Wash your hands or do not wash your hands when you eat

[The Architect Of Fate]

That was my take on it - he was saying to be more concerned with spiritual defilement. I have to say that, while not generally a fan of Jesus, he handled the Pharisees pretty well.

Boru

If one reads Mark 7 or/ and Matthew 17 (which is in the 1st post) it does appear as if Jesus was saying to people not to wash their hands before eating since his apostles were drawing attention because they ate with dirty, unwashed hands, as well as from dirty dishes

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ... And they [Pharisees] observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.

Not to mention that if Jesus was an all-knowing entity who knew about germs, that he was a dick to say to people not to wash their hands even if it was only on a "spiritual level" -- it would be as if someone today told people not to wear a condom if they are having sex with a stranger, just to prove some other point.

"Come on, have unprotected sex with that person you don't yet know if he or she has vd and see what happens to you." -- apologists for that guru would no doubt find some way to make sense of it in their minds

Religion is all about twisting doctrine in a way that conveniences the priest class. This is why we have billionaire pastors in a religion that suppose to hold poverty as a virtue.