I guess they missed this one in seminary:

[_karl61]

I'm reading through the Bible and came upon the story of Samson - I read it and thought that it was kind of wierd. He kills people left and right - even a thousand with a jaw bone. Then I went on to chapter 19 about a man and his concubine. She runs off to her father and he goes after her and her father has him stay many nights. Then he leaves and comes to a town. An old man gives them a room and a bunch of guys surround the house. They want the guy to come out. Instead the guy throws his concubine out and they gangrape her all night. In the morning he finds her unconcious on the steps. He puts her up on his donkey and goes home. Then he takes a knife and cuts her into twelve pieces. If this was translated correctly does the LDS church find any meaning in these stories. If I were President of the Church, I would ban Judges from the standard works.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

That sucks. I find it interesting symbolically, but literally it is sick.

[_moksha]

The Old Testament is replete with much barbarism. Obviously not all allegory is of a sacred nature.

[_karl61]

Now I'm in Judges 20 and 21 and the guy basically is saying hey, look what they did to her (I guess he had no choice but to throw her out the door) and now the Israelites are going up against the Benjamineites. Of course there is hundreds of thousands fighting and lots of death. (sounds familiar). It's great to read this new america Bible. I can see why the church keeps the King James with regards to the Old Testament because they really don't want you to read what the scribes really wrote.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

I don't know how relevent this is but I was reading a newspaper today *smile* and I was reading how this terrorist planned on kidnapping a man luring his daugter into a car (5 year old I think) and asking her (something along the lines of...) "what would you cook for a man in the mountains?" Chop the fathers head off and train the girl to grow up and marry a terrorist. I then later read about children being taught how to abduct a grpwn person. It is disgusting how children are being used in this way. But back to what I was saying. Dang I think I forgot what I was saying. It is a shame that people kill in the name of God. But even more a shame that they believe it. (Is it Samson?) He obviously didn't care much for his wife. in fact he was willing to sacrifice the fruit of the land. I don't know what I mean by that really, it just came out. Like she was just a peace of meat. And taking her to his fathers home. i get the impression she wasn't really a person. Ohh where are the words when one needs them? I am thinking land, countries. Nah?? Oh well.

[Guest]

Could the twelve pieces of the concubine represent the Twelve Apostles? If I recall correctly, the number 12 has a significant meaning in the gospel. THere is a reason she was chopped into twelve pieces. Perhaps a Bible scholar can enlighten us?

This is one of many reasons why Mormons don't really study the scriptures in their sunday school classes. They study their correlated manuals, which have snippets of scriptures carefully selected by the correlation committee.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

It appears she wasn't the only person cut up into twelve peices. There was a son of a god in greek mythology that was cut up into twelve peices as a sacrifice and then eaten.

[_karl61]

Could the twelve pieces of the concubine represent the Twelve Apostles? If I recall correctly, the number 12 has a significant meaning in the gospel. THere is a reason she was chopped into twelve pieces. Perhaps a Bible scholar can enlighten us?

This is one of many reasons why Mormons don't really study the scriptures in their sunday school classes. They study their correlated manuals, which have snippets of scriptures carefully selected by the correlation committee.

I think he sent of piece to each tribe - 12 tribes of Israel - they gathered and prepared for a cumorah type battle.

[_truth dancer]

The Bible is the word of God.

Such inspired men. So righteous and compassionate and loving. Such exemplary role models for men.

~dancer~

[Guest]

Now I'm at a chapter where Saul wants to give his daughter to David for one hundred Philistine foreskins. David takes his men and goes out and slays two hundred and comes back and counts them out infront of Saul. (What a sight that must have been.) Can you imagine those that went out to get the bodies of the Philistines and find them with their pants down and their foreskins cut off. I wonder if that story is out of bounds for a talk at sacrament meeting.