Virgin Detector

[POI]

God looks to instruct the following:

"Now kill all the boys and all the women who have slept with a man. Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves."

1. How exactly did the soldiers know which girls were virgins?
2. Also, why did God tell the soldiers to only spare virgin girls?

[OnceConvinced]

I can't really say for sure, but I'd go with the following:

1.How exactly did the soldiers know which girls were virgins?
They probably didn't know for sure. It was probably just a matter of how old they were. The chances were probably good that the young ones living with their parents were still virgins. They would have been watched like a hawk. They were considered the property of their fathers' back in those days and you didn't dare touch the property of another man because if you did, then most likely you'd be killed or forced to marry the girl you sullied.

2. Also, why did God tell the soldiers to only spare virgin girls?
This is quite obvious. Concubines (Sex slaves). Men didn't want someone's "sloppy seconds". They wanted girls who'd never been with a man before.

[Miles]

God looks to instruct the following:

"Now kill all the boys and all the women who have slept with a man. Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves."

1. How exactly did the soldiers know which girls were virgins?

By making sure their hymen is intact. Of course such "knowledge" would be highly unreliable, but that's how it was done, and presumably with a thumbs-up from god.

2. Also, why did God tell the soldiers to only spare virgin girls?

They were a gift for doing as they were told. Virgins, while lacking any expertise in sexual matters, seldom carried STDs and were more likely to go along with any sexual demand, no matter how perverse. Not that they wouldn't do as told, but it would be without a lot of futile kvetching.



.

[Tcg]

2. Also, why did God tell the soldiers to only spare virgin girls?

Because the men who put these words in God's mouth wanted to assure that the children born to the girls they picked were theirs.


Tcg

[POI]

I can't really say for sure, but I'd go with the following:

1.How exactly did the soldiers know which girls were virgins?
They probably didn't know for sure. It was probably just a matter of how old they were. The chances were probably good that the young ones living with their parents were still virgins. They would have been watched like a hawk. They were considered the property of their fathers' back in those days and you didn't dare touch the property of another man because if you did, then most likely you'd be killed or forced to marry the girl you sullied.

2. Also, why did God tell the soldiers to only spare virgin girls?
This is quite obvious. Concubines (Sex slaves). Men didn't want someone's "sloppy seconds". They wanted girls who'd never been with a man before.

I appreciate the responses, and agree with what you are saying. However, I'm hoping believers will chime in; as I'm willing to bet they may have a differing 'take' In the mean time, I'll add my 2 cents to your response; while I patiently wait...

1. The reason I ask this question, is because there is really no way to know which girls were actually virgins. You would need 'supernatural' help to verify which ones were. And if supernatural help is given, to determine the authentic virgins, then WHY STOP THERE? Just order for the 'bad' people to die, or disappear, without the necessity for humans to slay other humans. Seems kind of strange how God helps one tribe win, helps them spot the true virgins, but does not just poof the competitors out of existence -- (and not go through all the pageantry of fighting)...?

Also, if the defeated tribe was SO wicked, in need of extermination, it's likely many of the young'ns were often raped. It's safe to wager virtually none of them were untouched?

2. Yes, I agree. They were taken as sex slaves, condoned by the Bible. I think this story line was code for "keep all the young hotties", and exterminate the rest. If they are ugly, then they are probably not a virgin

[POI]

2. Also, why did God tell the soldiers to only spare virgin girls?

Because the men who put these words in God's mouth wanted to assure that the children born to the girls they picked were theirs.


Tcg

You raise a good point. If the girl turned up to already be pregnant, which was not known at the time of battle, they probably just dispatched her as soon as they found out.

But as I told another, without supernatural help, there really is no true way to discern the true virgins.?.?. They likely just kept the most attractive ones for their amusement.

[Purple Knight]

By making sure their hymen is intact.

Yep. They probably stuck their finger in there.

[POI]

By making sure their hymen is intact.

Yep. They probably stuck their finger in there.

But the thing is... God would already know that a busted hymen does not necessarily constitute a virgin. Hence, if God helped them sort out all the true virgins, by magic, then just magically poof the competitor out of existence... Seems quite superfluous to require the soldiers to fight God's battle, with only slight sprinkles of magic. (i.e.) Assuring they win, aiding in their detection of true virgins, etc.?

[Tcg]

But as I told another, without supernatural help, there really is no true way to discern the true virgins.?.?.

Supernatural help? It's hard to take this line of reasoning seriously.


Tcg

[POI]

But as I told another, without supernatural help, there really is no true way to discern the true virgins.?.?.

Supernatural help? It's hard to take this line of reasoning seriously.


Tcg

Bingo... It's hard to take the Bible seriously, on many levels.