Ancient Biblical health codes addressed the need for sanitation and a healthy select people who lived without without microscopes, centrifuges, periodic tables of elements, or PhDs. It started with two-million Jews wandering around lost (and without hospitals, research facilities, vaccinations, or cough syrup) in the wilderness. By the time of Christ and into the middle ages, there continued to be a high possibility of contracting plagues that could wipe out entire populations. By eliminating the POSSIBILITY of contracting disease via contaminants, prohibited activities, foods, etc - and delineating other activities and proper means of waste disposal, the population remained healthy and intact in order to accomplish "the will of the Lord."
In ancient times there were few separations of church and state. Generally speaking, religious law was THE law. Some modern-day religions have taken these ancient texts and elevated them, once again (only this time, unnecessarily), to the level of "law." Because these "laws" serve no useful purpose, they exist completely at the whim of legalistic religious authorities to whom religious adherents have entrusted their eternal souls. It is as if certain activities (or prohibitions thereof) act as a sort of talisman to please an arbitrary and fickle god who enjoys messing with his people to amuse himself.
It is when these religious rites and ceremonies become sacrificial that they focus laser beams of negative attention on themselves...and rightfully so. Self-sacrifice is one thing; but sacrificing the unwilling or the deluded is as purely evil as Ammonite child-sacrifices to Moloch.
In the book of the prophet Micah, one asks, 'Shall I give my firstborn for my sin, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?'(Micah 6:7), and receives a response, 'It hath been told thee, O man, what is good, and what the LORD doth require of thee: only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.'(Micah 6:8)
This isn't brain surgery. A prohibition on transfusing blood to save lives is superstition of the highest order...and those who sacrifice their children (or would willingly do so) are idolaters worshiping a false god.
Carlos
