />
<strong>25</strong> And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.<br />
<br />
<strong>26</strong> The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.<br />
<br />
<strong>27</strong> And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on [all] four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.<br />
<br />
<strong>28</strong> And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.<br />
<br />
<strong>29</strong> These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,<br />
<br />
<strong>30</strong> And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.</blockquote><br />
The French will be sad to hear that escargo is off the menu.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>31</strong> These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.<br />
<br />
<strong>32</strong> And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.<br />
<br />
<strong>33</strong> And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.<br />
<br />
<strong>34</strong> Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.<br />
<br />
<strong>35</strong> And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.<br />
<br />
<strong>36</strong> Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.<br />
<br />
<strong>37</strong> And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it [shall be] clean.<br />
<br />
<strong>38</strong> But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it [shall be] unclean unto you.<br />
<br />
<strong>39</strong> And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.<br />
<br />
<strong>40</strong> And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.<br />
<br />
<strong>41</strong> And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.<br />
<br />
<strong>42</strong> Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon [all] four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.<br />
<br />
<strong>43</strong> Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.<br />
<br />
<strong>44</strong> For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.<br />
<br />
<strong>45</strong> For I [am] the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.<br />
<br />
<strong>46</strong> This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:<br />
<br />
<strong>47</strong> To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.</blockquote><br />
Earlier, in <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/07/genesis-9.html">Genesis 9</a>:3 we are told<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><strong>9:3</strong> Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.</blockquote><br />
So I guess that's now been superseded by these new rules.<br />
<br />
This all sounds to me like people trying to understand why some foods can make you sick and some are okay; basically, a set of guidelines about how not to get sick (handling dead bodies, for instance). In other words, written by people who did not have a good understanding of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germ_theory">germ theory</a> of disease (*) or effective food preparation techniques.<br />
<br />
There's no real reason not to eat pigs or lobsters (setting arguments for vegetarianism aside for the moment); and there's no guarantee that you won't get sick from eating ill-prepared chicken. So basically, this whole chapter is just a waste of time.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(*) By the way, note the scientific use of the word "theory" here. Originally controversial, the germ theory was validated in the 19th century and is now accepted without controversy. Just because we call it a "theory" doesn't mean that it isn't generally accepted scientific fact; this is the distinction between (and the confusion caused by) the scientific vs. non-scientific use of this word. Like "theory of gravity." The same is true for the theory of evolution; it is a scientific fact; get over it.</span>d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-40612813097820210332011-10-30T11:30:00.000-06:002011-10-30T11:30:21.360-06:00FFRF blocking prayer at Alabama high schoolBrooks High School in Killen, Alabama this year was airing prayers to Jesus Christ before varsity and youth football games, and not surprisingly, this illegal practice brought about a complaint by the <a href="http://www.ffrf.org/">Freedom From Religion Foundation</a> (the Alabama chapter).<br />
<br />
Of course it's wrong to coerce students in a public school to participate in prayer. The FFRF is right to make its complaint, and the school district, which is now reviewing the complaint, should stop the practice or risk further legal action. I'm guessing that the district is strapped for cash, just like most public school systems in the country right now, and they shouldn't waste their limited money defending a clearly illegal practice. (See <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_v._Weisman">Lee vs. Weisman 1992</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe_Independent_School_Dist._v._Doe">Santa Fe Independent School Dist vs. Doe 2000</a> for relevant legal precedent).<br />
<br />
But what inspired me to write about it today were some of the comments by readers of the article posted about this in the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/atheist-group-block-alabama-high-school-inappropriate-praying-football-games-article-1.968174">NY Daily News</a>, such as:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeff0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">these players and fans who dont like prayer in these events, then dont pray. its the minority trying to dictate to the majority. and that *** me off.</span></blockquote>...and<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #edeff1; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">liberals....not happy unless everyone else is miserable.</span></blockquote><br />
What strange, misguided views. You're not happy unless your religion is being forced down everyone's throats, and you complain because a minority dare to point out that the practice is illegal and should stop? The first commenter has it exactly backwards: if the players and fans want to pray, they can pray, anywhere and at any time they want. What they can't do is compel student participation by leading the prayer (which is what happens when they broadcast it over the loudspeakers). The whole point to the bill of rights is that certain rights cannot be subject to majority vote; the majority will vote to take rights away from the minority every time. <br />
<br />
These aren't complicated concepts, but unfortunately it takes a level of intelligence and integrity to understand that are sadly lacking among the NY Daily News readers. And no, I'm not surprised.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-72732039752805640072011-10-28T10:20:00.001-06:002011-10-28T10:21:47.064-06:00Leviticus 10In which God kills again. But this time it's for a really, really good reason. Or not.<br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/10.html"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/10.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>1</b> And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.</blockquote><br />
Strange fire? Okaaaaaay. At least they're trying, right? They're making an offering to God.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<b>2</b> And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.</blockquote><br />
Holy frick, they get killed for getting their offering wrong?<br />
<br />
Let's see, they could have made their offering at the wrong place, at the wrong time, in the wrong way, or with the wrong frame of mind. (Whatever "strange fire" means; all we really know is that they did something wrong.) But they get killed for this? <br />
<br />
Let's say I have a very particular way I like my birthday cake to be made. I carefully instruct my 6-year-old on the exact method of preparation, and he dutifully listens with great care. On my next birthday he makes me this cake, to the best of his ability, because he wants to please me; he genuinely loves me and wants me to be happy. But it turns out he used the wrong kind of flour, or the icing looks sloppy, or it's lopsided, whatever. If I'm a loving, caring father, I recognize the intention of his effort and a am pleased and grateful for his effort. If I'm a jackass I complain about the cake, and if I'm a real prick I punish him (spank him, send him to his room without dinner, etc.). But only a psychopath would react in such a horrifying way as to kill his child for this effort. <br />
<br />
And only an idiot would read this and say "yup, God acted in a reasonable, understandable and moral way here. Those two deserved to die."<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<b>3</b> Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake , saying , I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified . And Aaron held his peace.</blockquote><br />
That's it? Aaron is satisfied with that? His sons were burned to death to sanctify God, and this is acceptable?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<b>4</b> And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. <br />
<b>5</b> So they went near , and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said . <br />
<b>6</b> And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die , and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled . <br />
<b>7</b> And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die : for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.</blockquote><br />
Carry the charred, dead bodies out; but don't dare show any signs of mourning or sorrow at their death, or God will kill you too.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<b>8</b> And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying , <br />
<b>9</b> Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die : it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:</blockquote><br />
God will also kill you for drinking wine or strong drink in the tabernacle.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<b>10</b> And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; <br />
<b>11</b> And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses. <br />
<b>12</b> And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:</blockquote><br />
You and your sons who I haven't killed yet can enjoy eating the remains of the animal sacrifice. Not creepy at all.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<b>13</b> And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.</blockquote><br />
Just as I suspected; the real purpose of the animal sacrifice is to feed the priests.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<b>14</b> And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons' due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel. <br />
<b>15</b> The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded. <br />
<b>16</b> And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt : and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, </blockquote><br />
Oh crap, you got the sin offering wrong! Run!<br />
<br />
<blockquote>saying, <br />
<b>17</b> Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? <br />
<b>18</b> Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.</blockquote><br />
Weren't you listening when I told you how to make offerings to me?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<b>19</b> And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD? <br />
<b>20</b> And when Moses heard that, he was content.</blockquote><br />
Okay, what now? Nadab and Abihu get torched for making their offering wrong, but Eleazar and Ithamar get off the hook just like that? <br />
<br />
If God cared about this stuff so much that he's willing to kill, then why did Eleazar and Ithamar get off so easily? Not that I wanted to see them die, of course, but it just highlights the fact that God is a capricious, illogical psychopath. If he didn't kill Eleazar and Ithamar, then there was really no reason for him to kill Nadab and Abihu, either. Unbelievable.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-3965273571860044182011-10-24T12:53:00.000-06:002011-10-24T12:53:44.646-06:00Denmark to legalize gay marriage!From The Advocate, it appears that Denmark is on the verge of <a href="url: /News/Daily_News/2011/10/24/Denmark_To_Legalize_Gay_Marriage/">legalizing gay marriage</a>. Another win for marriage equality!<br />
