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Pretty scary when someone is willing to disregard philosophy, the crux of
Western Civilization, and replace it with a contradictory text that makes no sense when applied literally to the modern world.
posted by
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
on September 30, 2004 at 9:29 PM
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meat sacrificed to idols -- why? -- why not?
in Greek culture, the meat that was given to the temples for sacrifice to Zeus and other such gods went after that to the wealthy patrons and those of influence.
that was virtually the only place to find meat in Corinth and other Greek cities -- in the homes of the influential.
They, in turn, held huge parties (orgies, if you will), and invited only those they deemed worthy to attend. It was at those parties that the meat was served. It was also at those parties that people were expected to give certain sexual (both hetero and homo ) favors.
It was a big thing to be invited to those parties and apparently nearly everyone tried to get invited, for if you were invited, you were "in", and had status and bragging rights and maybe the patron would do something for you.
But you were expected to give some favor in return.
So now maybe we can understand:
1. why in Acts 15 the Jerusalem Apostles (led by James -- Peter was a minor player) sent letters to the Gentile converts saying that it was not good to eat meat sacrificed to idols.
2. Why homosexuality was frowned upon by Paul and others. This type of homosexuality demeaned a person and it really was a sort of selling of the soul in order to gain some temporal favor and advantage, if you can call it that.
Now, in I Cor., Paul is stating that the meat really is nothing because the idol is nothing. If you get it by normal means -- buying it at a market or something like that -- then there really is no problem. The problem lay in meat being a sort of currency to obtain favors or become beholden to someone in a manner akin to slavery.
In reading the I Cor. passage that is the title of this blog, I see that this is a concept (that we still have a lot to learn) that transcends the subject matter surrounding.
If anyone wants to limit it to that passage, fine.
As for me, I will continue learning.
I will "prove all things". I will subject everything to the test of logic and validity.
posted by
Xeno-x
on September 30, 2004 at 1:57 PM
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Sad
Sad that you miss the point.
posted by
7th_Trump
on September 30, 2004 at 11:52 AM
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that's true too kid.
but sometimes silence is golden.
things seem to pop up of a sudden.
posted by
Xeno-x
on September 30, 2004 at 11:39 AM
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odd
this is all about meat sacrificed to idols (See Acts 15, latter part, where the letters say "It seems good to us and to the Holy Spirit to lay no burden o nyou but to remember the poor and abstain from eating meat sacrificed to idols") -- [footnote: notice that the decress of the apostles in Jerusalem are now contradicted by Paul lin I Cor. 8])
That's all I see in this entire chapter. -- there is the passage about not causing a brother to offend also.
Throught I Copr wqe have various admonitions
one passage reads something like "This is for the present distressw".
There is "it is a shame for a man to have long hair"
There is "A woman's hair is given to her for a covering" "A woman should pray with her head covered."
We've got various instructions and admonitions here. Many are for within the congregation. It is instruction for living in the world they live in.
another footnote: meat sacrificed to idols has a close connecton to homosexual practice of the time.
posted by
Xeno-x
on September 30, 2004 at 11:37 AM
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Wide brush
To understand what Paul is talking about here, one must read verse 2 in context. It is a favorite trick of those who know not GOD to take verses out of context and twist them into some deep philosophical meaning of their own that has nothing to do with what GOD is trying so hard to teach us.
Throughout I Corinthians, Paul is instructing the church at Corinth (that is believers, not the general public, but those who have already confessed and professed YESHUA. If anyone hasn't done that, then this is all meaningless to them anyway) in how they should conduct their lives as CHRISTIANS. This is so easy...
In I Corinthians 8, Paul is talking to the believers concerning their travels while teaching Father's Word...how to conduct themselves concerning Father's health and food laws while in the homes or in the company of non-believers or NEW Christians who have not been given much knowledge as of yet. The lesson is, that the exact same principles apply to us, today.
I Cor. 8:1 - Paul says that as concerns touching or eating meat that has been offered to idols that all of us are aware of Father's health laws, and why He gave them. He is advising them not to allow THIS knowledge to puff them up with pride or "holier-than-thou" attitudes. That we are to communicate from a standpoint of "charity" (agape - love).
v2 - Paul is simply saying to them...If you think you know all there is to know about THIS SUBJECT, you are wrong. What subject? Refer to verse 1. There is more, you don't know all that is written about THIS SUBJECT...and Paul will tell them in the following verses.
One cannot take a verse here and a verse there and make a religion out of it. If one reads with understanding (meaning subject and object intact) he will find that the truth about what Father has to say in a particular Book or Chapter is far more important than what he can make up about it on his own.
Read and understand ALL of I Corinthians...it will enlighten you far more than man's ignorant philosophical ramblings. "Study to show thyself approved...".
posted by
7th_Trump
on September 30, 2004 at 8:17 AM
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I disagree old man
I say
1. Listen to everyone else
2. Tell everyone what you think
3. Listen to what everyone thinks of that
4. Figure it all out for yourself
You can listen to others as long as you keep an open mind and do not believe everything you are told.
posted by
kooka_lives
on September 30, 2004 at 8:08 AM
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