The Bible on Human Waste and Carcasses

Many times people have commented that the Bible laws concerning health and the environment were ahead of their time. I contend that they are not.I would like to discuss two specific laws that are usually brought up as evidence of foreknowledge or divine inspiration. If we look at the entire section concerning waste control we read that this ruling deals with soldiers encamped against their enemies. At the end of the section we see that the reasons are geared towards keeping the camp holy so they can win, not sanitary. Since Deuteronomy was probably written during the divided kingdom, civilization was already established. Most people weren’t living in camps. Also if we look at the 613 Laws of the Jews, we see this rule listed with the bottom grouping concerning war.I have not seen any evidence that any ancient tribe left waste within the tribal compound. I don’t believe the Native Americans or African tribes did such a thing either and I haven't heard of tribes being discovered that have such a practice. IMO, it seems to be a natural practice in tribal communities to keep waste outside the living area. This is another one that when we read the entire passage we find that it is dealing with ritual impurity, not health. It is also listed under Ritual Purity and Impurity in the 613 Laws (5th from the bottom). It is concerned with ritual purity and not health. Notice none of these deals with the need to wash one’s hands after touching a dead animal or the article touched by the dead animal. It does mention putting the item in water, but it is still unclean until evening. The magic hour.Conclusion: These verses do not support that the Bible was “ahead of its time.” Instead it was pretty much par for the course.NOTE: This discussion is concerning these two situations only.*********
ABE: Removed preference and spellingThis message has been edited by purpledawn, 01-17-2006 10:41 AMThis message has been edited by purpledawn, 01-28-2006 07:36 AM

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There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. -Edith Wharton

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

The Cheyenne of North America are the only group I know about in this regard, and I don't know anything about their potty habits. But this "keeping yourself holy" was very important in war for them. They had to abstain from sex, they had to have a cross-dressing warrior among thei number - all sorts of rules had to be followed, just like in Deuteronomy.Hiding your poop is also just good basic guerilla warfare practice - helps avoid detection by the enemy.

Nicer for the perimeter guards and GOD as he walked about the camp. Few things would turn GOD against you quicker then the sound of his foot squishing poop.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

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The Cheyenne of North America are the only group I know about in this regard, and I don't know anything about their potty habits.

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Nothing I have read describing the "whites" interaction with natives suggested that tribal communities didn't keep their personal waste away from the living environment.

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Hiding your poop is also just good basic guerilla warfare practice - helps avoid detection by the enemy.

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Exactly!

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There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. -Edith Wharton

Boy, you guys need something to eat!

I don't think God said you had to have a cross-dressing warrior in Deuteronomy.

I'll bet that part was in the Book of Asher, then. ;-)

IN THE UZBEK, WE ARE FEEDING THE POOP TO THE DONKEY, HORSES, AND CHILDS. THIS IS HAPPY WAY OF MAKE LESS SMELLINESS AND GIVE GREAT REGENERATION, PRAISING THE JESUS.

LAKDARWelcome to EvC however on the internet, typing in all caps is considered shouting and rude.At the bottom of this message you will find links that may help make your stay here more enjoyable.

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I know he just made my stay more enjoyable.

Why do I get the feeling my very serious topic is going into the kitty litter?

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There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. -Edith Wharton

You beat me to it

Pretty ironic that their soldiers were specifically told to have a tool for burying fece. I guess you can say it is pure coincidence that modern US soliders specifically have a tool for burying feces in the field (Field Sanitaion FM 4-25-10).Did the Isrealites do it to keep holy? Sure. Did they do it for sanitary purposes? Maybe, maybe not. Did this Field Sanitation technique keep their conditions more sanitary than any other army? Absolutely. They were 4,000 ahead of their time in terms of field sanitation.Call it evidence, or coincidence.

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"Damn. I could build a nuclear bomb, given the fissionable material, but I can't tame my computer." (1VB)Jerome - French Rocket Scientist

Is there any evidence that shows that ancient nonhebrew armies didn't bury their waste outside the camp or not at all?

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There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. -Edith Wharton