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| Thread: How does anyone feel about this idea? |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 4 · NEXT» |
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bixie
Promising
Legendary Hero
my common sense is tingling!
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posted March 01, 2008 10:23 PM |
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How does anyone feel about this idea?
Reviewing religions.
Its an idea that I think would be really useful. We hear a lot of Biased media about various faiths, and are often presented with very stereotypical images of the religions followers, so to actually go into the religion for a time and discover it for ourselves, and possibly write about it.
simply write a review on the religion after spending a fortnight, possibly longer, as part of the religion, gaging core laws, how its run, social status and various other features of the religion and look at it from a unbiased perspective. It would be a Fortnight at least, long enough to fully discover all the perks and pitfalls, but not to long to accept it at your own religion. this could be done in a multitude of way's, including going to the religions hot spot, or trying to do it at home, or stay with a particularly religious family and so on.
Am I treating religion like some kind of trivial matter? should I, or should I not? I frankly don't care what kind of abuse I get on this forum, I want to gauge a genuine reaction from anyone who wants to read this thread. Call me an Infidel, a Blasphemer, a shallow person, a betrayer, but just remember that I am doing this to get an unbiased review of the religion, as I am doing covert research on each religion.
Please, tell me what you all think about this idea?
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Love, Laugh, Learn, Live.
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baklava
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Mostly harmless
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posted March 01, 2008 11:03 PM |
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It's... Well, it's fantastic IMO. You get to try out every religion and pick the one that suits you the most, instead of just following the one people indoctrinated you with without trying out anything else.
Quite fun.
I may try writing one about orthodox christianity, I sort of have experience with it.
____________
"Let me tell you what the blues
is. When you ain't got no
money,
you got the blues."
Howlin Wolf
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Daystar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Back from the Dead
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posted March 01, 2008 11:04 PM |
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Well, in Wicca there are two main dieties, the God and the Goddess. Each of these is a sortof conglomeration of other Gods and Goddesses from various religeons and mythologies. For instance, The God is comprised of Ares, Od, Ra, Thor, etc, whereas The Goddess is comprised of Diana, Bagel, Isis, and Freyja, etc.
But each are deities in themselves. The Goddess is rather like the general conception of Gaia: A reperesentation of femeninity, plantlife, and peace. The God is more about masculinity, the animal kingdom, and wildness. Note: Wildness does NOT equal war, just real freedom. The freedom of running through the forest, feet finding sanctuary, reveling in the wind in your hair, the sweat on your brow.
Further complicating matters, the Goddess is seen as being in 3 parts: The Virgin, The Mother, and The Crone. The God is seen as 2 or 3: The Child, The Lover, and The Elder.
There are complex sets of "Rules" (not quite the right word) Embodied in a lenghty poem known as the Wiccan Rede.The core aspect is
"An it harm none, do as ye will"
Which is in my siggy. It means that if something you do does not harm anyone, then it is not wrong.
Wiccans belive in Karma, embodied by the Threefold Rule.
"Mind the Threefold Law you should:
Three times bad and three times good."
This means that for every bad act, you will recieve the same bad act three times. Wiccans are devided as to how precise this is. Some feel that it is not exactly three times that it will happen, but the energy of good or evil will come back to you greater than when it entered into the world.
In regards to sexuality:
"All acts of love and tenderness are [Her] rituals."
So all acts, if willing and not harmful (see above, re "An it harm...") then they are in fact a holy rite.
There are other parts of the wiccan Rede, such as
"Fairly take and fairly give.
Speak little, listen much.
Heed ye Flower, Bush and Tree,
By the Lady, blessed be.
Merry meet and merry part,
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart."
There are other parts, but they are mostly general instructions for magic, words of wisdom, etc.
Since Wicca can be a very personal religion many beliefs are varried, such as the nature of the Divine, afterlife, Karma as previously noted, etc.
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How exactly is luck a skill?
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bixie
Promising
Legendary Hero
my common sense is tingling!
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posted March 01, 2008 11:39 PM |
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this is fantastic!
not quite what I had in mind, though, I was more thinking that I do it solo for a fortnight.
but this way is just as useful, make no mistake!
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Love, Laugh, Learn, Live.
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Daystar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Back from the Dead
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posted March 01, 2008 11:52 PM |
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Hmm. Actually, Baklava's explanation is sortof how I got interested in Wicca, and it sortof stuck.
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How exactly is luck a skill?
