Christians and the Old Testament

[MethodMan]

Let me put it more specifically because I kind of understand what you guys are saying but not completely.

So in Lev 12, it talks about a woman not cleaning herself after giving birth (be this because of original sin or something else). This seems like something every Christian could do today, but no one does. But isn't the Old Testament the word of God as well, and while you might not be able to do everything it says because of temples or priests, isn't this an example of something you could do? I understand its gross and unsanitary and unhealthy, but thats what the Bible says to do.

LEV 12:1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say to the Israelites: `A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. 3 On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. 4 Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. 5 If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.
LEV 12:6 " `When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. 7 He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.

This text is talking about ceremonial cleansing. Not hygene.

 

[flowerpower711]

seems pretty unhygenic to me

 

[HypnoToad]

Well, they way you word your question, it sounds like you think a woman is not supposed to clean herself (like washing with soap, for example) for a certain time - that's not what the text says.

It doesn't say "she can't clean herself" it says "she is unclean". Being "unclean" is a spiritual/ceremonial state - it's not about something like washing your hands.

Maybe that's not what you thought, but the way you worded your statement ("it talks about a woman not cleaning herself") kinda sounds like you may have been making that mistake.