winstonjen

To me, this is one of the most one-sided and horrible verses in the Bible. It justifies child abuse, and puts no burden on the parents to look after and respect the child, who, by the way, never asked to be born, especially not into an abusive family. Man is not a pot.

Bobzammel

There's also a phrase in the NT where Jesus commands people to hate their families--although many apologetics insist this is hyperbole.

Defiant Heretic

I wonder if <a href="http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/gen/19.html#8" target="_blank">Lot's daughters</a> respected him?

winstonjen

I hope not. If my dad offered to let other men rape me, I would shoot my dad straight between the eyes. How DARE God consider Lot to be righteous.

thebeave

Not only that, but there is a passage in Deuteronomy that states that (I'm paraphrasing here) if the child acts disrespectful to his parents then his punishment shall be stoning to death by the townspeople. Sheesh... seems a little harsh to me. I'd say send him to Juvy for a couple of months. If he still acts up, THEN stone him.

winstonjen

Why not stone the parents for not raising their children correctly?

Sojourner553

You have seen the classic Dr. Laura letter, I presume. I will recopy here. I have seen it in numerous places (including FUNNY TIMES).


Dear Dr. Laura,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's law. I have learned a great deal from you, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how best to follow them.
When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. How should I deal with this?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as is suggests in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may buy slaves from the nations that are around us? A friend of mine claims this applies to Canadians but not Mexicans. Can you explain?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:22 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 10:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 20:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear prescription glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for your reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

smugg

I'd like to point out that, like Lin-chi's advice to students, "Whatever you encounter, either within or without, slay it at once: on meeting Buddha, slay Buddha, on meeting the father, slay the father," it's very unlikely these verses were meant to be taken literally. Joseph Campbell makes some good points regarding this and while I'd love to include some of his thoughts, I don't have the materials handy.

Anyway, I just thought I'd throw that in -- I'd hate to see fellow atheists suffering from the same dangerous concrete thinking fundies engage in...

[edited to add]
Of course, I am not referring to the legal code advocating the death penalty for disobediant children, but to Jesus' warning of Luke 14:26.

To whit: "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."

I think the Old Testament was intended as a literal death sentence.

[ December 08, 2002: Message edited by: smugg ]</p>

idiom

If it came down to choosing between Jesus and your family then love and hate polarise fairly quickly.

To be a disciple of Jesus you must be prepared to hate your family. If you are prepared to hate them then I guess you don't really love them do you.

In general practice (where you are not often faced with such choices) it is taken to mean love your familiy insofar as it does no interfer with ones Love for Jesus.

Thats wot I get out of it.

Bobzammel

Interestingly Jesus supports the OT law regarding respect to parents in one of his arguments with the Pharisees. He even rebukes them for trying to change the law.