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executor
Famous Hero
Otherworldly Ambassador
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posted March 03, 2008 04:20 PM |
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Just two questions Daystar.
You quoted Ares as "aspect?" of the male god, yet added that it's nothing to do with war.
But war was everything that Ares cared about: aggressiveness, combativness, courage, passion, self-sacrifice if needed, "no-surrender" & "might makes right" & co.
I just wanted to ask whether you thrown Ares at random and thus he does not fit your explanation ar is there an explanation?
The second question is, whether Wiccans have a concept of afterlife and soul.
Thaknds in advance for answering.
____________
Understanding is a three-edged sword.
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 03, 2008 04:32 PM |
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Allowing yourself to be under any denomination is a weakness in itself. Just be you and leave the titles of religion, race, and any other title that puts you aside from another out of the equation. I have been to the religion buffet many of times through childhood and as an adult. For the most part they all ring the same bell...
You perch yourself among hypocrites who are praising, worshiping, and following another mans idea of what will bring you happiness and save your retched little souls. Set aside from the boredom of life that drags your sin filled bodies through the glowing arches, why are you really there? How about new concepts… think for yourself, do for yourself, most important just be yourself. You don’t require a denomination to lead you everyday down the” right path”.
Your average person that picks up a WICCA book or your everyday rewritten Bible, that has been butchered, should be able to do it without sinking themselves into that belief. Which is what I’m referring to when I say weakness? Interested in why people are following WICCA, read the book, take it in as knowledge and then put it down. When you start to become part of something that is essentially determining your everyday life, you become something that you are not.
I like your idea of trying them, like trying out theme parks because that is what they remind me. So eat at he buffet, smell it, and enjoy the knowledge no need to buy stock in it though.
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Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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OmegaDestroyer
Hero of Order
Fox or Chicken?
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posted March 03, 2008 04:39 PM |
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By that logic, everybody is weak.
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The giant has awakened
You drink my blood and drown
Wrath and raving I will not stop
You'll never take me down
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 03, 2008 05:11 PM |
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No not everyone, think of it as an addiction.. Moderation and balance is what makes you level with life. If one spends all day everyday on here it consumes them and takes them over. They become this and that takes away from them as a person. So religion can become the very same way. When you put yourself under a denomination you start to have tunnel vision. Shutting out other options and become so focused you miss out. Moderation...Which is why I like this buffet idea..
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Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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Azagal
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Smooth Snake
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posted March 03, 2008 05:34 PM |
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Quote:
Allowing yourself to be under any denomination is a weakness in itself.
I don't know what makes you say things like this... what you are saying is a ridicolous generalization. I am christian. How does that make me weak? People who surrender themselves to "greater purposes" in religion or seek shelter/refuge in religions are weak. I can go with that but saying that anyone who is under any denomination is weak is plain wrong.
Quote:
Just be you and leave the titles of religion, race, and any other title that puts you aside from another out of the equation.
How is this in conflict with being under a denomination? There are indeed denominations that force you into beliveing something or that are so narrowminded that they won't accept anything else than their "truth" but people than join this are already weak before they join.
Quote:
When you put yourself under a denomination you start to have tunnel vision. Shutting out other options and become so focused you miss out.
No! This is only the case for people who surrender themselves but (as I already said) they are weak to begin with. Of course there are people who had normal lives and when they enter a denomination they got indoctrinated and changed for the worse (meaning that they were no longer individuals but only representatives of the opinion of their denomination and not theirs). But you should know when such a thing is happening to you.
Anyways allowing yourself to be under any denomination is not a weakness in itself! Only if you chose to surrender yourself!
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"All I can see is what's in front of me. And all I can do is keep moving forward" - The Heir Wielder of Names, Seeker of Thrones, King of Swords, Breaker of Infinities, Wheel Smashing Lord
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 03, 2008 06:04 PM |
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Being a self proclaimed Christian is all fine and great and if it allows you to be who you are and you’re not out trying to push it on the world or change everyone’s views about it, then great, have a cookie on me. However you can go to a nondenominational church that does not setup there own belief systems such as Jehovah’s, etc.
They are not telling you to shun those away from you who don’t believe as you do. I have friends that just don’t believe in God at all and they are great people. Then I know a lot of people who are Catholic, Jehovah (my uncle), Amish, etc. They have tunnel vision in the sense that it is their way or no way. I would never post anything and state “exclusively” hands down everyone that practices under a denomination is this way. After thirty three years here I can say I have met enough to know that a lot of them or desperate for something which is what brings them in and then they stop thinking for themselves and start pushing their system onto others.