<br />
<blockquote>According to the <a href="http://www.cphpost.dk/component/content/52363.html?task=view" title="Copenhagen Post">Copenhagen Post</a>, the government plans to introduce a bill after the New Year that would allow same-sex couples, who are currently entitled to the civil status of “registered partnerships,” to hold weddings in the Church of Denmark and be considered “married” under the law.</blockquote><br />
Not surprisingly, this has made some religious people mad. Because people falling in love and committing themselves to each other is just too much love to be allowed to go unchallenged.<br />
<br />
Also:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Civil unions between same-sex partners became legal in Denmark in 1989. Recent polls show that almost 70% of the population supports allowing same-sex couples to marry in the church. </blockquote><br />
Nice! Way to go Denmark!d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-59911892470754648602011-10-24T12:44:00.000-06:002011-10-24T12:44:40.381-06:00Leviticus 1-9Today I start Leviticus. I don't know what to expect in terms of the story (other than more of the same). If you had asked me what was in Genesis or Exodus before I read them, I could have given you the broad strokes (while likely underestimating the atrocities); but with Leviticus, I have no idea.<br />
<br />
Okay, for these first 9 chapters, it's all just about killing animals. Seriously.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/lev/1.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:1</strong> And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:2</strong> Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:3</strong> If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:4</strong> And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.</blockquote><br />
What about just saying a few Hail Mary's or something? Why does atonement require killing?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:5</strong> And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.</blockquote><br />
Yuck. Bloody, bloody yuck.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:6</strong> And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.</blockquote><br />
Is this a sanctuary or a butcher shop?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:7</strong> And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:8</strong> And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:9</strong> But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.</blockquote><br />
Mmm, the sweet, sweet smell of burned animal flesh. That should make God happy.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:10</strong> And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:11</strong> And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:12</strong> And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:13</strong> But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.</blockquote><br />
The author of this chapter really likes the description of slaughtering and sacrificing animals. It's almost a word-for-word repetition of how to handle sacrificial cattle.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:14</strong> And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:15</strong> And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:16</strong> And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1:17</strong> And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.</blockquote><br />
And a third detailed, gory description of the murder and mutilation of an animal.<br />
<br />
Look, I'm not an animal rights activist (though I am a vegetarian, but for purely dietary reasons). I understand that animals get killed for food all the time, and that's just the way of the world. I would hope it's done in a humane way, and I know that's not always the case.<br />
<br />
But this is different. This is the senseless, wasteful slaughtering of animals so that the carcass can be burned, because God likes the smell of burning animal flesh. And while we're on the subject, does that even make sense? If he likes something, it implies that he goes from one state to a happier state when he experiences it; or in other words, he's less happy without it, and more happy with it. But then you have to accept that God, a "perfect" being, can be less happy or more happy. How can a perfect being be unhappy, or be made more happy by something? Doesn't make any sense to me.<br />
<br />
And, leaving the philosophical issue aside, why on earth would God choose something like the mutilation and burning of animals as the thing that will make him more happy? Why not a offering of daffodils? Or a pretty picture? (Oh right, God hates art.) Or a song from the heart? What kind of a monster takes pleasure from such a gory scene?<br />
<br />
Okay, reading ahead, it turns out it's not just this chapter, but the first 9 chapters of Leviticus that go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about how to kill and butcher animals, what to do with their blood and fat, and how to burn the carcasses. This is just really horrifying stuff. Here it is:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:1</strong> And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:2</strong> And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:3</strong> And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:4</strong> And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:5</strong> And if thy oblation be a meat offering baked in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:6</strong> Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:7</strong> And if thy oblation be a meat offering baked in the frying pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:8</strong> And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:9</strong> And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:10</strong> And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:11</strong> No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:12</strong> As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savor.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:13</strong> And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:14</strong> And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:15</strong> And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2:16</strong> And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:1</strong> And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:2</strong> And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:3</strong> And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:4</strong> And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:5</strong> And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:6</strong> And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:7</strong> If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:8</strong> And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:9</strong> And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:10</strong> And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:11</strong> And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:12</strong> And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:13</strong> And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:14</strong> And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:15</strong> And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:16</strong> And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savor: all the fat is the LORD's.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3:17</strong> It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:1</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:2</strong> Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:3</strong> If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:4</strong> And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:5</strong> And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:6</strong> And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:7</strong> And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:8</strong> And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:9</strong> And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:10</strong> As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:11</strong> And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:12</strong> Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:13</strong> And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:14</strong> When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:15</strong> And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:16</strong> And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:17</strong> And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:18</strong> And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:19</strong> And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:20</strong> And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:21</strong> And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:22</strong> When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:23</strong> Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:24</strong> And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:25</strong> And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:26</strong> And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:27</strong> And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:28</strong> Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:29</strong> And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:30</strong> And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:31</strong> And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:32</strong> And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:33</strong> And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:34</strong> And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4:35</strong> And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:1</strong> And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:2</strong> Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcass of an unclean beast, or a carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:3</strong> Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:4</strong> Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:5</strong> And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:6</strong> And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:7</strong> And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:8</strong> And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:9</strong> And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:10</strong> And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:11</strong> But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:12</strong> Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it is a sin offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:13</strong> And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest's, as a meat offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:14</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:15</strong> If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:16</strong> And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:17</strong> And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:18</strong> And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5:19</strong> It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:1</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:2</strong> If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbor;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:3</strong> Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:4</strong> Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:5</strong> Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:6</strong> And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:7</strong> And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:8</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:9</strong> Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:10</strong> And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:11</strong> And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:12</strong> And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:13</strong> The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:14</strong> And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:15</strong> And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:16</strong> And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:17</strong> It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:18</strong> All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:19</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:20</strong> This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:21</strong> In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baked, thou shalt bring it in: and the baked pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savor unto the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:22</strong> And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:23</strong> For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:24</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:25</strong> Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD: it is most holy.