Combining a couple of posts -
Don Perrett wrote:
> While I claim no divine understanding or interpretation, the passage in
> question is Deuteronomy 22:9 "Do not plant two kinds of seed in your
> vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the
> vineyard will be defiled."
> In the various churches I have attending, it has been present as being the
> restriction of creating hybrid plants and fruits for consumption. You may
> say that this is not a correct interpretation. That is your right. I would
> say though that unless you have direct evidence to the contrary, it's better
> to be safe than sorry. It amazes me how we can require the listing of things
> such a MSG and other things on food, but have no law requiring the labeling
> of hybrids and genetically manipulated food. While some may consider
> themselves to be as knowledgeable as God, and enjoy playing with something
> we are still trying to understand, I see no value for such things. Some will
> say that with this technology we can make crops that hold up to weather and
> insects. This may help the farmers produce higher yields, but at what risk?
> Just look at what it did to the cattle in England. In no way am I saying
> that we should not continue research in genetics, but studying and trying to
> manipulate are two different things. Would you let your child grab the stove
> just to see what would happen? Why do we as a society allow such techniques
> to be used in science? "Let's see what happens if we do this." This seems to
> be the catch phrase. Let's first understand completely what we are doing
> before we truly mess up our entire ecology.
> Thanks for you patience.
There is something much more fundamental here than the interpretation of
this particular regulation. Christians are not bound by the laws of the Old
Testament. "Christ is the end of the law" (Rom.10:4). "Now that faith has come
we are no longer under a custodian" (Gal.3:25).
This does not mean that the Law is irrelevant. We still must live in
society and be subject to its just laws for the sake of our neighbor, and the OT
law may provide helpful guidance for the formulation of such civil law. And
since Christians continue sin, the Law still functions to point out & admonish
that sin. But insofar as we do walk by faith in Christ, the Law is not our
basic ethical guide.
Again, the law may give us helpful insights. E.g., Lev.25 shows that
care for the land, linked with justice among human beings, is an important part
of God's intention for the world. But the particular way of caring for the land
commanded there - simply letting it lie fallow every 7th year - is not one we're
bound to follow. Agricultural science can teach us better methods, just as
medical science can give us better ways of treating skin diseases than those set
out in Lev.14.
"Evangelical" means gospel-centered, not law-centered.
(BTW, the listing of MSG in foods is not really required. It can be
disguised under a lot of listings like "natural flavoring". My wife has major
problems with this & has learned to be very wary.)
On a related topic, the WWJD slogan, Dave Siemens said:
>I am also aware that somebody was
>trying to come up with a catchy motto. But they produced confusion
>between what the Lord did and the principles he gave his followers to
>live by. These may be thoughtfully applied to our ethical puzzles, though
>it may not be simple. May I suggest a more accurate acronym, AACTT:
>Always Apply Christ's Teachings Today.
This is questionable because it seems to see Christ primarily as a new
legislator. But Christ does not really give any new _teaching_ that isn't
already there (at least _in nuce_) in Moses & the prophets. When Christ is
appealed to as a guide for Christian life in the epistles it is especially his
passion & death, not his teachings, which are pointed out. (E.g., Phil.2:4-11,
Heb.12:2-4, I Pet.2:18-25).
Shalom,
George
George L. Murphy
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
"The Science-Theology Dialogue"
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Apr 17 2002 - 10:04:53 EDT