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» Ship of Fools   » Things we did   » Chapter & Worse   » Leviticus 19:27... You shall not cut the hair or clip the beard

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Source: (consider it) Thread: Leviticus 19:27... You shall not cut the hair or clip the beard
Simon

Editor
# 1

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Verse nominated by Chris:

"You shall not cut the hair on the sides of your heads, neither shall you clip off the edge of your beard." (Leviticus 19:27, in context)

Chris comments: This verse condemns all men to look like ZZ Top for eternity. What could be worst than that? It has led to centuries of prejudice against the clean shaven and neatly trimmed that continues to this day in some countries. Seriously, it illustrates the more general problem of embedding contemporary values and tribal customs in religious texts.

How much of a problem is this verse? Click "Vote Now" to cast your vote!

[ 23. July 2009, 23:42: Message edited by: Simon ]

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Eternal memory

Posts: 3787 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2001  |  IP: Logged
Curious
Shipmate
# 93

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Jolly good advice in a credit crunch - hairdressers cost a fortune!

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Erin - you are missed more than you could know. Rest in peace and rise in glory - to provide unrest in the heavenly realms.

Posts: 1372 | From: Betwixt and between | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
J Whitgift

Pro ecclesia dei!
# 1981

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quote:
Originally posted by Simon:
Chris comments: This verse condemns all men to look like ZZ Top for eternity. [...]

And this is a problem, how? (Quite frankly I prefer the hirsuit look.)

quote:
It has led to centuries of prejudice against the clean shaven and neatly trimmed that continues to this day in some countries. Seriously, it illustrates the more general problem of embedding contemporary values and tribal customs in religious texts.
I would have to question this. Yes, there are some societies which have tried to enforce the wearing of beards, but this has gone hand-in-hand with other forms of tyranny (Afghanistan under the Taleban for example). And surely we must treat this text as we would other texts under whcih refer to long-gone tribal traditions. Quite frankly I can't see this as being bad verse, especially when writers such Phyllis Trible have identified far worse texts (of terror) in the Bible.

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On the issue of homosexuality the Liberals have spent their time thinking, considering and listening (in the spirit of the Windsor process), whereas Conservative Anglicans have used the time to further dig their feet in and become more intransigent.

Posts: 2838 | From: Gone shoreside | Registered: Dec 2001  |  IP: Logged
Adam.

Like as the
# 4991

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quote:
Originally posted by Simon:
Seriously, it illustrates the more general problem of embedding contemporary values and tribal customs in religious texts.

How can any text fail to be a cultural artifact? Of course, I believe the Bible (and many other texts) to be much more than just that but the idea that one have a text without contemporary values is crazy.

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Ave Crux, Spes Unica!
Preaching blog

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Kelly Alves

Bunny with an axe
# 2522

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In this humble verse's defense, it was the one hippies used to flog the squares with when bugged to get a haircut.

[ETA: Gimme a head with hair... long, beautiful hair... ]

[ 24. July 2009, 18:15: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]

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I cannot expect people to believe “
Jesus loves me, this I know” of they don’t believe “Kelly loves me, this I know.”
Kelly Alves, somewhere around 2003.

Posts: 35076 | From: Pura Californiana | Registered: Mar 2002  |  IP: Logged
Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
# 5528

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I have to point out that it doesn't condemn shaving, just pointy little beards. I can sort of appreciate that.

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Er, this is what I've been up to (book).
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!

Posts: 20059 | From: off in left field somewhere | Registered: Feb 2004  |  IP: Logged
k-mann
Shipmate
# 8490

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And it was given to a specific people, in order for them to be separate from the pagan nations that surrended them.

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"Being religious means asking passionately the question of the meaning of our existence and being willing to receive answers, even if the answers hurt."
— Paul Tillich

Katolikken

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BWSmith
Shipmate
# 2981

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In grade school, all the cool kids had long beards. Made life hell for us "bald-facers"...
Posts: 722 | From: North Carolina, USA | Registered: Jul 2002  |  IP: Logged


 
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