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:26</strong> The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:27</strong> Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:28</strong> But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brazen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:29</strong> All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6:30</strong> And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:1</strong> Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering: it is most holy.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:2</strong> In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:3</strong> And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:4</strong> And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:5</strong> And the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a trespass offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:6</strong> Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:7</strong> As the sin offering is, so is the trespass offering: there is one law for them: the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:8</strong> And the priest that offereth any man's burnt offering, even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath offered.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:9</strong> And all the meat offering that is baked in the oven, and all that is dressed in the frying pan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that offereth it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:10</strong> And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:11</strong> And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:12</strong> If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:13</strong> Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:14</strong> And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:15</strong> And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:16</strong> But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:17</strong> But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:18</strong> And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:19</strong> And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:20</strong> But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:21</strong> Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:22</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:23</strong> Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:24</strong> And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:25</strong> For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:26</strong> Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:27</strong> Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:28</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:29</strong> Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:30</strong> His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:31</strong> And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:32</strong> And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:33</strong> He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:34</strong> For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:35</strong> This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the LORD in the priest's office;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:36</strong> Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever throughout their generations.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:37</strong> This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7:38</strong> Which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:1</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:2</strong> Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:3</strong> And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:4</strong> And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:5</strong> And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:6</strong> And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:7</strong> And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:8</strong> And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:9</strong> And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:10</strong> And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:11</strong> And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:12</strong> And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:13</strong> And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:14</strong> And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:15</strong> And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:16</strong> And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:17</strong> But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:18</strong> And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:19</strong> And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:20</strong> And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:21</strong> And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savor, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:22</strong> And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:23</strong> And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:24</strong> And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:25</strong> And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:26</strong> And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:27</strong> And he put all upon Aaron's hands, and upon his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:28</strong> And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savor: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:29</strong> And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses' part; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:30</strong> And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:31</strong> And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:32</strong> And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:33</strong> And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:34</strong> As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:35</strong> Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8:36</strong> So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:1</strong> And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:2</strong> And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:3</strong> And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:4</strong> Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for to day the LORD will appear unto you.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:5</strong> And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:6</strong> And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:7</strong> And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:8</strong> Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:9</strong> And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:10</strong> But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:11</strong> And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:12</strong> And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:13</strong> And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:14</strong> And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:15</strong> And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:16</strong> And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:17</strong> And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:18</strong> He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:19</strong> And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:20</strong> And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:21</strong> And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:22</strong> And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:23</strong> And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9:24</strong> And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.</blockquote><br />
Okay, to summarize:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>If you bring an offering, make it of the cattle, the herd, or the flock. Bring a male without blemish (whatever that means).</li>
<li> You can also bring cooked meat.</li>
<li>To make a peace offering, either a male or female animal will do.</li>
<li>If you sin from ignorance, then you must bring a bullock.</li>
<li>If you hear someone swear, or touch an unclean animal or the uncleanliness of man, or swear an oath, then you must bring a female goat to sacrifice.</li>
<li>If you tell a lie (especially about the whereabouts of something), then you must bring a ram as a sacrificial offering.</li>
</ul><div>And the rest of it is just the gory, bloody descriptions about how to kill animals, separate the skin and fat, burn the flesh, handle the internal organs, and so on. It reads like a Wes Craven / Stephen King collaboration. Horrid stuff. I think I'm going to be sick.</div><div><br />
</div>d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-52993068434128106942011-10-23T09:19:00.000-06:002011-10-23T09:19:12.426-06:00What is Natural?Daniel Florien of the <a href="http://unreasonablefaith.com/">Unreasonable Faith</a> blog has a wonderful post challenging religionists to defend their stance against LGBT marriage equality. The primary line of attack has to do with the argument that gay marriage is not "natural," and he destroys this argument masterfully. I'll summarize the points after the jump, but you should really read <a href="http://unreasonablefaith.com/2011/10/21/questions-for-the-opponents-of-gay-marriage/">his post</a>, it's a thing of beauty.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What is natural? </span><br />
<br />
We spend lots of time, effort and money to protect ourselves from the "natural" world. The implication that "natural == good" and "unnatural == bad" is not only insufficient, but wrong. I'm surrounded by non-natural things: plastic, steel, electronics, fabrics, and so on. Are these things bad? If natural is good, why don't we all live naked in the woods?<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Is unnatural always immoral?</span><br />
<br />
Saying that gay marriage is unnatural is a sanctimonious way of saying that it's immoral, but this incorrectly implies that unnatural == immoral. Flying is unnatural for humans; is air travel immoral? Plastic isn't natural, but Christians still use credit cards. On the other hand, things that happen in nature, such as murder and theft, are not labeled as "immoral." Morality is a specifically human concern, and such has to be measured by means other than "natural vs unnatural." <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Does homosexuality occur in nature?</span><br />
<br />
On the other hand, homosexual behavior (mating practices with members of the same sex) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_behavior_in_animals"><i>does</i> occur in nature</a>. A review by Nathan Bailey and Marlene Zuk (Department of Biology at UC Riverside) in 2009, published in <i>Trends in Ecology & Evolution</i>, <a href="http://www.physorg.com/news164376975.html">concludes</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Same-sex behavior is a nearly universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom, common across species</blockquote><br />
