Asking for help reconciling Deuteronomy with a loving God

[Michael556]

This conversation may have helped me some so far although I won’t pretend these questions don’t still really bother me. When things happened to me that made me more open to the possibility of a God 2 years ago it kind of frightened me. Now that I really want to believe I feel like I’m just trying to fool myself.

Since we’re talking about ages differences in contemporary relationships now I thought I’d bring up how I think more states should have close in ages so two people young enough to have gone to the high school together can date without anyone committing a crime. I’d say 2 years but I get its all kind of arbitrary.

[bluebird1 (Robin)]

Welcome back!! at least… welcome back to figuring out what faith means and how to look at things in the Bible…Lots have been written – and said – about Deuteronomy, esp chapter 22…And lots more will be said…

Let me say, first, that I am glad I live in a different era from the one described in the chapters of Deuteronomy 21 and 22.

I attended a lecture at a local evangelical college. The lecturer was a rabbinic scholar from the U of PA. In commenting about Deut 21:13 — which you do not mention but should have – he pointed out that this ruling about misbehaving sons was “for educational purposes” and only applied to about 3 months of a young man’s life. So I suppose ’ tow the line for 3 months’ and then you are home free???

He had a comment also on Deut 22: 13 and said these passages need to be read in light of the need for 2 witnesses. …There may be something to that. See also David Lamb’s vook God Behaving Badly where, in commenting on verses 25/26 he noted that a woman’s only protection (in those days) was in marriage and thus these statements were made as a protection for the woman.

And you are right in that a bloody cloth may not mean virginity but – for all I know – means that more often than not.

As for the verse you quoted in Deut 26 — the preceding passage relates to putting aside produce to help orphans, widows, the indigent in general, Levites who generally did the work of minding sacred sites and fulfilling sacred duties…etc. You don’t have a problem with this, do you?

It seems that some things in Deuteronomy relate to, or modify or place boundaries on, issues that were of concern to people of that era. They do seem strange — proof of virginity, etc — but probably only to Westernized people, maybe not even in our time to some other parts of the world.

They seem strange because they are not of concern to us any longer in quite the same way. But other things like caring for the poor – and reminding Israel of her past as it relates to present observances — these translate well into our time too.

OK…nuff said and I know you raised your query quite a few days ago. Good luck on your journey!!

[Michael556]

OK…nuff said and I know you raised your query quite a few days ago.

I still really appreciate your response bluebird. Actually sorry I didn’t respond to you earlier myself. I saw your reply in my inbox several days ago but kept getting side tracked whenever I was about to reply.

[beaglelady]

Of course these parts are difficult to understand and we should not breezily dismiss them. I think we should say, “we don’t fully understand this yet, but there must be an answer somewhere.” It’s helpful to know that the New Testament has its share of violent and troubling stories.