Interesting
I'm still reading Blogging the Bible by David Plotz (after I overcame my idiocy and realized that he hadn't stopped writing it, I just hadn't noticed the link to go on to Exodus at the bottom of the page). Someone submitted an e-mail to him bringing up the fact that the punishment for so many things is death, yet the punishment for a man hitting a pregnant woman and causing her to miscarry is a fine, paid to her husband.
This is interesting point in the abortion debate. If the punishment for taking life is death and the punishment for killing a fetus is a fine then doesn't that mean that, at least according to the Old Testament God, that a fetus isn't a life? Many pro-choicers, myself included, do not consider a fetus to be a life until it is separated from its mother. How can it be a life if it cannot live on its own? The other side of the spectrum believes that life begins at conception. Could the answer be right here in front of us? Granted, it's just the New International Version that includes the controversy-causing footnote, but who can say which version is "more correct?"
Here's the excerpt: Exodus 21: 22-25
22"If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely [*] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
*Or has a miscarriage
posted by Jenny G @ 8:54 AM
6 Comments:
The Bible also tells us that God knit us together in our mothers' wombs (Psalm 139:13) and in Scripture (the original texts before they were translated) the same Greek and Hebrew words are used for "fetus," "infant," and "young child." Another verse to consider, "From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God." Psalm 22:10.
Exodus 21:22 If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman...BUT THERE IS NO SERIOUS INJURY...meaning that the child does not die then there is a fine, but right away in verse 23 it says that if there is serious injury then there should be life taken for life. This passage DOES NOT say that the fetus is not a human.
Finally, we are not under the Old Testament law anymore because Christ came and paid the penalty for all people's sins if they accept Him as Savior.
http://www.techslut.net/474/the-literal-bible
It's difficult to debate a topic using a source that has questionable origins and means something different in each of its thousands of translations - each of those written with questionable motives. We're bound to have nothing but questions. :)
Unless, of course, you have blind faith and take historically hypocritical institutions at their word. Then you can speak with confidence and the same fervor and passion that people have used to commit genocide and other crimes against humanity all over the world for centuries.
Now, what messiah wouldn't be proud of that?
That's awesome, Annoyed. I hate Dr. Laura.
This was meant to be tongue in cheek, because I realize that it's only one translation on the Bible. It just goes to show how things can be skewed over thousands of years.
There's actually thousands of translations of the bible... All by man and all just a "little" different.
Thanks! It should be an exciting experience to say the least.
Dr. Laura, hehe. I remember when we stil lived on Long Island and my Dad would listen to NPR and she had her program on it. She wasn't always very nice to people, and sounded kinda narrow-minded.
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