Sounds "natural" to me.<br />
<br />
So the next time you hear someone say "it's not natural," you'll be better able to point out to them the incoherence of this statement. There's a lot more to this, including interesting discussions in the comments, over at <a href="http://unreasonablefaith.com/2011/10/21/questions-for-the-opponents-of-gay-marriage/">Unreasonable Faith</a>.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-64885307981629715422011-10-21T10:21:00.002-06:002011-10-21T10:21:09.271-06:00UP2VPSDo not, under any circumstances, do business with this company. They advertise on their site a 99.9% uptime SLA guarantee, but (a) they can't live up to this promise; and (b) they do not do anything to compensate their customers for their inconvenience when they don't. I experienced no less than 10 hours of system downtime from Oct 4 - Oct 19. (99.9% uptime would only allow 20 minutes of downtime in this period). <br />
<br />
An SLA, for the uninitiated, is a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_level_agreement">Service Level Agreement</a>." They promise, as part of the contractual obligation with their customers, to provide a defined level of service; in this case, 99.9% uptime.<br />
<br />
Read on for the full details.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I subscribed to their service on Sep 27, 2011. Things were going well until Oct 4, when the service went down. Not only was my VPS down, but I couldn't even access their website to submit a support ticket. I could access the control panel, but the service wouldn't reboot from the control panel. I sent an email to their support department, and here's the exchange that followed:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
04/10/2011 02:58<br />
<br />
I need some help, and I'm not sure how else to ask for it. My VPS is down; I can see that it's offline using the control panel.<br />
<br />
I tried to reboot it (using the blue Reboot button), but it's still offline.<br />
<br />
I tried to visit my.up2vps.com to either log into my account, check for some status info, or get help, but I cannot even connect to that site.<br />
<br />
Help?<br />
<br />
What else can I do?<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
04/10/2011 03:02<br />
<br />
Hi, there<br />
We have get high load so we reboot our nodes . should be ok now.<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
04/10/2011 03:14<br />
<br />
Hi Tomer, thanks. Yes, I am back up.<br />
<br />
So, I have some questions. Does this happen often? Did my server actually go down and get rebooted, or was I just unable to access it? If it went down, is there any way that I can be notified when this happens, so that I can make sure things are running properly when it comes back up?<br />
<br />
On your website you mention a 99.9% Uptime SLA, but I cannot find any other information about the SLA on the site. Can you provide me any more information on this, so I can know what to expect?<br />
Thanks! </blockquote><br />
They just rebooted their nodes?!<br />
<br />
This question was never answered. Note, they took my server down intentionally, without notifying me, and without regard for what was running or what the interruption in service would do to me.<br />
<br />
Event #2 happened on Oct 12, 2011. Same problem, I could not access their website, and this time I couldn't even access the control panel.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
12/10/2011 21:28<br />
<br />
Greetings,<br />
<br />
I need assistance, and as the up2vps.com website appears to be down, I'm not sure how else to request it. My VPS appears to be down; I cannot access it, and I cannot access the website or control panel to see what could be going on.<br />
<br />
What should I do when this happens? I noticed this morning that the server rebooted overnight, but I received no notice, and the application I had set to run on startup was not running (not until I logged in). If the site is going to go down, I am going to need some kind of notification so I can make sure things are working correctly when it comes back up.<br />
<br />
Also, can I get a copy of the SLA referenced on up2vps.com? I'm concerned about the frequent outages and reboots; I was hoping for a more stable environment.<br />
<br />
Thanks!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
12/10/2011 23:11<br />
<br />
Hi, We get ddos attack 2 times this day. i wanne ask what you run into your vps?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
13/10/2011 00:09<br />
<br />
Hi Tomer,<br />
<br />
I'm running an MT4 client (MetaTrader 4), connected to a server from FinFx.fi.<br />
<br />
Sorry to hear about the DoS attacks, that sucks.<br />
<br />
How can I get further information on the SLA? Both times the servers have gone down I've asked about the SLA, but so far I haven't gotten any more info.<br />
<br />
Also, is there a way for me to be notified when the servers go down, or at least when they come back up? Thanks much! </blockquote><br />
<br />
There was no reply to this question either, or any acknowledgement that I had answered his question about what I was running (he asks again later).<br />
<br />
I was beginning to suspect that the SLA was a scam.<br />
<br />
The third event occurred on Oct 14. This time they didn't just suffer an outage, they suspended my service, without notice or cause!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
14/10/2011 17:24<br />
<br />
At 8:30 am GMT today my server went down. When I looked at the Control Panel to see what the problem could be, I got this message:<br />
<br />
"This virtual server has been suspended by the administrator. Please contact support" <br />
<br />
Why has my server been suspended? If there's a problem, why was I not notified? <br />
<br />
Please help!<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
14/10/2011 17:27<br />
<br />
Hi,<br />
<br />
We was get over loads cased crash our node . question here is . what you are run into vps?<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
14/10/2011 17:38<br />
<br />
Hi Tomer,<br />
<br />
I run one instance of an MT4 client (MetaTrader 4) from FinFx.fi. That's all.<br />
<br />
I signed up with UP2VPS in part because you advertise a 99.9% uptime SLA guarantee. Now please, what are the terms of this guarantee? The site has clearly not been up 99.9% of the time. I've asked numerous times and so far my question has been ignored.<br />
Thanks,<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
14/10/2011 17:46<br />
<br />
Hi,<br />
<br />
We already more than 99.9% uptime but when some bad guys abuser on our node it get crash. whatever MT4 client overload on cpu?<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond Speers</b><br />
Client<br />
14/10/2011 17:59<br />
<br />
99.9% uptime would allow for 1.44 minutes of downtime per day. My server has gone down 3 times this week, and in this current instance it's been down over 5 hours and counting.<br />
<br />
But my question is not the uptime of the server; my question is, what are the terms of the SLA advertised on your site? I'm just asking what the terms of the SLA are.<br />
<br />
I do not understand your question about the MT4 client. It is a stable forex trading platform used by thousands of traders all over the world. I ran it locally (inside a virtual machine no less) for over a month before moving it to a VPS, and it never once crashed or caused problems in my VM. You can download a copy for yourself here:<br />
<br />
http://www.fxcm.com/metatrader.jsp<br />
<br />
(You'll have to set up a demo account, but it's free and easy.)<br />
Do you have evidence that my VPS account is causing your server load and crash problems?<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
17/10/2011 19:03<br />
<br />
Not sure why this ticket was closed. I received an email that said:<br />
<br />
"This is a notification to let you know that we are changing the status of your ticket #184423 to Closed as we have not received a response from you in over 48 hours."<br />
<br />
I responded and was awaiting a response from you. I asked some questions that have not been answered:<br />
<br />
1. What are the terms of the SLA advertised on your site? Specifically, how do you compensate customers when you are not able to maintain 99.9% uptime?<br />
<br />
2. Do you have any evidence that my VPS account is the cause of your server load and crash problems?<br />
<br />
3. You have twice now asked me about the MT4 client that I'm using in my VPS. Do you have the information you need to conclude that this is a stable and benign application?<br />
<br />
This is not just a matter of interest; I notice that my VPS has been rebooted at least twice in the last 24 hours, and since (a) I depend on my VPS running and (b) you don't notify me when it goes down or comes back up, this continues to be a real problem.<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
17/10/2011 19:35<br />
<br />
Hi,<br />
<br />
node rebooted due high load . we don't know Yet why this high loads . we check logs etc nothing found . we Monitored this node . we never get issue with this node before<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
18/10/2011 02:09<br />
<br />
Hi, We have Monitored issue from bug with Xen kernel . This is a Kernel Bug as you can see:<br />
<br />
Oct 18 00:41:11 x4 kernel: Kernel BUG at lib/list_debug.c:31 Kernel BUG at lib/list_debug.c:31 invalid opcode: 0000 [1] SMP last sysfs file: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/irq<br />
CPU 5</blockquote><br />
It was absolutely infuriating how he never answered my questions about the SLA, but I kept my cool. Meanwhile, I had to stop running MT4 on the VPS, because I couldn't depend upon it being stable. I set up an account with mon.itor.us to notify me both when my VPS went down and when it came back up. Over the next week, it went down 3 times; finally, on the last time I sent in another support request, which would prove to be my last:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
19/10/2011 13:29<br />
<br />
VPS is offline, and while I can access the Control Panel, I cannot boot the server or access my.up2vps.com.<br />
<br />
Please help!<br />
<br />
At this point I must insist that I get an answer to the question of the SLA. Your system seems to crash almost daily and the resulting downtime is highly disruptive. If you can't answer the question, can you tell me who can? Please do not continue to ignore the question!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
19/10/2011 14:14<br />
<br />
issue from bug with Xen kernel . and this not fixed by us only Xen who can fixed . but we can't wait to they fixed it so we made some changes hope it help<br />
<br />
This is a Kernel Bug as you can see:<br />
<br />
Oct 18 00:41:11 x4 kernel: Kernel BUG at lib/list_debug.c:31 <br />
Kernel BUG at lib/list_debug.c:31<br />
invalid opcode: 0000 [1] SMP <br />
last sysfs file: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/irq <br />
CPU 5<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
19/10/2011 17:37<br />
<br />
Thank you for the information on the bug. This explains *why* UP2VPS is unable to provide the 99.9% uptime that you guarantee, but it doesn't answer the question that you are stubbornly ignoring: what are you going to do to satisfy me, your customer, considering your inability to provide the uptime that you guarantee?<br />
<br />
Who should I talk to in order to get an answer to this question, since you obviously will not answer it?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
19/10/2011 17:42<br />
<br />
Customers understood the current situation . These things are outside our control and we are doing an effort to resolve it as quickly as possible. I hope you have understood the problems that always occur with others, whether or<br />
<br />
Thanks You,<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
19/10/2011 17:57<br />
<br />
