"Dear Dr. Laura" *updated* - time to pass it around again ?

[Catchawave]

According to Snopes, it's been updated since the 2004 election:

"In the wake of President George W. Bush's election to a second term, in the fall of 2004 the piece was circulated yet again, this time addressed "Dear President Bush" rather than "Dear Dr. Laura." Following the "Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging" close of the Dr. Laura letter, the updated version addressed to the President continued "It must be really great to be on such close terms with God and his son, even better than you and your own Dad, eh?" "

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/drlaura.asp

Dear President Bush,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1.9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21.7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging. It must be really great to be on such close terms with God and his son, even better than you and your own Dad, eh?


Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

[lildreamer316]

1. Where's Bartlett when you need him.

SO effective in person. One of my favorite scenes.

[Catchawave]

9. I was surprised they included the Bartlett

reference. One of my favorite West Wing scenes evah :D

[Jack from Charlotte]

2. How do Christian's respond to that?

I assume those Bible verses are accurate but I'm not going to look them up. So what do Christians say about these?

[Catchawave]

3. According to Snopes

They are correct.

[madrchsod]

5. this christian says -it has nothing to do with

the teachings of christ..nowhere in his story was it ever written that he agreed with this crap.

[Catchawave]

13. Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice said it best

through the words and music of Jesus Christ Superstar!

Just my opinion, I could be wrong :D

[Felinity]

4. Thanks for the details

Ever since childhood, I could not accept the Old Testament, with all its smiting and smoting and treating women as chattel.

Despite 12 years of parochial education, I thought the New Testament was pointless, though I always liked Jesus, despite how they talked about him.

I have somehow always based my spiritual path on my own internal wisdom.

But when you have been browbeaten to believe that a benevolent "God" has a mean streak a mile wide all your life, it is hard to recognize your internal wisdom.

Catch 22: People need to think for themselves, but they have been taught to think in a moronic and illogical manner; so they are doomed to follow the evil which they have been brainwashed to resist, and therefore become.

It is sometimes not so seemingly intelligent, this design.

[AndyA]

6. You have to take it for what it's worth.

I never believed that God was vindictive, or that destroying something he created would please him in any way. It makes no sense.

I believe that God is a loving God, and only wants us to be happy, help others in need, and respect all that he created during our time on Earth.

You can make it as difficult as you want, but I believe the message is really quite simple to grasp.

[Arugula Latte]

11. AndyVA -- Do you believe that your god is omnipotent?

If so, s/he/it is responsible for a hell of a lot of slaughter, genocide, disease, and suffering.

If the deity you believe in is not omnipotent, do you think s/he/it is only responsible for some of the good stuff and some of the bad stuff? Or only some of the good stuff?

I'm not trying to be an asshole ... I just want to get a handle on what some beievers here on DU think.

[AndyA]

12. I believe God has given people a free will.

He doesn't make them do things, he allows them to make their own decisions, right or wrong. I do believe sometimes he steps in and protects/prevents people from being harmed, or deals with bad people before they can cause any/more harm to others - this belief is based on personal experience. At other times, things happen that make me wonder why no intervention occurred.

I'm not sure if this answers your question or not...

[LostinVA]

7. Something you can add to (i)

How do you reconcile this with your own rugby playing? (or something like that)

[Catchawave]

10. LOL....

amateur wrestling comes to mind also.

[Catchawave]

8. Remember:

From the website:

"The key to this essay is its premise, not the pedantic details of it of how it is defended. Simply put, the letter points out a logical flaw in the "homosexuality is wrong because the Bible says so" argument: if homosexuality is wrong because it goes against God's law as outlined in the Bible, why aren't any number of activities now viewed as innocuous but once regarded as unacceptable also offenses against God's law? How can one part of Leviticus be deemed as etched in stone when other parts have been discarded as archaic? "