Dear Reader

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Dear Reader,

          Before I continue with this I must make something clear. I try not to take anything too seriously, and am grateful for friends occasionally telling me to lighten up.

But, neither must I lose sight of the seriousness of both my viewpoints, and those of others, nor to disrepect them. To me, the Bible is, put simply, a book. I fail to believe that it was intended to be a sacred work, to be taken absolutely and literally. As a Jew, I know the Talmud and Torah to be historical and instructive. Judaism, the Rabbis tell me, is not a religion, but a tradition, and what is Christianity, after all, but Judaism according to Jesus.

The books that comprise the Bible as we know it today were passages of documentation, narrative, poetry and personal theology. They conflict, they demonstrate, at once, a petty, vindictive God, and one of surpassingly compassionate goodness. And, thanks to the good taste of King James in selecting, among others, William Shakespeare as one of the main scribes for the project, that particular version contains some of the most exquisite writing known to humankind.

I therefore take the Bible for what it has to offer. And I disagree with those who say one may not pick and choose the parts one likes and the parts one dislikes. Again, I am a Jew, and argument and discrimination is my birthright. To paraphrase one of the great aphorisms (first time using that word – had to look it up. Ain't it a great one!) of all time, I believe the purpose of the Bible, as is that of all truly great works of truth, is to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

That said, I pay my respects to the Word which is God who must have a sense of humor (in case you missed it, please do yourself a favor and click on the name, "William Shakespeare", above.) or else we Christians are lost, one and all.

Hark, ye lovers of folly ... click on: Asking for Wisdom from Dr. Laura.

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