The continual dismissing of Old Testament scripture is disingenuous at best. But the real problem is Old Testament is only ignored or swept under the rug, or re-interpreted when the thing happening in any particular passage is abhorrent. But when it aligns with current day Christian agenda then it is “the word of God and should be take literally.”

You can’t (or shouldn’t be able to) have it both ways.

Since Bethel was the royal cult center of the northern kings and Elijah and Elisha were known to frequent Samaria (perhaps even as their main residence), the youths from Bethel no doubt assumed that Elisha was going up to Samaria to continue Elijah’s struggle against royal apostasy. (Some believe that the youths, in their mocking, were telling Elisha to ascend to heaven as Elijah had done.) Baldness was uncommon among the ancient Jews, and luxuriant hair seems to have been viewed as a sign of strength and vigor. By calling Elisha “baldhead,” the youths from Bethel expressed that city’s utter disdain for the Lord’s representative, who, they felt, had no power. Elisha pronounced a curse similar to the covenant curse of Lev 26:21-22. The result gave warning of the judgement that would come on the entire nation should it persist in disobedience and apostasy. Thus Elisha’s first acts were indicative of his ministry that would follow: God’s covenant blessings would come to those who looked to him, but God’s covenant curses would fall on those who turned away from him.

The referenced Lev 26:21-22 quote above (out of context) is:

“‘If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve. I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted.’”

And by the way, this comment box sucks. I need to fix that one of these days.

Did you see Rummy’s speech/announcement of the killing? Has that guy ever taken a public speaking class in his life?

And I find it humorous that their ’superior intelligence’ and ‘pinpoint arms accuracy’ made this all possible. How many buildings did they blow up and how much ‘collateral damage’ did they inflict over the years before were finally right yesterday?

Happy to see this again – I was afraid it was gone forever! Thanks!

I first ran across Travellist several years ago while getting into self-published sci-fi on the Internet. Thought what a cool concept – people sharing the fruits of their imaginations for the pleasure of knowing someone could read it, without having to spend a lot of money to print a book and get the stamp of approval from a suit that might not get you at all, when others might love what you did and never get the chance to experience it. I have read a lot of good Highlander fanfic as well, for example. Of course, you have to slog through a lot of dreck to get to the good stuff, but it’s worth it.

I love the Tick, and Samauri Jack as well. Off-beat and artsy with a great sense of humor. Right up my alley. Definitely not just for kids.

http://www.auntiemomo.com/samuraijack/