I do understand. But you must understand that your instability makes it difficult at best for me to continue to be your customer. I spent several hours in the middle of the night last night sitting up with a temporary VM running my software, waiting for the VPS to come back up. Your site was down for about 3.5 hours last night, as far as I can tell.<br />
<br />
The UP2VPS website says there's a 99.9% uptime guarantee. It doesn't say "unless there's a kernel bug that's out of our control." This is part of the reason why I've been asking and asking for the terms of the SLA, so I can better judge what constitutes a breach. From my point of view, you have breached the SLA, at great inconvenience to me, on a regular and continuing basis. I hope you have understood the problems you've caused me, and my mounting frustration that you continue to deflect the question.<br />
<br />
Is there someone else at UP2VPS that I can discuss this with? One of my earlier questions was answered by Adam, so I know you're not the only one there.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Daniel B</b><br />
Staff<br />
19/10/2011 18:08<br />
<br />
Hi,<br />
<br />
what question you are asked? all our antoher node have 99.99% to 100% uptime Guarantee i guess you was in Seattle or so before and get 100% uptime . it's kernel bug can't be fixed by us . we take node down to made some changes which maybe help.<br />
<br />
whatever we have mande changes and we go to Monitored this node and see what will happend<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
19/10/2011 18:23<br />
<br />
I subscribed to be in your Germany node; assuming this is where you have placed me, this is the only location I have been with you.<br />
<br />
My question is:<br />
<br />
(a) What are the terms of your 99.9% uptime SLA guarantee?<br />
<br />
and<br />
<br />
(b) What do you do when the SLA is breached? Specifically, since you have not provided the promised 99.9% uptime that you advertise, how do you compensate your customers for their inconvenience?<br />
<br />
I understand it's a kernel bug, and I understand that you can't fix it. You're explaining to me why you cannot live up to your SLA. I'm asking a different question: what do you do when you can't live up to your SLA? Just repeating "kernel bug" at me does not help, because it doesn't answer the question, and it doesn't do anything to give me any confidence that you will be able to live up to your SLA in the future.<br />
<br />
So far I have not asked for a specific recompense, preferring for you to tell me what is your policy. But nobody will tell me what the policy is, either for determining whether there's a breach of the SLA, or what UP2VPS will do for their customers when there is a breach.<br />
<br />
So, to state it simply: you have repeatedly and continuously violated your 99.9% uptime SLA guarantee, at great personal inconvenience to me, your customer. I expect UP2VPS to respond in a fair and professional way to compensate me for the inconveniences caused by this, in accordance with your guarantee. I would *think* a fair response would be to refund me, at a minimum, for the days on which these downtimes occurred; or preferably, for the current billing period.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
21/10/2011 18:10<br />
<br />
Two days with no response. Why is it when I ask this question, you guys ignore me?<br />
<br />
Let me put it this way. You advertise the 99.9% uptime SLA guarantee on your site. This is one of the reasons I became your customer, because high system stability is critical for my application. Advertising this guarantee implies two things: (1) your system is very stable; and (2) if it's not stable, you'll make it up to your customers who are effected.<br />
<br />
So, we've seen that (1) is not true; your system has been very unstable (though I understand you've taken steps to try to improve this). So, (2) how will you make it up to your customers who are effected? So far you've just ignored me whenever I've asked the question, or continued to explain why your system is so unstable, which doesn't help me at all, and further reduces my confidence.<br />
<br />
All I've really asked so far is (a) what are the terms of the guarantee you advertise on your homepage; and (b) what do you do when you cannot live up to the promise of the guarantee? Whether or not you agree that you've been unable to live up to the 99.9% uptime that you advertise, you should be able to answer these simple questions.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
21/10/2011 18:29<br />
<br />
Hi, To not waste time what you need exactly? the node is up and work as well now.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
21/10/2011 19:03<br />
<br />
If you wanted to not waste time, you could have answered the questions I've been asking over and over: <br />
<br />
(a) What are the terms of your 99.9% uptime SLA guarantee? and<br />
<br />
(b) What do you do when the SLA is breached? Specifically, since you have not provided the promised 99.9% uptime that you advertise, how do you compensate your customers for their inconvenience?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Tomer A</b><br />
Staff<br />
21/10/2011 19:11<br />
<br />
(A) What are the terms of your 99.9% uptime SLA guarantee? and can get more if we get kernel bug or ddos attack<br />
<br />
(b) What do you do when the SLA is breached? Specifically, since you have not provided the promised 99.9% uptime that you advertise, how do you compensate your customers for their inconvenience? we have answered before if you look to credit we not offer credit . network not paid us if they have issue or kernel paid if it have bug<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>d'Armond</b><br />
Client<br />
21/10/2011 19:30<br />
<br />
So here's what I'm hearing: <br />
<br />
(a) we guarantee 99.9% uptime, when we can. <br />
(b) when we can't, too bad. <br />
<br />
That's no guarantee.<br />
<br />
You have not answered before that you do not offer credit or refunds; this is the first time you've communicated that to me. I can only assume you have many irritated customers and you're losing track of who you're talking to.<br />
<br />
Okay, you obviously cannot provide a stable environment, and you will not stand behind your service. I will terminate my account. Since you will not offer me a refund for the significant inconvenience you've caused me, I will do everything I can to make sure that other unsuspecting potential customers know that you're a disreputable business who can't provide what they promise, won't stand by their service, and won't satisfy their customers.</blockquote><br />
That's the end of the exchanges. I did not edit or alter their responses in any way (I have PDF printouts of all exchanges for anyone who wants verification). Places where their sentences seemed incomplete or incoherent were exactly as I received them.<br />
<br />
Stay away from these guys; they're crooks and their service is crap.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-2657470134120862682011-10-19T10:01:00.001-06:002011-10-19T10:07:16.205-06:00Exodus: ReflectionsI've been roughly familiar with the story in Exodus for most of my life, but never had read the story in its entirety or known the details. I suspect that's the way it is with most non-Jewish people (including Christians), because the details are rather surprising. Well, unless you already realize that this book is bereft of any moral value.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
As I stated in my <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/08/genesis-reflections.html">reflections on Genesis</a>, it was not my intent to nit-pick every detail. I set out to read and understand the story, and the commentary that followed was my honest reaction to what I read. I may not have gotten everything right (I'm sure I didn't), but it still has value because it demonstrates how an honest, modern reader reacts to the story. Here are some reflections on what I read.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Why Exodus fails as a moral guide</span><br />
<br />
First off, Moses is a murderer (<a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/08/exodus-2.html">Exodus 2</a>:12). But this fact goes completely unremarked upon. He is not punished, made an example of, or in any way effected by his crime (other than the fact that he had to run from the Egyptian police). He was not concerned about committing the crime of murder, only about being seen and getting caught. He's a pretty despicable character.<br />
<br />
Then let's look at the plagues. God kills innocent creatures en masse and with abandon, only to prove that his magic is stronger than the magic of the Pharaoh's gods. You'd think an all-powerful deity could think of demonstrations of power that wouldn't result in mass death. He could have gone all <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Copperfield_(illusionist)">David Copperfield</a> on Pharaoh, like vanishing a pyramid, walking through a stone wall, escaping from a sealed tomb or flying through the air. Or he could have shown things from the future that he must have known were to come, such as Chicken McNuggets, solar panels or velcro. Or he could have just resolved the whole situation in the blink of an eye, without any of the gory murder. Instead, he continuously "hardens Pharaoh's heart" so that he has an excuse to continue to visit these atrocities upon the Egyptians, including the innocent women and children. This is the opposite of morality and a terrible message.<br />
<br />
This all culminates with a mass murder of innocent children. I hope there's no need to clarify why this is awful.<br />
<br />
In <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/09/exodus-21.html">Exodus 21</a> we're treated to the "eye for an eye, burn for a burn, ox for an ox" kind of revenge-based anti-justice that characterizes the Old Testament God. Thank goodness we realized that a true system of justice should not be based on vengeance. Strange how God didn't know that.<br />
<br />
We're told in <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/10/exodus-35.html">Exodus 35</a>:2 that if you work on the sabbath, you'll be put to death. Well, aside from the obvious fact that this isn't true (or else malls everywhere would be filled with corpses on Sundays), you'd think that something this important would receive a little more explanation; but that's it, we're given one verse. Eleven chapters on how to build a sanctuary (explained in excruciating detail, <i>twice</i>), but one verse on being put to death for something that is never clarified. Baffling.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Moral Vacuity of the Ten Commandments</span><br />
<br />
Then we have the Ten Commandments. Of course, I'm talking about the ones listed in <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/09/exodus-34.html">Exodus 34</a> (the ones that are specifically called the "Ten Commandments"), not the ones that everyone cites from <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/09/exodus-20.html">Exodus 20</a> that are not identified as such. Participate in feasts, bring your sons before God, don't boil baby goats in their mother's milk; those commandments. There is nothing here about morality, only about religious subservience. <br />
<br />
But okay, because I know nobody will accept the actual word of the Bible in identifying these as the ten commandments, and will prefer their favored list from <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/09/exodus-20.html">Exodus 20</a>, let's examine those. <br />
<br />
There are only a few that make any moral statements:<br />
<br />
- Thou shalt not kill<br />
- Thou shall not steal<br />
- Thou shalt not bear false witness<br />
<br />
The rest of them are mostly guidance on how to worship God (don't work on Sunday, don't worship other gods, always worship this God, that kind of thing), which are, at best, morally neutral. Now I've left out a couple that some might take offense to, so let me clarify:<br />
<br />
- Thou shalt not commit adultery<br />
<br />
The real crime here would be violating the trust of your spouse and lying about it. But there are couples who are perfectly happy in open marriages, for whom this is not a violation of trust. Who am I to judge them? The earlier rule against lying is sufficient to cover this case without overcompensating.<br />
<br />
- Honor thy father and mother<br />
