Biblical Inconsistencies

Again the Church, this time represented by the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester - is selective over what is taught by the Bible and what is not, because of personal preferences and phobias. I agree that homosexuality is banned but so is eating pork (Leviticus 11:8) and the fat of animals (Leviticus 7:22). Priests are not allowed to cut their hair (Leviticus 21:5). The Bible forbids working on the Sabbath (Leviticus 23:3) but approves the purchase of slaves (providing they are not Israelite); their children may be made slaves for life (Leviticus 25.:44).

So why pick one rule and not follow the rest?

Steve Cattell, Lincolnshire
Published in The Sunday Telegraph

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=3&chapter=11&version=31

It can be seen that Christ attempted to reform some of the harsher testaments of the Old Testament and was executed for his trouble.

It was the Prophet Muhammad who successfully created a religion that was more humane than the Old Testament and more precise than the New Testament.

Man, however, prone to straying and excess, has ignored parts of the Koran it does not like and added his own inventions.

We have been warned, though.

"O you who believe! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and commit no excess; for Allah loves not those given to excess." (Qur'an 5:87)

"Make not unlawful the pleasant things which Allah has made legitimate for you and commit no excesses in violating the limits imposed on you - exuberance as well as diminution, both are equally harmful."

http://www.salaam.co.uk/knowledge/halal.php

The basic principles are:

1. The rule is that everything is Halal unless explicitly forbidden.
2. Only Allah has the right to legislate for man.
3. Prohibiting Halai and permitting Haram is synonymous with Shirk.
4. Haram is always associated with what is bad and harmful.
5. There is always a better substitute in Halai for that which is made Haram.
6. Anything that leads to Haram is considered Haram.
7. It is Haram to declare something Halal when it is manifestly Haram.
8. Good intentions do not justify committing Haram.
9. One should guard himself against matters that are on the borderline between Halal and Haram (Mushtabahat).
10. In extreme circumstances, Haram is permissible within certain limits.

It can be seen that Islam has very clear, sensible and simple guidelines that suggest that one must always attempt to find the right balance.

If only our legislators would heed them.