God's opinion of deformities

[downbeatplumb]

In another thread, miaharun asked some good questions about the fairness of the xtian gawd, including this one: "Why are people born deformed ? Imagine how a deformed person will suffer in life."  (Now, we know that miaharun is not asking for a scientific explanation - it was more of a list of injustices that would make no sense if a deity who was involved in human affairs existed.)

I would like to point out that, according to Leviticus, Yahweh is a LOT more unfair than just allowing children to be born with deformities. They are born deformed, and then punished for being deformed.  They aren't allowed in the temple. 

"For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken. No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God." (Leviticus 21:18-21) 

Of course, there were all sorts of restrictions regarding who could enter the temple.  No bastard was allowed in, to the TENTH generation of his descendents. No male who had any damage to his genital area.  Nobody suffering from disease.  And, of course, even if a woman has been ritually purified, she has sub-human status.  

But don't get us started on how the gawd of the wholly babble is unfair, right? There's too much ammunition there, that discussion would take decades.

I think the ancients had the superstition that how people looked reflected their character, so ugly or deformed people were seen to be ugly inside as well.