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Old 14th June 2012, 05:02 PM   #1
keale
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More biblical morality

Psalm 137:9
Happy shall he be, that takes and dashes your little ones against the stones.
American King James Version

Is this moral behavior? If god tells you it is then it must be? Again how can we do the mambo under this one?

In my own personal experience most christians arent even aware of passages like this one but when confronted with it they typically make up all kinds of stuff from god kills the wicked to god works in mysterious ways.

This is the one that really got me thinking about the bible and what was really in it vs. the stuff I was told.
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Old 14th June 2012, 05:20 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by keale View Post
Psalm 137:9
Happy shall he be, that takes and dashes your little ones against the stones.
American King James Version

Is this moral behavior? If god tells you it is then it must be? Again how can we do the mambo under this one?

In my own personal experience most christians arent even aware of passages like this one but when confronted with it they typically make up all kinds of stuff from god kills the wicked to god works in mysterious ways.

This is the one that really got me thinking about the bible and what was really in it vs. the stuff I was told.
You do realize this a poem dont you?
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Old 14th June 2012, 05:26 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
You do realize this a poem dont you?

I dont care if its rap music or its a bed time story its sick sick sick. But yes ive been told "but its a poem" rubbish.
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Old 14th June 2012, 05:27 PM   #4
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I think you mean limbo :-)
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Old 14th June 2012, 05:29 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by devnull View Post
I think you mean limbo :-)
Yes thank you
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Old 14th June 2012, 05:31 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by keale View Post
I dont care if its rap music or its a bed time story its sick sick sick. But yes ive been told "but its a poem" rubbish.
And one of the most famous of the Psalms. Which you have taken out of context to create outrage. Why don't you post the rest of Psalms 137 and we see what happens
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Old 14th June 2012, 05:35 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
And one of the most famous of the Psalms. Which you have taken out of context to create outrage. Why don't you post the rest of Psalms 137 and we see what happens
And what?

Psalm 137 (New International Version)


1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
2 There on the poplars
we hung our harps,
3 for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.

7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.
“Tear it down,” they cried,
“tear it down to its foundations!”
8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is the one who repays you
according to what you have done to us.
9 Happy is the one who seizes your infants
and dashes them against the rocks.

You couldnt do that yourself? Too lazy?
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Old 14th June 2012, 05:38 PM   #8
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It's "remember the Alamo" for Jews.
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Old 14th June 2012, 05:41 PM   #9
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Is vengeance A way to go? Smash your enemies kids heads against the stones?

Fixed

Last edited by keale; 14th June 2012 at 05:54 PM.
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Old 14th June 2012, 05:50 PM   #10
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It's "a" way to go
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Old 14th June 2012, 06:39 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
...taken out of context...

I love it.


Context.
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Old 14th June 2012, 06:41 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by keale View Post
Is vengeance A way to go? Smash your enemies kids heads against the stones?

Fixed
It's not just vengeance. Smashing your enemies' kids' heads in is Pol Pot territory. It's far worse than what the Babylonians had inflicted on the Jews. And thus it doesn't jive with the usual interpretation of "an eye for an eye", which is that the retribution for an injured eye is not more than an eye.

Of course, when you set such a poem to music you leave out the embarrassing parts:
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Old 14th June 2012, 06:42 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by keale View Post
Is vengeance A way to go? Smash your enemies kids heads against the stones?

Fixed
Well the author wants to pay back for what occurred to them, its a lament while the Jews were in exile, not only were they defeated, they were deported from their home land.

More importantly this is not the word of God or claimed to be interpreted as the words of God.

As Lowpro eloquently put it - Its remember the Alamo for Israelites
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Old 14th June 2012, 07:12 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Well the author wants to pay back for what occurred to them, its a lament while the Jews were in exile, not only were they defeated, they were deported from their home land.

More importantly this is not the word of God or claimed to be interpreted as the words of God.

As Lowpro eloquently put it - Its remember the Alamo for Israelites

Yeah gods chosen people were great guys back in the day. In the modern world we would want them tried for war crimes. Its no wonder these peoples god was a blood thirsty tyrant.
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Old 14th June 2012, 07:16 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by keale View Post
Yeah gods chosen people were great guys back in the day. In the modern world we would want them tried for war crimes. Its no wonder these peoples god was a blood thirsty tyrant.
Seriously? - The people who destroyed their nation would have more to worry about. You do realize the Jews never got to extract the revenge in that poem. Sorry you feel so outraged that people showed emotion.

Did you write letters to all the newspapers who expressed outrage at the 9/11 attacks?
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Old 14th June 2012, 07:24 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Seriously? - The people who destroyed their nation would have more to worry about. You do realize the Jews never got to extract the revenge in that poem. Sorry you feel so outraged that people showed emotion.

Did you write letters to all the newspapers who expressed outrage at the 9/11 attacks?
I am outraged they didnt get the chance to smash the babies heads against the stones.

