Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!bellcore!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!brl-tgr!wmartin From: wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: Clarification Message-ID: <11333@brl-tgr.ARPA> Date: Mon, 24-Jun-85 15:22:54 EDT Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.11333 Posted: Mon Jun 24 15:22:54 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 27-Jun-85 07:52:53 EDT References: <612@sfmag.UUCP> Reply-To: wmartin@brl-bmd.UUCP Distribution: net Organization: USAMC ALMSA Lines: 27 In article <612@sfmag.UUCP> samet@sfmag.UUCP (A.I.Samet) writes: > > 1) The sin of male homosexuality is punishable by death by skila > (stoning). Of the 4 methods of execution, skila is the most > severe. The only other sexual offenses punishable by skila are > certain types of incest, and having sex with an animal. By > contrast, adultery is punishable by lesser forms of execution. > Was this not true in biblical (Roman occupation) times? I ask because there is a well-known New Testament Christian story most commonly referred to as "The woman taken in adultery". [The story is that Jesus comes across a scene in which a woman who had been caught in adultery is about to be stoned to death. He intervenes, says "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone", and the crowd disperses. He then forgives the woman.] Anyway, this incident depicts a woman guilty only of adultery being subject to stoning, supposedly in a typical 1st-century Jewish community. Would it be that the distinction between the different death sentences was not made until later, or only by an official court, like the Sanhedrin (if they would get involved in such), and not in an ordinary village? Regards, Will Martin USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin or ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA