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Conference tecrus::mormonism

Title:The Glory of God is Intelligence.
Moderator:BSS::RONEY
Created:Thu Jan 28 1988
Last Modified:Fri Apr 25 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:460
Total number of notes:6198

359.0. "Trial By the Waters of Jealousy" by MIZZOU::SHERMAN (ECADSR::SHERMAN 235-8176, 223-3326) Fri Jul 06 1990 17:12

    I binge-study and lately I've been hitting on the topic of the Second
    Coming, which led me to adultery/fornication as it is a type of
    thing that is typical of the last generations before the Coming.
    Anyway, I found a section of scripture that I don't quite understand.
    
    I was reading in Numbers 5 and ran across the "famous" (according to
    Smith's Bible Dictionary) trial by the waters of jealousy.  In Smith's
    it is suggested that this ritual was seated in ancient custom known to
    Moses.  Yet, the beginning of the chapter starts with "And the LORD
    spake unto Moses, saying," which leads me to believe that this was a 
    revelation.  I'm confused.  This "trial" requires a miracle to prove
    guilt.  I have my doubts as to how many times a miracle really did
    prove guilt.
    
    I doubt that this sort of trial would work today.  It could be argued
    that this was part of the law that was superceded by the Atonement.
    But, I suspect that it is more likely one of those places in the Bible
    where somebody changed or inserted something.  Adultery is one 
    of the most abhorrent of sins then and now.  It used to be that an
    adulterer would be stoned to death.  Now, an adulterer can be
    excommunicated.  But, it seems according to this scripture that there
    was a time when a woman could drink some dirty water and that would
    (likely) be the end of it.
    
    What think ye?
    
    Steve
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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359.1XCUSME::QUAYLEi.e. AnnMon Sep 10 1990 08:214
    A woman?
    
    aq
    
359.2RICKS::SHERMANECADSR::SHERMAN 225-5487, 223-3326Mon Sep 10 1990 10:083
    Hi, Ann!  I'm sorry.  I don't think I understand the question.
    
    Steve
359.3Confusion reigns... is it Monday?XCUSME::QUAYLEi.e. AnnMon Sep 10 1990 18:2612
    Hi, Steve.  
    
    >But, it seems according to this scripture that there was a time when
    >a woman could drink some dirty water and that would (likely) be the
    >end of it.
    
    The women drank the dirty water?  These were women taken in adultery? 
    What about their partners in the sin?
    
    Thanks,
    aq
    
359.4RICKS::SHERMANECADSR::SHERMAN 225-5487, 223-3326Mon Sep 10 1990 22:377
    That's just it.  Their partners seem somehow to have gotten off the
    hook.  Besides the lightness of the test (requiring a miracle to punish
    the wicked) the male partner doesn't even have to show up.  I have the
    feeling that this bit of scripture is either spurious or that someone
    has done a lot of adding to and taking from.
    
    Steve