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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What was/is a temple prostitute? | Gen 38:21 | Jensen | 21244 | ||
Dear EdB...Thanks for your answer. I still have some confusion that I know you can address. It is my understanding, according to your post, that temple prostitutes were common to several religions. (They even exist today in certain sects located in California.) My concern is only with the kingdoms of Israel and/or Judah. 1)Your answer seems to indicate that Israel did not employ (no pun) temple prostitutes. But Hosea seems to indicate that Israel did utilize them. If you can clear this point up I would be grateful. 2)Do you know if the prostitutes worked for the temple directly. Did the temple or shrine play the same role as a modern day pimp? Did the temple keep all the money paid to the prostitute, and was there, to your knowledge, a part of the temple or temple grounds that was set aside for such service? 3) Were those who paid for the prostitute members of the same cult, or could anyone employ them with the proceeds going to the temple. (As an aside...There is a carnival set up on the grounds of a Christian church near where I live. Some of the prizes awarded include soft pornography and strong alcoholic drink. The proceeds from the carnival support the church. Curious!) God Bless....Jensen |
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2 | What was/is a temple prostitute? | Gen 38:21 | EdB | 21253 | ||
Jensen 1. Check the timing, this is from Genesis before the temple of God was established. It was also before “organized woship” of God was introduced. The temple mentioned here were temple's made to other Gods that happen to be within the land God Abraham. I imagine the descendants of Abraham visited them. Later during the Kings we see pagan worship begin again in Israel and here again the Word of God says the people worshipped other Gods which I think we can safely assumed included temple prostitutes. 2. Yes the temple was the “pimp” as you put it, all funds were considered religious tribute and kept and used by the priest. Many pagan temples had chambers for this particular purpose. However many times pagan worship often turned in orgy with everything being done in the open. 3. Again in those days things were fast and loose and most anyone could worship at a temple, in fact that is one of things that make our God so unique His insistence of having no other Gods before him. As for the carnival ran by the church near were you live I see this as one of the many compromises that creep into the church. Look at the message it is sending to the world. We wonder why we don’t see the power of God in our churches, look what they have become. Everyone takes the story of Jesus cleansing the temple as throwing out the “crooked money changers” but if you read the passage he also drove out the people buying. Mt 21:12; Mk 11:15; Lu 19:45; Jn 2:15. I do not believe the church should engage in commerce of any type. EdB |
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3 | Did God's own use temple prostitutes? | Gen 38:21 | Jensen | 21317 | ||
Part 1. Biblical Support for Temple Prostitutes being used by Israel et. al. Dear EdB. Well you certainly have kept me busy. Thank you. I have always been curious and concerned with corporate sin. That is to say that an entire church can be guilty of sin because the church leaders can and do lead people into it. The modern day example may be the carnival set up on the grounds of a Christian church that awards questionble prizes that are at least stumbling blocks to believers and non-believers alike. An example from antiquity may be temple prostitutes. You have done a great job in educating me. However, you seemed to say that God's chosen people had not engaged in the practice. You wrote "Check the timing, this is from Genesis before the temple of God was established. It was also before “organized woship” of God was introduced." That is what put me on the study from a different perspective. You asked that I "check the timing." In other words...Check the Chronology. So I did. And here is what I found. It is rather lenghty but I would appreciate your review and response, as well as that of anyone who follows this thread. My position will be that God's chosen people employed Temple Prostitutes. Here is my argument. Tamar (c. 16 century bc.) may not have been a shrine prostitute, but Judah knew full well what a shrine prostitute was…. GE 38:20 Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her. 21 He asked the men who lived there, "Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?" "There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here," they said. The Law is given concerning prostitution through Moses (c. 13 century bc.).. LEV 21:9 " If a priest's daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire." Becoming a Shrine Prostitute, or Temple Prostitute was no exception….. DT 23:17 No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. 18 You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both. Israel had priests and a place to worship, a temple or house of the Lord. Samuel, a book that records Hannah (Samuel’s mother c.11 century bc.), being in the area of the Lord’s temple. 1SAM 1:9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple. But Solomon (970-31 bc.) would build the temple “for the Name of the LORD” but it was not the first temple. 1KI 3:1 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. 3 Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. …..but, still, Israel was familiar with the concept. And the Lord would hold it against them as recorded in Hosea (c. 8 century bc.) HOS 6:10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel. There Ephraim is given to prostitution and Israel is defiled. Yet, these people return to their shameful ways (c. 8 century bc)…But does this indicate temple or shrine prostitutes? HOS 4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone! 18 Even when their drinks are gone, they continue their prostitution; their rulers dearly love shameful ways. 5:3 I know all about Ephraim; Israel is not hidden from me. Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution; Israel is corrupt. 6:10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel. There Ephraim is given to prostitution and Israel is defiled. |
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4 | Did God's own use temple prostitutes? | Gen 38:21 | EdB | 21357 | ||
Jensen I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding. Yes Israel did worship in temples to false gods with temple prostitutes but never as part of their worship of the God of Abraham. What I'm trying to say, is no where in Biblical history or secular history do we see temple prostitutes being utilized in the worship of the one true God. EdB |
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