MEMBER BLOG TAG: judaism
| Saturday, April 11, 2009 12:47PM | | | | Whose Promised Land? | Tags: Palestine, Israel, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, covenant
| | | | The deed to Palestine is more complicated than most Jews, Arabs and Christians wish to admit. God promised the Holy Land to the seed of Abraham. (Gen. 12:7, 13:14-15). That story and that promise is in the Jewish Bible, the Christian Bible and the Koran. Abraham was the father of Ishmael and Isaac, and others. (Gen. 25:1-6.)
Ishmael was Abraham’s first born son. Some claim that Ishmael doesn’t count because his mother was a sex slave but the birthright belonged to the father and not the mother. The firstborn son was the first sign of the father’s strength (Deut. 21:15-17). That son received a double portion of all the father had.
The Hebrews had a problem because according to the Jewish Bible the first born son... | | | | | | | Wednesday, January 21, 2009 12:05PM | | | | Ten Commandments | Tags: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, laws, Moses, Jesus
| | | | Three world religions embrace the Ten Commandments but I’ve never seen a monument of the Commandments outside a church, synagogue, temple or mosque. Yet, some, mostly Christians, want to enshrine the Commandments in public schools, parks, courthouses and other state and federal buildings. Why? If it’s for religious reasons, a better place would be inside a place of worship. If it’s to educate others, then a better place would be outside the place where the educators worship. What is it about the Ten Commandments that arouses such passion?
A larger question is: Are they relevant today in a capitalist society where greed, celebrity and conspicuous consumption are virtues?
The first troublesome thing about the Ten Commandments is that there are three lists in the Bible. The... | | | | | | | Friday, December 19, 2008 11:16AM | | | | The dark midwinter (with glimmers) | Tags: winter solstice, Iroquois, Christianity, addiction, Judaism
| | | And the best of all ways
To lengthen our days
Is to steal a few hours from the night, my dear.
-- Thomas Moore
Unlike a writer I know, Louise, who lives inconveniently in Alaska, where she suffers terribly from depression during the dark winters months, I adore the short days and long nights of this season. My complaint is that summer is too long, and winter too short down here in New Jersey. I am, I'm afraid, rather melancholy by disposition, and thus this season suits me. During the pre-solstice season I... | | | | | |
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