Six People Killed By Police Part Two
There was a feature published here Thursday, Six People Killed By Police. After a bit of digging, the “reciepts” turned up. Four of the deceased were white. One of the deceased was unidentified. One of the deceased was Black. This was Keith Scott, the latest high profile victim of a police shooting.
Many people think that police killings are “the genocide of our people.” The rhetoric is intense. Some people say that “They … have no skin in the game.”
The fact that more white people than black people are killed by police is surprising to many. In 2015, there were 990 people killed by police. It broke down to White 494, Black 258, Hispanic 172, Other 38, and Unknown 28. These are totals, and are not broken down on a per capita basis.
To say that six people were killed by police in one day sounds bad. Then you look at the details. One case is Joshua Scott. “A man was shot and killed after a six-hour standoff with deputies … Deputies were attempting to deliver to Joshua Scott, 22, a court-ordered Baker Act, a form of mental health commitment. … Throughout the standoff, Scott fired multiple rounds from inside the residence, officials said. After repeated attempts to talk to Scott, he climbed out of a window, armed with a handgun. “He pointed the handgun at SWAT members who were surrounding the house and they were forced to defend themselves,” according to a statement from Sheriff’s officials.”
The people who call police “racist savages” have never had a white mental patient firing at them from an apartment barricade. Sometimes, the use of deadly force is justified. Often, it is a split second decision. Sometimes, the police make a mistake.
Cop In The Hood is a blog written by Peter Moskos, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. In a recent post, They’re just Sooner to Shoot in Oklahoma, Mr. Moskos discusses the current racial split. “I’ve said for a while that when it comes to police use of lethal-force, an exclusive laser-like focus on race is misguided. It’s is a red herring. If one actually wants to reduce police-involved shootings — as opposed to simply being outraged at the latest incident — there are easier ways to do this than eliminating racism and racial disparity in America.”
Is the current emphasis on race, while talking about police violence, a good idea? Perhaps this is another divide and conquer, where the white people are fighting with the black people, and the government wins. Is it possible to present a united front on police violence, instead of quarreling about who has the worse situation? Is it racist to ask these questions? Pictures today are from The Library of Congress. The photographer was Dorothea Lange.
The Golden Calf
When PG was a kid in sunday school, he heard about the the golden calf. It turns out that, splendid allegory aside, he didn’t really know much about the story. With the help of google and Bible Gateway, the text of Exodus 32 showed up. G-d bless public domain, and copy paste. The Bible is the main source for this tale. It doesn’t really matter if it is the inerrant word of G-d, it is a pretty good story. And much of the message rings true today.
1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
This is a modern story. The church is begging the people for gold. The sons are wearing golden earrings. The church takes these ill gotten gains, and forge a make believe G-d. This time, it looks like a cow. Billy Graham will come much later.
7 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 9 And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Moving down a few verses, the story gets good. 19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. 20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. 21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? 22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. 23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. 25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies) 26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord G-d of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. 28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: there fell that day about three thousand men.
Lets get this story right. Moses comes back from somewhere, and sees a naked party by the golden calf. He has a hissy fit, threw the golden calf into the fire, and tells people to start killing each other. Over three thousand men are killed. This is a repost. Pictures are from The Library of Congress.
Six People Killed By Police
There is a tweet being shared. @ShaunKing “6 people were killed by American police…yesterday. That’s the most of any day this month and more than many nations in an entire year.” 8:51 AM – 21 Sep 2016 When you consult Mr. Google, the details are not easily available. None of the recent articles by Mr. King, who writes for the New York Daily News, have any more information.
The headline story is Keith Scott. The initial reports said he was a “Disabled Black Man Shot Dead by NC Police While Reading in Car.” This narrative is contradicted by the police … “Police said in a statement Tuesday that officers saw Scott holding a handgun as he exited his car and returned to his vehicle. He then exited again as officers approached him and posed an “imminent deadly threat,” The incident will be investigated.
