The Bible is not for children
Adult themes inappropriate for the young
Linus Shentu
Posted on: 7/13/08 Section: Opinion
In the modern world, God is not actively known to curse those who are not circumcised, but back then, God would annihilate those who did otherwise.
In the book of Exodus (4:24-26), God thinks Moses should die because his son's foreskin hasn't been removed. When God tries to kill Moses, his wife Zipporah steps in and chops off his son's foreskin and lets it fall to Moses' feet. "A bloody husband thou art!" screams Zipporah, still carrying both the child and knife. In the end, Moses is saved by his wife's heroic but strange actions.
Discussing foreskins to children and killing someone over it is definitely not appropriate for those in their youth.
While the Bible has a fascination for all things foreskin, here is a story full of love, romance and trading foreskins for a wife.
The lotharios of yesteryear like Casanova, Don Juan, and Bill Clinton are all worthy of praise. But before them was David. In the first book of Samuel (18:25-27), the young David is determined to marry Saul's daughter. David will do absolutely anything that Saul wants.
What does Saul, the ruler of the Kingdom of Israel want? Land? Women? Gold? Apparently he wants foreskins, one hundred of them. David is confused about the offer, but he still kills 200 men, pulls all of their trousers down, goes to work and brings back a satchel of foreskins. He brings double the amount and Saul has no other option but to lend his daughter in marriage.
Marriage and love might be acceptable content for children but killing people to retrieve their foreskins is definitely not.
Inside the Bible, there are some stories that are just so shocking that it is difficult to fathom what God's purpose was.
In the book of Judges (19:22-30), a man and his mistress roam the streets looking for shelter and end up finding a nice homeowner to let them stay.
During the night, a group of men show up and start banging at the door and insist to see the man to sodomize him. The homeowner doesn't want the man to be raped and asks them if they want his virgin daughter. The men refuse and instead take the man's mistress. They rape this woman all night until morning and then let her bleed to death.
In the book of Exodus (4:24-26), God thinks Moses should die because his son's foreskin hasn't been removed. When God tries to kill Moses, his wife Zipporah steps in and chops off his son's foreskin and lets it fall to Moses' feet. "A bloody husband thou art!" screams Zipporah, still carrying both the child and knife. In the end, Moses is saved by his wife's heroic but strange actions.
Discussing foreskins to children and killing someone over it is definitely not appropriate for those in their youth.
While the Bible has a fascination for all things foreskin, here is a story full of love, romance and trading foreskins for a wife.
The lotharios of yesteryear like Casanova, Don Juan, and Bill Clinton are all worthy of praise. But before them was David. In the first book of Samuel (18:25-27), the young David is determined to marry Saul's daughter. David will do absolutely anything that Saul wants.
What does Saul, the ruler of the Kingdom of Israel want? Land? Women? Gold? Apparently he wants foreskins, one hundred of them. David is confused about the offer, but he still kills 200 men, pulls all of their trousers down, goes to work and brings back a satchel of foreskins. He brings double the amount and Saul has no other option but to lend his daughter in marriage.
Marriage and love might be acceptable content for children but killing people to retrieve their foreskins is definitely not.
Inside the Bible, there are some stories that are just so shocking that it is difficult to fathom what God's purpose was.
In the book of Judges (19:22-30), a man and his mistress roam the streets looking for shelter and end up finding a nice homeowner to let them stay.
During the night, a group of men show up and start banging at the door and insist to see the man to sodomize him. The homeowner doesn't want the man to be raped and asks them if they want his virgin daughter. The men refuse and instead take the man's mistress. They rape this woman all night until morning and then let her bleed to death.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jay
posted 9/05/08 @ 10:59 PM PST
I do have a pet peeve for those taking the Bible out of context. Linus is definitely taking the Bible out of context.
Adam Michael Kratt
posted 9/18/08 @ 12:49 PM PST
As a Religious Studies Major and as someone who is Jewish and who was raised on the Bible, I have to admit there is alot in the Bible that children shouldn't be exposed to. (Continued…)
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