<br />
Clearly there are cases when this would not apply. Who needs to tell a child to love their parent? And what loving person could tell a child to continue to love and respect a parent who beats or abuses them?<br />
<br />
- Thou shalt not covet ...<br />
<br />
Besides being completely anti-market, you can't really tell people how to feel. But you can put realistic limits on behavior, and the real problem here would be if someone stole from their neighbor something they coveted. So again, this is already covered under the more general rule against stealing.<br />
<br />
Now, aside from the fact that there's very little of actual moral value here, there are other problems. These are presented as absolutes, and do not permit any interpretation. Can you steal food for your starving family? Can you kill in self-defense (or a soldier in war)? Can you lie to protect someone's life; or tell a "little white lie"? According to this list, no, you can't. But ethics are situational (though I'm not endorsing the teleological <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situational_ethics">Situational Ethics</a> of Joseph Fletcher with that statement), and actual moral choices are not so black-and-white. So, as a guide to moral behavior, these offer no actual value.<br />
<br />
And finally, for the little they do say about moral behavior (however imperfectly), there's no reason that these are specifically understood as moral in the context of this religious text. Most cultures and other religions have similar statements; these are easily understood (and better understood) in the context of a secular legal system based upon the fair treatment of fellow human beings, not based upon fear of some petulant, murderous deity.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Exodus is pro-slavery</span><br />
<br />
This might seem surprising to someone who hasn't read it, since the whole point of getting the Hebrews out of Egypt was to free them from slavery to the Egyptians. But Exodus often talks about slavery as if it were a perfectly normal, morally acceptable thing to do. Such as <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/09/exodus-12.html">Exodus 12</a>:44, when God is explaining to Moses that, once you've circumcised your slave he can eat passover food. Not to mention all of the instructions in <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/09/exodus-21.html">Exodus 21</a> about ownership and beating of slaves. Disgusting.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Why Exodus fails as fiction</span><br />
<br />
Parts of Exodus just don't make any sense. In <a href="http://datheist.blogspot.com/2011/08/exodus-1.html">Exodus 1</a>, Pharaoh, when realizing how large and powerful the Hebrew nation is, fears for his empire. He knows they could overthrow his empire, say, if Egypt was attacked and they joined his enemies. So what does he do? He conscripts them into slavery and attempts to murder all the male children! This makes no expository sense at all. (a) If they were so powerful, they should not have been so easily subjugated. (b) If Pharaoh was afraid of them, he should have made them his allies, not his enemies. Instead he antagonized them at every turn, and effectively made them into his enemies (self-fulfilling prophecy). And (c) when Moses comes and starts destroying his empire, he does everything in his power to ensure that Moses continues to destroy his empire. If this were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bug%27s_life"><i>A Bug's Life</i></a>, Moses would be Flick and Pharaoh would be Hopper.<br />
<br />
When God brings the 10 plagues to Egypt, first he kills all the animals with the 5th plague (the "grievous murrain"), and then he kills all the firstborn male animals with the 10th plague. But if all the animals were already dead, there would be no more animals to kill later. Unless you want to beat a (firstborn male) dead horse. <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Exodus is anti-science</span><br />
<br />
Exodus teaches a belief in witchcraft, magic tricks and polytheism. I was surprised when reading this book how, when Moses showed Pharaoh all of the things he could do with sticks and water, that Pharaoh brought forth his own magicians to repeat the same magic tricks. Here's a question: when Moses did his tricks, what was the source of his magical power? God, right? So when Pharaoh's magicians did their versions of the magic tricks, what was the source of their magical power? I'm assuming it wasn't God (that would be like having the quarterback intentionally throw an interception). The competition between Moses and Pharaoh's magicians became a question of who could do the most terrible magic tricks; Moses' magical power (from God) was greater than the magicians' magical power (from where?). The only thing to conclude is either (a) there's a source of magical power in this world that God doesn't control; or (b) God was playing both sides. Either way, it's bad for God. Of course the real answer is (c), this whole thing is fictional nonsense. <br />
<br />
As far as polytheism goes, there are numerous references to other gods, and God is terribly concerned that his people will worship those other gods instead of him. <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Summary</span><br />
<br />
There's so much more; it seems pointless to continue to rehash the inhumanity of this book.<br />
<br />
I can only conclude that anyone who continues to point to the Bible as a moral guide, or specifically to Exodus as the source of the 10 commandments, simply hasn't read or understood it.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-38880300843152632982011-10-17T12:05:00.000-06:002011-10-17T12:05:08.050-06:00Exodus 38-40I should have combined 35-40 in the same way that I combined 25-31. Oh well.<br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/38.html"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/38.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:1</strong> And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:2</strong> And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:3</strong> And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:4</strong> And he made for the altar a brazen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:5</strong> And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:6</strong> And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with brass.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:7</strong> And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:8</strong> And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:9</strong> And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:10</strong> Their pillars were twenty, and their brazen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:11</strong> And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:12</strong> And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:13</strong> And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:14</strong> The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:15</strong> And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that hand, were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:16</strong> All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:17</strong> And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:18</strong> And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:19</strong> And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:20</strong> And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:21</strong> This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:22</strong> And Bezaleel the son Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:23</strong> And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:24</strong> All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:25</strong> And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:26</strong> A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:27</strong> And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:28</strong> And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:29</strong> And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:30</strong> And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">38:31</strong> And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote><strong>39:1</strong> And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>39:2</strong> And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.<br />
<strong>39:3</strong> And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.<br />
<strong>39:4</strong> They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together.<br />
<strong>39:5</strong> And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>39:6</strong> And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.<br />
<strong>39:7</strong> And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>39:8</strong> And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.<br />
<strong>39:9</strong> It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled.<br />
<strong>39:10</strong> And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.<br />
<strong>39:11</strong> And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.<br />
<strong>39:12</strong> And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.<br />
<strong>39:13</strong> And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.<br />
<strong>39:14</strong> And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.<br />
<strong>39:15</strong> And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathed work of pure gold.<br />
<strong>39:16</strong> And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings; and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.<br />
<strong>39:17</strong> And they put the two wreathed chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.<br />
<strong>39:18</strong> And the two ends of the two wreathed chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it.<br />
<strong>39:19</strong> And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.<br />
<strong>39:20</strong> And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.<br />
<strong>39:21</strong> And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>39:22</strong> And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.<br />
<strong>39:23</strong> And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of an habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend.<br />
<strong>39:24</strong> And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.<br />
<strong>39:25</strong> And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates;<br />
<strong>39:26</strong> A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>39:27</strong> And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,<br />
<strong>39:28</strong> And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen,<br />
<strong>39:29</strong> And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>39:30</strong> And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.<br />
<strong>39:31</strong> And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>39:32</strong> Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.<br />
<strong>39:33</strong> And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets,<br />
<strong>39:34</strong> And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering,<br />
<strong>39:35</strong> The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,<br />
<strong>39:36</strong> The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the showbread,<br />
<strong>39:37</strong> The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light,<br />
<strong>39:38</strong> And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door,<br />
<strong>39:39</strong> The brazen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,<br />
<strong>39:40</strong> The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation,<br />
<strong>39:41</strong> The cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's office.<br />
<strong>39:42</strong> According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.<br />
<strong>39:43</strong> And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote><strong>40:1</strong> And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<br />
