Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: gwills@maths.tcd.ie (Graham Wills) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Biblical Sexual Morality Message-ID: Date: 1 Apr 91 08:23:58 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Dept. of Maths, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Lines: 23 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article tblake@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Thomas Blake) writes: >"When you build a new house, be sure to put a railing around the edge of >the roof. Then you will not be responsible if someone falls off and is >killed. (TEV) > >So, should we discard Deuteronomy? There's a baby in with the >bathwater. This is an excellent example of the way Jesus asks us to re-interpret Deuteronomy. The passage quoted is excellent advise, BUT the motivation is only second-best. It is a legalistic piece of advice, not a loving piece of advice. Jesus would say: "When you build a new house, be sure to put a railing around the edge of the roof. Then your brother or sister will not be in danger of falling off and killing themselves" Jesus wants us to care for other people for their sakes, not *just* to obey his laws. The law should be seen as a guide to love, rather than a set of rules to obey or disobey. -Graham Wills, TCD, Ireland.