Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: mls@sfsup.att.com (Mike Siemon) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Biblical Sexual Morality Message-ID: Date: 11 Mar 91 08:14:10 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 21 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , ALLEN@mscf.med.upenn.edu writes: > Much of Biblical sexual morality is based on the mistaken belief > that each sperm contained an infant. I don't believe that is the case. The doctrine you allude to *was* the developed Stoic position, and as such it had an immense influence on the formation of Christian ethical doctrines. But I can't think of a single OT passage that would support such a notion (nor, indeed, any that would contradict it.) Jewish sexual ethics was NOT based on this notion. For one possible approach to an understanding of the Jewish law, I recommend as a starting point Bill Countryman's _Dirt Greed and Sex_, Fortress Press 1988, ISBN 0-8006-0887-9. This is, primarily, a look at the New Testament material, but I think it is a good starting point for the rather more alien (to us) matter in the Torah, as well. -- Michael L. Siemon "O stand, stand at the window, m.siemon@ATT.COM As the tears scald and start; ...!att!attunix!mls You shall love your crooked neighbor standard disclaimer With your crooked heart."