Hypocrisy…Again by @ScholarMrsV

Many Christians choose to discount many of the laws of the Old Testament, especially those that deal with eating pork and seafood (if you live in the south!)  Although most Christians would say that these dietary restrictions are in the Old Testament and not in the New Testament, they cannot discount the Old Testament as not applying to themselves.  They use the Old Testament in those cases which are convenient for them; for example by using the ridiculous “creation” story or the story of Noah, both from Genesis, but choose to discount those laws of the Old Testament that they feel are too difficult to live by.  Jesus tells them through Matthew: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law of the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For the truly I tell you, until the heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18)  If the bible is the “infallible word of god” then should it not be followed completely by those who claim to be its followers?  Did the genocidal, overbearing god of the Old Testament choose to change his inflexible laws after having his son?  For such an omnipotent and omniscient being, it is hard to believe that the laws that he so strictly enforced could be so easily changed. 

It is, however, understandable that some of the bible’s laws do not jive with today’s ever progressive society, but shouldn’t god have anticipated that?  Is he not all-knowing?  For example, Leviticus 20:9 states: “For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.”  Surely, in modern society, parents cannot go around killing their children for talking back, but doesn’t the Lord order it?  Did he not order the murder of Isaac by Abraham and was Abraham not expected to obey?(Genesis 22)  This story of Abraham’s willingness to murder his own son, as God claims to do with his own son in the New Testament, is shown as a truly noble act, versus as awful parenting and deranged priorities.  As a Christian, or a Jew, should you not follow his order as well?  Most of us in a relatively moral society would say that this is a heinous order, to kill your child, but these types of events still happen in today’s society.  In 2011, a mother from Florida killed her two teenage children because she said that they were being “mouthy.”  A representative for the presiding police department stated: “But I don’t think that will ever serve as an explanation to the rest of us how you could take a child’s life.” (www.cbsnews.com/news/julie-powers-schenecker-kills-kids-for-talking-back-say-police/)

Whether or not she was following the order of the bible, or was simply acting in a moment of enraged passion, is irrelevant.  What is important to note is that the mother was arrested and condemned for doing exactly what the bible, a book that claims to hold ultimate morality, orders to be done.  What this reveals is that the bible does not deserve to hold the monopoly on morality, because society is more moral than the bible.  Without reading the bible, most people would admit that killing their children is horrific, and immoral.  However, those who claim to be followers of the bible must own this law just as they claim to own the others.

Written by: @ScholarMrsV on Twitter