Leviticus 3:17, along with other similar passages, forbids believers to eat any blood.  The Jehovah's Witnesses don't accept blood transfusions and won't eat meat with blood in it for this reason.  My question is: how can you eat blood if blood is liquid… isn't it?  And also, someone said in order to eat something, you have to digest it.  You don't digest blood transfusions, right?  So what exactly does Leviticus 3:17 mean?

Sincerely,
Blood Donor

Dear Blood Donor,

It is possible to eat blood if it is prepared as a dish (i.e. blood sausage, blood pie, etc.); however, it would be wrong to do so (see "Blood In The Pudding" for New Testament teachings on that subject).  This verse, however, doesn't address why Jehovah's Witnesses don't accept blood transfusions.  The reason JW's don't get blood transfusions is because "the life is in the blood" (Deu 12:23).  They improperly apply an Old Testament teaching that dealt with eating to a medical treatment in the world of the New Testament.  Christians are not under the Old Testament law (Gal 3:23-25).  The Old Testament still provides many faithful examples and principles, but its specific laws have been nailed to the cross (Col 2:14).  The Old Testament law has faded away and been replaced by the perfect law of liberty in Christ (Jas 1:25).  Read "Out With The Old?" for further details on the place of the Old Testament in the life of a christian.

I'm having some issues about this mosque being argued over in New York, as many seem to be.  In all truth and seriousness in the nature of this debate, we've understood that our first amendment right is the freedom of religion, and to infringe on this God-given right for one party or person, is to bring a disservice to us all.  I was hopeful that you could guide me to some Scriptures that help tell us how not to focus so much hate or look down on our fellow man, even if we don't agree with how they've chosen to live their lives.  I have had the arguments with coworkers and family that ours is not to judge their actions but to be mindful of our own, but some words from the Lord would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Changing The Topic

Dear Changing The Topic,

People should always seek to be tactful in religious debate, but from a Biblical viewpoint, every mosque is appalling.  The Muslim religion stands opposed to the Bible and Jesus.  Jesus said that He is the only way to God (Jhn 14:6), and the apostle Paul condemned all false prophets (Gal 1:8)... including Mohammed.  That is God’s judgment on the religion of Islam.

The building of a mosque at Ground Zero has political and emotional ramifications that can be talked about for hours, but the Biblical ramifications are simple – Islam is a false religion.

According to Isaiah 3:1-3, God was about to take away everything from Judah and Jerusalem, including soothsayers and enchanters.  So does this mean all this time there were soothsayers and enchanters among Judah and Jerusalem?

Sincerely,
Enchanting

Dear Enchanting,

Yes, Judah and Jerusalem had become a very corrupt nation, and God was deeply displeased with them at this time.  Isaiah prophesied during a time when idolatry was abundant (Isa 10:11), and wickedness was everywhere (Isa 2:5-8).  God was greatly displeased with the nation and was going to send them into captivity for their evil ways and ignorance of God’s laws (Isa 5:13).

I am a minister/evangelist and a widow with four children.  I have just reunited with a childhood sweetheart.  We haven't seen each other in thirty years.  We have been intimate and want to get married in six months.  He is saved and a deacon at his church in another state.  He has been a member for twenty years.  I am relocating to his state.  Our main problem is that he will not compromise or is willing to change his church or denomination.  I really feel bad because I have fallen in love and want to be married again after twenty-three years of marriage to my late husband.  I have a call in my life to minister to women and children.  I want to be with him at his church, but I know it wouldn't be long.  What do I do?  We need to clean up our act; I will not minister and treat God with disrespect in the pulpit.  What should I do?

Sincerely,
Perplexed

Dear Perplexed,

The best way for you to not treat God with disrespect in the pulpit would be to stay out of the pulpit.  You are worried about which denomination to be a part of, but all denominationalism is wrong (see “Down With Denominationalism” for further details).  You are worried about mistreating the pulpit by being married to a man of different religious views, but you ignore the fact that women aren’t supposed to be in the pulpit (1 Cor 14:34).  We here at AYP have a consistent record of showing patience with people who ask questions on this site, but just like our Lord taught… we have zero patience for those who profess to teach Christ but instead are hypocrites (Matt 23:13-15).  You say that you are an evangelist, and yet you ignore the most basic Bible teachings on men and women’s roles, the error of denominationalism (Eph 4:4-6), and depending on what you mean by “we have been intimate”, maybe even have ignored God’s teachings on marriage and sex (Heb 13:4).  Ma’am, you are no minister of Christ (Matt 7:21-23).

They say that the cross is actually a pagan symbol used in pre-christian times, but I heard some people argued about this, saying that the pre-christian pagans actually used a plus-sign shaped cross rather than the T-shaped cross used in Christian churches, but I'm not sure about this.  Do you know exactly if some of the pre-christian crosses were T-shaped?

Sincerely,
Geometry Student

Dear Geometry Student,

The cross referred to in Christianity doesn’t have religious origins… it was a torture device invented by the nation of Rome.  When Rome wanted to make an example out of a criminal, they would hang them from a cross.  Those crosses differed in shape from locale to locale.  Some were T-shaped, others more of a plus sign, and others were more of what we consider to be the traditional cross shape.  When Jesus was nailed to the cross (Jhn 19:17), we have no idea exactly what shape it was… but regardless of the shape, it still had the same excruciating results (Jhn 19:30).