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-1001 CONTRADICTIONS & DISCREPANCIES in the CHRISTIAN BIBLES

Is it OK to use perfume?

Yes.

No.

Proverbs 27:9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart. Esther 2:8-12 Esther was brought also unto the king's house ... Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours). Song of Solomon 3:6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? Song of Solomon 4:10 How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! Song of Solomon 5:5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. John 12:3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (NIV) (See also Luke 7:37-38 and Mark 14:3-7.)

Exodus 30:37 As for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves ... it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD. Proverbs 7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. (A woman that uses perfume is a whore to God -- see vv.5-27 for the details.) Isaiah 3:16-24 Because the daughters of Zion are haughty ... the LORD will discover their secret parts ... And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink. Isaiah 57:9 And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes ... and didst debase thyself even unto hell.

From the 1966 Movie "Hawaii".

Jerusha Hale (Abner's wife): I felt so good after my bath, that I washed my skin with oil of lilac."

Abner Hale: I smell it. Moses forbad the use of perfume.

Jerusha: Proverbs say that ointment and perfume rejoice the heart.

Abner: Isaiah cursed the woman who used perfume and debased herself unto hell.

Jerusha: Esther perfumed herself for a whole year.

Abner: She was under compulsion.

Jerusha: Oh, I think you just the smell of perfume on my skin.

But Jerusha forgot about John 12:3, in which Jesus had his feet washed with expensive perfume. If perfume is good enough for Jesus' feet, it's good enough for anybody's anything.

The biblically correct answer: It is OK to use perfume.

[Thanks to Daryl for reminding me about John 12:3 and to teavee for finding Abner's Isaiah verse (57:9).]

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