About Cats -- I think that they are not in the Bible because 1) they are unclean according to the Law, even if not mentioned specifically.
Lev 28:26-29 "And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on [all] four, those [are] unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they [are] unclean unto you. These also [shall be] unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole."
2) Just as the "sun" and "moon" are not mentioned in Genesis 1 because of the Babylonian Cultic Traditions, perhaps domestic cats are not mention because of the Egyptian Cultic Traditions.
Lions, however are mention 98 times, and are portrayed as a "kingly" symbol in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Little Kitty is more of a lion, anyway. She's always a lyin' around the house. =o)
another aside -- only the Holiness code from Leviticus 19 is ever used in the Lectionary, and then only in Year A and only in a Year A that has 7 weeks. Maybe read only once in 12 years. Once. Now I know Leviticus is not comfortable stuff, but don't we need to at least talk about it occasionally? It is boring in places, but also sometimes facinating. Even if it is read over and against Paul, shouldn't it be read?
And Little Kitty* goes every other week to the Vet. Special Kidney diet, constant sources of fresh water, a clean litter box on every floor of the house. She had a prognosis of 6 months to live 9 months ago. But she's still pretty healthy. At one time we had 4 elderly cats -- ages from 14 to 18 years of age. I felt like I was running a feline nursing home. Reverend Mommy's home for Geriatric Cats.
*I just typed her name initally as Litter Kitty, heh.
3 comments:
Thanks for the research. I'm surprised that they are considered unclean but I'm sure you are correct. Cats are much cleaner than sheep or cattle. And, if I never knew that fun fact about no mention of the sun and moon in Gen.1 because of Egyptian Cultic Traditions, I'd forgotten it. You are smart, way smart. And, I hope Litter Kitty gets 12 more months at least.
And it's 7 weeks in Ephipany. Left out a word. And I am now obsessed with looking up cats in ancient Israel. Task avoidance, as I still need to write a pastoral prayer.
=o)
revmom, how much of levitical law is applicable in light of Jesus and the resurrection?
All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify... 1 cor 10:23
in addition,
Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being...in other words, being a stumbling block to your brother (i.e., taking a drink at dinner when he suffers from alcoholism - even though you are *free* to do so) would be more damaging to your spirit than violating the levitical law of eating shellfish knowing that it was a violation of the law, the same law Jesus came to fulfill.
okay, i've typed and blocked and deleted a bazillion times and am now going to push send and leave it to you to figure out what i am trying to get across!!
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