Deuteronomy II
As you read through Deuteronomy, are there any laws you find particulary important in trying to create a just society? Are there any laws you find particularly difficult or hard to understand?
posted by Ancient Art at 12:05 PM
7 Comments:
In chapter 16 where it talks about the judges is a necessary aspect for a just society. Each tribe is to appoint judges to try crims. the judges are to be impartial and are to not take bribes. This is very practical because a person who cannot remain impartial, or takes bribes cannot pass fair judgement ove rsomeone who is charged with a crime. Instead, he will be a pawn for those who bought him off and society will suffer for it.
Another law in Deuteronomy that is needed in a just society is the need for two or three witnesses when a man is accused of a crime. This is a basic thing that helps cut down on people accusing one another of a crime when all they really want is the person's property, or revenge. During the Salem Witch trials one person could accuse another of being a witch and the acuused had to prove their innocence just because of one man's testimony against them. So what Moses id doing is getting witnesses to collaborate. If there are any discrepancies, or differences in the story among the three witnesses, that means the person accused of a crime is probably innocent. Moses is trying to discourage false accusations, which are known for tearing communities apart.
The rules of warfare that was prescribed in Deuteronomy 20 is a very interesting part of the law. It states that soldiers that have built new homes, planted a new vineyards, was recently married, or afraid to fight are exempt from the war. This is in contrast to recent wars, where the government conscripts men to fight wars and there is no loopholes to get out of service.
Another part of the rules of warfare was that before they attack a town, the army had to make a peace offer. If the enemy accepted, the war was over. If not, the army lad seige to the town. Today, the closest thing to a peace offer is President Bush's offer to not invade Iraq if Saddam Hussein and his sons left Iraq within 48 hours.
The rules of warfare dictated to the Hebrews was meant to make them act like a humble yet strong nation who were compassionate yet fierce when it was time to fight. God wanted to make them unique compared to their neighbors by setting down commandments and laws to contrast them with their neighbors. However, by not obeying God's commandments, the Hebrews became like their neighbors and suffered for doing so.
The most important thing i got from the book of deuteronomy was the very preciseness of the laws. God breaks down the laws and explains every detail. An example of this is the diet he commands the jews to keep. He explains very animal, fish, and bird the hebrews can eat and not eat. In many of the case he explains the different groups with those species. I think that he does this to prevent any loop holes. If he explains things in this through of a manner, there is no way that the hebrews could interpret the meaning anyway they wanted. Plus, the hebrews are use to taking orders, being dictated to like this, would be an easy transition for them.
I think Chapter 17: 2-7 is a great example for society to live by. It says that if a person commits a crime against God, you can stone him to death. However, he must be proved of his wrong doings by at least 2 or 3 people. So it can't be one witness saying something in spite of the other guy. It must be proven, "by careful investigation." Most free societies work in this way. I thought another good law was found in Chapter 24: 5. It states that a newly wed man is free from any military obligations or any other services so that he and his wife can come closer to each other. This is a very important law because you see so many people in today's world getting divorced, some within a year. It would give time to people and make them come to love each other more.
One thing I don't understand is the "Cleanliness in Camp" found in Chapter 23: 10-15. It talks about if you are become unclean because of nocturnal emissions you must take a bath. I really don't understand this whole part.
I find that the law of worshiping other gods is important not based off of the chritisan beleif that it is wrong because god doesn't like it. Rather i take the way that it is important in that you need to unify poeple under some thing that they all can relate to something solid this is shown though out history with the greeks and romans. I am not saying that God saying it isn't right is a bad reason. i am only trying to show a different prespective.
In Deuteronomy 21 it states that if a man is found slain in fields that you own, you must sacrifice a heifer that has not been worked and the elders must wash their hands and say they do not know who commited the crime. Why must the landowner sacrifice one of his livestock? If he is innocent why should he have to loose an animal for a crime he did not commit? I do not think this is fair to him at all. There should be a different way to settle this dispute. Plus i do not think it is fair to the animal to be killed for someone dying on their owners land.
I think one of the important laws in the book is the forbidding of idol worship. After our discussion today in class, I begain to understand even more why this is. For a nation of people to stay unified, it is imparitive for their religious views to be unified. If they have different views on religion, that means that their view on law is also different. Look at today, the US has freedom of religion, and now the laws are constantly being questioned. Having one unifying religion would help to limit this kind of confusion.
Post a Comment
<< Home