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Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Book of Job 1-7 There once was a man from Uz
Job 1-7
The famous/infamous fable of Job. How much shit can one man take? I find it interesting that he blames himself for his blight. He just assumes he's sinned against God.
This book brings us the first real appearance of Satan as a character. We don't learn much about him in these early chapters other then he likes to wander the Earth and show up at Gods morning meetings from time to time.
Satan raises some interesting questions thou.
1. What relationship does he have with God? There seems to be no animosity (yet anyway) between them.
2. Did Satan trick God into letting him destroy Job's life? Their interactions read like a Huck Finn story.
3. Why would God allow this to happen? He allows Satan to kill Jobs children, slaves and livestock.
It seems God holds life in low esteem to allow these horrible actions to take place. Has he got a trump card hidden up his sleeve? Will he make everything right again after this cruel wager?
I do find the chapters rather poetic. Almost Shakespearian.
Favorite line, One of Jobs friends tells him;
5:25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.
This comes after all of Jobs kids were killed. whoops!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
The Book of The Godfather, I mean Esther 1-10
Esther 1-10
This book is a short easy read. I think it's best done in one sitting to appreciate the story.
Now I know where Mario Puzzo got his inspiration for the last part of the Godfather.
Two things stand out in this book.
First and most obvious, a woman has major role in the story. Extremely rare in the Bible.
Second, God is COMPLETELY absent from the story. No input from the big guy. No one praising or praying to him. Just a story about hate, murder, revenge and power. Ala, The Godfather.
This book is a short easy read. I think it's best done in one sitting to appreciate the story.
Now I know where Mario Puzzo got his inspiration for the last part of the Godfather.
Two things stand out in this book.
First and most obvious, a woman has major role in the story. Extremely rare in the Bible.
Second, God is COMPLETELY absent from the story. No input from the big guy. No one praising or praying to him. Just a story about hate, murder, revenge and power. Ala, The Godfather.
The book starts off with one of the most misogynistic pieces so far. A drunken King Ahasuerus want to parade his hot wife around for his friends at a party. She doesn't want to be treated as such and the result is the king and his buddies creating a law that commands women to submit to their husbands (I'm surprised this law didn't exist already!) Of course, the king is going to need a new wife! Enter Esther.
This is were the story gets good. I won't ruin the ending for you but let's just say the word Jew can easily be replaced with Corleone.
Obviously the Jews in this book believed in "Do unto others" but not the "as you would have them do unto you" part of the saying!
Biblical Father's Day
As we've seen from our readings, some biblical fathers aren't really good role models.
Happy father's day to all dads!
Happy father's day to all dads!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Book of Nehemiah 8-13
Nehemiah 8-13
Nothing like ANOTHER recap from a people separated by several centuries. Again I ponder how long the Bible would be if they cut out the redundancy. And don't get me started on the naming and the counting.
Several times through out the last two books, 'strange wives' are mentioned, meaning that the Israelites are marrying women from other tribes/countries. Ezra and Nehemiah reflect on the Chosen People turning away from God and the sins committed but they keep coming back to the 'strange wives' as the big problem.
It reminds me of todays Christian politicians blaming the gays and the horror of gay marriage as causing the fall of America.
The more things change...
Nothing like ANOTHER recap from a people separated by several centuries. Again I ponder how long the Bible would be if they cut out the redundancy. And don't get me started on the naming and the counting.
Several times through out the last two books, 'strange wives' are mentioned, meaning that the Israelites are marrying women from other tribes/countries. Ezra and Nehemiah reflect on the Chosen People turning away from God and the sins committed but they keep coming back to the 'strange wives' as the big problem.
It reminds me of todays Christian politicians blaming the gays and the horror of gay marriage as causing the fall of America.
The more things change...
Friday, June 17, 2011
Book of Nehemiah 1-7 New Book, Old Construction
Nehemiah 1-7
We get yet another account of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. This one is again devoid of the LORD and therefore devoid of killing! Make for easier reading by us Atheists!
There is a certain sense of paranoia in this writing, and not without cause.When the Jews start rebuilding the city, the neighboring kingdoms get a little worried, perhaps remembering the past bloodshed brought on by the children of Israel in their bid to claim the promised land. Is another war just around the corner?
Chapter 7 seems to be full of contradictions with the accounts of Ezra. I'm sure an apologist can explain why the inspired word of God (as recorded by man) can't keep census numbers straight or do simple addition.
We get yet another account of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. This one is again devoid of the LORD and therefore devoid of killing! Make for easier reading by us Atheists!
There is a certain sense of paranoia in this writing, and not without cause.When the Jews start rebuilding the city, the neighboring kingdoms get a little worried, perhaps remembering the past bloodshed brought on by the children of Israel in their bid to claim the promised land. Is another war just around the corner?
Chapter 7 seems to be full of contradictions with the accounts of Ezra. I'm sure an apologist can explain why the inspired word of God (as recorded by man) can't keep census numbers straight or do simple addition.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Book of Ezra 6-10
Ezra 6-10
A first person account!!! I think this is a first for the Bible. For me, it adds a feel of historical truthiness.
We learn more about the return to Jerusalem. Ezra reports on a group of men trying to get back to the good old days (of God not killing them) and their efforts to follow the laws of Moses and practices of Aaron.
Strange wives could be a deal breaker so Ezra tells the men to send the unfit wives and children off to (die in the desert?).
This book seems to be written like an actual historical account. I think it's because God, the LORD has no presence in it except for a people trying to get back on the good side of an absent deity.
What do you think?
A first person account!!! I think this is a first for the Bible. For me, it adds a feel of historical truthiness.
We learn more about the return to Jerusalem. Ezra reports on a group of men trying to get back to the good old days (of God not killing them) and their efforts to follow the laws of Moses and practices of Aaron.
Strange wives could be a deal breaker so Ezra tells the men to send the unfit wives and children off to (die in the desert?).
This book seems to be written like an actual historical account. I think it's because God, the LORD has no presence in it except for a people trying to get back on the good side of an absent deity.
What do you think?
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