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Under the sub-catagory, "Religon," at the "Square Peg - Round Hole" website, I came upon this reply to remarks made by Dr. Laura Schlessinger, on her radio show, about homosexuality. I'm posting it here because it is too good to keep to myself!

"Why Can’t I Own a Canadian?
by admin

(Not sure of the accuracy of the source…however it it a mute point as far as I’m concerned- the letter is great and makes very good points) S. B.

October 2002
Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It’s funny, as well as informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,
Jim"

And to think that in this day and age, there are those with PHD's, who still take the words of the "Holy Bible" literallly!

What a hoot! thanks for posting it.

I am continually amazed, posting on a "Chnristian" board as well as on this one, that so many with whom I chat have joyfully acknowledged that the Levitical Law was for those people in that time, and no longer applies to us ... and then just as joyfully replace it with the Sermon on the Mount and the letters of Paul, which are now to be obeyed just as mindlessly as "the new Law."

Not all Christians -- not even the majority -- can be tarred with that brush, but it is a not uncommon phenomenon in today's "Christian" scene.

I think (JMHO) that this happens because we are afraid of freedom. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." So it (He) makes us free of the Levitical Law, and all that spacious freedom terrifies us, so we rush back to the Law in another form so we can feel safe -- "Now I know what to think and what to do!" To live free and not beholden to any "Law" is to be at serious risk of thinking a wrong thought or making a wrong decision, after all. It means being responsible only to the indwelling Spirit. Many folks just can't live on that basis, because the groundwork for living such a life has not been laid. They grew up in a home and in a society in which Rules and Regulations determined what is right and wrong. Old habits die hard.

from The Shack: " ...[the Law] grants you the power to judge others and feel superior to them. You believe you are living to a higher standard that those you judge. Enforcing rules, especially in its more subtle expressions like responsibility and expectation, is a vain attempt to create certainty out of uncertainty. And contrary to what you might think, I [God] have a great fondness for uncertainty. Rules cannnot bring freedom; they only have the power to accuse."

Jai Ram
Art

too crazy

I think this interpretation is incorrect ,I believe it is neighboring States , so here in Ohio we can have Pennsylvanians , West Virginians , Kentuckians , Indianians and of course buy the whole football team from Michigan U . Orthodoxy , discussed here and else where , though I poke fun ,there is only a sadness about it that it is the source of death and pain resulting from judgments.
namaste
anvil46

TZF's friend and frequent Open Forum contributor ihavesayso called our attention to an interesting eZine called Super Wisdom. There is made the following excellent observation:

It is vital to challenge ourselves over the spiritual ideas we entertain, or they too can settle down to an unproductive rigidity. What's needed is a jolt, a challenge, and not a comfortable acceptance of an idea that seems to have a cozy place in our current thought structure.

My experience is that virtually all Teachers and spiritual traditions agree with that while far too many of us forget it far too often.

Consider the following from J. Krishnamurti's The Awakening of Intelligence:

I do not know if you have experimented with yourself. Take a piece of stick, put it on the mantelpiece, and every day put a flower in front of it -- give it a flower -- put in front of it a flower, and repeat some words -- "Coca-cola", "Amen", "Om", it doesn't matter what word -- any word you like -- listen, don't laugh it off -- do it and you will find out. If you do it, after a month you will see how holy it has become. You have identified yourself with that stick, with that piece of stone or with that piece of idea and you have made it into something sacred, holy. But it is not. You have given it a sense of holiness out of your fear, out of the constant habit of this tradition, giving yourself over, surrendering yourself to something which you consider holy. The image in the temple is no more holy than a piece of rock by the roadside. So it is very important to find out what is really sacred, what is really holy, if there is such a thing at all.

And yet, here is Vivekananda:

A round stone with special marks is the emblem of Vishnu, the Omnipresent, worshiped in the shrine. Each morning a priest comes in, bathes the image, clothes it, and puts his own Divine Spirit into it to "make it alive." Then he worships it with flowers and other offerings, waves incense before it, and finally puts it to bed, apologizing to God for worshiping Him in that way because of his inability to conceive Him without the help of an image or some other material object.