<strong>40:2</strong> On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.<br />
<strong>40:3</strong> And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.<br />
<strong>40:4</strong> And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.<br />
<strong>40:5</strong> And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.<br />
<strong>40:6</strong> And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.<br />
<strong>40:7</strong> And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.<br />
<strong>40:8</strong> And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate.<br />
<strong>40:9</strong> And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy.<br />
<strong>40:10</strong> And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy.<br />
<strong>40:11</strong> And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it.<br />
<strong>40:12</strong> And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.<br />
<strong>40:13</strong> And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.<br />
<strong>40:14</strong> And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats:<br />
<strong>40:15</strong> And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.<br />
<strong>40:16</strong> Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.<br />
<strong>40:17</strong> And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.<br />
<strong>40:18</strong> And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars.<br />
<strong>40:19</strong> And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>40:20</strong> And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:<br />
<strong>40:21</strong> And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>40:22</strong> And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.<br />
<strong>40:23</strong> And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>40:24</strong> And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.<br />
<strong>40:25</strong> And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>40:26</strong> And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail:<br />
<strong>40:27</strong> And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>40:28</strong> And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.<br />
<strong>40:29</strong> And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.</blockquote><br />
It's been awhile since God had smelled the burning flesh of dead animals, so this is nice.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong>40:30</strong> And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal.<br />
<strong>40:31</strong> And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat:<br />
<strong>40:32</strong> When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.<br />
<strong>40:33</strong> And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.<br />
<strong>40:34</strong> Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.<br />
<strong>40:35</strong> And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.<br />
<strong>40:36</strong> And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:<br />
<strong>40:37</strong> But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.<br />
<strong>40:38</strong> For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.</blockquote><br />
Thus ends Exodus. Not a very thrilling ending, I must say. Next I'll post my summary and observations, before moving on to Leviticus.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-56358087122532532462011-10-17T10:25:00.000-06:002011-10-17T10:25:40.544-06:00Exodus 37Making the ark of the covenant (again); and other details of the sanctuary. <br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/37.html"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/37.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:1</strong> And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:2</strong> And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:3</strong> And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:4</strong> And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:5</strong> And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:6</strong> And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:7</strong> And he made two cherubim of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:8</strong> One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubim on the two ends thereof.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:9</strong> And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubim.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:10</strong> And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:11</strong> And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:12</strong> Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:13</strong> And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:14</strong> Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:15</strong> And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:16</strong> And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:17</strong> And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:18</strong> And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:19</strong> Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:20</strong> And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:21</strong> And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:22</strong> Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:23</strong> And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:24</strong> Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:25</strong> And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:26</strong> And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:27</strong> And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:28</strong> And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">37:29</strong> And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.</blockquote><br />
We've been through all this before, in Exodus 25-31. So, are they building a second sanctuary, or is this recounting the building of the first sanctuary? I can't tell.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-61482853219721220142011-10-14T10:13:00.000-06:002011-10-14T10:13:09.965-06:00Firing squads in Florida?Not satisfied with the current methods employed to kill people in Florida, state representative Brad Drake wants to bring back <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44889145/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/#.TphVRxU4OOY">firing squads</a>.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
What is the purpose of capital punishment? It can't be rehabilitation, since the criminal is dead after the sentencing is carried out.<br />
<br />
Maybe it's deterrence? Discourage other criminals from committing the worst of crimes? The data on this is complicated and open to interpretation. Here's a good source of raw data from the <a href="http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/facts-about-deterrence-and-death-penalty">Death Penalty Information Center</a>. Many of the states with the highest murder rate per capita do have death penalty statutes; and many of the states without death penalty statutes have lower murder rates per capita. But rather than get into an extended and heated debate over the interpretation of data, I want to look at the more fundamental premise: when someone (a potential murderer) finds him/herself in a situation where they could potentially commit a murder, do they ask themselves first: "Wait, do I live in a state that has a death penalty statute? Maybe I should calm down and think this through first." <br />
<br />
Quick, does the state you live in have a death penalty statute? If you don't know (most people don't), then how can you argue that the presence or absence of such a statute can have an effect on murder rates? Is the average murderer more up-to-date on criminal law prior to committing their crime?<br />
<br />
For me, the murder rates of states with such statutes compared to states without is inconclusive for this very reason. I think it would be more interesting to look at convicted criminals, and whether they were aware of state law prior to committing their crime. Or general knowledge about death penalty statues among the populace.<br />
<br />
So, the value of the death penalty for rehabilitation is obviously nil, and the value as a deterrent is questionable. What other reasons for it could there be? There are, I suppose, reasons that are not related to the crime, such as overcrowding of prisons, the cost of keeping such criminals locked up, and so on; but these are hardly reasons to kill people.<br />
<br />
What we're left with, then, is revenge. It's an "eye for an eye" mentality that's meant to give satisfaction to people who want to inflict the same level of punishment on the criminal that criminal inflicted on the victim. By this reasoning, a rapist should be raped; or a wife-beater should be beaten. A person who was illegally wire-tapped should be able to wire-tap the government back. Or a person who committed a traffic violation, like speeding, should, um, well, I don't know what the "eye for an eye" punishment is in that case. So clearly, this view of "justice" is untenable. <br />
<br />
But also, killing the criminal does nothing to provide justice to the murder victim. The victim is dead; there's nothing that can bring justice to him/her. If the victim was providing for others and their death deprived the survivors of their livelihood, then we should consider justice for them. But killing the criminal doesn't solve the problem; a monetary penalty commensurate with the lost income potential would be more fitting. And for friends and family members who suffered due to the loss of their loved one, the satisfaction of seeing the criminal put to death is just that: satisfaction. Is this not the very definition of revenge?<br />
<br />
And for all of the religionists who still want to see the "worst of the worst" sentenced in this way, how do you reconcile that with, oh, the commandment against killing? Seems inconsistent to me.<br />
<br />
If we have a system of justice in which innocent people could potentially be accused and convicted of crimes for which the sentence is death, and could potentially be sentenced to death and have this sentence carried out, then how can we allow this practice to persist? Do we, as a society, say that it's okay for 5% of death penalty sentences to be carried out on people who are innocent, in order to allow the other 95% of executions to proceed? If so, what's the number at which we think that capital punishment should no longer be allowed? 10%? 50%? Why isn't the number 1 (not 1%, just 1 innocent person murdered)? <br />
<br />
My sense of morality cannot support the death penalty in any case. As an atheist, I know that this life that we have is the only life we'll ever have, and I don't think that anyone has the right to take that away from anyone, in any circumstance. The Declaration of Independence got this right: the inalienable right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. If it's really inalienable, then no crime should be able to alienate it, right? I'm against war for this reason, as well as the murdering of abortion doctors. I understand there are circumstances such as self-defense; or police acting to protect the innocent against, say, a madman with a gun; and so on, where it's unavoidable. But premeditated murder by the state? That's easy: "no."<br />
<br />
Getting back to the case in Florida, this particular lawmaker is trying to argue that firing squads are more humane than lethal injection, because a skilled marksman can kill someone more effectively and with less pain and suffering than the cocktail of drugs used in lethal injections. But this completely misses the point that we should't be talking about state-sanctioned premeditated murder in the first place.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-86203240585716672982011-10-14T09:09:00.000-06:002011-10-14T09:09:39.422-06:00Exodus 36If you want to know how to hang curtains or make boards for the tabernacle, this is your chapter.<br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/36.html"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/36.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:1</strong> Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.</blockquote><br />
