Deut. 23 2

[catholicinsd]

[quote]No one of illegitimate birth, nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, even down to the tenth generation.[/quote]

[Jaime]

I'll see if someone will get you a t shirt or something from the assembly

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Keep in mind that most of Deuteronomy is the Law of Moses, not the Divine Law, and often had things that weren't ideal, but had more practical purposes as concessions to the people, who consistently failed to follow divine law.

From StColette, who took a class in Pentateuch: "most of the laws in Deuteronomy were scare tactics, meant to keep certain sins from occuring, in this case, extra-marital or pre-marital affairs. Deut. 22 ends with sexual sins, Deut. 23 begins with them. The purpose is to keep the situation from happening, not to punish those who are illegitimate."

Further, I would add that fidelity to God is tied to fidelity in marriage, and there's probably a theological reason that anyone born of infidelity could be unfaithful in the assembly (not the best reasoning, but it does make some sense figuratively).

Lastly, this law no longer applies to us.

God bless,

Micah

[catholicinsd]

[quote name='Raphael' post='1529343' date='May 15 2008, 10:30 AM']Further, I would add that fidelity to God is tied to fidelity in marriage, and there's probably a theological reason that anyone born of infidelity could be unfaithful in the assembly[/quote]

I like to think I've been a good Catholic boy, despite the circumstances of my birth.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='catholicinsd' post='1529350' date='May 15 2008, 10:42 AM']I like to think I've been a good Catholic boy, despite the circumstances of my birth.[/quote]
I would like to think that, too. That's why I said it wasn't the best reasoning. Regardless, that's just one possible interpretation of the symbolic meaning of the passage.

It wasn't meant to say that you were a bad Catholic.

Jen's looking at the original Hebrew at the moment. I'll let you know if she finds anything that gives us a better idea of what it really says.

[Jaime]

so


no t shirt?

[Mr.Cat]

[quote name='hot stuff' post='1529358' date='May 15 2008, 10:51 AM']so
no t shirt?[/quote]Greatness...

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Okay, Jen looked at it and guess what...the Hebrew is ambiguous. A more correct term (though I hate (don't hate, appreciate) (don't hate (don't hate, appreciate), appreciate) using it) would be "bastard," and in the Hebrew, it can mean different things. It can mean illigimate child, but it can also mean "child of incest" (which is more specific and not as general) or even the child of one Hebrew and one foreigner (which could mean that the child is a foreigner). The last interpretation would be entirely irrelevant to the modern day. As for the other interpretations, we're in the New Covenant now, so the whole thing is just irrelevant to us today.

However, it's interesting that the different meanings of the word relate to the matters discussed at the end of the previous chapter, which ends forbidding incest. It's probably meant more as a warning to parents that they should not enter into these types of relationships because they will bring bad things on their children.

Also, St. Jerome transliterated the word and then followed it with a clause specifying what he believed it meant (that clause is missing from the Hebrew), indicating that he may not have known what the word meant or may not have had an adequate translation, and decided just to keep the Hebrew word, although in Latin characters, and follow it with what he thought was the basic meaning of the word. That definition may be incomplete, depending on how accurate he was trying to be, and could have tainted the ideas of scholars down the ages on the meaning of the word.

God bless,

Micah

[Theoketos]

It is also really important to keep in mind that those of use not born into a marriage may become holy because Christ offers His love to all.

[catholicinsd]

[quote name='Theoketos' post='1529381' date='May 15 2008, 11:33 AM']It is also really important to keep in mind that those of use not born into a marriage may become holy because Christ offers His love to all.[/quote]

To me this passage re-enforces the mid-evil notion that I'm some-how a second class citizen.

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='catholicinsd' post='1588754' date='Jul 1 2008, 10:08 PM']To me this passage re-enforces the mid-evil notion that I'm some-how a second class citizen.[/quote]
1. It's medieval.
2. How on earth did you get that out of it? It seemed very charitable and a lot like the truth to me. He just said that Christ extends his love to all...

[catholicinsd]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' post='1588765' date='Jul 1 2008, 11:18 PM']1. It's medieval.
2. How on earth did you get that out of it? It seemed very charitable and a lot like the truth to me. He just said that Christ extends his love to all...[/quote]

I was talking about the actual verse.

[ardillacid]

Six or seven?

[nleyetn]

If you had any worries about the passage at all, I'd think of Baptism and what it does. When someone is baptized they are ready to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Anything prior to Baptism wouldn't hold you back. Although, as was said earlier, this reading doesn't really seem to apply to modern times anyway, but I just wanted to remind you of another reason why it wouldn't be anything to worry about.

[Adrestia]

[quote name='catholicinsd' post='1588754' date='Jul 1 2008, 10:08 PM']To me this passage re-enforces the mid-evil notion that I'm some-how a second class citizen.[/quote]The devil wants you to think that... some weak stupid tempter that smells of elderberries. Our heavenly father (in baptism we all have the same dad) is [i]so[/i] much better and He fills us with love.