Feb 22nd 2008 By Neil Gladstone

The Weirdest and Toughest Laws in the Bible

Most of us know the Ten Commandments (or at least the important ones), but how well do any of us know all the rules of the Bible and adhere to them?

For one year, A.J. Jacobs carefully studied the Old and New Testaments and did his best to follow every law to the letter. He grew a beard; stopped cursing; stoned adulterers (well, he did what he could) and wrote about the experience in the witty, insightful memoir, "The Year of Living Biblically."

For those of you who can't wait for the Cliffs Notes version of the book to arrive, we asked Jacobs to give us a top 10 list of the weirdest and toughest laws in the Bible.

With Solomonic wisdom, he offered up two top five lists: one of the weirdest laws, the other of the toughest.

The Weirdest and Toughest Bible Laws

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Tuesday 11 March

By leannahearthrob

Neutral

to sara about theo:

usually people that go to church and read the bible are going to know more about the bible then people who dont pick it up...or read it.

wow...aren't you brilliant

Thursday 13 March

By donthaveone

Neutral

Sorry but the LDS/Mormons are the weirdest bunch of cult followers I've ever encountered.....and they weren't fundamentalists!
Mormons have death ceremonies to induct everyone that dies into their cult. (they were forced by court of law to remove all Jewish Holocaust members names from the death ceremony lists)
My own relatives have 'inducted' all our dead relatives into this cult. (which makes family reunions quite interesting!)
No annointing of oil on our sick Christian family members either!

Ever wonder why Mormons have the largest genealogy list in America?
Because they are future LDS members in Heaven after they've had the death ceremony.

The LDS is losing membership like water through a seive right now. They can't keep members.
The 'prophets' (or should that be profits) are rich, getting 10% of LDS members money tithed to the church each week.

And to think for one moment Jesus was born in South America (Costa Rica) and that ancient GREAT CITIES will be found to prove Jesus was born in South America is pure stupidity.
(funny no great ancient cities have been found to date)
Jesus supposedly walked to New York with special golden plates and gave them to Joseph Smith.......an obviously mentally disturbed individual is even more laughable.

Don't worry, there won't be multiple virginal wives waiting for you in Heaven. It doesn't work that way.

The US Govt still classifies the LDS 'church' as a CULT and always will.........as do the rest of Americans.

Monday 17 March

By JohnQ

Neutral

Text out of context is pretext. This whole article distorts and perverts the meaning and intention of the Biblical text.

As to the VERY LONG Adele wrote about the so-called Book of Mormon, The Book of Mormon claims to be a history of the early Americas. No evidence what-so-ever has been found that would give any credence to that story. It is pure fairytale.

Tuesday 18 March

By R. W. Beardsley

Neutral

"Christians aren't allowed to eat Lobsters."

Just how did you arrive at his assinine assumption, Einstein? It doesn't say that anywhere in the New Testament. Bet you didn't get it from the Bible...sounds more like something from the Phred Phelps cult.

Friday 28 March

By Gramma Jo

Neutral

Mike, you point is well taken. That law should be changed.
So called consentual sex is not recognized if one or both individuals are minors. Until the 70's a minor was anyone under 21 but the war changed that definition.
Your judgement may have been faulty but not your natural emotions (raging hormones)
My grandmother was married at 16 my grandfather was 28. They were married 55 years, and very much in love until she died. Human biology hasn't changed.
No one should have to be labled a sex offender for the rest of their life if both parties are only foolish kids. They are not anything like the deviates who prey on children or abuse women.
I personally don't think God is as judgemental as far too many religious zealots are.
If you are really concerned with this convoluted lumping law contact your representative to see if it can be changed.
I would advise the yunguns to keep it zipped or at least stay protected.
I wish you well,
An ol school marm and Gramma (married 41 yearsand still in love)

Wednesday 23 April

By Carole KHoury

Neutral

I read this book several months ago and absolutely loved it! Watching the author's spiritual growth was warming, and his angst (no work on the Sabbath, well, if following the laws of the Bible was his job so he could write the book, was not working on the Sabbath actually working?) was hysterical!!!

Friday 26 September

By smartest in the room...

Neutral

Religion is ridiculous, plain and simple. It's an outdated set of rules and codes that hardly apply. It's like the Constitution...it is only valid for a certain period of time before it needs to be revised. Any holy scripture is prone to the same change. It's OK if you loosely use the Bible for moral guidance but that's the extent of whats valid. Don't steal, don't cheat, don't lie, be happy with what you have, etc. Religion has ruined and impeded so many things since it's conception, its definitely overdue to be thrown out so we as a people can move on.

Monday 01 December

By Mel

Neutral

People are getting really flustered over this I see, and what they don't realize is, they'll find this book in the "humor" section of a bookstore. Don't take it so seriously.

Monday 01 December

By Mel

Neutral

People seem to be getting really flustered over this, and what they don't realize is that you will find this book in the "humor" section of a bookstore. So one shouldn't take it so seriously.

Friday 04 December

By for the most high

Neutral

first of all...the bible was switch around because the jewish people went back in there and switch it up....second of all ods son name isnt jesus,,,there was no J during that time...someone made up the letter J...third...its says the children of israel will be in captivity and they will be have many nations above them.it also says they will lose their identity and not know who they are...mmm lets see here...were'nt black people the ones that was in slavery for 400 yrs,,,,arent we the ones that are called negroes and when they take a test they have to mark their race as african american,,,oh yeah your africans but u living in america,,,what kind of sense does that make...and its pretty weird how those damn so called jews call themselves jewish.does the word ish means something alike but not quite...let me give an example,,,,red and reddish,,,it's red but its not quite red..so we call i reddish..so Jewish is not the same as Jew...it wants to be like one but not it,,the bible says the childen of israel will find out who they r at the end and i know iam one....also it said moses stick his hands in his bosoms and it turned white...if it turned white then obviously his skin was a darker color before he stuck it in there,,,,also blonde hair is leprosy of the scalp..so being blonde is leprosy...and lighter skin people is leprosy..its a curse...it said jacob i love esau ive hated,,,,esau is red,,,,who turned red when they get mad?white people...who does the craziest thing on earth..white and jewish people..jewish people own hollywood.their going to go to hell..ive also heard white people try to blow the damn moon up sometime this yr...crazy ass esau...their going to hell....they put us in slavery and their ass will burn the death...