In response to my previous post on gay marriage, Sam Dawlatly (who has a book of poetry out on Proost soon by the way!) had this to say;
So here’s another point of view: the Bible doesn’t advocate monogamy… David had 8 wives and Solomon had more. Then at some point between then and a time perhaps before Jesus it was decided that marriage was between one man and one woman. Now the Law was given to Moses, so as far as I can make out there are no Laws that state explicitly that marriage is for one man and one woman. I am prepared to be corrected, as I am not a theologian. However monogamous marriage seems to be the norm in the New Testament.
What led to this change? It seems to me that “Christian monogamous marriage” as we accept it to be is not, in fact, biblical, but more cultural. I’m not advocating polygamy, but if the basis of marriage is more cultural then perhaps we shouldn’t use the Bible to define it and criticise those who seek to alter the definition according to modern culture?
He has a point you know. Deuteronomy is the scourge of all fundamentalists, who have to resort to immediate dispensationalist contortions every time. Check out chapter 22 for a case in point.
Or (with tongue in cheek) I offer you this;
this fragile tent 
With ‘tongue in cheek’ it seems whatever stance is taken Men get the better deal!
Another way that we make gods out of our own cultural prejudices and core assumptions Chris… hopefully the tide is turning, but I would say that- I am a man!
Yes, but one of the ‘rare’ goods ones!
So kind!
Found an interesting article on Monogamy being the Jewish ideal, if that answers some of the questions raised above:
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10949-monogamy
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Most of the “examples” of “bad stuff” in the laws of Moses is posted by people who never read them, and people using Bible translations based on the ancient-language lexicons of Hitler’s own “Christian” spiritual adviser, Gerard Kittel. Most of the stuff in there is more like contract labor, which in those days was mostly in-house, just like many times it is today.
Women were treated best in the ancient world under the laws of Moses, and the taking of free men as “slaves” in the sense of the Old South was strictly forbidden in the law, except as purchased, and even those were to be treated as of the household and it ordered they be treated as such. So they became sort of equals.
The rapist being forced to marry the victim was a benefit to the deflowered virgin and she and her family could demand alternatives. She was NOT forced to marry him.
Space and time prevent explaining it all.
As to sodomy and all that, it’s a whole different subject involving fire, brimstone, Pompeii, and all that.
As a Golden Rule Christian I vehemently demand that government stay OUT of ALL our bedrooms, Christians, Jews, Muslims, gays, lesbians, nobody has a right to force their near and far neighbors to subsidize their families or their lifestyles in any way. I’m tired of Christians who require the government stamp of approval on my nuclear family. Government licensed marriage is a great evil.
It has now even created a vehicle by which the closet Marxists can attack the nuclear family –that’s in the Communist Manifesto– because then the puppet masters of the Central Banks in every nation –that’s also in the Communist Manifesto– can own every nation, especially succeeding generations.
The natural family is the best vehicle for protecting the next generation from ruling-class government indoctrination by their “state”.
Not quite sure what points you are making here? The Bible is misrepresented by people who do not have your degree of insight? And that the pinko liberals on Capitol Hill (I assume from your spellings that you hale from the USA) are invading our family lives? I can only say that I have been a student of the Bible all my life and simply can not dismiss all those difficult passages from the OT as easily as you seem able to.
Besides, why all this ado about then? Where is the noise about the slavery of TODAY which is fought more than anyone by Christians in the tradition of William Wilberforce and the Bible-thumping fundamentalist abolitionists?
And the involuntary servitude imposed by the income tax, which requires you to work without pay for up to half of the entire year for your unseen neighbors? A lot of Christians are trying to end that outrageous abuse!
All I can say is- what bizarre mixed up crazy logic makes you think that taxing the rich is comparable to slavery?