Isn't that what I said?
Isn't that what I said?
JAK, truly I'm not trying to be a horses *** when I say that I'm not sure you know what 'metaphor' means - or perhaps I don't. I was taught that a metaphor was a kind of analogy - comparing two things that are seemingly very unalike but have something usefull in common and thus teaching us a lesson that would, otherwise, be harder to comprehend. Perhaps I'm being obtuse, but I just don't see the metaphoric usefulness of the cammands from Leviticus. Please help me out.
Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
I think without some sort of faith we are like Franz Kafka's beetle.
I suppose even he had to believe he was a beetle, even if he couldn't get up.
The Trial was a great book.
The only time I have a problem with religious people (which in the US usually means Christians) is when they try to force their religious beliefs/morals on others (ie me). This almost always comes in the form of politics. Man, I hate politics.
Consider for example, the Book of Ruth.
Was it included as a literal account, or for some other purpose?
Was it only written for young Moabite women, centuries ago,
or was it written for anyone that might happen to read it?
Is it important that we all take the same meaning from it?
In Peter, when it is written
I don't mind talking religion and politics but if we are going to start discussing grammar I'm outta here. Buncha proper use of the English language freaks.
Wives submit to your husbands...
Slaves submit to your masters...
... is that written only for wives and slaves? What does it really mean?
JAK - OK, let me repeat what I asked of you earlier.
"JAK - pretend you're dealing with a particulary slow witted six year old (not terribly far from the truth) and then explain the Leviticus metaphor thingy."
I really want to get your point - but I need a little more concrete guidance on how this whole Levitics as a metaphore is in anyway useful.
Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
I see it this way: The books of the Bible record mankind's experience with God through the context in which they lived! It is important to keep this in mind. No human being (even one receiving divine revelation) has a hermetic seal separating him from the culture in which he lives.
Yes, in ancient times, both within the Jewish culture and within other cultures as well at that time, they were pretty free & easy with lopping people's heads off for any transgression.
If you read any ancient literature from those years, you come to realize that the world was a harsh and brutal place, compared to the way we live now. When you read an ancient book like Leviticus, you are reading God as experienced by man at that time and in that culture.
We still experience faith in God, but we have that experience within the context of OUR culture. We live in a different culture now, one in which the majority of us do not die in early childhood, and one in which you don't execute people for homosexuality or blasphemy.
"Katahdin barada nikto."
Take the word 'tree'...
Is it not a metaphor?
Is it a living metaphor, or a dead metaphor?
It is a metaphor, in the sense that it is a word, representing a tree. It is a dead metaphor in the sense that we no longer see why they chose that particular word to represent that particular thing.
Now what if I had said "Family Tree"?
That is a living metaphor, at least for now anyways. If there is ever a time when there is no longer any such thing as living trees, people will forget that meaning, and the word will aquire this other sense of meaning, as the fundamental meaning, or original sense, and thus, dead, metaphor.
OK.
Who originally wrote those laws? For what purpose?
Who wrote them into the Book Leviticus? For what purpose?
Who included it in the orginal 5 volume set? For what purpose?
Who included it in the forerunner of the Old Testament? For what purpose?
Who included it in the Old Testament? For what purpose?
Do those laws apply today? If not, why are they still in the book?
JAK - that was an awesome way of answering my question without actually answering it. If you can't - that's cool. No hard feelings. I just really wanted to see the metaphoric usefulness of commands to kill witches - did an ancient god fear witches but she's cool with them now?I realize that my abject literalness is the handycap here - which is why I was asking for elementary level help. Oh well - next time perhaps.
Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
The weather has been getting a lot nicer the past week hasn't it? The snow is melting the birds are singing...only you can know the what the weather will be like in your own neck of the woods.
"Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
Call for his whisky
He can call for his tea
Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan
Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.
It is rather ironic that you are the one taking things literally, when it is not neccessary to do so.
p.s. Thanks Alligator. Metaphor received. Out.