Saturday evening was so nice that I phoned Ina for a beer, which we consumed at the ‘Oak Tree’ near her domicile. The elevated patio was busy, but Ina had found a good spot and we chatted for over an hour. We then walked to her place and I headed home after this remarkable meet.
Many blessings, I say.

We then walked to her place and I headed home after this remarkable meet. Many blessings, I say.

Saturday John, Annie with friend came by for a short visit on the way to the Science centre, which now has become profit oriented for the operator, but not for the public. Sunday I met with friends at the Palliser, where Judith brought along some unexpected guest visitors. Herman reminisced in detail about his becoming acquainted with New Thought, using his first mentor W.M.Graham’s birthday in 1904 as the lead in.

In the aft I dropped in at the Patisserie, which was having a drop in with some treats. It was well attended despite the weather; I bought a Mango Bonbon and said hello to the staff and owner.

After supper I wrote some more notes in my Blue Norton Cahier, continuing with my theme of authority. I ended up asking how we as humans may have become conscious of such concepts - as authority - and then pass them on in our traditions to this very day!

I now want to try a call to my sister Els, as I have not talked to her for a month. We did connect and chatted for about an hour about courses we plan to take and the refuge problem now playing out in Europe. And with a quick coffee it is now 10:20am, making it time to switch to ‘Writings‘.

My hand written notes, consisting of three timed entries in the Blue Norcom Cahier are on pages 36 thru 38. The second entry, 9:37pm, addresses the diversity that we find within the Scriptures of the various religious traditions. The new insight that I explain in my notes is that we should make a beginning with studying these internal diverse and at times conflicting assertions.

They have often given rise to violent conflicts within the tradition concerned, but here and now I recommend that we only study the texts that are controversial and come to understand why it is that each tradition harbours and values such contradictory teachings and values.

But, why are these differences there and what makes it so difficult to accept that the other has different values? We value bio diversity, so why not religious diversity?

I go on to say that such a study of contradictory teachings within each tradition may then become a lead in to developing an understanding of the differences among and between the various human religious traditions.

We know there are these differences! But, why are they there and what makes it so difficult to accept that the other has different values? We value bio diversity, so why not religious diversity?

I have an example of internal contradiction that comes from a Sept 08 2015 article in ‘Trouw’ - a Dutch language News site - titled “Bijbel stelt eisen aan opvang vluchteling”, which translates into “Bible sets standards for accepting refugee”. Its author is Rabbi Raphael Evers and he quotes Exodus 22:21 which says: “A stranger you shall not suppress, nor encumber him, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt”.

The contrast is supplied in the comments by ‘wpjo’ who references Deuteronomy 20:10-14. It advises, that when conquering a resisting city, ‘to enslave those who don’t resist, to kill them that do and to keep the women and cattle as ‘spoil to thyself‘.

This latter case of advise when conquering a city is of course not quite the same as when ‘the stranger darkens the entrance to your tent’. The reaction of the mentioned commentor leaves out that reference of ‘conquering a city’, making invalid a direct comparison with the stranger of Exodus 22:21.

However, there is a marked contrast between these referenced texts in their held values and recommended behaviour, even though the circumstances are different.

What we do want to do is to minimise the contrast and maximise a reasoned acceptance of the differences.

All together this example shows the need to do a diligent internal examination of such texts and underlines the importance to consider the setting of such text in full and to not leave out aspects in order to heighten the contrast. What we do want to do is to minimise the contrast and maximise a reasoned acceptance of the differences.
<11:27am~