Comments on: The Pathology of Purity

By: Emily K

Emily K — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:35:45 +0000

Actually brad, as a Jew, I can tell you that we see all of the Torah’s laws as being “moral.” Deciding to defy one or all is one’s own moral choice. But, then again, I AM a Jew, so really in the eyes of your type of Christian I killed your god and continue to defy his supposed divine authority. So in my case it’s probably for you like asking a murderer about morality.

By: DaveTheWave

DaveTheWave — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:39:10 +0000

“beastiality”?

Jeesh right-wingers always get that spelling wrong…they are also obsessed with sex. Why aren’t you obsessed with feeding the millions of starving kids in the world? Or learning to spell?

By: Priya Lynn

Priya Lynn — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:24:41 +0000

That made perfect sense Mandy, nicely said.

By: Mandy

Mandy — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:19:50 +0000

Brad, I agree with Cait, and think that “purity” is a personal choice, and I don’t think that people should let a book dictate how they live their lives. I grew up in a strict Christian home, where I was taught that such things as masturbation and homosexual urges were disgusting and that anyone who thought otherwise was pretty much going to hell. Therefore, in seventh grade, when I began to have those urges (perfectly normal, I believe for children that age), I thought there was something seriously wrong with me and went into a severe depression and contemplated suicide. I know better now, and I am comfortable in my life choice of bisexuality. I applaude you, Cait, for choosing to wait until you are married to have sex, it will be something special for your partner that you waited for her. :) I too am 17 and a virgin, but I don’t know that I will wait until marriage to have sex. I simply haven’t fallen in love yet. Sex should be about love. Period. Not about “God” or “purity” or any other people and circumstances that would try to worm their ways into something that is a personal choice.
I don’t know if all of that made sense to everyone, but it made sense to me. I don’t want to offend anyone, just speak from the heart on something that was a big issue in my childhood. I urge everyone to be cautious in how they teach their children about sex, don’t ever be condemning, as it may cause lasting damage to their self-esteem.

By: brad anderson

brad anderson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:22:34 +0000

Rev Ray
while Jesus in Mark 7 indeed castigated the pharisees
for thier rigid adherence to man made traditions
handed down from generations, he was doing so
because they set aside God’s commandments for
those man made traditions, you will note that Jesus
later in this chapter nullified the prohabitions
against certain foods. No where in this passage
or in any other passage does Jesus nullify the
moral laws of the Torah. I defy you to show me
where in the bible Jesus nullifies the moral laws
(laws against adultry, homosexuality, incest,
beastiality, etc.)

By: brad anderson

brad anderson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:59:11 +0000

apparently wayne doesn’t know the bible very well,
in as much as the words pure and purify appear
numerous times in both the old and new testiment.
in fact, we are commanded to be pure (1 tim 5:22)
we are to be pure in heart (matt 5:8), we are purified
by the blood of Christ, so contrary to Wayne’s
inane blathering, purity is a noble thing, something
God aspires us to.
those who maintain sexual purity are to be commended
rather than derided. Sorry wayne, but you are way off
the mark on this one!

By: Priya Lynn

Priya Lynn — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:31:13 +0000

Right on Wayne.

By: Wayne Besen

Wayne Besen — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:49:50 +0000

Purity rings and abstinence do not make one pure. It is this obsession with sex that often clouds from real moral issues.

Is the virgin who ignores the homeless man on the street more “pure” than the prostitute who gave the hobo a few dollars for breakfast? Personally, I don’t think so.

And, why is an adult who does not suffer from sexual hangups and enjoys sex considered “impure” anyway? This is a backward, anti-sex standard that holds the frigid, prude and sexually damaged on a pedestal that they do not belong.

I do applaud young people who hold off on sex until they are ready – whenever that may be. They should be fully supported and never pressured into sexual situations. But, such willpower in teenagers is a sign of maturity, not purity. Let’s not confuse the two issues.

By: keith douglas

keith douglas — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:27:48 +0000

‘CHRISTIAN’ FUNDIES DISMANTLING U.S. CONSTITUTION
http://www.candst.tripod.com
http://www.theocracywatch.org
http://www.dissidentvoice.org
http://www.atheism.about.com
(church, state news)
http://www.talk2action.org
Check out these sites for information on Fundie R.W. ‘Christian’ goings on in their quest to Theocratize America.

By: Rev Ray in Seattle

Rev Ray in Seattle — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:38:43 +0000

This blog comes at an interesting moment in the Lectionary as this week Jesus confronts the religious fundamentalist of his day in Mark 7 who want to condemn his disciples because they don’t keep the Purity and Holiness Codes of their day by washing their hands before they eat. Jesus was constantly confronting the fundamentalists for their misinterpretation and misapplication of scripture. The religious leaders were always accusing him of breaking the Holiness & Purity Codes because of what he did and because of who he associated with.

He tells them quite clearly: “Isaiah hit the nail on the head when he spoke about you. He saw right through your hypocrisy when he wrote this: ‘These people mouth all the right words, but their hearts aren’t in it. Their worship is just one big sham. They invent rules to suit themselves and then teach them as the word of God.’
“At the end of the day, you are more concerned about your own rules and traditions than you are about what God actually wants of people.”

Jesus didn’t like the morality police of his day anymore than we like them in our day.