A google search was made for “people were killed by police september 20 2016.” The first result regards Keith Scott. The second result is about Ahmad Khan Rahami, accused of setting off a bomb September 17. The third result is a story, Oklahoma has a killer cop problem, especially if you’re black. This story was prompted by the death of Terence Crutcher. That shooting took place September 16.
The fourth result is the Canadian Calgary Sun: Redstone shooting that killed two people possibly gang-related. The fifth result is in Los Angeles, Driver in High-Speed Pursuit Dies After Crash in Long Beach, Authorities Say. The uncle of the deceased, Anthony Hill, said: “We know a lot is going on with these police officers out here, and doing things the way they’re doing it, so … it’s hurtful, it’s sad. Especially when you can’t get answers.”
Results six and eight are for general news programs on pbs and cnn. Neither page shows reports of new police killing. Result nine is about Cam Newton. Result ten is Several people detained after man shot in forearm in Phoenix … a non police shooting.
On result seven, we begin to learn something. It is from Huffington Post, Here’s How Many Black People Have Been Killed By Police Since Colin Kaepernick Began Protesting. HuffPo talks about Colin Kaepernick, but links to an article in the Guardian, The Counted People killed by police in the US. The article has six incidents on September 20. The age, race, and gender of the first victim is not shown. Of the other five, it was four white men, and one black man.
Mashantucket, CT Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Police Department A tribal police officer fatally shot an armed patron outside Foxwoods resort casino after the patron allegedly displayed a weapon, according to state police.
Thomas Tucker White Male,49, Westminster, CO Police said the man and several others were burglarizing a home, and when the homeowner returned the man punched the homeowner in the face and pointed a gun at him. The man then fled on his motorcycle before crashing while officers pursued him, according to authorities. He was shot after he allegedly brandished a weapon as he ran away on foot. Update with name, age, and race from Washington Post.
Sandy Duke, White Male, 43, Nashville, TN Duke allegedly broke into someone’s home and tied someone up before stealing a pistol and a car, among other items. Authorities tracked Duke after he fled and fatally shot him when he turned toward officers with a pistol in his hand, according to police.
Keith Scott, Black Male, 43, Charlotte, NC Officers were looking to arrest a man on outstanding warrants near an apartment complex when they saw Scott get out of his car with a gun, according to authorities. Scott, who was not the man police were looking for, returned to his car and then got out again before an officer shot him, a police spokesman said. Scott’s family disputes the police account, and said that Scott was unarmed and reading a book in his car when he was killed.
Joshua Scott, White Male, 22, Port St Lucie, FL Deputies were attempting to involuntarily commit Scott for mental health treatment under a court order, authorities said. Scott reportedly armed himself with a gun and barricaded himself inside his home when deputies arrived. During a six-hour standoff, police said they tried to negotiate with Scott, who fired out of his home multiple times. He was shot and killed when he allegedly pointed the gun at Swat officers.
Charles Dove, White Male, 35, Decaturville, TN, Dove was shot ‘during an altercation’ with police after he allegedly robbed a gas station and fled from responding officers, officials said.
Pictures are from The Library of Congress. Part Two is now available.
How To Start A Fight
One year, I decided to buy my mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a Christmas gift… The next year, I didn’t buy her a gift. When she asked me why, I replied, “Well, you still haven’t used the gift I bought you last year!”
My wife and I were watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire while we were in bed. I turned to her and said, ‘Do you want to have Sex?’ ‘No,’ she answered. I then said, ‘Is that your final answer?’ She didn’t even look at me this time, simply saying, ‘Yes..’ So I said, “Then I’d like to phone a friend.”
I took my wife to a restaurant.The waiter took my order first. “I’ll have the rump steak, rare, please.” “Aren’t you worried about the mad cow?” “Nah, she can order for herself.”
My wife sat down next to me as I was flipping channels. She asked, “What’s on TV?” I said, “Dust.”
