I can be rightfullly accused of straining at gnats. But it strikes me as radical to interpret the Onan story in the manner you are suggesting. It seems that we need some motivation to change the dominant interpretation. And this motivation has been supplied, but I gather that the motivation isn't the sort we need to overturn a traditional teaching (and feel intellectually satisfied in so doing). The motivation we need is a more plausible interpretation based upon textual and cultural evidence. But instead, the motivation that drives people to overturn the traditional interpretation of the Onan passage seems to be that they enjoy sex, they don't see anything wrong with intentionally non-reproductive sex, they were told by pastors etc. that its okay to have as much sex as you like in marriage, they looked forward to marriage in part because of the freedom to have lots of sex, they thank God they're not single and that they don't have to worry about abstinance, and they think that spouses have duties to each other, whenever it comes, to scratch each other's sexual itch. The traditional interpretation of the Onan passage upsets all this, so you'll find married couples ready to fight (!) for a revisionary interpretation of the Onan passage! And often what they have to say is not what we normally would expect from a person who is careful with the truth and wants to rightly divide truth and error in their thinking. Conemporary Onanists seem to pervert natural law by intending to do something with sex that it not in accordance with its function. This doesn't mean that they are perverts in the googly eyed sense, but yes, they are intentionally perverting the natural function of things. And this is precisely the grounds that homosexuality is condemned in the Bible. I'm feeling intellectually satisfied that the traditional interpretation of the Onan passage is the best interpretation, but that won't change the fact that Onanists will continue "milking the sacred cow of sexual pleasure." : )
BJ On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 1:14 PM, Darrin M <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Well, that sure was interesting! hehe > > I have a thought on the sin of Onan and Jesus' response. Could this > be a case such as when the Pharisees were so worried about straining > the gnats? Jesus didn't necessarily tell them to keep straining gnats > or to stop. He just told them that they were focusing too much on the > minute details and missing the point of the story. I Onan's case, > might it not be so much the spilling of seed or not doing his > brother's wife as much as it is someone does a detestable act before > God and is severely punished? And could death just be a metaphor? > Spiritual death or separation from God? (I realize it said he > actually died) It is my thought that Jesus wasn't so much into > removing rules as much as seeing the reasons behind them and applying > the underlying thoughts to your life with Him. Way off base? > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Crosspointe Discuss" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/crosspointe-discuss?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
