tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post5654593265722545569..comments2024-03-25T09:01:20.997-07:00Comments on Diary of an Autodidact: Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife by Mary RoachDiary of an Autodidacthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11849157548643091986noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post-83387650524539665052016-01-07T15:51:47.808-08:002016-01-07T15:51:47.808-08:00I had not read that particular article, although, ...I had not read that particular article, although, interestingly, Roach mentions the connection of hair, semen, and so on. At the time, too, men were believed to generate semen in their heads. As opposed to the more contemporary quip that men think with their other head. <br /><br />I absolutely believe that the prohibitions on both masturbation and birth control do stem from this belief in "wasting seed." And I think history supports me. <br /><br />If you want to get even more controversial, take a look at the ancient beliefs about (male) homosexuality, and why it was "degrading." Because a man "lowered" himself to the position of a woman. <br /><br />I think that the elephant in the room of Christianity's discussion of sex and gender is the belief that woman was and is a lesser being, which lies at the heart of so many of the teachings - and likely Saint Paul's own understanding of the world. Until that reality is faced, I don't know that a rational discussion can be had. Diary of an Autodidacthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11849157548643091986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post-15328211204932954472016-01-07T14:02:40.891-08:002016-01-07T14:02:40.891-08:00"As Roach points out, for most of human histo..."As Roach points out, for most of human history, it was believed that the male planted a seed in the female, which grew into offspring. In some cases, it was said that there was a “homunculus,” a tiny human, in semen, which then developed into a child. The female was just fertile ground for the child to grow, not an equal contributor to the formation of the child."<br /><br />I expect this could also call into question Christian prohibitions of birth control and masturbation, since they're almost universally originally based on this outdated understanding of conception. "Spilling seed" becomes a lot more weighty when you think you're literally killing millions of tiny people. An even more troubling question for YEC-types who think the Bible is a science textbook, is that this view is used in Hebrews in the whole Levi-paying-tithes-in-Abraham's-loins bit.<br /><br />And speaking of the prescientific worldview, have you seen this about Paul's 1 Corinthians 11 head covering argument making use of ancient Greek beliefs about women's hair being a kind of "seed absorption device"? (Ergo why it had to be long - there wouldn't be enough "pull" in short hair to properly absorb the man's seed.)<br /><br />http://www.michaelsheiser.com/TheNakedBible/1%20Cor11%20head%20covering%20testicle.pdfAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com