Sir, - I would like to thank Father David O'Hanlon (October 27th) for demonstrating how scripture can be interpreted and used to protect the Catholic Church from the interference of women priests. How useful to be able to refer to a piece of scripture to judge what is right and wrong, without the bother of having to resort to any sort of reasoned debate.
Next time my friend tries to defend his homosexual lifestyle, I will simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of discussion. I do need some advice, however, on the following:
1. The selling of daughters into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7: in this day and age, and with the euro as it is, what does he think would be a fair price?
2. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies only to non-members of the EU. Can Fr O'Hanlon clarify?
3. A colleague of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than blasphemy. I don't agree. Can he settle this?
4. My neighbour is in violation of Lev. 19:19 by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). It is going to be a logistical nightmare to get the whole town together for the stoning. Is there an equally acceptable but less labour-intensive method of execution?
5. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. Any advice to get them back on the straight and narrow?
6. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I keep my Prada handbag if I wear gloves? Now that we have grasped the principles of evolution, discounted the flat-earth theory, given up stoning, stopped burning witches and holding heresy trials, repealed slavery, adopted a more liberal attitude to male hairstyles, and lifted the ban on pork by-products and sea-food, do you think now we could move the debate on women in the church forward by a couple of millennia, please? - Yours, etc.,
Helen O'Sullivan, Kolenmarktstraat, Brussels, Belgium.