If the answer is "Yes" at all, I'd say it's only indirectly. Having a "bodily discharge" is not committing a sin, but it is a sign of living in a fallen world, in which our bodies no longer function perfectly. The idea that emissions of semen and monthly periods are unclean does not, I think, suggest that sex itself is dirty or sinful. It may say that even these most intimate acts have been tainted by the fall, much like childbirth was said to bring uncleanliness a few chapters back.
I once read that all these laws not only convey spiritual lessons, but have a kind of "public health" significance as well. Some animals will be unsafe to eat if not prepared properly, bodily discharges can carry infectious disease, and so on. By this line of reasoning, Leviticus expresses a concern for physical as well as spiritual well-being. What do others think about that?
Lev. 15 - "Does unclean mean sinful?"
ReplyDeleteIf the answer is "Yes" at all, I'd say it's only indirectly. Having a "bodily discharge" is not committing a sin, but it is a sign of living in a fallen world, in which our bodies no longer function perfectly. The idea that emissions of semen and monthly periods are unclean does not, I think, suggest that sex itself is dirty or sinful. It may say that even these most intimate acts have been tainted by the fall, much like childbirth was said to bring uncleanliness a few chapters back.
I once read that all these laws not only convey spiritual lessons, but have a kind of "public health" significance as well. Some animals will be unsafe to eat if not prepared properly, bodily discharges can carry infectious disease, and so on. By this line of reasoning, Leviticus expresses a concern for physical as well as spiritual well-being. What do others think about that?