Now we both know this was standard for the time and the bible god has ordered massacres where they were supposed to kill every man woman and child and all the animals but keep the virgins for yourself. They were by todays standards bloodthirsty barbarians.

So um wheres the morals?
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Old 14th June 2012, 07:28 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by keale View Post
I am outraged they didnt get the chance to smash the babies heads against the stones.

Now we both know this was standard for the time and the bible god has ordered massacres where they were supposed to kill every man woman and child and all the animals but keep the virgins for yourself. They were by todays standards bloodthirsty barbarians.

So um wheres the morals?
So are you arguing they should not have shown any emotion?
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Old 14th June 2012, 07:44 PM   #18
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The morals are in the Bible, they just aren't very good morals. Some are extremely bad morals.

My advice, don't argue from morality using the Bible because you'll fail. And if someone does try the argument, correct their ass. If they refuse to correct their ass, make sure they're on an empty stage proselytizing to an empty theater.

GIBHOR's thread is an excellent example.
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Old 14th June 2012, 07:51 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Seriously? - The people who destroyed their nation would have more to worry about. You do realize the Jews never got to extract the revenge in that poem. Sorry you feel so outraged that people showed emotion.
The emotion shown goes against the morals that YHWH instituted. What's the excuse for that? I can think of none.

Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Did you write letters to all the newspapers who expressed outrage at the 9/11 attacks?
False equivocation.
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Old 14th June 2012, 08:01 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by ddt View Post
The emotion shown goes against the morals that YHWH instituted. What's the excuse for that? I can think of none.



Exodus 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Leviticus 24:20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured.

Deuteronomy 19:21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
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Old 14th June 2012, 08:09 PM   #21
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Well MG1962 you have to admit, it's not quite "eye for an eye" when the cast out people come back and instead of casting out the other guys, they smash their infants against the rocks.

But hey, they didn't actually get to do it and we aren't the thought police. Those jews were just sore losers sort of like how every LSU fan dreams of slashing an Alabama fans' tires.
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Old 14th June 2012, 08:13 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by Lowpro View Post
Well MG1962 you have to admit, it's not quite "eye for an eye" when the cast out people come back and instead of casting out the other guys, they smash their infants against the rocks.

But hey, they didn't actually get to do it and we aren't the thought police. Those jews were just sore losers sort of like how every LSU fan dreams of slashing an Alabama fans' tires.
Well the Babylonians virtually tried to pull a genocide on the Israelites, so I can understand the venom in the line. As it was the Babylonians got pasted themselves, so in the end I guess karma can be a bitch
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Old 14th June 2012, 08:15 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Well the Babylonians virtually tried to pull a genocide on the Israelites, so I can understand the venom in the line. As it was the Babylonians got pasted themselves, so in the end I guess karma can be a bitch
Zedekiah's fault. I'm sure Nebu was thinking that same karma line.
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Old 14th June 2012, 08:17 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by Elypsis44 View Post
Originally Posted by MG1962
...taken out of context...
I love it.


Context.
LOL

THAT is a classic set up there...
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Old 14th June 2012, 08:24 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by Lowpro View Post
Zedekiah's fault. I'm sure Nebu was thinking that same karma line.
Sorry I dont get the context
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Old 14th June 2012, 08:31 PM   #26
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Oh the reason for the exodus from Babylon was because Babylon and Egypt were warring with each other, and Israel/Judah were both right in the middle. Mostly they were vassals of Babylon but during the war they rioted, changed sides (I don't specifically remember who changed sides first) and Babylon, while not being able to conquer Egypt easily quashed the Israel and Judaic rebellions, pillaging Jerusalem (and probably everything else) and exiling most of the people. He named Zedekiah king, and Zedekiah wouldn't you know decided again to turn coat to the Egyptians. This time Babylon sacked Jerusalem again and effectively exiled the rest of the natives. Because Zedekiah was a dick ruler and a turncoat against a kingdom which shouldn't have to tell you twice.

I should say this is mostly biblical I don't know about truly historical.
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Old 14th June 2012, 09:08 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by Lowpro View Post
Oh the reason for the exodus from Babylon was because Babylon and Egypt were warring with each other, and Israel/Judah were both right in the middle. Mostly they were vassals of Babylon but during the war they rioted, changed sides (I don't specifically remember who changed sides first) and Babylon, while not being able to conquer Egypt easily quashed the Israel and Judaic rebellions, pillaging Jerusalem (and probably everything else) and exiling most of the people. He named Zedekiah king, and Zedekiah wouldn't you know decided again to turn coat to the Egyptians. This time Babylon sacked Jerusalem again and effectively exiled the rest of the natives. Because Zedekiah was a dick ruler and a turncoat against a kingdom which shouldn't have to tell you twice.

I should say this is mostly biblical I don't know about truly historical.
Ahh okay I understand now
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Old 14th June 2012, 09:15 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Exodus 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Leviticus 24:20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured.