So with that being said, your right it is a weakness that brings them in to begin with, which is why it is so dangerous. When you are weak and searching sometime you will glob onto whatever..Hence our Nike wearing Alien believers that enjoyed some applesauce together. Here’s your sign!!!! California has seen better days. But your point is noted.
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Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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Azagal
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Smooth Snake
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posted March 03, 2008 06:21 PM |
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Quote:
I would never post anything and state “exclusively” hands down everyone that practices under a denomination is this way.
Then I would really like to know what I misunderstood about apparently non-exclusive statement:
Quote:
Allowing yourself to be under any denomination is a weakness in itself.
Quote:
However you can go to a nondenominational church that does not setup there own belief systems... They are not telling you to shun those away from you who don’t believe as you do
And there are denominational churces who are exactly the same. Not every denominational church is a gathering of religous freak burning with holy zeal trying to carry the torch of truth into the hordes of heretics... Is it possible that you have had bad experiences with the wrong religious groups and that you are generalising like hell? I'm not saying you are wrong with what you say I'm just saying that you are applying what you are saying to faaaaar to many people. Not every beliver forces his belives onto "not belivers" brainwashed freaks without free will do that. And not everybody is one!!
Maybe where you live many people are like that but that most certainly doesn't mean that people all over the world are like that.
Quote:
I have friends that just don’t believe in God at all and they are great people.
Any reasonable person would never see a contradiction...
Quote:
Here’s your sign!!!! California has seen better days. But your point is noted.
I admit it my english leaves a lot to wish for... but I simply don't understand what you are saying. Eventhough I would never doubt that you said whatever you said in a polite way.
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"All I can see is what's in front of me. And all I can do is keep moving forward" - The Heir Wielder of Names, Seeker of Thrones, King of Swords, Breaker of Infinities, Wheel Smashing Lord
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GenieLord
Honorable
Legendary Hero
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posted March 03, 2008 06:26 PM |
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Judaism
Well, I assume I'll have to tell about the Judaism. It's really different of what some of you may have heard, and living with it might be very intresting, or very hard, it's dependent on the person and the way s/he sees it.
What is a Jew?
There are four things that portray a Jew:
1. Was born to a Jewish mother
2. Passed a ritual circumcision (for males)
3. Had a Bar-Mitzva (for males)
4. Had a Jewish wedding ceremony
Basicly, these things are the only things that make you to a Jew.
Fulfilling all the commandments, wearing a Kipa, going to synagogue, etc, are things that the Jew doesn't have to to. S/he can, and it's recommended by all the rabbis, but on the bottom line, it's the Jew's choise.
People can convert to Judaism, but it's a very difficult and complicated process, since the Judaism is not a missionary religion, and welcomes only whom would put effort to become a Jew. I admit that I wouldn't do that.
I would like to explain that there are 3 groups of Jews: Seculars, Traditional and Orthodox. We can devide the Traditional Jews to those you keep the Shabat and these who don't, and the Orthodox to Knitted Kipa owners and Black Kipa owners (which are the most extreme of all).
This is only a basic and a simple division to grops. Ofcourse that each group may contain tens of smaller groups, but I want to keep it simple.
Secular Jews:
Today, most of the Jews are secular. They look exactly like you, they don't wear anything special, and generally, they don't pray, don't go to synagogue, and don't keep the Shabat. Usually, they are sons/daughters of other Jews, and all they do is passing ritual circumcision, Bar-Mitzva and a Jewish wedding. If you walk at an average town in Israel, you'll meet mostly them.
Traditional Jews:
Between the Secular Jews and the Orthodox there's a bit smaller group of Traditional Jews. They look just like the Secular, and don't wear anything special. Except of fulfilling the basic things, they also keep all the laws concerning kosher food (explanation in the continuance). They keep only a part of the commandment. The biggest thing that the traditional can do is to keep the Shabat (explanation in the continuance). Some of them do and some don't.
Orthodox Jews:
These are completely different. All of them put a Kipa on their head, and they keep most of the comandments. All of them keep the Shabat and go to synagogue. They are the most religious Jews. I devided them to two main groups: ones that wear Knitted Kipa, and ones that wear the Black Kipa.
