Is the New Testament any better than the Old?

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_huckelberry
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Re: Is the New Testament any better than the Old?

Post by _huckelberry »

Stormy Waters wrote:The question is simple. Is the translation wrong or not? If it is, then it should be corrected.


I suppose this is a reasonable question. However I have never seen evidence that bad Old Testament laws are a propblem of translation. They appear to have always been some poor laws included in that ancient code. they do not go away by slight of hand.

I think Aristotle Smith is aiming at suggesting that better meaning may be found in the large picture while fragments such as a particular ancient rule may have meaning not clearly reflecting Gods character.

I do not know if he would agree but for myself I find it perhaps most direct to think that God called Isreal to make rules to govern themselves and they using their simi barbaric culture came up with the mix bag of stuff you find in Old Testament legislation. It reflects c800 bc culture and like it or not that is the way things were.
_huckelberry
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Re: Is the New Testament any better than the Old?

Post by _huckelberry »

Flash wrote:
Personally, I think the most blasphemous and insane thing in modern Christianity is distorting the New Testament and making it solely about love and peace, ignoring Jesus' true behavior and commandments. For example, modern Christians recite "Turn the other cheek" but seldom place it in the proper context. Many repeatedly say, "do not judge" without realizing Jesus never even came close to saying that. (In fact that adulterous woman story was likely added in later) By doing this Christians give the impression there's a completely different God in the New Testament than the Old Testament.

"do not judge"

In Matthew one reads "Judge not least ye be judged" (sermon on the mount) those are not identical words but I am having difficulty projecting a difference of meaning.
I am not sure what sort of thing you are thinking of here. I do not know of any Christians making the New Testament solely about Love and peace though these are important things in Christianity and hardly insane. Perhaps you could explain what sort of thing you are seeing.
_Nightlion
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Re: Is the New Testament any better than the Old?

Post by _Nightlion »

Stormy Waters wrote:
The real question is whether or not executing homosexuals is moral. It doesn't matter if the commandment has expired.



The rise of the Hebrews from Egypt was staged with over-the-top theatrics and prohibitions to keep the people unique among all the nations that surrounded them.
It was that important that a witness of the gospel be established.

By the time of Christ the people had become a nation and the need to orchestrate strident measures to insure their uniqueness was diminished. Hence, "Let him that is without sin among you cast the first stone at her."

What father has not threatened his children even in the extreme to mollify their behavior? I tried not to purposefully because i suffered parents who thought screaming hatefully at kids and threatening their lives daily was how kids (and dogs) were raised (trained), Heck even mouthing off to your parents could have you dead by the Old Testament law.

It was purposefully.....oh my gosh.....dramatic to keep the people alert and keen.
Every manager knows that what is on the books for rules are more for an excuse IF you really need to reign in or get rid of someone. Or to make your personnel think you might enforce those rules and so govern themselves accordingly.

That is good management and if it were not out there written down how could it be effectual? Most work places have Zero Tolerance but how often is that enforced?

What was the results? Hebrew homosexuals were damn certain not to be found out. And that kept a lid on it and so licentiousness did not reign and the nation continued.
And just how many homosexual Israelites were ever killed? Any? Spoken of where?
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Re: Is the New Testament any better than the Old?

Post by _Yoda »

moksha wrote:If religion serves any purpose, it should include making us better people first and foremost. There are so many mixed messages in the Bible that sometimes hellfire and love are even juxtaposed in the same sermon. My advice is to follow the good and seek the betterment of Mankind. A loving God would approve and it would make life more pleasant for us and our posterity. God gave us reason. Let's use it.


Amen, little penguin! :-)
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