Source: TDS 1046
Time stamp: 2:30:00
Quote from Mike on TDS:
“These laws in Leviticus are laws of man, they are not presented as God’s laws..maybe they are maybe they aren’t (seemingly realizing the error of making such a definitive statement here) , they are the laws of the Jewish nation. It is clear that they are meant to be; whether they come from God or someone else. They are meant to be enacted by the nation of Israel, the Jews.”
This claim was illustrative of Mike’s overall ignorance of many specific topics in Biblical history, Christian Theology, etc. Mike deserves some credit in that he is clearly the most knowledgeable about Christianity and the Bible on the TDS panel, reflective of his testimony of being raised in the Episcopal Church and attending church frequently growing up. But, the claim is quite obviously wrong, given that basically no one claims such a thing from the position of a believer in the faith and the veracity of the Bible. So, this includes the perspective of Christians. Where did Mike even get this idea from exactly? Seems to be his own deduction based on cursory knowledge of the Bible and also his anti-Judaic heuristic as it pertains to all subjects involving Jews. And so, Mike seems to be reporting his own opinion while omitting or being ignorant of that of orthodox Christian positions on the matter.
The story of the Levitical Laws involves the Israelites and mainly one named Moses who was chosen by God to be a valiant and pertinent leader of this matter of revealing a timely set of doctrines for the tribe of Israel. From the website Got Questions, in regards to the purpose of the Levitical Law:
“First, let’s clarify some terms…Moses was of the tribe of Levi, and when God delivered the Law to him on Mount Sinai, He marked the Levites as the tribe responsible for the primary religious duties in the nation. They were made priests, singers, and caretakers in the worship of God. In calling it the Levitical Law, we acknowledge that God revealed the Law through Moses, a Levite, and that God appointed the Levites as the religious leaders of Israel. The same Law is sometimes called “Mosaic” because it was given through Moses, and it is also referred to as the “Old Covenant,” because it is part of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants.” (Though the “Abrahamic Covenant” extends through Isaac, Ishmael, one of Abraham’s sons, received blessings for his future descendants as well).
From the Biblical qua Biblical perspective and from the paradigm of all of traditional Jewish and traditional Christian strains, the Mosaic Law was given by God to Moses at Mount Sinai.
And, as for the claim of this set of laws being meant for the Jewish nation and not others, sure, if we mean the Israelites by “Jews.” I specify this because calling Hebrews and/or Israelites “Jews” is often problematic in various contexts, from multiple paradigms and for a number of reasons, rendering this label a misnomer. (Consider the fact of the etymology of the term “Jew”) And, this is the case despite the ubiquity of this common misstep by both Jews and modern Christians. But yes, the Levitical Laws were to some degree a private revelation from God to the people of Israel only at the time. So, if we are referring to the subset of Levitical laws that do not hold across all time and all contexts, in other words those laws that are not reflective of eternal and universal moral and ethical truths IE circumcising every male on the 8th day, sure. Indeed, those subset of laws were meant for the Israelites in the context of Biblical history, and did not apply to other nations.
But, the 10 commandments, which are the basis for the Mosaic Law, are eternal and universal ethical truths and prescriptions. These are laws that apply to all peoples at all times, even if they do not have revelation or did not at any given point in time. Those elements of the Levitical Law which would apply to all peoples would come to be considered public revelation in the culmination of the deposit of the Biblical Scripture. This is also true because, according to Christian tradition, God has inscribed the moral law on our hearts, as described in the book of Romans, chapter 2. These universal truths are natural to creation itself, as all is sourced in Christ and The Trinity Himself, God and Creator of all that exists and Goodness Himself.
Given that this is the first of a series of responses to TDS’ routine mishaps on anything relating to the Christian, and even Jewish, tradition, I will have to expand upon and explicate more over time as it relates to many of the embedded premises in my posts. And, as I have alluded to, more of this type of work is to come.
The Law of the OT (613 commandments IE Mitzvots)
Alright, let’s get into this ridiculous notion that the Israelites and Jews are different entities, as if the Old Testament somehow aligns with a modern racial identity. It’s almost comical how the author tries to twist biblical history to fit a narrative that elevates a certain racial group while dismissing the realities of what’s actually in the text.
First off, the idea that the Israelites were White is laughable. The Old Testament is full of all kinds of bizarre laws and behaviors that, let’s be honest, don’t exactly reflect the values we associate with modern Western civilization. If you look at the actions and commandments in the Old Testament, they often come across as primitive and at odds with what we’d consider civilized behavior today. It’s a stretch to say that those ancient peoples represent any kind of moral or ethical standard for White people today.
The author’s insistence that the Old Testament is meant for a specific racial identity seems to stem from a need to reconcile his Christian beliefs with a more identitarian worldview. But let’s be clear: the behaviors and laws depicted in those texts are a far cry from the values we’d want to uphold. It’s almost as if this author needs to believe that the Old Testament reflects some sort of righteous heritage when in reality, it’s a mixed bag of tribal laws and questionable ethics that don’t align with modern sensibilities.
It’s easy to cherry-pick parts of the Bible to fit a particular narrative, but the truth is, the Old Testament is a historical document that reflects a time and culture that is worlds apart from today. The idea that it can just be reshaped into a narrative that promotes modern racial identity is a misguided attempt to find justification in ancient texts.
At the end of the day, trying to claim the Old Testament as a playbook for White people is not only a stretch but also ignores the complexities of biblical history. The values in those texts don’t represent a coherent or admirable moral framework for anyone today, regardless of race. Instead of trying to force-fit ancient narratives into contemporary ideologies, it might be time to take a step back and recognize the Old Testament for what it is—an artifact of a bygone era, not a modern guide for living.
So…. Why not just type WE WUZ next time? Your jew religion is just pathetic and all you are doing is trying to force this religion to fit your political beliefs. It’s honestly a joke dude. Get help.