[Nate]

OANST you have to bring sources before you can convince me.

Oddguy you've touched on a very complicated theological issue.

Judaism beleives in the 'Written Law' and the 'Oral Law'. The Written Law is the five books of moses and the 613 commandments within. However these are meaningless without the Oral Law, which, according to tradition, was told (orally) to Moses on Mount Sinai and then passed down to the rest of the Israelites. It has since been written down and codified in the Talmud.

In simple terms, the Oral Law is an explanation of the Written Law. For instance, the bible says that in order to kill animals for food, you must slaughter it in "the way I (ie god) have shown you". The Talmud then explains in rigorous detail how it must be done.

Also, your example of the rebellious son doesn't explain exactly what makes a son so bad that he deserves to be killed. The Talmud explains what 'rebellious' means. I haven't studied that exact section so I can't explain it myself but he must have done something really bad.

For all our discussion of stoning, there is an old Jewish saying that a court that sentences to death one person in seventy years is considered a murderous court.

Sorry for the long post but it irritates me when people read something out of context and assume that all religions are evil and bloodthirsty. Another example: eye for an eye is not meant literally. If someone pokes your eye out you aren't meant to poke his out in revenge. Rather the talmud explains that it means that he must pay appropriate compensation.