The Black Kipa owners live in a completely closed society; they don't study a thing in their life but the bible (maybe also Talmud and Mishna, which are books in biblical style that were written on different ages). Most of them won't enter a Secular/Traditional/Knitted Kipa Jew to their home. Most of them don't have computers, but on the recents years, some have gotten TV's. They live in huge families (up to 14 kids) and usually live in poverty. They do all the 613 comandments, and they are nicknamed in Hebrew "terrified", since it's said that they are terrified that god will punish them for not doing everything right.
The Knitted Kipa owners are much more open. They don't keep all the comandments in such of a punctuality like those who wear Black Kipa. They study almost like the Secular and the Traditional Jews (with a bit more biblical studying). They will welcome anyone in their house.
Orthodox:
Knitted Kipa:
Black Kipa:
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Kosher food:
A person that keeps the laws of the Kosher food has to:
1. Avoid eating forbidden animals
2. Not mixing milk and meat. After you eat meat, you have to wait a while before you can eat milk.
3. Eat animals that were butchered on the Kosher way, that makes the animal to suffer the least (I really don't want to describe it).
4. Drink wine that hasn't been made in a foreign country.
Traditional and Orthodox Jews keep these laws.
Keeping the Shabat:
The meaning of this is not doing any work from the evening of Friday to the evening of Saturday. Sounds easy? Not at all. "Working" means also driving a car, bike, using electricity, cooking, writing and more. On Shabat, you're not supposed to do any of these, only to rest, to go to the synagogue, to read, to be with your family...
All the Orthodox Jews and a part of the Traditionals keep the Shabat.
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I'm a traditional Jew.
Am I so different than you?
I believe in god, I eat according to the laws of Kosher, but I don't keep Shabat, I don't put a Kippa on my head, I don't wear anything special or act differently and I go to the synagogue very rarely.
I would like to hear a bit about Christianity from a point of view of a Christian. If someone can tell me how s/he lives with it and how it affects the life, I'll be thankful.
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 03, 2008 06:34 PM |
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Again no I would never state all, however I have lived in the bible belt for sometime so I get to experience first hand the things I have spoke of...So lets just do each other a favor and agree to disagree...Your not a bible thumper nor push your beliefs on me so were good…
____________
Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 03, 2008 06:59 PM |
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[quoteI'm a traditional Jew.
Am I so different than you?
I believe in god, I eat according to the laws of Kosher, but I don't keep Shabat, I don't put a Kippa on my head, I don't wear anything special or act differently and I go to the synagogue very rarely.Quote:
So can you entertain me for a moment and explain why you follow some of the “requirements” to be considered a Jew but not all? Does this mean if I eat according to Kosher I can be a Jew too? Like do they have “be a Jew for a day” carnivals where you live? I’m I a Catholic because I attend confession once a years and flick “holy” water on my boobs when I leave. How about if I don’t believe in Christmas for year and return all those pesky presents, does that make me a Jehovah?
Like last week I did not watch any TV, I guess if I get a horse and buggy now I could put a bonnet on my head and be Amish for a day while crapping all over everyone’s streets that tax payers provide, (all but Amish, they don’t pay taxes). Do tell what makes you Jewish??? A traditional Jew at that..
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Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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GenieLord
Honorable
Legendary Hero
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posted March 03, 2008 07:12 PM |
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Quote:
So can you entertain me for a moment and explain why you follow some of the “requirements” to be considered a Jew but not all? Does this mean if I eat according to Kosher I can be a Jew too? Like do they have “be a Jew for a day” carnivals where you live? I’m I a Catholic because I attend confession once a years and flick “holy” water on my boobs when I leave. How about if I don’t believe in Christmas for year and return all those pesky presents, does that make me a Jehovah?
Like last week I did not watch any TV, I guess if I get a horse and buggy now I could put a bonnet on my head and be Amish for a day while crapping all over everyone’s streets that tax payers provide, (all but Amish, they don’t pay taxes). Do tell what makes you Jewish??? A traditional Jew at that..
You're way off.  Making one of the things once doesn't make you to a Jew, not even close.
The fact that I fulfill the basic requirements makes me a Jew. All the rest are extra things, that you do according to your believes. Some believe that they will die if they don't do all of them. We ceratainly don't have “be a Jew for a day” carnivals. 
I don't do those things once, I do them my entire life. I've never eaten a pig or shrimp, or any of the forbidden animals, for instance, and I've never mixed milk and meat. I wait atleast an hour after I eat meat, before I allow myself to eat milk product. This is just a simple example.
