We Don’t Need all the Answers
By Richard Dirigible Abbott, UK
We don’t need all the answers.
The bible is big. I’d go so far as to say very big.
I’m not talking about number of words or weight in pages I’m talking concepts.
The bible told us that a divorced man has an obligation to ensure a reasonable life for his ex-wife.
The bible taught us to treat all people with dignity even to the point of freeing indentured workers and tithing for the poor. Christianity didn’t give that to the world. That’s Judaism son.
Both christianity and islam followed in the holy footsteps of the Judaism and took credit for alms and equality but there was a people who drew their morality from G-D in a dark world of violence and brutality. That’s Judaism son. Here’s the problem. Once, when the ink was still drying on the chumesh and we wandered in the desert, Torah lead and we followed. In those times we fed from the hand of The Provider Himself, when we obeyed we thrived and when we strayed we fell. Suffering was an intimate friend of the Jew but so too was redemption. Today we try to lead. We try to make the TaNaKh fit our politics, our agenda, our beliefs. If you’re a creationist, fine, if you believe in the big bang, fine, either way I don’t really care. I believe: At the head of things (bereshit) G-d defined (bara Elohim) the heaven (hashmayim) and the earth (vahaeretz). How He did it I will likely never fully understand while I inhabit this finite body. Could He have done it in six literal days in such a way that gives the impression of billions of years? Yes, He’s G-d, time isn’t really a challenge for Him. Could He have defined it billions of years ago with an explosion, actually that sounds like His style yes. The point is either way it was G-D who did it, I see no conflict with the sciences, their observing and recording G-d’s universe, whatever they discover is just more stuff G-D made. It’s fascinating and astounding and it testifies His mastery.
If the orthodox make women Rabbis and this upsets you, you really need to ask yourself why you’re upset. Is your reason biblical? Did G-D say no to ordaining women rabbis? Because if He did fine, no women rabbis, but if He didn’t where in lies the issue? Be careful not to impose your own politics on the bible, it never ends well. Personally I would sing Hava Nagila and weep if ever Jew; man, woman and child, took it upon themselves to study, teach and obey torah. I think the world would be a better place. But if G-D took exception to it I’d have to side with Him, He’s the boss. He seemed pretty happy with Deborah though… I spoke to an Indigenous Australian a few months ago, I stood in the shadow of Ularu and listened to the story of his people. He told me they believed they had always been there, that they had been created in Australia. Science told them they had arrived 25,000 years ago and couldn’t possibly have been there any longer. A few years ago new discoveries were made that proved that Indigenous Australians must have been in Australia for between 40,000 and 60,000 years. A few months before my visit a cave was discovered in South Australia with an Aboriginal cave painting in it, on top of the painting was a wasps nest that must have been built after the painting. They dated the wasps nest to 90,000 years old. My guide told me, “One day science will prove that our people originated in Australia and they’ll expect us to be shocked! You just gotta be patient with them, they’re only learning.” Before the Big Bang theory was formed the scientific consensus was that the universe had no origin, that it stretched infinitely back into time and Judaism said “No, it has a beginning.” Now science says the universe has a beginning and we’re haggling with them over dates! Oy vey! Maybe it’s time we turn our attention back to G-D, back to Torah and back to being a Or logoyim.
Stop arguing with the goyishe and instead be fair and just and merciful and walk humbly with G-D.