A Letter to a Biblical Literalist

Quoted in "What Jesus Meant" by Garry Willis, unknown origin

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s law. I have learned a great deal from you and try to share my knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tried to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus clearly states it to be an abomination – end of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some elements of God’s law and how to follow them.

Leviticus 25:44 states that I may 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 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.

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

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, or should I ask the police to do it?

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

Leviticus 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 Leviticus 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Leviticus 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 Leviticus 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 and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

A Quiet Day

This will be a quiet day. I have nothing planned for the day until 3:00 when I will attend the chocolate festival. I will buy some chocolate for my daughter and register to win an entire basket of chocolate treats. (Just what I need).

Tonight I will attend a Tupperware Party at our daughter's home. I am picking up a friend to ride with me.

Every once in awhile it is so good to have nothing going. Before the dental appointment yesterday I went into an antique store downtown and found a fluted edged Fenton compote. I bought it for $2.70. I needed it like I needed another hole in my head. What I was looking for was a couple of the antique dishes that one of my grandchildren broke. It is a small crystal colored nappy with little handles on each side. I found one several years ago but have not been able to find another. I have photos of that dish and another amber colored dish that was also broken. It is on a stem. I want one more of those too. I will post them here. Maybe some of you will see them in an old store somewhere.

I got those dishes at an auction in the 1970's. The woman who had owned them was in her 90's. I sure hope to run onto some more of them one of these days.

Dental Appointment

Today at 11:30, is my dental appointment for my semi annual cleaning and exam. Perhaps this morning I can get my peanut clusters done. I have had too much going this week to get them done earlier. In fact, I may get them finished before my dental appointment.

This should be a quiet day. I am looking forward to visiting with our friends Gay and Tony this next week. I haven't heard which day they want to meet for lunch but we think we will meet in Cherryvale. There is a new restaurant there that we want to try.

I will be preaching at church on Sunday. I only schedule myself a couple of times per quarter.

Tonight we will watch Bob's favorite program, "This Old House". Speaking of Bob, he is doing the best he can under the circumstances. He seems to have given up his compression sleeve and is just doing his exercises and elevating his hand whenever possible. He says the compression sleeve makes his hand swell worse and also makes his armpit ache. So he has put it away. I hope the chest, arm and hand don't get any worse.

Busy Wednesday

I got up at 5:30 this morning after a good night's sleep and after Bob got up at 7:00 and we had breakfast, we got around to go to Independence for my hair appointment at 10:00 and later at 11:30 our Independence Ministerial Association meeting. Just before we left the secretary of the association e-mailed me that he had a dental emergency come up with his child and needed me to take minutes for him. So I prepared to do the minutes today too.

We put Slinky out on the patio. That's where he wanted to be. It was 35 degrees but he didn't seem to care. He wanted to be outside where the sun was shining.

The ladies at the Episcopal church there fixed us a lovely lunch. Afterward we had our meeting.

Later we came home and I did the minutes and sent them out to the members. I also sent out the MC3 minutes from yesterday and sent the article I wrote about MC3 to both newspapers.

Then I fixed a light supper for us and Slinky. (Slinky thinks he has to have at least a little bit of everything we eat on top of his dog food).

Tonight I will watch TV with Bob..if there's anything on.

No Snow At All

It snowed a little off and on all day but because it was 36 degrees, it did not stick. So, the ground is clear, if a little soggy. I will be leaving in ten minutes to go to my sister's for a couple of hours. Then we will put Slinky in the garage and go to Independence for my 11:00 MC3 meeting. Bob will ask Leslie if she wants to go to lunch with us afterward.

I think I will get my peanut clusters done this afternoon so I won't have to worry about them.

I'm back now from my sister's. Is she confused! It's just tragic.

We will leave at 10:30 to go to Independence and Bob will go too. While I am attending my meeting, he will go to get Leslie for lunch at 12:00.

Wednesday or Thursday afternoon, I will make up my peanut clusters for Friday.

We had lunch with our daughter and I spent the afternoon working on my minutes and an article on the clinic. I sent it to the director for approval.

Then I fixed a light supper. We had eaten heavier at lunch.

Tonight we will watch PBS.

No Snow Yet

We haven't had that snow that was forecast yet. It was supposed to have begun last night around nine but it's 6:30 AM and we don't have snow yet. I know it's just a matter of time though.

Today we will go out and buy our new hot water tank. Bobby will use his truck to go pick it up. Bill said he would come down and help install it as soon as Bobby got it here. First Bob will have to drain the tank. So I am getting my laundry done early this morning to be prepared to be without water for awhile.

Always something. I had just got the money saved for the second half of our taxes and the house insurance and now this. I may have to transfer some money from our meager IRA. We'll see.

I will clean house today. The kitchen is pretty dirty. Slinky has been in and out dozens of times and he and Missy, the cat, drag leaves, etc in on their feet coming in and out...in and out. Animals!

Bob will be busy today so I will vacuum for myself.

This will be a busy day. If I can get to Independence this week, I have two meetings there. MC3 meets tomorrow and the IMA meets on Wednesday. It depends on the snow. I am secretary for the MC3 so unless they cancel or reschedule, I must go.

Update: So far, no snow! There has just been rain! Bobby and a friend of his spent three hours installing our new water tank but it works and we had the best news! We bought it at Kansas Lumber and they delivered it...free. They were the second lowest price and the tank is a superior tank. So the entire cost will be $339.95. Some things work out anyhow. I went out and brought in a large pizza and soda for the three of them. That's the least we could do for them.

Snowy Sunday

This afternoon it is supposed to snow hard into all day tomorrow. I don't know when I've been so sick of snow. This is Kansas, for heavens sake. Generally we get about two or three snows in winter. This is just one cycle after another. I hope we can get through the services this morning before it moves in.

Now, we have another problem. Last night Bob went out to the garage to turn on the light over the hot water tank on the water lines so they wouldn't freeze and found that the hot water tank is leaking. So, that's another unexpected expense. And with this snow, how on earth will we get a plumber out here? We have to wait until Monday anyhow.

Also, Bob has not been able to wear his compression sleeve all day. Yesterday afternoon he had me take it off. It was causing his hand to swell even more and his underarm area to ache. He can't wear the body wrap at all. It really causes his armpit to hurt. I don't know how this is going to go.

If it isn't one thing, it's another.

I have the breakfast at church this morning so in a little while, I will get my coffeecake in the oven. I like to fix it later this morning so when I take it in to church it's still warm. Also, I have to run off the bulletin this morning at church since Bob is presiding.

We will stay home this evening and watch the Superbowl game.

So far, so good. It's 3:00 and no bad weather yet.

We went to the Trinity United Methodist Church after our services and enjoyed their soup/chili luncheon. We know quite a few people there and so we really enjoyed ourselves.

Bobby volunteered to pick up our new hot water tank when we buy it and Bill volunteered to help him install it. Our friends are really wonderful people. That is so wonderful of them to volunteer. We will have Bobby get the tank tomorrow and then call Bill to come help install it.

I got my weekly newsletters out this afternoon while Bob and Slinky took their naps.