You seem to be limiting God’s commandments to the traditional ten! God commands on numerous occasions in the Bible not just the ten! There are numerous commands about slavery. I have already quoted some to you. Commands may also be in the positive as in the negative. You must worship God is a positive command whilst thou must not steal is a negative. You must not kill your slave is a negative command but you may beat him is a positive command, as he is your property. Exodus 21:20-21 The words in Exodus put into the mouth of God that one man has property rights over another. These rights they claim, have been given by God. The church who also puts words into the mouth of God and this time it says that one man is not the property of another. Clearly one group of men put into God’s mouth that slavery is OK and another group that it is not. I think there is a contradiction, agreed?
Nimenton, you are obviously quite bright and I am commenting here to show some solidarity with you. A puzzle is often not solved by brute force if it is NP incomplete. etc etc. I can’t even remember if that has changed in the last few years. The words in Exodus put into the mouth of God conflicting messages when compared without an understanding of history and the way people think; It’s confusing – and it is a very lengthy explanation – let alone an argument – to try and untangle it.
The Law does change through history, but all you will succeed in doing with Angel is having a similar conversation which can either end in a compromise or a consensus. In some ways, that’s your choice. You see Angel confirming what I have said, and checking the sources. All I can offer you is the same as I offer him.
None of the sources are definitive that are easy to access – but you can study it if it
REALLY interests you – or you are forced to do it by some compelling force I don’t know about in your life.
I just want to caution you, judging by appearances makes everyone look like a fool. Who can argue with a fool, will they not be made to look like a fool themselves? Your original question is sort of meta-morphing into an interesting, and very deeply philosophical conversation; I must apologize, I am too ill at the present to give you a satisfying answer.
I picked up my medication at the store in Scappoose, and making small talk, I said “works like majic, I take it at night – and I sleep.” She responded, “It works like science”. I almost giggled and (VOMITED) in the mad irony of it. I couldn’t respond that fast to her either. But I haven’t slept well for a few days and well, it isn’t like science. I agree with her at one level, and at another I don’t. I didn’t mean the medication was actual “majic” when I made the comment – I don’t know why I said it other than its conventional (or was).
2000 years ago, maybe the person that heard the same comment would have believed in majic. (You are right, people believe many things) Today, the irony is that science doesn’t always answer the question right now – and people are changing the language as if it did. I am not saying this is “wrong” – but I am saying there has been WAY over 2000 years in the Mosaic law’s apparent “evolution” drawn by survival of the fittest (eg: the victors write the new history, history doesn’t prove who’s wrong sometimes – but only who’s left).
I have to go back and and get more medication as they didn’t even have a full prescription. Sorry, if I’m rambling – my mom could hardly stand me tonight.
On a scale of 1 to 10, tonight was a 9 on the bad list.
But, the start of the Mosaic law was God FREEING the Israeli people (AND
SOME EGYPTIAN SLAVES) from an indentured servitude; (They called it slavery == ??sort of?? == and today people in the church might call it the “deaconate” ). GOD started to teach by example – not by words; The story of the Exodus
IS the Law of God – taught by both good and bad examples. It is pedago— I can’t think how tyo spell it, and I’m too tire to look it up – sorry.
Moses was speaking to a mixed crowd with different vocabularies. He did his best with the tools he was allowed to work with – but it got mangled. Trust me – I know what I am talking about. If the people of the day recognized slavery (indentured servitude, I owe my soul to the company store type of trap) as WRONG (and some did, as they were freed from opression that included negotiations between Pharaoh the sly slave master, and Moses – THE MOUTH OF GOD in Egyptian speak. ) which ended in a death sentence; You can argue all day long that the law changed – and it did; but not God. The INERRANCY of scripture doesn’t appear to be the topic of the thread, so I’ll spare you the details … and that’s where the Devil is ( And I don’t know if thats an idiom my head just supplied from my subcounscous – or like the conversation I jhust had with the pharmacy worker, whatever they are called, just something ** argh. ) ASK and my
experience says you will find, eventually, an answer – but you may not be prepared for the journey.]
Doctor heal thyself is from Jesus’ lips an atheistic taunt – but it still applies today.
I can’t help myself – and it’s not always my fault – or yours.
contd.
