The Calendar
Wow, Okay, another great sunrise. What have I got, what have I got?
There's this, that calendar thing: it has sprouted new tentacles.
Some clergymen have told other clergymen to lighten up and even the Rappahannock News has not so subtly implied that the Baptists are a little overboard on their anti-nudity stance.
The calendar, conceived as a fundraiser, and which I finally got the courage to look at, is black and white photographs of local Rappahannock men, some old, some young, nude but with essentials covered up. There is one shot of naked butts, younger men, that may titillate some, somewhat. Otherwise, the calendar is totally tame and even has one or two shots which in my unschooled opinion contain some artistic merit.
One of the anti-calendar preachers offered this bible verse, which I really like, and so here it is: "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things."
The anti-calendar preacher who offered the bible verse ( from the apostle Paul, fourth chapter of Philippians) meant to imply that the calendar was not something to meditate on.
Obviously, we all must decide for our ownselves what is "lovely."
And good luck to each of us.
If'n I was a Baptist preacher man, I'd a had to go with Leviticus chapter 18.
6: None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
7: The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
8: The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
9: The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
10: The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.
11: The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
12: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.
13: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.
14: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.
15: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
16: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.
17: Neither shalt thou harvest apples in the orchard whilts thy nakeness is uncovered.
etc.
No kidding, much more to the point, and King James Version no less.
In summary, God hates naked people.
I hate the cranky, self-sure, paternalistic tone of of those Leviticus rules, and if religion was a democracy many would have been rethought or scrapped long ago. The majority appear to be prohibitions of incest--fine, that's bad for the gene pool. Adultery is a contractual matter between individuals. Masturbation--the prohibition is based on a fear that the mighty tribe will shrink. Homosexuality--same thing. Bestiality--that's stuff people like Rick Santorum worry about. But what about "Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness." Does that cover prostitution, lap dancing, posing for calendars? Some of the language and cultural concepts ("uncleanness"?) are so archaic as to be meaningless.
That particular "uncleanness" may be about Auntie Flow. I don't have my concordance handy.
In general, there's a lot of fretting about bodily fluids in Leviticus.
From chapter the 15th
16: And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.
17: And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
18: The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
19: And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
20: And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
21: And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even
OK, so let's add fear of infection (even before they knew about bacteria) and chalk up "unclean" to a bad choice of words. I'm still not seeing anything here that prohibits nudity for the sheer joy of it. Other than the presumption that nakedness inevitably leads to some type of proscribed sex.
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Wow, Okay, another great sunrise. What have I got, what have I got?
There's this, that calendar thing: it has sprouted new tentacles.
Some clergymen have told other clergymen to lighten up and even the Rappahannock News has not so subtly implied that the Baptists are a little overboard on their anti-nudity stance.
The calendar, conceived as a fundraiser, and which I finally got the courage to look at, is black and white photographs of local Rappahannock men, some old, some young, nude but with essentials covered up. There is one shot of naked butts, younger men, that may titillate some, somewhat. Otherwise, the calendar is totally tame and even has one or two shots which in my unschooled opinion contain some artistic merit.
One of the anti-calendar preachers offered this bible verse, which I really like, and so here it is: "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things."
The anti-calendar preacher who offered the bible verse ( from the apostle Paul, fourth chapter of Philippians) meant to imply that the calendar was not something to meditate on.
Obviously, we all must decide for our ownselves what is "lovely."
And good luck to each of us.
- jimlouis 11-20-2003 3:41 pm
If'n I was a Baptist preacher man, I'd a had to go with Leviticus chapter 18.
6: None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
7: The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
8: The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
9: The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
10: The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.
11: The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
12: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.
13: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.
14: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.
15: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
16: Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.
17: Neither shalt thou harvest apples in the orchard whilts thy nakeness is uncovered.
etc.
- mark 11-21-2003 9:35 am [add a comment]
No kidding, much more to the point, and King James Version no less.
- jimlouis 11-21-2003 3:19 pm [add a comment]
In summary, God hates naked people.
- mark 11-21-2003 9:34 pm [add a comment]
I hate the cranky, self-sure, paternalistic tone of of those Leviticus rules, and if religion was a democracy many would have been rethought or scrapped long ago. The majority appear to be prohibitions of incest--fine, that's bad for the gene pool. Adultery is a contractual matter between individuals. Masturbation--the prohibition is based on a fear that the mighty tribe will shrink. Homosexuality--same thing. Bestiality--that's stuff people like Rick Santorum worry about. But what about "Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness." Does that cover prostitution, lap dancing, posing for calendars? Some of the language and cultural concepts ("uncleanness"?) are so archaic as to be meaningless.
- tom moody 11-21-2003 10:38 pm [add a comment]
That particular "uncleanness" may be about Auntie Flow. I don't have my concordance handy.
In general, there's a lot of fretting about bodily fluids in Leviticus.
From chapter the 15th
- mark 11-21-2003 11:04 pm [add a comment]
OK, so let's add fear of infection (even before they knew about bacteria) and chalk up "unclean" to a bad choice of words. I'm still not seeing anything here that prohibits nudity for the sheer joy of it. Other than the presumption that nakedness inevitably leads to some type of proscribed sex.
- tom moody 11-21-2003 11:14 pm [add a comment]