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Currently Browsing: Book 03 - Leviticus
Posted by admin | Nov 24th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 27
In the final chapter of Leviticus, there's a discussion about repaying vows and we get the value of human life in connection with these repayments. God doesn't care for women very much:
A 20-60 year old man: 50 shekels
A woman: 30 shekels.
Males 5-20 years old: 20 shekels.
Females 5-20 years old: 10 shekels.
A 1-month-old to 5 year old male: 5 shekels of silver.
A 1-month-old to...
Posted by admin | Nov 24th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 26
Yahweh belts out threat after threat after this chapter. If the people follow the commands, then they are all right and will enjoy plentiful harvests and no fear. But, if they break the commands, all hell breaks loose … for generations. For instance, disobeying the commands will result in:
Terror and consumption;
Eye problems;
Marauding enemies who slay everyone;
Crop failures;
Weakness and...
Posted by admin | Nov 24th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 25
The Israelites are instructed to retire their farmland every seventh year and no one is allowed to each what the land produces on its own during the seventh year. The 50th year on the day of atonement is a "jubilee." Yahweh says that on the sixth year, they will have enough of a harvest that will supply enough for three years.
Land prices are based on the "jubilee." It is more expensive...
Posted by admin | Nov 20th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 24
This chapter demonstrates why many find the Bible to be repulsive. It starts out benignly enough with boring instructions about offering 12 loaves of bread lined up in two rows of six, burning olive oil and so on, and then moves onto Yahweh/Moses-inspired violence.
Two guys get into a fight and one "blasphemes" the name of the Lord and Moses decrees that the blasphemer must be stoned to death by...
Posted by admin | Nov 20th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 23
Yahweh's "holy days" are outlined in this chapter. Most Christians do not celebrate these days, although Jews do follow them. There is a Christian minority that honors them.
The usual bloody animal sacrifices are described again here, with much reference to burning flesh creating a "sweet savour to the Lord."
The main point of this chapter appears to be sabbath keeping and honoring...
Posted by admin | Nov 20th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 22
Yahweh definitely does not like blemishes. In the last chapter, we learned that dwarfs and handicapped people cannot be priests. In this chapter, we find that lepers, people with "running issues," and people who are unclean because of touching dead things or "creeping things,"are not allowed to eat the holy food until ceremonially clean.
No one outside of the priest's family can...
Posted by admin | Nov 19th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 21
Yahweh is definitely a not an equal opportunity employer when it comes to the priesthood, since anyone with "defects" is not allowed to approach the altar of God. "Defective people" include the blind, the lame, dwarfs, and people with flat noses or other blemishes, damaged testicles, broken hands or feet, crooked backs, scurvy, scabs, or anything "superfluous." Priests aren't...
Posted by admin | Nov 19th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 20
The Westboro Baptist Church is correct, if we are to take this chapter literally: God hates everyone.
This chapter reveals more abominable behavior and who is supposed to be stoned to death. Adulterers, gays, some (but not all) practitioners of incest, and of course, wizards are to be put to death. Menstruation is a wicked time. Wizards and others get a "special" form of corporal punishment:...
Posted by admin | Nov 11th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 19
Rounding the corners of your head, marring the corners of your beard, mixing and matching fabrics, and getting tattoos are wickedy, wickedy, WICKEDY, according to THE LORD THY GOD.
The numerous instructions in this chapter are basically a rehashed mix of commands that were already given. There are a smattering of a couple of the Ten Commandments, some fairly ethical commandments already stated in Exodus...
Posted by admin | Nov 9th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 18
This is one of the favorite chapters of the evangelical right for purposes of condemning homosexuals (see discussion below regarding translations). In this chapter, we are told that homosexuality is an abomination, bestiality is confusing, you're not to profane the name of God and children are not to be sacrificed in the fire of Molech.
Fourteen verses are devoted to who you're not allowed to look...
Posted by admin | Nov 9th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 17
This chapter reveals that Yahweh is obsessed with blood and enjoys the scent of fat burning on an altar.
Only the priests are allowed to make sacrifices. No Israelite or stranger in the land may do so.
More blood sprinkling commands are given and the people are told that "blood makes an atonement for the soul." Three times in just one chapter, they are told not to eat blood. They are also...
Posted by admin | Nov 9th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 16
This chapter revisits what was already written about in Leviticus 10, when Aaron's two sons were murdered by God for not burning a fire correctly. Aaron is to sacrifice animals as sin offerings and burnt offerings.
This chapter also introduces us to the concept of the "scapegoat." Two goats are to be brought before Aaron — one gets to be for the LORD and is killed as an offering....
Posted by admin | Nov 7th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 15
Try not to visualize what Yahweh is talking about in this chapter — it's disgusting.
More sacrifices are described for people who have "running flesh" (in the King James translation) or "bodily discharges" (in other translations). Sex is unclean. Menstruating women are unclean and no one is allowed to touch her, or they will become unclean. No one can touch anything that...
Posted by admin | Nov 7th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 14
If someone is healed from a serious skin disease such as leprosy, then he has to give the priests animals to be sacrificed as part of a "purification ceremony." This includes smearing blood on the person who was healed.
God says that he is going to contaminate homes in the land of Canaan with "the plague of leprosy" and when the Israelites get there, there are further priestly instructions...
Posted by admin | Nov 7th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 13
This chapter details various skin conditions, such as rashes, open sores, leprosy, baldness and so on. All medical conditions are diagnosed by the priests. People who are ill are declared to be "unclean."
Priests are also to inspect clothing and fabrics and declare whether they are clean or unclean.
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Posted by admin | Nov 7th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 12
In this chapter, God shows his disdain for females. Women who are menstruating are "unclean." Women are "unlcean" for seven days after giving birth to a male and "unclean" for two weeks after giving birth to a female. If they give birth to a male, they must be "purified" for 33 days and if they give birth to a female, must be "purified" for 66 days.
Animals...
Posted by admin | Nov 7th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 11
Dietary restrictions are given to the Hebrews — most of which are not practiced by Christians today. These rules are still honored by the Jews.
We are introduced to some interesting species, including bird bats, four-legged creeping birds, cud-chewing rabbits and four-legged insects.
Not only are the people not to eat certain birds, animals and fish, but they are not to touch their dead carcasses....
Posted by admin | Oct 30th, 2009
The Bible Slam: Leviticus Chapter 10
Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, screwed up and didn't burn the fire right. So God burns them up. This is how God "displays his glory."
Aaron doesn't try to save his sons, nor does he argue about what happened. God tells Aaron and his family, "Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes" in grief for the two who were killed by fire. The penalty for breaking...
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