Okay, so it's not just Bezaleel and Aholiab, it's anyone with a wise heart who has been given wisdom and understanding by God of how to work these materials. But only for building the sanctuary, apparently.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:2</strong> And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:3</strong> And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:4</strong> And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:5</strong> And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:6</strong> And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.</blockquote><br />
Such a generous people, they brought too much, so Moses had to command them to stop.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:7</strong> For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:8</strong> And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubim of cunning work made he them.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:9</strong> The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:10</strong> And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:11</strong> And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:12</strong> Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:13</strong> And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:14</strong> And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:15</strong> The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain: the eleven curtains were of one size.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:16</strong> And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:17</strong> And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:18</strong> And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:19</strong> And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that.</blockquote><br />
Such detail over the fabrication of the curtains for the sanctuary. I find it odd that things that are matters of life and death are given almost no explication (what constitutes "work" for the purpose of Exodus 35:2, in which you get put to death for working on Sunday?), but something as trivial as how to hang curtains around a sanctuary is given 13 verses.<br />
<br />
Who knew interior decorating was such a Godly profession?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:20</strong> And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:21</strong> The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:22</strong> One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:23</strong> And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:24</strong> And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:25</strong> And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:26</strong> And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:27</strong> And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:28</strong> And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:29</strong> And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:30</strong> And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every board two sockets.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:31</strong> And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:32</strong> And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:33</strong> And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:34</strong> And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.</blockquote><br />
14 verses on the fabrication of boards of wood for the sanctuary. Still no more detail about what will get you killed on a Sunday.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:35</strong> And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim made he it of cunning work.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:36</strong> And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:37</strong> And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">36:38</strong> And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass.</blockquote><br />
Okay, whatever, we're building a sanctuary.<br />
<br />
What I really want to know is, do people still follow these instructions for the building of their sanctuaries today? d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-33314226722724783612011-10-14T08:58:00.001-06:002011-10-14T09:16:43.390-06:00Exodus 35In which we collect materials for another sanctuary, and threaten to put to death anyone who works on a Sunday.<br />
<a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/35.html"></a><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/35.html">Skeptic's Annotated Bible</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:1</strong> And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:2</strong> Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.</blockquote><br />
Death! Don't work on Sunday or you'll be PUT TO DEATH!<br />
<br />
No wonder all businesses are closed on Sundays. Oh, wait...<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:3</strong> Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.</blockquote><br />
Really, no fires? Does this refer to a fire as in a fireplace, or any kind of flame, like a candle? What if it's really cold? And what's the point in this? That the act of kindling a fire is work, and you can't do work on a Sunday or else you'll be put to death? <br />
<br />
It sure would help to understand some of these crazy rules if a little more detail were provided. What's the motivation for this?<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:4</strong> And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:5</strong> Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,</blockquote><br />
It sounds like they're going to build another tabernacle...<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:6</strong> And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:7</strong> And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:8</strong> And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:9</strong> And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:10</strong> And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:11</strong> The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:12</strong> The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of the covering,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:13</strong> The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, and the showbread,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:14</strong> The candlestick also for the light, </blockquote><br />
...but not on Sunday...<br />
<br />
<blockquote>and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:15</strong> And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:16</strong> The altar of burnt offering, with his brazen grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:17</strong> The hangings of the court, his pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:18</strong> The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:19</strong> The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:20</strong> And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:21</strong> And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:22</strong> And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered, offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:23</strong> And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:24</strong> Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD's offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:25</strong> And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:26</strong> And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:27</strong> And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:28</strong> And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:29</strong> The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:30</strong> And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:31</strong> And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:32</strong> And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:33</strong> And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.</blockquote><br />
So with the spirit of God, Bezaleel can work in gold, silver, brass, stones and wood. But we also know that it's against God's rules to create any graven images. So I guess it's not "any manner of cunning work," just those that aren't carved representations. <br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:34</strong> And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">35:35</strong> Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.</blockquote><br />
Strange to specifically call out one carver, two teachers, and embroiderers and weavers. I suppose we'll continue with other artisans and/or professions in the next chapter? Or does God only care about carving, embroidering and weaving?d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014825209439694481.post-70979241481600680092011-09-29T08:01:00.000-06:002011-09-29T08:01:36.657-06:00Driving without permissionApparently, in Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to drive without permission. It's not an actual law, so much as a religious ban:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>There are no written laws that restrict women from driving. Rather, the ban is rooted in conservative traditions and religious views that hold giving freedom of movement to women would make them vulnerable to sins.</blockquote><br />
What happens if a man violates a traffic law? The maximum penalty is a fine. If a woman violates this ban, though, the penalty is to be whipped. Shaima Jastaina was found guilty of "driving without permission" (which, again, is not a crime, but a religious ban), and has been sentenced to 10 lashes with a whip. The story is reported in the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/28/saudi-woman-lashed-defying-driving-ban">Guardian</a>. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I want to have respect for other cultures. I want to have tolerance for people's religious traditions, even if I don't understand or like them; it's not my place to tell someone they can't read their bible, or believe what they want or whatever, so long as it doesn't impact on others (though, of course, I can and will ridicule the batshit insane belief without reservation; I can both think you're crazy for believing something <i>and</i> fight for your right to believe it). However, when it comes to causing harm to people for stupid reasons, that's an outrage that shouldn't be accepted in silence.<br />
<br />
Also, notice:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Police usually stop female drivers</b>, question them and let them go after they sign a pledge not to drive again. But dozens of women have continued to take to the roads since June in a campaign to break the taboo.</blockquote><br />
Police are charged with enforcing religious bans? That in itself is a crime. <br />
<br />
This isn't even considered to be a sin. It's something that they're afraid can make women <i>vulnerable</i> to sin. You might as well whip them for breathing. But also, what about men? Do they get whipped for behaviors that may make them vulnerable to sin? Of course not. This is just another way of oppressing and controlling women. And it gives lie to the disingenuous efforts to increase women's freedom:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>The sentence comes two days after King Abdullah promised to protect women's rights and decreed women would be <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/25/saudi-arabia-women-vote-elections" title="">allowed to participate in municipal elections</a> in 2015. Abdullah also promised to appoint women to the all-male shura council advisory body.</blockquote><br />
Abdullah may have good intentions, but he's basically powerless against the religious establishment in a conservative culture. Unless he stands up vigorously for women's rights and fair treatment, he's just a part of the problem.<br />
<br />
I don't care if this practice is rooted in their religious traditions. It's disgusting, and we shouldn't be afraid to call it so. Religious tradition is no defense for this senseless cruelty.d'Armondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18162767352585014684noreply@blogger.com0