You can't just do a jewish custom once and become a Jew. You can't just try it. You have to know it, to like it, to really want to be in it. That's a religion you can't just try.
All I wanted is to tell you about the Judaism. I'm not telling you it's good, since I've never tried anything else. I'm not telling you it's bad either. I'm telling you about it, and I want to show you that I'm just like you.
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bixie
Promising
Legendary Hero
my common sense is tingling!
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posted March 03, 2008 07:20 PM |
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Oh Bloody Hell, this is not what i had in mind at all!
Ye Gods, All I wanted was a simple discussion on whether the idea of me reviewing a religion for a fortnight was a good idea or not, instead i get bombarded by people who have already reviewed their own religion after spending possibly years in it, a lesson in morals from the She-gootch, and them what turns into a arguement of contradictions between VF and Azagal. This is not what i was expected.
To tell you the truth, this was partly a serious discussion, but it was just a much to gauge the reaction from our extremist side of the community. I was presently myself as a open target to see how they would react, whether they would agree with it or not, and then I would simply ask the question "Why?". I have every intention in doing this, just not now, and I want to prepare myself for what I am about to experience.
Do I get a general agreement on what I am doing is a good idea, a chance to learn about these religions beyond the stereotype. Or Do I get ousted as unable to do this thing because it takes a life time of dedication. Or do I get rejected as a blasphemer for going on to other religions? None of you are grasping the fact that I am going to actually do this, this is actually going to happen, and what your words say hear, and whether you ban extremists is going to either damage or bolster my chances of doing a decent job! This is all about your reactions, It is not a Philosophyfest!
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Love, Laugh, Learn, Live.
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executor
Famous Hero
Otherworldly Ambassador
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posted March 03, 2008 09:45 PM |
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Edited by executor at 21:45, 03 Mar 2008.
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@Azagal
I would be honoured to aid your efforts of presenting core ideas of Chistianity for the forum, should I have time (and I lack it lastly).
And VF, as Azagal said, willingly submitting yourself to a religion/belief/ideology is not a sign of weakness, believe me .
I admit it requires great strength to release yourself from bonds but it requires even more to willingly and conciously put bonds upon yourself  .
BTW my questions remain unanswered, but who cares  .
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Understanding is a three-edged sword.
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Orfinn
Supreme Hero
Werewolf Duke
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posted March 03, 2008 10:13 PM |
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Quote:
Well, I assume I'll have to tell about the Judaism. It's really different of what some of you may have heard, and living with it might be very intresting, or very hard, it's dependent on the person and the way s/he sees it.
What is a Jew?
There are four things that portray a Jew:
1. Was born to a Jewish mother
2. Passed a ritual circumcision (for males)
3. Had a Bar-Mitzva (for males)
4. Had a Jewish wedding ceremony
Basicly, these things are the only things that make you to a Jew.
Fulfilling all the commandments, wearing a Kipa, going to synagogue, etc, are things that the Jew doesn't have to to. S/he can, and it's recommended by all the rabbis, but on the bottom line, it's the Jew's choise.
People can convert to Judaism, but it's a very difficult and complicated process, since the Judaism is not a missionary religion, and welcomes only whom would put effort to become a Jew. I admit that I wouldn't do that.
I would like to explain that there are 3 groups of Jews: Seculars, Traditional and Orthodox. We can devide the Traditional Jews to those you keep the Shabat and these who don't, and the Orthodox to Knitted Kipa owners and Black Kipa owners (which are the most extreme of all).
This is only a basic and a simple division to grops. Ofcourse that each group may contain tens of smaller groups, but I want to keep it simple.
Secular Jews:
Today, most of the Jews are secular. They look exactly like you, they don't wear anything special, and generally, they don't pray, don't go to synagogue, and don't keep the Shabat. Usually, they are sons/daughters of other Jews, and all they do is passing ritual circumcision, Bar-Mitzva and a Jewish wedding. If you walk at an average town in Israel, you'll meet mostly them.
Traditional Jews:
Between the Secular Jews and the Orthodox there's a bit smaller group of Traditional Jews. They look just like the Secular, and don't wear anything special. Except of fulfilling the basic things, they also keep all the laws concerning kosher food (explanation in the continuance). They keep only a part of the commandment. The biggest thing that the traditional can do is to keep the Shabat (explanation in the continuance). Some of them do and some don't.
