THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE
Casting Stones Without Spin:
Stories From the World's Other Bibles
Book 3: Mis-spells
What is transforming through knowledge? Be better when you know better.
Recognizing that the perspectives of an ancient society were shaped by cultural norms that have since changed represents a significant step in advancing our intellectual development and embracing our responsibility to grow through informed understanding. We have an obligation to be better when we know better.
Leviticus, the third book of the Bible is a handbook for partying. There are detailed instructions for how to celebrate, when and what to celebrate. Party food includes animals that chew their food, regurgitate it and chew it again; and creatures that have split hooves, a trait co-incident with calm and steady movement, often associated with domesticity and peaceful behavior.
Arguably, Leviticus’ most contentious verses prohibit same-sex sexual relations, and describe them as “an abomination.” The word abomination is a strong term that refers to actions seen as morally or ritually unclean in the context of ancient Israel’s laws. However, the interpretation of these verses is complex and has been debated over centuries.
A word to Bible-thumpers: The inclusion of these contentious verses in the Bible prior to the development of our scientific understanding of human sexuality does not justify bad behavior. We bear a responsibility to evolve through the acquisition of knowledge and to act with greater integrity as our understanding deepens.
Scholars argue that these verses must be understood in the context of ancient Israel’s holiness laws and the cultural practices of surrounding nations. Leviticus, after all, was written at a time when the Israelites were establishing themselves as a distinct people with their own laws and rituals, separate from the pagan nations around them. In the ancient world, same-sex relations were sometimes linked with pagan fertility rites or cultic practices, which were viewed as “abominations” because they involved idolatry or ritual impurity.
In this reading, the prohibition might not be aimed at same-sex relationships in general but specifically at ritualized same-sex acts or practices that were part of idol worship. It was not necessarily condemning homosexuality, but rather specific, culturally-contextual behaviors tied to idolatry.
More recent scholarship has focused on the original Hebrew language and cultural context, suggesting that the word used for “abomination” is not as strong as it sounds in English after all.
While the particular verses have been historically seen as prohibitions on same-sex relations, their interpretation is far from straightforward. Much of the debate revolves around understanding the cultural and historical context, as well as how the text should be applied to contemporary issues.
Primarily, Leviticus functions as a guide to celebration. Its 27 chapters prescribe festivals for everything from barley harvests to the sounding of trumpets.
Remember: The Israelites at this time were emerging from a long period of slavery and were trying to organize a society that was distinct and all theirs. Boundaries, regulations, rules, rituals, laws, laws and more laws governed every moment of every day.
The prohibition against consuming Wilbur and Thumper helped reinforce their sense of purity and holiness. Holiness often involved separation from what is impure or unclean, and the clean animals were those that were suitable not only for human consumption but also for sacrifice.
While they do have split hooves, rabbits were considered unclean since they eat their poop (instead of their barf) and do a lot of what rabbits do a lot of. Their wild, uncontrollable nature, combined with their rapid reproductive habits, made them appear impure or disorderly in the context of the Israelites’ religious laws.
Camels and pigs were also considered unclean. They were glommed in with other animals that did not have an herbivore’s gentle nature which was more aligned with a pure lifestyle.
When through laws, people seek meaning in randomness, control in uncertainty, and connection through shared beliefs, superstitions tend to flourish. Human brains are naturally wired to detect patterns even where none truly exist. While this ability is essential for learning and survival, it can also lead to false associations. If a particular action or object happens to coincide with a positive or negative outcome, even by chance, individuals may repeat the behavior, believing it had an effect. This perceived connection can reduce anxiety and provide a sense of control, especially in uncertain situations, further reinforcing the behavior. Over time, people are more likely to remember the instances when a superstition "worked" and overlook when it did not, allowing the belief to persist and deepen.
The criteria of fins and scales for clean sea creatures could have been influenced by the types of fish the Israelites knew. Fish with both fins and scales generally inhabited lakes or rivers, making them easier to catch and prepare, which may have led to their classification as clean.
Sea creatures without these features (shellfish, crustaceans, sharks and eels) could have been associated with uncleanliness simply because they lived on the sea floor and were harder to catch.
The many rules regarding uncleanness were not moral judgments. Rather, they were related to ritual purity, the idea that certain conditions rendered a person or object temporarily unsuitable for religious activities. Cleansing rituals typically involved washing in water, sometimes offering sacrifices, and a waiting period.
After the birth of a boy, a woman’s impurity lasted seven days and she had to wait 33 more days to be fully purified and to engage in religious practices. After the birth of a girl, the impurity lasted 14 days, and a woman had to wait 66 more days to be fully purified.
A man was considered unclean if he came in contact with a woman after childbirth, or if he had an emission of semen, whether it was a nocturnal emission or as the result of sexual intercourse. The impurity lasted until evening, and the man was required to wash his body and clothes.
Acknowledging that one ancient society’s views on sexuality and many other subjects were shaped by cultural norms that have since evolved is a meaningful step toward fulfilling our obligation to expand our learning, and our responsibility to transform through knowledge.
