Take that?

Here for your edification is a meme created to show how barbaric the Bible is. Whoever the publisher is, they have not done their homework. None of the verses actually command the murder of children. Let's look at each one in turn. 

Matthew 18:6 is a figure of speech, and not a didactic verse, in a passage talking about the attitude that one needs to put their trust in Christ, and also a clear warning against mistreating children. It is a misunderstanding of its meaning to assert that it commands actual child abuse.

Lamentations 2:20 describes Jerusalem under siege by Babylon, and mothers driven mad by starvation, so that they resort to cannibalism. Again, if read properly, this is not a command. Ezekiel 5:10 is similar. So is Lamentations 4:4.

Genesis 9:24 reads:

“When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him.” (NIVUK)

Leviticus 10:3 reads:

“Moses then said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke of when he said: ‘ “Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honoured.” ’ Aaron remained silent.” (NIVUK)

Exodus 12:29 isn’t a teaching verse. It’s narrative.

Deuteronomy 21:21 is part of ancient Israel’s legal code. It’s not intended for all people around the world. It’s also talking about an adult child, and not rebellious children. Nor would any mainstream teacher assert that this law should be followed today. 

Joshua 10:36 describes Joshua leading an attack on Hebron.

Nahum 3:10 is Old Testament prophecy, describing suffering inflicted on Nineveh. This isn’t a commandment either.

Matthew 19:29 is not a command to abandon children. It’s about putting God before other things in life. The reader must correlate this teaching with everything else that the Bible teaches about being a faithful Christian and a good parent.

Revelation 2:23 and Deuteronomy 32:24 are prophetic as well. Yet more verses not read correctly here. 

Atheists, agnostics, and Christians must all be careful not to misinterpret or misapply the Bible. It is to be read and practically applied carefully. 

Not a mountaintop experience

There was a house fire high in the Bavarian Alps the other day. Some elements of the Christian Nationalist movement will be taking this pretty hard. That may explain some of the recent upsurge in antisemitism on social media, with their latent anger and grief causing them to lash out even more than usual. As of today, it is uncertain if the building will be restored, or demolished. 

Cross cultural fauna

More AI fun. Check out this tartan wearing, and bagpipe playing koala. 

 

Our cultural gatekeepers will tell you how to think

This grates with me. The State Library of New South Wales has been accused of smearing Joseph Banks (1743-1820), the famous botanist who was part of the first British expedition to Australia. The library has given a highly negative caption to a portrait of Banks in its collection, using words such as "invasion, cultural theft, and colonial violence."

This crosses the line. The Australian Library and Information Association, the peak professional body for librarians in Australia, has published guidelines instructing that librarians are to avoid imposing their personal biases. Librarians are also to help users evaluate and engage with historical documents for themselves, and not impose their own interpretations. 

The Library issued a media statement, that appears self contradictory. They claim that they want users to make their own conclusions about documents in their Banks collection, but they also state that they are interpreting these documents through a contemporary lens. 

https://www.2gb.com/exclusive-state-library-blasted-over-joseph-banks-painting/

Where were you?

A 9/11 Conspiracy Debunker’s Guide by Gerald Posner

Twenty-five years on, the truthers are still working. Here is what the evidence says — and what it doesn’t.

Read on Substack

A marvel and a wonder?

I've watched the South Park episode, seen the stage musical, read books about it, watched videos about it, listened to podcasts about it. Now it's time to read one of its core source texts. As an educational exercise, I am gradually working my way through The Book of Mormon. 

Mormons believe this to be an inspired religious text, equal in status to the Bible itself. Mainline Christians will hopefully feel differently about it, and at the very least, be aware of its problematic origins, but that is another story.
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Forget me not

More pedantry. This time, in an opinion article about the replacement of Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan with Ben Carroll, former Premier Jeff Kennett (1992-1999), gets important details about his own political career wrong. Kennett became Premier in 1992, defeating his predecessor, Joan Kirner, in that year's state election. Kirner became Premier in 1990 after the resignation of John Cain, and not 1991.