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Thanks for the information, Andrew. I knew nothing of blood being the "life force" of humanity, at least from the Christian POV, so thanks for sharing. It's fascinating!

I thought that abortion would fall under murder?

ChristTeen287

ChristTeen,

I know what you mean - but have you ever heard of wooden spoons with 6 foot handles ?

Err...no...

Translation, milady?

ChristTeen287

Hmm ChristTeen

There are at least 2 translations and one I would certainly not post here [ the Admin would be most displeased at the language ]

OK let me see if you can think it out for yourself

a) for what purpose do you use a wooden spoon ?

and
b) why would it have a 6 foot handle ?

now the answers
a) for stirring
and
b) to allow you to distance yourself from the reaction to the movement of the contents of the pot you have stirred.

If I have offended you by my flippancy - I apologise.

Anhelyna

Oh, I see your point now. No offense taken. And what fun would a topic be without some stirring-up?

ChristTeen287

Dear ChristTeen,

Let's look at the meaning of the words used for "woman" and "man."

"Adam" in Hebrew is a play on words by God. Yes, it means "man" but it also means "dirt" or "clay." So now we know what he thinks of us males!

"Eve" is the Hebrew word for "life." And the female is the one who loses blood/life more frequently than the male. In general, when the female loses it, it is because God has ordained that cycle. But when the male loses it, it is usually because some other male cut him open in anger, war, revenge, etc., some type of bloodletting not-ordained by God. She loses life, but she also gives birth to life!

Even if we go to non-semitic languages in pagan cultures, we find similar things.

"Andros" (a man) in Greek is a shortened form of "anthropos" (a human) but it's also linked with the concept of "virility." That's why only people completely ignorant of Greek (like we North Americans!) can name a daughter "Andrea." Imagine that, a virile girl!

"Genika" (a woman) in Greek is from "genikia" or genitor/genesis/genes, "the one who gives beginning."

In Albanian, it also holds true with "burre" (man/husband) being linked with "source" or "fountain."

The word for (woman/wife) is "grua" which is linked with "grurre" (wheat). In that part of the world, wheat is the almost universal symbol for life!

One of my seminary instructors who taught us scripture and Hebrew once shouted at me, "O man, where is your life?" I'm happy to report that I got a "life" and we have been happily married for almost six years.

[I in no way demean the monastic life. It is also life, equally so!]

In Christ.

That's fascinating, Andrew. It's truly a blessing to see how Christian thought on life and humanity sometimes fits in with non-Christian thought in the most basic of ways.

ChristTeen287