In a recent meeting, the leader had us do a fun bingo that allowed us to get to know each other better, and one of the statements was “I have a tattoo.” A church member said to me that if anyone had one, it might be me. Okay – that’s interesting and pretty funny (probably because I drive a Harley and have an earring) – but no, I don’t have a tattoo. The next day, oddly enough, I was with someone who asked me what I thought about tattoos. I said that I don’t have one, but it doesn’t matter to me if other people do. He kind of shook his head (he isn’t a fan of tattoos, I guess), and I said that if a person believes that a woman has the right to control what happens to her body, then don’t people have the right to get tattoos and piercings? He had to agree. This conversation got me to wondering: what do people who want to ban abortion think about other rules based on their interpretation of the Bible? Banning abortion is a purely theological idea, even though the word itself doesn’t appear in the Bible. I went to trusty old Leviticus and thought I would drag a couple of passages out of it for a test drive.
Leviticus 19: 34 The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
9 When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 You shall not strip your vineyard bare or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God.
28 You shall not make any gashes in your flesh for the dead or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord.
Leviticus 20: 10 If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.
Leviticus 23: 3 Six days shall work be done; but the seventh day is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work: it is a sabbath to the Lord throughout your settlements.
If you want more, check out Leviticus – I am pretty sure all of us can find at least one law we’ve broken. It is curious, though – not a word about abortion. Lots of rules about being kind to the poor and the alien, though. I don’t believe in controlling other people’s religious practices, which is a good thing, since that is illegal according to the Constitution. I believe in each person having the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As hard as some people try, no person can be forced to believe in God. Faith is a choice we make, and nobody is chosen by God over anyone else, because God doesn’t play favorites. Forcing one’s religious values on others only leads to hatred on both sides, and we Christians have been doing that for far too long. I refuse to live in a nation ruled by Leviticus, or any religious text. America doesn’t need more Jesus – Christians do. America doesn’t need more religion – religious people do.
You don’t like my earring? That’s your problem – and it’s none of your business – and I don’t care. Leave my earlobe alone! I might not like your hat or the way you wear your hair, but that’s none of my business either. You be you and let me be me. As long as we aren’t hurting anyone, we have the right to live our lives as we choose. That’s between me and my God. Let’s leave eternal judgment to God and try to put up with each other’s differences. Like Rodney King asked, “Can’t we all just get along?” So far, the answer is no. Maybe that can change.
Prayer – Holy God, thank You for the Scriptures You have given to us to give us guidance, and thank You for the freedom to choose. Forgive us when we try to sit in judgment over others. Amen.
Today’s art is “Spiritual Freedom” by Lalo Gutierrez.