OT Law – Restrictive Not Prescriptive
Filed under: Law, Old Testament, Political Issues, Sermon on the Mount
Exodus through Deuteronomy are the four books of the Old Testament that contain what is called the Law of Moses and these laws are the topic of many discussions.
Some misguidedly attempt to super impose these laws on today’s cultures, a hopeless and useless endeavor. Refrigeration and modern farming methods have made the dietary restrictions obsolete. We eat pork today with no nutritive repercussions. Even in Jesus’ day improved food handling had overcome the obvious dangers of eating “unclean” animals.
Of course, Old Testament laws are not all given an equal hearing. Some people attempt to uphold certain laws while completely ignoring others. We love the laws relating to monogamous marriage but would rather not be reminded of the regulations on polygamy.
Moralists today are adamant about the one and embarrassed by the other. Restricting polygamy, rather than running it out of town, implies endorsement of the practice. Because polygyny was regulated, and not polyandry, it seems chauvinistic. Read more
Tithes And Taxes Not Equal
Some would suggest the tithe was simply a form of taxation in the Old Testament but tithes and taxes are two very different issues. I do concede at the outset that the Levites, who were supported by tithes, did a few things that are funded these days by taxes but there primary responsibilities were spiritual. Their civil responsibilities were minimal.
- Tithing was not legally enforced and was used mostly to serve spiritual purposes.
- Taxation was imposed and monitored by government regulation. They supported government structures only.
- Tithing was practiced before the law, incorporated in the law. Taxes were introduced much later.
Democracy Is Christian Even When The State Is Not
Over at the Huffington Post Robbie Gennet has made some interesting remarks about the impossibility of a democracy being Christian. In his words,
“There is no such thing as a Christian…Muslim… or Jewish Democracy…(or a solely Heterosexual one, for that matter).”
“True Democracy,” he says,
“Means True Equality and no religion sees itself as equal to all the others (and they feel especially unequal to secularism and atheism)…In this country, the vast majority of them (the religious) feel that the USA was founded as a Christian nation and should be run like one, which is anathema to the true Democratic ideals of our founding fathers.” Read more
Tim Pepper - Beautiful Frustration