Orthodox Jews:
These are completely different. All of them put a Kipa on their head, and they keep most of the comandments. All of them keep the Shabat and go to synagogue. They are the most religious Jews. I devided them to two main groups: ones that wear Knitted Kipa, and ones that wear the Black Kipa.
The Black Kipa owners live in a completely closed society; they don't study a thing in their life but the bible (maybe also Talmud and Mishna, which are books in biblical style that were written on different ages). Most of them won't enter a Secular/Traditional/Knitted Kipa Jew to their home. Most of them don't have computers, but on the recents years, some have gotten TV's. They live in huge families (up to 14 kids) and usually live in poverty. They do all the 613 comandments, and they are nicknamed in Hebrew "terrified", since it's said that they are terrified that god will punish them for not doing everything right.
The Knitted Kipa owners are much more open. They don't keep all the comandments in such of a punctuality like those who wear Black Kipa. They study almost like the Secular and the Traditional Jews (with a bit more biblical studying). They will welcome anyone in their house.
Orthodox:
Knitted Kipa:
Black Kipa:
Kosher food:
A person that keeps the laws of the Kosher food has to:
1. Avoid eating forbidden animals
2. Not mixing milk and meat. After you eat meat, you have to wait a while before you can eat milk.
3. Eat animals that were butchered on the Kosher way, that makes the animal to suffer the least (I really don't want to describe it).
4. Drink wine that hasn't been made in a foreign country.
Traditional and Orthodox Jews keep these laws.
Keeping the Shabat:
The meaning of this is not doing any work from the evening of Friday to the evening of Saturday. Sounds easy? Not at all. "Working" means also driving a car, bike, using electricity, cooking, writing and more. On Shabat, you're not supposed to do any of these, only to rest, to go to the synagogue, to read, to be with your family...
All the Orthodox Jews and a part of the Traditionals keep the Shabat.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm a traditional Jew.
Am I so different than you?
I believe in god, I eat according to the laws of Kosher, but I don't keep Shabat, I don't put a Kippa on my head, I don't wear anything special or act differently and I go to the synagogue very rarely.
I would like to hear a bit about Christianity from a point of view of a Christian. If someone can tell me how s/he lives with it and how it affects the life, I'll be thankful.
Well this certainly changed my view on jews. I have always had bad thoughts about their ritual traditions, like Muslims I have heard circumsicing is part of inventing younglings into these religions and traditions. I wonder, which kind of Jews have this IMHO distasteful, rude and painful tradition? i mean, they remove something from below which is a part of you, something purely natural!
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GenieLord
Honorable
Legendary Hero
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posted March 04, 2008 12:23 AM |
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Quote:
Well this certainly changed my view on jews.
Quote:
I have always had bad thoughts about their ritual traditions, like Muslims I have heard circumsicing is part of inventing younglings into these religions and traditions. I wonder, which kind of Jews have this IMHO distasteful, rude and painful tradition? i mean, they remove something from below which is a part of you, something purely natural!
Everything in the Judaism is supposed to have a reason. Mostly "the god's orders" are very vague and unclear. They can have many meanings. The bible is originally written in Hebrew (not the new testament). On English, it's very simple and easy, but in Hebrew, it's written in a complicated language, that people can spend years of studying until they are able to understand it.
The wisest elders were the ones that decided how to "translate" the orders, and tell their simple meaning.
There is a reason that only the wisest elders were responsible of that: so the orders will come out logical.
The animals which are forbidden to eat according to the laws of Kosher are either unhealthy animals to eat (like a pig, a jellyfish) or rare animals that eating them hurts the balance in the nature (like a giraffe, a vulture).
These laws make sense.
The case of the circumcision is similar: the order to circumcise doesn't tell you exactly what to do, so we might be doing the wrong thing, but the elders decided to translate it to cutting off the most dangerous part of the body. Today we can say they were right. Studies show that men with a foreskin on the old ages had much more diseases and infections.
However, some of the laws really do not suitable for the modern times, in my opinion. For example, there's an order which was translated to "have many children".
It made sense 3000 years ago, when most of the children died of diseases, and having many kids will promise continuity of the family. But today, when there are away too many people in the world, things should be changed.
I talked to some people about it, and I was told that some of the Rabbis agree with me, and changed the law to "have atleast two children", when before they encouraged people to have 10 children. This kind of families are incredibly common among the black Kipa owners.
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