# Loopholes in God's Law? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2001, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loopholes-in-gods-law/63586 "2001-04-28T01:58:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loopholes-in-gods-law/63586/1 "2001-04-28T01:58:20Z")
In another thread, the following was posted: > [@](#): > > Freyr, you’re confusing the Ten Commanments with the Noahide commandments. > > According to Jewish law, the former are only binding on the Jews. The latter are binding on everyone. In short, the seven Noahide commandments are: > > Negative commandments > Idolatry > Murder > Forbidden sexual relations (adultery, incest, etc.) > Eating the flesh of a living animal > Cursing God > Theft > > Positive commandment > To set up a system of civil laws, courts to enforce those laws and to live by them. > > Zev Steinhardt At first glance, these Noahide laws seem to allow a lot of actions that most people would consider sinful. For example: Kidnapping someone and holding them prisoner for the rest of their life. Inflicting any amount of non-lethal injury on someone, including torture. Planting hidden cameras in someone’s house and broadcasting nude pictures of them on the Internet. Now, of course, you might say the commandment to set up a system of civil laws applies here, since all these actions are illegal under US law. But what if they weren’t? If mankind doesn’t pass laws to deal with these specific situations, does God simply not care if you do them? In other words, are there loopholes in God’s law? ---
**Author:** ![saepiroth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@saepiroth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saepiroth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loopholes-in-gods-law/63586/2 "2001-04-28T03:03:11Z")
If there wasn’t a system of laws organized by the state then Yes, you could most certainly do all of that. However, it looks like that self moderation clause has got ya. If there WASN’T a system of state laws and courts, you are breaking god’s law ANYWAY… OK, back to your question; I think this isn’t a loophole. it is just God trusting in his creation to be self moderating. if there weren’t laws against unconsenting pornography or torture (and other bad things) then i don’t think God would have any problem with it. it looks to me as if He wants human society to become whatever it wants, within some reasonable limits. or at least that is my take on it. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loopholes-in-gods-law/63586/3 "2001-04-29T01:55:31Z")
IMHO, that one commandment (to set up courts, laws, enforcement) was always the biggie. It’s a catch all. Most civilized societies, even on their own, pass such laws against kidnapping (which, BTW, could be covered under theft I suppose), assault, torture, etc. In fact, I’m not so sure you can say that a society is civilized without laws to protect the most basic rights of it’s citizens. As such, maybe you can look at it as a commandment to be civilized. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loopholes-in-gods-law/63586/4 "2001-04-29T09:45:38Z")
Zev: What is the unabridged list of forbidden sexual relations? ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loopholes-in-gods-law/63586/5 "2001-04-29T16:06:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*Zev: > > What is the unabridged list of forbidden sexual relations? \*\* According to the Rambam (Maimonides) there are six forbidden sexual relations for non-Jews. They are 1. One’s mohter. 2. One’s father’s wife (even if not his mother). 3. Another man’s wife (adultery). 4. One’s maternal (or full) sister (but not a paternal half-sister), See Genesis 20:12. 5. Another male (male homosexual relations). 6. An animal (beastiality). Of course, also forbidden are any relations that society has outlawed. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loopholes-in-gods-law/63586/6 "2001-04-29T18:29:06Z")
So, according to #5, female homosexual relations are permitted?