Book of Judges Podcast

Our own Abbie, better known as אביגיל was on a podcast last week talking about the Book of Judges.

Go to her site to find the links.

You can find the Oklahoma Atheists website here.

They conduct the "Godcast"  in a very casual style and there is drinking involved but they drill down way deeper into the books then I do here.  I found it very entertaining and informative.

Judges 17-21 The Final Judgement

Judges 17-21

Micah steals money from his mom but then cops to it and is then "Blessed by the LORD"  I think the storyteller is being sarcastic.
She wanted to use the money for graven and molten images.  Micah uses the rest to hire a Levite.

Chapter 19 is an obvious retelling of the story of Lot and Sodom & Gomorrah but with a grotest twist .

Chapter 20 is all about the Benjamins.  Still not exactly sure why they would go to war against the rest of the tribes (other then condoning the gang rape of chapter 19).  After the battle in which al the women were killed, only 400 Benjamin males remain.  What to do?  Wipe out another group and take their virgins.  But alas, we're 200 virgins short.  They pick up the remainder by kidnapping girls dancing in the fields.

You can't make this stuff up.  Or can you?

Judges 14-16 Samson aka Proto Jesus

Judges 14-16

Much like the opening of the New Testament, an angel of the LORD visits a woman and tells her she will bear a child that shall be a savior.  He'll also be a long haired hippie.
She is impregnated by someone other then her husband.  The husband seems OK with the deal.
The angel gives her some very sound advice; don't drink wine and eat well.

The difference between Jesus and Samson?  Jesus was a fairly peaceful man.  Samson is a short tempered asshole, who first thought murder and mayhem.

Samson starts off as a petulant brat, insisting that his parents get him a (nameless) Philistine woman for a bride instead of an Israelite.
His hormones ragging, he kills a lion with his bear hands!  Later the carcass of the lion is filled with honey which leads to a good meal and a riddle.


"Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness."

Samson's buddies threaten to burn his house down when they can't solve the riddle.  Time to get some new friends!

His wife gives her friends the answer to the riddle, Samson is enraged and kills thirty random men (with the help of the Spirit of the LORD) to pay off his debt.

He kills, kills again, meets Delilah, loses his hair and eyes, kills again and dies.
Moral of the story?  If you want to kill a ton of people, just ask The LORD to help.

I love (actually, I'm horrified) that every few verses of the Samson story deal with him killing and destroying, yet this is considered a "children friendly" Bible story.  With A LOT of glossing over of course.

Judges 4-6

Judges 4-6

Jammed at work this weekend.   Enjoy the continuing adventures of our hearty adventures!