I'm a relative "newbie" to this board. I've been reading through some of the threads, and had planned to get a sense of who's who before I posted. However, the following post from Nimrod pushed too many buttons to allow me to sit back and continue to silently read.
A quick word of introduction. I was raised in a legalistic Christian sect, and have fought long and hard to see the clear picture of God's grace. I now consider myself a non-denominational Christian, and have been meeting with others in a small community church. However, I have also attended a large Baptist church in my town and have enjoyed the fellowship there as well.
A while ago someone asked for examples of doctrines being built around one verse taken alone from the Bible. I understand there are many verses & areas in the Bible that relate to the issues of hair & clothing. Here's what I'm wondering. Nimrod quoted the following verse:
Deut 22:5 "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God."
Okay....so if I take that to mean
exactly what is says, as a "for all times" in the future, what about verse 8??
When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof. (NIV)
According to my dictionary, the word parapet means:
a wall, rampart, or elevation of earth or stone to protect soldiers :
2 : a low wall or railing to protect the edge of a platform, roof, or bridge -- called also parapet wall
This to me is the inherrant danger when interpreting the scriptures. As several have mentioned already in this thread, it's very important to know the background & societal norms when reading our Bibles. To take verses at their face value
without taking into consideration the context can be misleading. I've found it particularly helpful for me to discern the spirit & intention of the text. Remembering the five "W's" of journalism can be a guide....
What,
When,
Where,
Who,
Why. It's brought clarity to the scriptures for me.
I apologize for getting off topic & hope I haven't offended anyone. I look forward to reading more of the thoughts of others and perhaps joining in again when moved to do so.