Interesting post, Venetia, and I feel that most of these questions are to Islam religion. (At least what I think it was, please correct me if I am wrong.)
Not really all the people hone some texts and ignore some others, although I admit most of them do. Some actually ignore everything, including those you mentioned, while others take it to the limits that sometimes it can be really annoying. However, most of them are "moderate" which I think is what you mean by ignoring some stuff, and be strongly committed to some others.
As for why, some "sins" are not really taken lightly while others are. Like in Islam, it's forbidden to hear songs and music. Who doesn't? Music is almost everywhere. Almost EVERYONE listens to music, right? But even though it is forbidden, it is a small sin which there is not such a big punishment for it and can be forgiven easily by doing worships.
However, some sins are taken very seriously because of the punishments promised. I noticed that some of which you posted are true, while some others are not. Please le me explain each point well.
Owning women as slaves:
- In Islam, owning women as slaves are allowed but under certain conditions, which include:
- The slave is willing to work. Not that she is bought from a black market. No, it's that she is working willingly to her master/mistress to get paid well.
- She is getting treated well, allowed to see her family, have her freedom and is not physically abused. She is a human after all, not an animal.
Stoning women to death for being raped or committing adultery:
Actually, we don't stone raped women to death. Nor those who committed adultery without being married already. For those who got raped, we punish the raper and get her right back. She was forced to after all, not under her will. As for committing adultery, we only stone those who did it when she was already married. Why? Well, the question is why would she do "it" when she is already married and has a husband? It's a pretty bad thing to have "it" actually without being married at all (which is not punished by stoning in that case, the penalty is to be hit 80 times) so what do you need after you already did? It's even worse if you had kids and stuff and may have lots of bad results.
Siccing wild animals on children for teasing you:
I don't really get what is that, but I never heard of it at all.
Disallowing men who have had their testes/penises removed (even forcibly, or accidentally) from entering a congregation or church:
I never heard of it, but I think it's because of the lack of "purity" if you get what I mean. But I don't so...:/
Killing yourself for pulling out before orgasm:
Never heard about anyone doing it. O_O
A woman defending her husband who accidentally touches another man's junk in the process should get her hand cut off:
If this about stealing, I don't think that we punish stealing "accidentally" or "forcibly". However, stealing on purpose should be punished by that and publicly. Just think of it if we ever do that. People nowadays punish only the poor and the weak, and they leave the rich and honored. But if someone rich and honored is publicly punished like that for something wrong he/she did (which in this case, is stealing), wouldn't most of us stop stealing, afraid of the same thing happening to us? Won't that lessen the ratio of stealing around the world?
Two siblings who accidentally see each other naked should be shunned publicly:
As long as it's "accidentally", I don't think they are punished. But if not, why the hell shouldn't they be? Won't that be the beginning of something worse?
A dude who sleeps with his wife while she's on the rag should be shunned publicly:
It's strictly forbidden, so that's why. Don't ask me for the reason, though.
Hopefully, I made some good points on those I knew. I only spoke what I am 100% sure of, though, so I may have missed some stuff.
