Moments of Permanence - Questions of Language and Morality: The Abortion Issue

From: piranha Date: June 6th, 2009 08:54 am (UTC) Re: Questions of Language and Morality: The Abortion Issue (Link)

the reason those all speak for souls IMO is that they all mention god's direct involvement via "knitting", "forming", "calling". i think that argues for more than biology, because well, i don't actually think god is personally involved in gestation.

i also don't think prophets get their souls ahead of time; i don't see any particular evidence for that. and how can you hear a call from god without a soul?

yeah, i dislike paul a LOT, but i can't really help that he's in the bible. oh, don't get me started on paul. *gnarg*. ok, let's ignore that one; i think it was self-serving anyway.

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From: sami Date: June 6th, 2009 11:57 am (UTC) Re: Questions of Language and Morality: The Abortion Issue (Link)

In a biological sense, no; however, in a metaphorical sense, from the perspective of men writing this down thousands of years ago? God forms babies in the womb.

Seriously. The writers of the Bible used metaphor, it wasn't invented by literature professors. When a prophet felt called, and how? Not really the same thing as the question of when *an ordinary baby* acquires a soul. The prophets were foretold; there's mystical things happening there.

As for Paul: Yes, he's in the Bible. However, since the question of what gospels and books and so on would be included in the canonical list was a matter of great debate, I have trouble believing the selection was particularly divinely-inspired; Paul had Issues, and Paul, in my view, rather twisted the message of Jesus. Paul's opinions on God are, to me, just that, and I will take them as such. As a Christian, I believe in the teachings of Jesus... and, notwithstanding the new post-Jesus covenant, take the Torah as something to be considered, as Jesus did not reject Judaism outright.

Judaism's tradition does, in fact, include thinking about your religion, and about your faith.

I view Paul as being more-or-less the first Pope; he has plenty to say about Christianity, but as someone of essentially Protestant feelings, I am under no obligation to believe he speaks for God, especially when his words conflict with my understanding of Christ.

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