God, abortion and stem cell research

From: Damien Broderick (thespike@earthlink.net)
Date: Mon Feb 17 2003 - 21:33:31 MST

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    And on a more uplifting note:

    I was reading the Old Testament this afternoon, as one does, and I found a
    clear passage that demonstrates God's enthusiasm for abortion, under the
    right circumstances. Those circumstances are that a woman's husband should
    *suspect* his wife of fucking another man and being pregnant by him, but
    have absolutely no proof. His understandable jealousy, the Good Book tells
    us, is ample warrant for his wife to be aborted by a suitably qualified
    priest equipped with an abortifacient.

    It is a short step from this illuminating text to the plain implication that
    stem cell research using aborted embryos is perfectly kosher, as long as the
    mother is a slut, or suspected of being one.

    Here's the text. Marvel at the wisdom (this is one for Brett to tuck into
    his dillybag):

    =====

    11 The Lord commanded Moses 12 to give the Israelites the following
    instructions. It may happen that a man becomes suspicious that his wife is
    unfaithful to him and has defiled herself by having intercourse with another
    man. But the husband may not be certain, for his wife may have kept it
    secret—there was no witness, and she was not caught in the act. Or it may
    happen that a husband becomes suspicious of his wife, even though she has
    not been unfaithful. 15 In either case the man shall take his wife to the
    priest. He shall also take the required offering of two pounds of barley
    flour, but he shall not pour any olive oil on it or put any incense on it,
    because it is an offering from a suspicious husband, made to bring the truth
    to light. 16 The priest shall bring the woman forward and have her stand in
    front of the altar. 17 He shall pour some holy water into a clay bowl and
    take some of the earth that is on the floor of the Tent of the Lord's
    presence and put it in the water to make it bitter. 18 Then he shall loosen
    the woman's hair and put the offering of flour in her hands. In his hands
    the priest shall hold the bowl containing the bitter water that brings a
    curse. 19 Then the priest shall make the woman agree to this oath spoken by
    the priest: "If you have not committed adultery, you will not be harmed by
    the curse that this water brings. 20 But if you have committed adultery, 21
    may the Lord make your name a curse among your people. May he cause your
    genital organs to shrink and your stomach to swell up. 22 May this water
    enter your stomach and cause it to swell up and your genital organs to
    shrink."

    The woman shall respond, "I agree; may the Lord do so." 23 Then the priest
    shall write this curse down and wash the writing off into the bowl of bitter
    water. 24 Before he makes the woman drink the water, which may then cause
    her bitter pain, 25 the priest shall take the offering of flour out of the
    woman's hands, hold it out in dedication to the Lord, and present it on the
    altar. 26 Then he shall take a handful of it as a token offering and burn it
    on the altar. Finally, he shall make the woman drink the water. 27 If she
    has committed adultery, the water will cause bitter pain; her stomach will
    swell up and her genital organs will shrink. Her name will become a curse
    among her people. 28 But if she is innocent, she will not be harmed and will
    be able to bear children. 29 This is the law in cases where a man is jealous
    and becomes suspicious that his wife has committed adultery. The woman shall
    be made to stand in front of the altar, and the priest shall perform this
    ritual. 31 The husband shall be free of guilt, but the woman, if guilty,
    must suffer the consequences.

    ========

    Blessings,

    Damien Broderick



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