A Biblical Definition of Marriage (ritual, virgin, tradition, beliefs)

[Rex]

Well where do you stand?

A Biblical Definition of Marriage - Charles Henderson

Warning: Updates may be required

In the context of heated debate about gay marriage, various politicians, preachers and pundits, from the smallest talk radio stations to the White House itself, are rising up with one accord to urge a hasty return to a "biblical" definition of marrige. President Bush has asked for the public's prayerful guidance as he seeks to find a legal remedy for recent court decisions that he finds disturbing. If these advocates of "traditional" marriage actually consult their Bibles carefully, however, they may come away from a close reading of the sacred text with something less than a feeling of comfort.

If one were to construct an amendment to the Constitution based on a literal reading of the Bible it might well contain the following stipulations:

Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5)

2. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines, in addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)

3. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21)

4. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30)

5. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)

6. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe, and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen. 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)

7. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36)

Perhaps a more contemporary standard measures up better against the ancient near eastern tradition than one might have expected.

[true blood]

My stand is that a marriage is a union between one man and one woman.

[Green Gaia]

Then why not adhere to all the other definitions of marriage that can be found in the Bible? Why pick and choose?

[true blood]

I base my life and beliefs in the Epistals. Those "biblical" definitions were under different spiritual admins and were addressed to specific bodies of people.

[Scott1]

Then why not adhere to all the other definitions of marriage that can be found in the Bible? Why pick and choose?

It is not a matter of "pick and choose", but a matter of discernment and education.

We don't follow every law (slavery. segregation etc..)put on the books thoughout American legal history, we follow current law/teaching........

You can't take a section of the Bible out of context and get it to make sense to you.

Peace,
Scott

[painted wolf]

the stands of most people arn't influinced by the bible but by thier cultures....
the bible is just a handy excuse and will be used to back up cultural ideals...

much like the Quran is used selectivly, to back up cultural ideal in other parts of the world.

wa:do

[Pah]

Originally Posted by true blood

I base my life and beliefs in the Epistals. Those "biblical" definitions were under different spiritual admins and were addressed to specific bodies of people.

Perhaps you should define and explain "spiritual administration"

-pah-

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by SOGFPP

It is not a matter of "pick and choose", but a matter of discernment and education.

We don't follow every law (slavery. segregation etc..)put on the books thoughout American legal history, we follow current law/teaching........

You can't take a section of the Bible out of context and get it to make sense to you.

Peace,
Scott

I agree. But if it is left up to discernment and education, then it is accepted that some laws in the Bible no longer are relevent to our society today. Who decides this? And shouldn't this only apply to Christians and not society as a whole?

[Scott1]

I agree. But if it is left up to discernment and education, then it is accepted that some laws in the Bible no longer are relevent to our society today.

Correct.

Who decides this? And shouldn't this only apply to Christians and not society as a whole?

Who decides? In my faith, the Magesterium (or teaching office) of the Bishops in union with the Pope decides. To have a final authority in matters of faith and doctrine in one of the things that drew me to the Catholic Church.

The teachings of Christianity to a believer are universal.... to not believe that we have the TRUTH would be contrary to a logical definition of faith.
That being said, I don't think that the Church has the power to influence society (at least in this country)....... the faith of individual voters as believers in a moral system can have effect, but no more than a atheist or UU.

Peace,
Scott

[true blood]

Originally Posted by pah

Perhaps you should define and explain "spiritual administration"

-pah-

Its like in governmental organizations, from local gov't to federal, there is different administrations. For instance, we may have a Republican or a Democratic admin., or we may speak of an admin of a certain President. So it is in the Bible. Before the end of time, there will have been seven different administrations, the counting begins with Genesis 1:1 and going to Revelations 21:20. The administration preceding the day of Pentecost was the admin of Christ's personal presence upon earth. The Bible refers to this period as the Christ Administration or the Kingdom of Heaven. This admin officially ended with his ascension, but in practice, people have acted as though it continued on, and has caused gross misunderstanding. The next admin is called the Church of Grace or Age of Grace or Grace Administration, but many born-again believers continued abiding by the law many years after as if they're still under the Age of Law admin, even unto this very day. Acts:21:20 "how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law"... In the future will be the Revelation Administration. This is when the admin of Grace has culminated and Jesus Christ as the bridegroom begins the new admin. Then Christ will be the king of kings and lord of lords.