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What does defiling your 'temple' (body) mean?

Bishka

Veteran Member
To me it's pretty darn clear, don't defile it. IT could mean a number of things, things that would make your body corrupt (i.e. drugs and alcohol), and temples back then weren' graffatied on (so no tattoos).

What does this scripture mean?

16 . Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV)
 
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angellous_evangellous

Guest
beckysoup61 said:
To me it's pretty darn clear, don't defile it. IT could mean a number of things, things that would make your body corrupt (i.e. drugs and alcohol), and temples back then weren' graffatied on (so no tattoos).

What does this scripture mean?

16 . Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV)

Perhaps we are to treat our bodies as a place of worship - after all, our bodies are the seat of our emotions and ego - it houses everything that we "use" to have a relationship with God.

If we accept Jesus as a model of someone who treated his body as a temple of God, I certainly don't think that defilement includes a prohibition to drink, or even against certian drugs or tatoos. The Bible is pretty consistent in its testimony that alcohol is a regulated gift from God, just like sex. Jesus himself gave alcohol to drunk wedding guests in Cana according to John.
 

nutshell

Well-Known Member
angellous_evangellous said:
Perhaps we are to treat our bodies as a place of worship - after all, our bodies are the seat of our emotions and ego - it houses everything that we "use" to have a relationship with God.

If we accept Jesus as a model of someone who treated his body as a temple of God, I certainly don't think that defilement includes a prohibition to drink, or even against certian drugs or tatoos. The Bible is pretty consistent in its testimony that alcohol is a regulated gift from God, just like sex. Jesus himself gave alcohol to drunk wedding guests in Cana according to John.

The Bible is likewise consistent in its opposition to alcohol.
 

nutshell

Well-Known Member
Buttons* said:
then why did Yeshua imbibe wine?

There were no commandments against the consumption of alcohol in Biblical times. Sometimes they all got drunk and sometimes the prophets preached holding off.

Even in LDS history, the commandment of not drinking alcohol has not always existed. When it was first brought up by the prophet, it was given as advice - not as a commandment. Perhaps this is similar to the Bible's position as well.
 

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
beckysoup61 said:
To me it's pretty darn clear, don't defile it. IT could mean a number of things, things that would make your body corrupt (i.e. drugs and alcohol), and temples back then weren' graffatied on (so no tattoos).

What does this scripture mean?

16 . Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV)
Okay, I've just got to play the devil's advocate here, Becky. Are body piercings considered defiling the body, in your opinion?
 

Ody

Well-Known Member
beckysoup61 said:
To me it's pretty darn clear, don't defile it. IT could mean a number of things, things that would make your body corrupt (i.e. drugs and alcohol), and temples back then weren' graffatied on (so no tattoos).

What does this scripture mean?

16 . Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV)

Since when was the debased flesh a 'Temple'? It is merely a cage for the soul.
 

Bishka

Veteran Member
Katzpur said:
Okay, I've just got to play the devil's advocate here, Becky. Are body piercings considered defiling the body, in your opinion?

I think so yes, but I have them. :)

I personally think when we reunite our spirits with our bodies there will be no holes--except the God made ones.
 

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
AlanGurvey said:
Since when was the debased flesh a 'Temple'? It is merely a cage for the soul.
A cage? Hmmm. I don't feel that way. What makes you see the soul as wanting to escape the body?
 

PHOTOTAKER

Well-Known Member
beckysoup61 said:
I think so yes, but I have them. :)

I personally think when we reunite our spirits with our bodies there will be no holes--except the God made ones.

what is the lds churchs position on body pericings... would for that resign alone withholed someone form getting a calling?
 

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
PHOTOTAKER said:
what is the lds churchs position on body pericings... would for that resign alone withholed someone form getting a calling?
Phototaker, if we could get out of callings for having body piercings, the few "worthy" people would each have a dozen callings. Most wards would probably have an all-male Relief Society presidency! :D
 

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
zombieharlot said:
Yes, but I'm sure there were murals on the walls. Why compare tattoos to graffiti and not murals?
No, you're not sure. You're guessing. :D Most LDS people think God's own artwork far surpasses even Michelangelo's.
 

zombieharlot

Some Kind of Strange
Katzpur said:
No, you're not sure. You're guessing. :D Most LDS people think God's own artwork far surpasses even Michelangelo's.

Well, wouldn't you say that Michelangelo's artwork is indirectly God's? After all, God created him.
 

Booko

Deviled Hen
beckysoup61 said:
To me it's pretty darn clear, don't defile it.

I think of it as not doing things that would ruin your health.

For me, I've decided that means no drugs, no smoking, no drinking, no risky sex, and what the heck, washing my hands after using the restroom would be a good idea too. :)

I do drink coffee, and not always in moderation (rarely happens these days though) and eat soy ice cream sometimes, not to mention chocolate, and I did get my ears pierced years ago.

There are some specific rules in Baha'i Writings. No drugs, no booze, tobacco is strongly discouraged, no sex outside marriage. Lucky me, I find that pretty easy to follow anyway. It's that stuff about anger I have to pay more attention to. :p

Ah, lucky me, they never said anything about coffee or soy ice cream or chocolate being no-nos. ;)
 

Booko

Deviled Hen
zombieharlot said:
Yes, but I'm sure there were murals on the walls. Why compare tattoos to graffiti and not murals?

Come to think of it, I have seen some very artful tattoos...
 

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
zombieharlot said:
Well, wouldn't you say that Michelangelo's artwork is indirectly God's? After all, God created him.
Obviously, his talent is God-given. That doesn't mean I'd want a replica of the Sistine Chapel covering my torso. Tatoos just aren't my cup of herbal tea, that's all. ;)
 

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
Booko said:
There are some specific rules in Baha'i Writings. No drugs, no booze, tobacco is strongly discouraged, no sex outside marriage.
Baha'is ban booze? I didn't know that!
 
i would think a drug is anything that you can become addicted to...

Drug = a substance that has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body, in particular • a medicine, esp. a pharmaceutical preparation : a new drug aimed at sufferers from Parkinson's disease. • a substance taken for its narcotic or stimulant effects, often illegally : [as adj. ] a drug addict | figurative mass adoration is a highly addictive drug.

*cough cough* stimulant effect
 

zombieharlot

Some Kind of Strange
Katzpur said:
Obviously, his talent is God-given. That doesn't mean I'd want a replica of the Sistine Chapel covering my torso. Tatoos just aren't my cup of herbal tea, that's all. ;)

And with my mural statement, I'm just saying that tattoos can be artistic. I think that they are most of the time. They can hold personal significance, or just be an expression of creativitity. And graffiti is a form of vandalism. I hardly see how anyone can compare the two.
 
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