Purim

As I have previously mentioned I am studying for conversion. The other day I was in class and the rabbi was talking about the holidays in detail, he had them all written down on a chart in order one after the other. I was late and missed the first part but I came in in time to hear about Purim. He asked the question, "What is the miracle of Purim?" Well everyone had a different answer; that we survived Haman's evil plot, or that Esther actually became queen, bla bla bla. These weren't the answers the Rabbi was looking for.

The miracle of Purim was that we acted on our own. Esther is the only book of the bible that does not mention God, sure you can say he's in the shadows changing things around to help us out but really he isn't in there. And that's the beauty of Purim we actually got it right. We didn't need God to do everything for us. Well that's to say that God had a passive roll instead of an active roll.

So I got to thinking that the history of the Jews is just like a life cycle of us humans.

In the Exodus we were children God had to do everything for us. He had to pick a leader, force the leader to talk, convinced the Pharaoh to let them go, and defeated the Pharaohs army when they attacked us. We did nothing but walk and wipe blood on our door lintels.

Then as we wondered around in the desert we were like two year olds constantly whining and complaining. God even had to hold the Mountain over our heads in order to make us except the Torah.

On and on throughout Torah we behave like children, God had to do everything for us and even had to punish us from time to time.

But when we get to the story of Esther we've grown up a bit. I'm not saying we don't need God its more like when a father is teaching a child how to ride a bike. The father pushes the child and then lets the child go, the child will go for a while then fall, without the father to hold them up and push them the child cannot stay on the bike. But finally the father lets go and the child rides forward and learns to ride with the father keeping watch and giving a little help when needed.

I thought this was interesting but that's just me.

fear

I was mowing the grass yesterday and I came up with a new book idea. (I know I should finish the rest of the books I've started but whatever.) Anyway, the book is called Fearless and its just a concept right now but it shall evolve.

So now my adoring fans you are the first to read a (Very) very rough draft of an excerpt from

Fearless

"Every day all over the world people are born with a birth defect. Some are born without arms or legs, some without kidneys or any other organ or limb. Still others are born with a mental defect with varying details. John Doe (As I said so far its just a concept so the main character does not yet have a name.) was even more unfortunate than any of these. Some would argue that this isn't a defect that it is a plus or a power. They would be wrong for John Doe was born without fear.

Now fear isn't something we normally dwell on. Oh sure when something frightens us all we can think of is fear. But they are very basic, primal thoughts of survival not really thinking about what fear is.

If we didn't have fear we wouldn't have many things usually thought to be separate from fear. Without fear there wouldn't be a moral conscience, we would have no perception of "good and bad" and religiously speaking no belief in a higher power. For if we break it down a bit what is a moral conscience? The answer is simply the fear of getting caught or the fear of what people will think or do. And religion is the fear of an almighty.

So our John Doe has lived his life without any guidance what so ever. An unpleasant life indeed.

So what do you think? Am I crazy or stupid?

Wizards and Dragons

Hello my adoring fans! Sorry its been awhile since I posted but what can you do?


The other day I was working for Mrs. C Pulling apart some strange apparatus when boholdith me a foul serpent.


Now first let me say that the phobia of snakes runs deep in my family. I have memories from when I was a small child of my father running away from the no legged fiends. This has been handed down to me unfortunately. When I see or hear of a snake my heart stops I shake I sweat and I run. My Mother is not afraid of snakes and usually is the one who saved my father from them. She would get this savage look in her eyes and would charge the serpent with various weapons. For instance Shovels axes hoes (the garden tool you fool) and what ever Else she could get her hands on.


One memory sticks out. It was late at night, we were wakened by the screaming of chickens. Me and mama ran to check it out lo and behold there was a snake in the chicken coop. I held the flash light in trebling hands. As momma beat the thing to death with a very dull axe.


Scarred me for life that night did.


Well back to the main topic. I was prying apart the apparatus when I saw a snake only a foot from my hand. I shouted (I will not say what. for I fear in my primitive terror I forgot my manners)


I ran from the nightmare but had a sudden surge of courage at the sight of an old shovel.


I shall now slip into nerdome and tell the story as it played out in my head.


The Wizard (nerd) took up his staff (shovel) and charged his foe. The Dragon (Snake) raised its foul head and roared. (Hissed) the Wizard (Nerd) swung his staff (shovel) missing the Dragon (Snake) by a long shot. As the Dragon (Snake) charged the Wizard (Nerd) retreated, a string of curses spilling from his lips. After a moment the Wizard (Nerd) regained his courage and charged again this time piercing the Dragons (Snake's) head. after repeatedly beating the Dragon (Snake) till his staff (Shovel) broke the Wizard (Nerd) grabbed another one and paraded around the village (Yard) holding the Dragons (Snake's) body aloft.


All this really happened and after I was done parading I burned the snake. so that leaves the score for this year.

Wizard 1 Dragons 0

Post at ya later

Nerd out!