My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary. She said, “I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds .” I bought her a bathroom scale.
My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table. I asked her, “Do you know him?” “Yes”, she sighed, “He’s my old boyfriend…. I understand he took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago and I hear he hasn’t been sober since.” “My God!” I said, “Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?”
When our lawn mower broke and wouldn’t run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed. But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first, the shed, the boat, making beer. It was always something more important to me. Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point. When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for a short time and then went into the house… When I came out again I handed her a toothbrush. I said, “When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway.” The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp.
Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch and slipped quietly into the garage. I hooked up the boat up to the van and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour. The wind was blowing 50 mph, so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio and then I discovered that the weather would be bad all day. I went back into the house, quietly undressed and slipped back into bed.. I cuddled up to my wife’s back, now with a different anticipation and whispered, “The weather out there is terrible.” My loving wife of 5 years replied, “And, can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?”
After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security. The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver’s License to verify my age. I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at home. I told the woman that I was very sorry, but I would have to go home and come back later. The woman said, ‘Unbutton your shirt’. So I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair. She said, ‘That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me’ and she processed my Social Security application. When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social Security office… She said, ‘You should have dropped your pants. You might have gotten disability, too.’
These human interest stories are borrowed from Expressing Myself. This is a repost, with pictures from The Library of Congress. “Halloween party at Shafter Camp for migrant agricultural workers. Shafter, California.” November 1938. Photographer: Dorothea Lange.
Rhyme With Extreme Caution
A Glorified Sidewalk, and the Path to Transform Atlanta ~ slam ~ Being white, and a minority, in Georgia ~ Complete Medical Transportation ~ Poetry Writing: 10 Tips on How to Write a Poem ~ Playboy interview ~ get your white sheets ~ trick or treat ~ tweet ~ Bomani Jones Takes us Behind the Scenes of his Ta-Nehisi Coates Playboy Interview ~ Refining “Microaggression”: a linguistic perspective ~ How To Help Someone With Depression. ~ Telling The Truth About the Stanford Rape Case ~ Colorblind Ideology Is a Form of Racism ~ bho speech ~ bho speech ~ 6 Unhelpful Comments That Gaslight People in Conversations About Social Justice ~ Stranger Than Fiction – Author: The JT LeRoy Story ~ you must remember this ~ you must remember this ~ Lee Kendra Childs ~ I am the strongman or straw man? ~ You are one misunderstood facebook post away from being in the #BasketOfDeplorabels ~ @chamblee54 @lauraalbert from an ad for Fellini Satyricon “If you see with innocent eyes, everything is divine.” ~ Technically plateaus are the highest form of flattery. – terrible one-liners I learned today, #235 ~ These materials are educational in nature. The implications and risks of a transaction may be different from client to client based upon each client’s unique financial circumstances and risk tolerances. ~ I’m feeling just a little bit smug because I just found out what cis gender means Moby ~ I suspect a person of Mexican origin might not appreciate being called Mex Garcia. ~ Scared, as in frightened, has one r. Scarred, as in having scars, has a double r. ~ @RedNationBlogga If Colin Kaepernick took a knee for Gay Rights and the LGBT Community, what would be the reaction? @chamblee54 what if he went down on both knees for the LGBT community? ~ googled national hotep day… Did You Mean: national hoop day, national hope day, national hump day ~ @aedwardslevy she died as she lived, doing crossword puzzles on her phone while attempting to cross a major street ~ Every link on the first page of google is to a right wing wacko website. ~ Every link on the first page of google is to a right wing wacko website. ~ The cost of a secret private hospital would be astronomical, even for Hillary. And then to have