Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffrey
Aquila and Pel have lost me. But oh well, what else is new lol
Frankincense? Compounds? Chemicals? Sorry guys, checked out on that one.
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I was offering
Numbers 5, and its "Trial by Water" as an example of one way that an ancient culture (the Jews) may have sought emolliate some of the misogynist abuses of the past.
Here, the priests take a substance (the "dust from the floor of the Holy Place") from the area where they present and later eat bread that has been dusted with frankincense. The priests themselves know that the frankincense is sweet and does no harm when eaten - but it does carry a certain sanctity having been collected from the Holy Place.
This inert substance is then given to a woman who already stands facing the threat of an "honor killing." If she passes the "test" however, she is then given the power to control her own life and to be freed from her earlier predicament.
If she were guilty of the charge however, it would take a supernatural intervention to establish her guilt - and not just some gossip. This was one of the few times when a woman in that time could actually have the opportunity to take charge of her own life.
Instead of being some sort of bizarre "hocus-pocus" like the atheists (and their brethren the Fundamentalists!) try to make it out to be, it actually may represent a bit of inspired cleverness on the part of the priests who ate that same "dust" every day themselves.
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