Deuteronomy 19:21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
and forgive, turn the cheek, etc. doh.
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Old 14th June 2012, 09:17 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by gabeygoat View Post
and forgive, turn the cheek, etc. doh.
Thats much later
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Old 14th June 2012, 09:31 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Thats much later
Yeah I think thats the part where god changed his omniscient mind so that he could send himself so that he could commit suicide to sacrifice himself to save us all from himself.
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Old 14th June 2012, 11:01 PM   #31
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Well the Babylonians virtually tried to pull a genocide on the Israelites, so I can understand the venom in the line. As it was the Babylonians got pasted themselves, so in the end I guess karma can be a bitch
They exiled the Israelites, or at least the significant social classes, to Babylon. The Psalmist (who can't be David, who died long before the Exile) accuses the Babylonians of taking the Israelites away from their home, and in retribution desires the massacre of Babylonian children.

Beautiful songs have been made of this psalm, and when I hear them, I wonder, how will they handle the last verse? But they don't try.

By the way, are you saying that Christians don't believe the Book of Psalms to be the "word of God"? What other Biblical books do they exclude from this category?

"Karma can be a bitch". Divine retribution is another bitch, it seems.
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Old 15th June 2012, 01:28 AM   #32
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Originally Posted by keale View Post
And what?

Psalm 137 (New International Version)


1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
2 There on the poplars
we hung our harps,
3 for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.

7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.
“Tear it down,” they cried,
“tear it down to its foundations!”
8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is the one who repays you
according to what you have done to us.
9 Happy is the one who seizes your infants
and dashes them against the rocks.

You couldnt do that yourself? Too lazy?
Ok, so now we have the full context, it still sounds like it was written by a petulant three year old.
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Old 15th June 2012, 01:30 AM   #33
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Well the author wants to pay back for what occurred to them, its a lament while the Jews were in exile, not only were they defeated, they were deported from their home land.

More importantly this is not the word of God or claimed to be interpreted as the words of God.

As Lowpro eloquently put it - Its remember the Alamo for Israelites
It may not be the word of god, but it is still pretty horrendous. Gods chosen people wanting to smash the heads of infants against rocks isn't exactly turning the other cheek, is it?

Last edited by Multivac; 15th June 2012 at 01:33 AM.
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Old 15th June 2012, 01:35 AM   #34
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Exodus 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Leviticus 24:20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured.

Deuteronomy 19:21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Surely an advanced entity like a god, would be more compasionate and less of a psychopath.
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Old 15th June 2012, 01:55 AM   #35
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Originally Posted by Multivac View Post
Surely an advanced entity like a god, would be more compasionate and less of a psychopath.
To be fair, Lev 24 is a step forward. For an injury you may exact no more in revenge or reparation than the amount of damage you received. This would have been to stop endless feuding. And in practice compensation would normally be required of the miscreant, rather than mutilation being inflicted. But the other passages you cite do indeed seem vindictive in tone.

Last edited by Craig B; 15th June 2012 at 02:05 AM. Reason: Spelling.
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Old 15th June 2012, 02:21 AM   #36
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
...More importantly this is not the word of God or claimed to be interpreted as the words of God...
And you believe that the "bleevers" will not deign to use this to justify actions of this sort "...because it says so in the Bible?"

Fundamentalists of every stripe primarily use religious texts "out of context" so that they can make it mean anything they want it to mean. I see no problem with the OP.
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Old 15th June 2012, 02:32 AM   #37
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Originally Posted by Susheel View Post
Fundamentalists of every stripe primarily use religious texts "out of context" so that they can make it mean anything they want it to mean. I see no problem with the OP.
Strange. I took the first part to mean you had.
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Old 15th June 2012, 02:50 AM   #38
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Nope, my post was in counter to MG1962s.
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Old 15th June 2012, 03:37 AM   #39
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Originally Posted by MG1962 View Post
Exodus 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Leviticus 24:20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured.

Deuteronomy 19:21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
I already went over that in post #12. Could you please have the courtesy to actually read posts?

As to the second siege of Jerusalem (in 587BC): is there corroborating evidence that this took place and that Nebu razed the city to the ground?
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Old 15th June 2012, 03:50 AM   #40
HansMustermann
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Originally Posted by Craig B View Post
To be fair, Lev 24 is a step forward. For an injury you may exact no more in revenge or reparation than the amount of damage you received. This would have been to stop endless feuding. And in practice compensation would normally be required of the miscreant, rather than mutilation being inflicted. But the other passages you cite do indeed seem vindictive in tone.
Sort of. These newfangled Pharisees, after having been dragged kicking and screaming through the civilization of a first world power like Babylon, tended to be all for paying reparations and purification rituals and whatnot. As far as I know, though, most of the verses in the OT prescribing cruel punishments or separation from the community or massacring whole towns, were in all likelihood originally meant to be taken literally, and were still taken literally by the priestly caste, i.e., the Sadducees.
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