Stories From the World's Other Bibles
What is transforming through knowledge? Be better when you know better.
Recognizing that the perspectives of an ancient society were shaped by cultural norms that have since changed represents a significant step in advancing our intellectual development and embracing our responsibility to grow through informed understanding. We have an obligation to be better when we know better.
Leviticus, the third book of the Bible is a handbook for partying. There are detailed instructions for how to celebrate, when and what to celebrate. Party food includes animals that chew their food, regurgitate it and chew it again; and creatures that have split hooves, a trait co-incident with calm and steady movement, often associated with domesticity and peaceful behavior.
Arguably, Leviticus’ most contentious verses prohibit same-sex sexual relations, and describe them as “an abomination.” The word abomination is a strong term that refers to actions seen as morally or ritually unclean in the context of ancient Israel’s laws. However, the interpretation of these verses is complex and has been debated over centuries.
A word to Bible-thumpers: The inclusion of these contentious verses in the Bible prior to the development of our scientific understanding of human sexuality does not justify bad behavior. We bear a responsibility to evolve through the acquisition of knowledge and to act with greater integrity as our understanding deepens.
Scholars argue that these verses must be understood in the context of ancient Israel’s holiness laws and the cultural practices of surrounding nations. Leviticus, after all, was written at a time when the Israelites were establishing themselves as a distinct people with their own laws and rituals, separate from the pagan nations around them. In the ancient world, same-sex relations were sometimes linked with pagan fertility rites or cultic practices, which were viewed as “abominations” because they involved idolatry or ritual impurity.
In this reading, the prohibition might not be aimed at same-sex relationships in general but specifically at ritualized same-sex acts or practices that were part of idol worship. It was not necessarily condemning homosexuality, but rather specific, culturally-contextual behaviors tied to idolatry.
More recent scholarship has focused on the original Hebrew language and cultural context, suggesting that the word used for “abomination” is not as strong as it sounds in English after all.
While the particular verses have been historically seen as prohibitions on same-sex relations, their interpretation is far from straightforward. Much of the debate revolves around understanding the cultural and historical context, as well as how the text should be applied to contemporary issues.
Primarily, Leviticus functions as a guide to celebration. Its 27 chapters prescribe festivals for everything from barley harvests to the sounding of trumpets.
Remember: The Israelites at this time were emerging from a long period of slavery and were trying to organize a society that was distinct and all theirs. Boundaries, regulations, rules, rituals, laws, laws and more laws governed every moment of every day.
The prohibition against consuming Wilbur and Thumper helped reinforce their sense of purity and holiness. Holiness often involved separation from what is impure or unclean, and the clean animals were those that were suitable not only for human consumption but also for sacrifice.
While they do have split hooves, rabbits were considered unclean since they eat their poop (instead of their barf) and do a lot of what rabbits do a lot of. Their wild, uncontrollable nature, combined with their rapid reproductive habits, made them appear impure or disorderly in the context of the Israelites’ religious laws.
Camels and pigs were also considered unclean. They were glommed in with other animals that did not have an herbivore’s gentle nature which was more aligned with a pure lifestyle.
When through laws, people seek meaning in randomness, control in uncertainty, and connection through shared beliefs, superstitions tend to flourish. Human brains are naturally wired to detect patterns even where none truly exist. While this ability is essential for learning and survival, it can also lead to false associations. If a particular action or object happens to coincide with a positive or negative outcome, even by chance, individuals may repeat the behavior, believing it had an effect. This perceived connection can reduce anxiety and provide a sense of control, especially in uncertain situations, further reinforcing the behavior. Over time, people are more likely to remember the instances when a superstition "worked" and overlook when it did not, allowing the belief to persist and deepen.
The criteria of fins and scales for clean sea creatures could have been influenced by the types of fish the Israelites knew. Fish with both fins and scales generally inhabited lakes or rivers, making them easier to catch and prepare, which may have led to their classification as clean.
Sea creatures without these features (shellfish, crustaceans, sharks and eels) could have been associated with uncleanliness simply because they lived on the sea floor and were harder to catch.
The many rules regarding uncleanness were not moral judgments. Rather, they were related to ritual purity, the idea that certain conditions rendered a person or object temporarily unsuitable for religious activities. Cleansing rituals typically involved washing in water, sometimes offering sacrifices, and a waiting period.
After the birth of a boy, a woman’s impurity lasted seven days and she had to wait 33 more days to be fully purified and to engage in religious practices. After the birth of a girl, the impurity lasted 14 days, and a woman had to wait 66 more days to be fully purified.
A man was considered unclean if he came in contact with a woman after childbirth, or if he had an emission of semen, whether it was a nocturnal emission or as the result of sexual intercourse. The impurity lasted until evening, and the man was required to wash his body and clothes.
Acknowledging that one ancient society’s views on sexuality and many other subjects were shaped by cultural norms that have since evolved is a meaningful step toward fulfilling our obligation to expand our learning, and our responsibility to transform through knowledge.
