That makes sense, but it is a bit weird of a view to hold today. It seems like the Jews need a thunderstorm to update their instruction manual.
Well, interesting point, but lets look at that. Remember that in our 4000 year history, up until the last two hundred years ago, Jews lived only with other Jews. This was for two reasons: 1, Gentile governments, both Christian and Muslim required it. 2, Jews eventually learned to prefer it.
With Emancipation (in the Christian World during the Enlightenment) and the parallel Haskalah (the Jewish Enlightenment), and freedom from the ghetto, Jews for the first time begin to live amongst other persons.
It was then that Moses Mendelsohn (grandfather of the composer Felix) translated the Torah into German, and, although he personally was Orthodox, did a lot of things that would lead to the eventual development of Reform Judaism in the next Century.
Whilst Jews lived amongst themselves, the social pressures exerted within the community kept certain things very low. For example, alcoholism among Jews was a very minor issue when Jews lived only with each other, because social pressure kept it that way. It was only when Jews started living with others that that changed. Now, if you compare Jews to non-Jews, it is only slightly less than the average.
Although the views that you perceive as "weird" today may seem a bit unusual, you will note that, among the shtetls that still exist (small towns that are still predominantly Jewish [85% or more]) the socialisation process is still very much like it was, with divorce rates very low, alcoholism also low, STDs very low, etc.
Among Jews who live with non-Jews, the rates of all these things (now mind you, I am speaking in both cases of religious Jews) tend to be only slightly below average. For Jews who are non-religious, these social indicators are equal to the general population.
When I refer to social pressure, most of the social pressure was and is Torah obligation. And if you were to recommend that the book be "updated", the first question that would be asked would be, "why?"
Remember that the idea of shaving one's face for other than being a eunuch came from the Romans. So, if non-Jews can follow an outdated Roman practice, why can't Jews follow their practice and grow beards?
Why is the Bible (and by extension, God) so sexist? As a followup question, since God is the most perfect being and he is sexist does this make sexism an admirable trait? Are you sexist enough to get into heaven?
Of course, one could argue that the Bible is not sexist at all, but that it merely suggests appropriate behaviour for men and for women. As per the previous notes above, where Jews live amongst themselves, all the social indicators seem to show that living according to Torah rule isn't a bad idea.
It could also be said (and is by liberal Jews) that social existence does indeed change and should, but that the eternal core values of the Torah do not. This argument has less to recommend it in my opinion.
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