Keeping Religious Zealots Out of Power

Post by **_Gazelam** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:05 am

Jersey,

Abraham had a servant by the name of Elizer. According to one account Elizer went to visit Lot on bussiness, negotiating a deal for his master in the city. Elizer was entertained by an innkeeper while there. Acording to the custom of the city, charity was against the law as it encouraged vagrancy. The inkeeper was banished from the town, and Elizer was seized and taken to the marketplace to be thrown down on a special kind of bed.
All of the cities of the plain, we are told, had such beds: the judges of the other cities - Shaqar of Gomorrah, Zabnak of Admah, and Manon og Zeboiim - had all taken counsel together and advised their people to "set up beds on their commons. When a stranger arrived, three men seized him by his head, and three by his feet, and they forced him upon one of those beds." There they stretched or contracted him violently to make him fit the exact length of the bed, saying as they did so, "Thus will be done to any man who comes to our land." The name of this bed being the "forcer" or "the violator", that being the root of the meaning of the word Sodom.

Ginzberg, Legends of the jews, 1:246-47

Post by **_asbestosman** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:07 am

beastie wrote:by the way, Asbman - there will be plenty more gazes where he came from.

No, I really don't think so. At least, I don't see the brethren supporting any idea of death for adulterers, homosexuals, etc--at least any more than they support Adam-God (except in the Biblical sense of Christ as the Second Adam).

Post by **_Jersey Girl** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:12 am

Gazelam wrote:Jersey,

Abraham had a servant by the name of Elizer. According to one account Elizer went to visit Lot on bussiness, negotiating a deal for his master in the city. Elizer was entertained by an innkeeper while there. Acording to the custom of the city, charity was against the law as it encouraged vagrancy. The inkeeper was banished from the town, and Elizer was seized and taken to the marketplace to be thrown down on a special kind of bed.
All of the cities of the plain, we are told, had such beds: the judges of the other cities - Shaqar of Gomorrah, Zabnak of Admah, and Manon og Zeboiim - had all taken counsel together and advised their people to "set up beds on their commons. When a stranger arrived, three men seized him by his head, and three by his feet, and they forced him upon one of those beds." There they stretched or contracted him violently to make him fit the exact length of the bed, saying as they did so, "Thus will be done to any man who comes to our land." The name of this bed being the "forcer" or "the violator", that being the root of the meaning of the word Sodom.

Ginzberg, Legends of the jews, 1:246-47

And...what has that got to do with homosexuality?

Post by **_Jersey Girl** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:15 am

Gaz,

The commentary you posted is an example of direct violation of Sojourner Law. The cities of S& G (and others) violated this law in numerous ways. Their violations are referenced in other parts of the Old Testament. I'll be glad to post those at some point here to round out the picture.

Post by **_Gazelam** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:16 am

Jersey Girl wrote:Gaz,

Are you familiar with sojouner law?

You think they wanted to tax Elizer?

Post by **_Gazelam** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:23 am

Jersey Girl wrote:Gaz,

The commentary you posted is an example of direct violation of Sojourner Law. The cities of S& G (and others) violated this law in numerous ways. Their violations are referenced in other parts of the Old Testament. I'll be glad to post those at some point here to round out the picture.

Im aware of the cities of the plains reputation for the fleeceing of travelers. Particularly during festivals.

The scriptures and the very reputation and name of the city of Sodom itself, I think bears out the nature of the people there.

Post by **_Jersey Girl** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:27 am

Gaz,

I don't know why you're choosing not to answer the questions I post. I asked you what the commentary regarding the bed has to do with homosexuality.

Could you answer that? Why did you post it?

Post by **_Jersey Girl** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:29 am

Gazelam wrote:
Jersey Girl wrote:Gaz,

The commentary you posted is an example of direct violation of Sojourner Law. The cities of S& G (and others) violated this law in numerous ways. Their violations are referenced in other parts of the Old Testament. I'll be glad to post those at some point here to round out the picture.

I'm aware of the cities of the plains reputation for the fleeceing of travelers. Particularly during festivals.

The scriptures and the very reputation and name of the city of Sodom itself, I think bears out the nature of the people there.

If you understand the nature of the people there, why do you seem to think that Sodom & Gomorrah were destroyed (there were other cities destroyed as well) on account of homosexuality?

Why do you think S was full of homos?

Post by **_Gazelam** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:29 am

Jersey Girl wrote:Gaz,

I don't know why you're choosing not to answer the questions I post. I asked you what the commentary regarding the bed has to do with homosexuality.

Could you answer that? Why did you post it?

Because it is a window into the culture of the people there. Apparently sodomizing was a favorite pastime among the people there, whether it be mechanically or manualy.

Post by **_Jersey Girl** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:31 am

Gazelam wrote:
Jersey Girl wrote:Gaz,

I don't know why you're choosing not to answer the questions I post. I asked you what the commentary regarding the bed has to do with homosexuality.

Could you answer that? Why did you post it?

Because it is a window into the culture of the people there. Apparently sodomizing was a favorite pastime among the people there, whether it be mechanically or manualy.

The quote you offered regarding the bed had nothing whatsoever to do with sexual practices.