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Origins of: BELLY OF A WHORE quote

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vort...@pobox.com

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May 9, 1996, 3:00:00 AM5/9/96
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I MUST find the origins of a quote that reads something like:

Better to plant your seed in the belly of a whore than on the ground.

If you have ANY information please email me at vort...@pobox.com

Thank You!

RSy2717

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May 10, 1996, 3:00:00 AM5/10/96
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In article <4mt7ge$8...@netsrv2.spss.com>, vort...@pobox.com writes:

> MUST find the origins of a quote that reads something like:
>
>Better to plant your seed in the belly of a whore than on the ground.
>
>

Possibly Gen 38:9-10


Edward Pothier

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May 10, 1996, 3:00:00 AM5/10/96
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vort...@pobox.com wrote:
> I MUST find the origins of a quote that reads something like:

>
> Better to plant your seed in the belly of a whore than on the ground.
----------- end quoted material

ONAN AND JUDAH: BACKGROUND OF ALLEGED QUOTE
Edward Pothier May 1996

Although sometimes alleged to be a "biblical quote", the
statement "Better to plant your seed in the belly of a whore than on
the ground" is not from the Bible. However, the background to the
statement is, although in a mis-interpreted way.

The background involves the characters Onan, Judah, and Tamar
from the Book of Genesis, chapter 38. The patriarch Judah had three
sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Judah got a wife Tamar for his
firstborn, Er.

Er died, and by the levirate marriage Onan was supposed to raise
up children to preserve his brother's line. But whenever Onan had
sexual relations with Tamar (his dead brother's wife) he withdrew and
"wasted his seed on the ground". This offended the LORD who took
Onan's life. [This has nothing to do with masturbation (despite the
name "onanism") or _coitus interruptus_ as a birth control method. It
dealt with a social and religious obligation in that culture which was
not lived up to.]

Judah told Tamar to wait until the third son grew up, but had no
plan to risk his third son. Years later, and after Judah's wife died,
Tamar took things into her own hands. She disguised herself as temple
prostitute and ended up pregnant by her former father-in-law Judah,
who did not know it was Tamar but thought she was a prostitute. When
Tamar's pregnancy was discovered, she was to be punished. However,
she revealed (and proved) that her pregnancy was due to Judah. Judah
admitted that Tamar was in the right since he had not given her his
third son as required.

Although there is no basis for the "seed in belly of a whore
rather than on the ground" quotation as a rule of conduct, the source
is undoubtedly this biblical story in which Onan (seed on ground) is
struck dead and Judah (sex with supposed prostitute) is unpunished.
There is obviously more to the story than the quotation allows.

--
=============================================================================
= Edward L. Pothier epot...@lynx.dac.neu.edu =
= Physics Department PREFERRED EMAIL: pot...@neuhep.hex.neu.edu =
= Northeastern University / Boston, MA 02115 =


David Wallis

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May 11, 1996, 3:00:00 AM5/11/96
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Just one more thought to add to what Edward Pothier wrote below:

The reason that Onan did not want to impregnate Tamar was greed: If
Tamar bore a son, that child would be entitled to an inheritance from
Judah. (That was, after all, the whole purpose of the levirate marriage
custom.) Furthermore, as Er was the eldest son of Judah, that child
would be entitled to the double portion of the firstborn. But if Tamar
was childless, then there would be no elder rival for Judah's patrimony
and the double portion would go to Onan.

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lara...@sj.znet.com

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May 11, 1996, 3:00:00 AM5/11/96
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In article <4mt7ge$8...@netsrv2.spss.com>, vort...@pobox.com says...

>
>I MUST find the origins of a quote that reads something like:
>
>Better to plant your seed in the belly of a whore than on the ground.
>
>If you have ANY information please email me at vort...@pobox.com
>
>Thank You!
>
The quote is, more accurately,

Better to plant your seed in the belly of a whore

than to spill it on the ground. [source unknown]

The last time I heard this verse a "well-meaning" Christian
suggested that it was better to go to a prostitute than to
spill any seed on the ground.

I fear that many have been misinformed about the subject of
fornication when this saying is quoted. It in no way justifies
a christian in sinfully seeking sexual release. The only place
for sex is in the bonds of marriage.

Larry Adams lara...@sj.znet.com


Staci Raye Hillenbrand

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May 13, 1996, 3:00:00 AM5/13/96
to

> vort...@pobox.com wrote:
> > I MUST find the origins of a quote that reads something like:
> >
> > Better to plant your seed in the belly of a whore than on the ground.

> ----------- end quoted material


Edward Pothier (epot...@lynx.dac.neu.edu) wrote:

> ONAN AND JUDAH: BACKGROUND OF ALLEGED QUOTE
> Edward Pothier May 1996


I find Edward's background insightful and also correct. But to add to his
story, this quote can take on somewhat of a biological/psychological
background as well. It is noted that one of the surest ways to keep your
'clan' or gene alive from generation to generation is, of course,
reproduction. Obviously then, rather than waste the male investment, it
is wiser to plant that investment in order for that seed to survive. It's
a stretch from the Biblical outlook, seeing as most men would rather not
have a prostitute mother their child; however, it is accurate from a
psychological perspective. Survival of the fittest. :)

Stace
srhi...@indiana.edu


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