So the henna artist says to the priest...

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Posted by BarefootSophie on August 6, 2001 at 16:31:00:

In reply to: Who else used henna? posted by khoa on August 5, 2001 at 16:12:25:

"If you're going to be dogmatic about something, you should at least
know WHY."

I mentioned the whole "morality" issue several posts ago when
Willohawk said some guy was watching her get her hands mehndied and
told his kids it was a sin... here's what it boils down to:

Lots of folks take that verse from Leviticus 19 ("do not make any cuts
or tattoo marks on your bodies for the dead [or, 'in association with
funeral rites']") and apply it with broad strokes to every kind of
adornment they think they ought not endorse.

First off, as any mehndi artist worth her powder will tell you, henna
is NOT a tattoo. It's temporary. So if NAIL POLISH AND EYELINER aren't
'sinful'...

Technically, we could stop right there. But while we're talking about
it... that very same chapter in Leviticus says that cutting your
"forelocks" (ever seen the men at the Wailing Wall with those
super-long curls hanging down in front of their ears? It's talking
about those) or trimming the sides of your beard (anybody at your
place of worship have a goatee?) are equally foul, and so is eating
meat with blood still in it (i.e., hamburgers or steak).

These ordinances were intended to keep the Israelites from getting
mixed in with the local folks, who were most easily identified by
these habits -- and if you ever have to go to war with the local
folks, you don't want your countrymen to mistake you for "the other
guys."

Since I'm willing to bet that your priest *does* eat hamburgers and
does *NOT* wear forelocks, ask him why the tattoo thing is such a
dreadful offense but those aren't. Those verses are right next to each
other! The most common answer I get when I raise these issues is,
"Well... umm... that's different." Should he give you this answer,
point him to verses 15 and 35-37 of the same chapter... they say not
to pervert justice or show partiality, but to judge all matters with
equity and fairness, and if you're going to try and uphold the laws,
you better uphold them ALL.

At this point I would like suggest, if you choose to present these
issues to him, that you do so humbly, in the manner of "one beggar
showing another beggar where to find the food." I find that even the
most closed-minded person is at least willing to listen when a matter
is presented to him for consideration instead of thrust upon him with
a demand that he agree or else.(Remember all the friends the Catholic
church made by the Inquisition?) (Nope, I don't either.) If you can
get him to think about his opinion on the matter (which he may never
have done before, since a pre-mixed tube of "personal" beliefs was
probably issued to him with the collar and robe), you will have given
both yourself and your priest the opportunity to become more
enlightened individuals.

Sophie... who hates knowing that God gets a bad rap when people go out
whapping other people over the head with stuff taken out of context.

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: "If you're going to be dogmatic about something, you should at least : know WHY." : : I mentioned the whole "morality" issue several posts ago when : Willohawk said some guy was watching her get her hands mehndied and : told his kids it was a sin... here's what it boils down to: : : Lots of folks take that verse from Leviticus 19 ("do not make any cuts : or tattoo marks on your bodies for the dead [or, 'in association with : funeral rites']") and apply it with broad strokes to every kind of : adornment they think they ought not endorse. : : First off, as any mehndi artist worth her powder will tell you, henna : is NOT a tattoo. It's temporary. So if NAIL POLISH AND EYELINER aren't : 'sinful'... : : Technically, we could stop right there. But while we're talking about : it... that very same chapter in Leviticus says that cutting your : "forelocks" (ever seen the men at the Wailing Wall with those : super-long curls hanging down in front of their ears? It's talking : about those) or trimming the sides of your beard (anybody at your : place of worship have a goatee?) are equally foul, and so is eating : meat with blood still in it (i.e., hamburgers or steak). : : These ordinances were intended to keep the Israelites from getting : mixed in with the local folks, who were most easily identified by : these habits -- and if you ever have to go to war with the local : folks, you don't want your countrymen to mistake you for "the other : guys." : : Since I'm willing to bet that your priest does eat hamburgers and : does NOT wear forelocks, ask him why the tattoo thing is such a : dreadful offense but those aren't. Those verses are right next to each : other! The most common answer I get when I raise these issues is, : "Well... umm... that's different." Should he give you this answer, : point him to verses 15 and 35-37 of the same chapter... they say not : to pervert justice or show partiality, but to judge all matters with : equity and fairness, and if you're going to try and uphold the laws, : you better uphold them ALL. : : At this point I would like suggest, if you choose to present these : issues to him, that you do so humbly, in the manner of "one beggar : showing another beggar where to find the food." I find that even the : most closed-minded person is at least willing to listen when a matter : is presented to him for consideration instead of thrust upon him with : a demand that he agree or else.(Remember all the friends the Catholic : church made by the Inquisition?) (Nope, I don't either.) If you can : get him to think about his opinion on the matter (which he may never : have done before, since a pre-mixed tube of "personal" beliefs was : probably issued to him with the collar and robe), you will have given : both yourself and your priest the opportunity to become more : enlightened individuals. : : Sophie... who hates knowing that God gets a bad rap when people go out : whapping other people over the head with stuff taken out of context.
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