The Bible's Odd Sins: A Curious Exploration

The Bible is filled with beautiful and inspirational stories, but it also contains some controversial beliefs that have sparked furious debates among believers, non-believers, and scholars. For instance, the Bible contains some weird sins, such as the prohibition against cutting one's hair or trimming one's beard (Leviticus 19:27), and the sin of wearing clothing made from two different types of fabric (Leviticus 19:19). Another strange sin is touching a woman after she has given birth (Leviticus 12:2), as well as allowing her to go to church during this period of uncleanness. In addition, according to Deuteronomy 22:20-21, women who are not virgins on their wedding night were to be stoned to death, while there is no mention of any punishment for men in the same situation.

Don't eat animals with split hooves

The Bible contains a number of rules about which animals can and cannot be eaten. In Leviticus 11:20, it is written that animals that walk on four feet and crawl are not to be eaten.

In Deuteronomy 14:7, it is written: "Nevertheless, these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud or of them that divide the cloven hoof: the camel, and the hare, and the coney; for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you."

In Leviticus 11:3-8, it is written: "Some animals chew the cud, but they don’t have split hooves. Don’t eat these animals. Camels, rock badgers, and rabbits are like that, so they are unclean for you. Other animals have hooves that are split into two parts, but they don’t chew the cud. Don’t eat these animals. Pigs are like that, so they are unclean for you. Don’t eat the meat from these animals. Don’t even touch their dead bodies! They are unclean for you."

In Leviticus 11:26-28, it is written: "Some animals have split hooves, but the hooves don’t make exactly two parts. Some animals don’t chew the cud. Some animals don’t have hooves—they walk on their paws. All these animals are unclean for you. If you touch them, you will become unclean until evening. If you pick up the dead bodies of these unclean animals, you must wash your clothes. You will be unclean until evening. These animals are unclean for you."

In summary, the Bible prohibits the consumption of animals that chew the cud but do not have split hooves, as well as those that have split hooves but do not chew the cud. Camels, rock badgers, rabbits, and pigs are specifically mentioned as examples of animals that are forbidden to eat.

Don't drink wine in church

Drinking wine in church is a sin according to Leviticus 10:9:

> "You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come."

Wine is mentioned in several passages in the Bible, and it is even mentioned as being part of heaven. However, the Bible also cautions against drunkenness, which can cloud judgment and lead to harmful behaviour. For example, Ephesians 5:18 says:

> "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."

The Bible also contains warnings about overindulgence. For instance, Romans 14:21 tells us:

> "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."

While God warns us not to be drunk and describes certain situations where someone should not drink, the Bible never says that alcohol is wrong. Since the Bible doesn't absolutely forbid drinking alcohol, whether or not someone should drink is a personal decision to make for yourself.

• Cutting your hair (Leviticus 19:27)
• Wearing an outfit with more than one type of fabric, owning a mixed-breed dog, or having more than one type of plant in your garden (Leviticus 19:19)
• Touching an "unclean" animal (Leviticus 5:2)
• Touching a woman after she gives birth or letting her go to church (Leviticus 12:2)
• Getting a tattoo (Leviticus 19:28)
• Going to church if you were born out of wedlock (Deuteronomy 23:2)
• Not being a virgin (Deuteronomy 22:20-21)
• Having a disability (Leviticus 21:18-21)

Don't sit where a menstruating woman has sat

The Bible contains a number of sins that are considered unusual by modern standards. One such sin is the prohibition against sitting where a menstruating woman has sat. This belief is derived from Leviticus 15:19-23 in the Old Testament, which states:

> "Whenever a woman has her menstrual period, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. Anyone who touches her during that time will be unclean until evening...Anything on which the woman lies or sits during the time of her period will be unclean. If any of you touch her bed, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. If you touch any object she has sat on, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening."

This passage suggests that menstruation was considered impure and contaminating in biblical times. As a result, anyone who came into contact with a menstruating woman or anything she had touched was considered "unclean" and required to ritually purify themselves through washing and bathing.

The idea that menstruation is shameful or impure is not unique to the Bible and has been present in various cultures throughout history. In some cases, this belief has led to the exclusion and marginalization of women during their menstrual cycles. However, it is important to note that modern interpretations of the Bible often reject such literal interpretations of these passages, instead focusing on the broader messages of morality and spirituality.

In addition to this, the Bible also contains other unusual sins, such as prohibitions against cutting hair, wearing mixed fabrics, touching an "unclean" animal, drinking wine in church, and getting a tattoo. These sins are often derived from specific cultural and historical contexts and may not align with modern ethical standards.

Stoning women who are not virgins on their wedding night

According to Deuteronomy 22:20-21, if a woman presented herself as a virgin when she married a man but was not, she was to be stoned to death:

> "If... the charge [that the bride was not a virgin on her wedding night] is true and no proof of the young woman's virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father's house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father's house. You must purge the evil from among you."

The reasons for this harsh punishment, as noted in Deuteronomy 22:21, include the disgraced bride having done something "outrageous" and having been "promiscuous" while living under her father's roof. In other words, she had engaged in premarital sex and then lied about her virginity, or at least allowed her husband to assume she was a virgin, thus lying by her silence. Either way, she had entered the marriage under false pretenses, and her actions were seen as a violation of the marriage covenant.

The stoning was to be carried out at the door of her father's home, rather than outside the camp, because of the shame attached to her family's name. The Mosaic Law held high standards regarding sexual practices and emphasized the purity and sanctity of marriage.

Don't wear clothes made of both linen and wool

The Bible contains several laws and commandments that may seem odd or outdated to modern readers. One such rule is the prohibition against wearing clothes made of both linen and wool. This rule is found in Deuteronomy 22:11, which states, "Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together."

This commandment is part of the Mosaic Law, which includes other rules against mixing different types of animals, seeds, and fabrics. While it may seem strange, there are several possible explanations for this directive. One interpretation suggests that the Israelites were forbidden from imitating the clothing of priests, who wore a combination of wool and linen. By prohibiting laypeople from dressing in the same way, this rule reinforced the distinction between the priesthood and the general population.

Another explanation considers the cultural context of the time. The Israelites had recently left a polytheistic society, where people may have been tempted to set up their own shrines and continue pagan practices. By barring them from duplicating certain items used in worship, including priestly garments, this rule may have helped prevent them from reverting to their old ways.

It's important to note that this rule was not a moral law but a ceremonial one. There is nothing inherently immoral about blending linen and wool. In fact, the tassels that Israelites were commanded to wear on the corners of their garments (tzitzit) were made from a mixture of wool and linen, symbolizing their role as a "nation of priests."

Today, Christians are not bound by the same ceremonial laws as the ancient Israelites. The prohibition against wearing clothes made of both linen and wool does not apply to New Testament Christians in the age of grace. However, the underlying principle of honoring God and maintaining purity in our actions remains relevant.

Frequently asked questions