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'God' would be fine if we humans weren't so meddlesome - !!

LOL.. Absolutely. Brings us back to ego.. but that is another thread...

Love and Light..

Gosh, yes...I must come back to that one - thanks for reminding me!

I have a serious question here actually for Dave and the other Christians among us. I am not judging mind you.. just extremely curious.. always have been. Why is that the stoning, smiting, bull roasting, avoiding menstruating women, selling your daughters, and plucking our your eye days are over? Those were God's directives according to the OT, but then when Jesus was resurrected, all of those things became moot. Did God change his mind about all that? Why? And, if that is true, than how can anyone point to the OT as a reference for anything? What was kept and what was not and why?

Love and Light..

Hey guys! I'm jumping in here on two parts of the conversation!



I've always thought of this part like I think about my own children... there are many times I get angry with my kids and don't "like" them very much (and would like to string them up by their ears!!!) - but I still love them, obviously! Of course that love is going to be deeper and stronger than what I am capable of with strangers or people who have hurt me, but the premise is still the same.



From what I understand a new covenant was made when Jesus was crucified on the cross and rose again for our sins. Many of the specific laws He (Jesus) restated in the New Testament Himself, and those we are still supposed to keep, but the others were no longer necessary once this New Covenant (or contract?) was made.

I don't have the exact verses in front of me right now, but I can look them up before I come back later that I believe support this.

I will point out that I took a microbiology course in college from a professor in college that had a doctorates in both biology and theology. He was a Methodist minister as well as a professor at my school. It was fascinating listening to him speak on certain subjects - one of which was why certain laws in the Bible (such as laws concerning menstruation, circumcsion, illness, etc.) were laid down. There was sound scientific reasoning behind every law - which was really neat!

Hinduism also strongly preaches avoiding contact with menstruating women. Most women do not object to this in India.

Spirituality,
Good question! I have the answer but it might be somewhat lengthy so I will answer when I get home from work.

Well, I guess this brings up more questions in my mind. God is a Hebrew God. That is evident by the fact that he chose the ancient Hebrews to deliver his message. And, God also ruled by Hebrew law, as is evident in the OT. Jesus therefore came to the Earth as a Jew. Up to his arrival, God was very much ingrained in Judaism. Yet, when he arrived on Earth in the body of Jesus as some believe, he rebelled against his own law.

The Pharisees were actually upholding the laws that God put down, and yet Jesus did not like the Pharisees belief. So, Jesus, God.. whatever... actually was rebelling against himself when he decided to abolish the old rules and regulations.

And, yet whenever I get into a discussion with a Christian, they quote the OT, especially pertaining to witchcraft, magic, etc.
If God abolished the old law doesn't that include those views also?

On top of all that, the Jews, who are supposedly God's chosen people.. and who uphold the old laws of the first few books of the OT in their traditions, do not believe that Jesus was the son of God, or the Messiah. In fact, they don't give any real credence to the NT. To my way of thinking the OT and the NT describe an entirely different God. That really confuses me..lol.

Love and Light..

This is exactly where the Jewish and Christian communities split. Christians believe Jesus was (and is) the Messiah, while the Jewish community is still waiting for Messiah to come - which is why they do not believe in the New Testament. But up until that point we have the same God - Jehovah, and believe the same thing. It just sticks at Jesus (which is a pretty major sticking point I admit!)

But I do not think it was so much that God (as Jesus) rebelled against His own law, as that it was His own law to change as He saw fit. Man was just not capable of living up to all of the laws and rules that were set down. Worse, man had begun creating more laws to try and make it more "systematic" (I guess is the word I'm looking for?) The problem was that God was getting lost in all of the laws and verbiage instead of the people looking to Him for answers. People were getting so caught up in the pomp and ceremony of the laws they had lost sight of what they were there for.

So instead Jesus came in the New Testament and brought a New Covenant (or law) that said "I Am the way". Man no longer had to jump through a bunch of hoops of different laws, they only had to believe in Christ and turn their lives over to Him for salvation.

Ack! Sorry - got a little carried away there, but I hope this made a little more sense this time!

So did God change his religion from Jewish to Christian when Jesus arrived? I have a funny feeling that a whole lot of Rabbi's would take exception to that.

So who has the correct version of the story.. The Jews who do not believe Jesus is the son of God or the Christians that do believe that to be true? The Jewish tradition was around a whole lot longer that the Christian tradition. But both are based on the same God.

The Jews say one thing, the Christians say another, and both say they are right... I agree Michelle, that is a pretty major stumbling block.

Love and Light..