Job 31 v 11

by zachias 5 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  zachias

  In Job 31 v11 it states that an inappropriate sex act is a crime not a 'sin'. If this so between adults then it must extend that it is so if children are involved. But the wt refers to paedophilia as a sin.
  
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  vienne

  New International Version
  For that would have been wicked, a sin to be judged.

  Isn't it both a sin and a crime? No religion should act as a civil court. A religious court perhaps, for sin.
  
  
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  Bobcat

  Modern western culture makes a distinction between religion and secular. But in the ANE (from which the Bible comes) both were usually seen as part of the same. A wrong in the community was also seen as a wrong against God or the gods.

  As the modern becomes increasingly secular and less religious, I could see conflicts of interest such as this inrceasing.

  As far as the WT goes, I don't think pedophilia is their main concern. Rather, it is how the current secular laws regarding pedophilia affect the status of their clergy-client privilege. And by extension, the status of the clergy-client privilege affects WT's control over their followers. For example, if the secular law required reporting cases of adultery (such as what Job 31:9 is referring to) then I believe you would find WT having a similar reaction as they do with the reporting of pedophilia.

  That's my take on it, at any rate.
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  Bobcat

  If my theory above is on target, then one would expect that the more centralized the authority is in any religion, the greater the problem that religion would see in pedo reporting laws.
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  waton

  New International Version
  For that would have been wicked, a sin to be judged.

  z & v, the context shows that Job was outlining here that he did not lustfully look at girls, not lurk at his neighbours door, so as to ambush, or seduce his neighbour's wife. A precursory statement to the coming " thou shalt not covet--" part of the ten commandments. At par with what Jesus said about "anyone that keeps looking at a woman so as to-- has already committed adultery--" so:

  the "sin" referring to is not an actual contact sex crime, , unless you include " voyeurism " laws, ( the installation of cameras, two way mirrors in showers) for example.

  has wt ever disfellowshipped anyone in a "keeps looking at a woman" case? ---- for pornography perhaps.

  Of course wt files also include all accusations, true or false. what a can of worms. wait, bait.
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  Phizzy

  The Job story is a very old one, called "Oriental" by many scholars because it probably was around long before the Israelites and their adopted God were in existence.

  It was picked up as good yarn and adapted by the Priests who compiled the O.T. as we call it, after the Babylonian Exile.

  We have to think of how women were looked upon and treated at the time the story originated, even if Job was referring to an actual sexual liaison that was not between husband and wife, at this time it would have been seen only as a Crime against the Property of another. Coveting what was not yours was seen as wrong at this time, Sexual acts, even in the mind of the beholder, did not become "Sin" until much much later.