it be conveniently located in Lower Manhattan when she gets the vapors. It seems highly fishy. ~ playing in san francisco has rubbed off on number seven ~ Know Your Goal, Avoid Clichés, Avoid Sentimentality, Use Images, Use Metaphor and Simile, Use Concrete Words Instead of Abstract Words, Communicate Theme, Subvert the Ordinary, Rhyme with Extreme Caution, (Daydream Auction,) Revise, Revise, Revise ~ @GrnEyedMandy Donald Trump Jr made a holocaust joke proving the bag doesn’t fall far from the douche. ~ 1-@TheKevinAllison I think the emphasis on racism is a mistake There are many many other problems with DJT people are tired of racism talk 2- @TheKevinAllison I will not let it deter me but others may be driven into the DJT camp because they are tired of being called racist ~ trashing people with resting bitch face/negative attitude/depression is another form of bigotry that is encouraged ~ two wrongs make a right pseudo logic is not funny ~ There aren’t any definitions for ladysplain yet. ~ @goldengateblond Hillary Clinton on the NYC explosion: “I’ll have more to say about it when we actually know the facts.” ~ If a white politician told white people that he would take voting for a certain person as an insult, he would, with some justification, be called a racist. Now we have a mixed race President, making a speech at the Congressional Black Congress, telling black people that it is a personal insult if they don’t vote democratic. ~ if a poc votes for trump its a personal insult if a pwoc votes for trump its racism this election stinks ~ if a poc votes for trump its a personal insult if a pwoc votes for trump its racism this election stinks ~ pictures today are from The Library of Congress. “Listening to the speaker at the conference to Aid Agricultural Organization during the cotton strike (Steinbeck Committee). Bakersfield, Kern County, California” Photographer: Dorothea Lange November 1938. ~ 666 words in this post ~ selah
Mansplain
There was a link on facebook to a rather wonky article, Mansplaining 101: How to Discuss Politics and Feminism Without Acting Like a Jackass. The concept is that men sometimes do not show women adequate respect when talking to them. The Urban Dictionary has entries for both mansplain and womansplain. Neither entry is complimentary. This is a repost. Some of the quotes used in this post may have changed, since this feature was originally published.
The policymic feature is a few months old, and apparently was the scene of a lively comment debate. Unfortunately, Some people flagged a bunch of the comments. Little is left. This is the top comment: “Feminism doesn’t need to make room for men, men need to make room for feminist ideas in their spaces.” In one sentence you managed to discredit your entire argument. Who wants to argue with someone who thinks any opinion from the opposite sex isn’t worthwhile? “
When you google mansplain you are referred to a tumblr, Academic Men Explain Things to Me. This is supposed to be an authority on mansplaining. As this post is written, the top three posts are a boss who mispronounces a name, a grandfather who tells girls how to shave their legs, and an eavesdropping customer who tells a woman how to get to sleep better. This is not especially helpful.
Blank splaining seems to be a versatile label. It seems to be a way of attacking the messenger, instead of dealing with the content of the comment. It is true that the tone of comments can be troublesome. People often come across as condescending, especially when they are. It just seems to this observer that little is gained by putting a label, like mansplaining, on this phenomenon.
PG has been in many discussions where he was spoken down to. Jesus worshipers are notorious for not respecting people who don’t agree with their ideas about religion. There is also the possibility that people use this attitude of superiority as a weapon to cover up uncertainties about their position. Human beings are funny animals. We are not always the fair, logical creatures we think we are.
Another label to be put in front of splaining is white. The urban dictionary says this about whitesplain: “The act of a caucasian person explaining to audiences of color the true nature of racism; a caucasian person explaining sociopolitical events and/or history to audiences of color as though they are ignorant children.” Contrast this to the word on blacksplain: “Explaining things pertaining to African American history and culture, to someone who is racist or racially ignorant.” The white person is always wrong in this scenario. Pictures today are from The Library of Congress.
How To Choose A Guru
PG has reread How to choose a guru, by Rick Chapman. The book is a look at spirituality of all sorts, with a special emphasis on Meher Baba.
HTCAG can be a frustrating book. The main focus is on finding a “perfect master”, and the path to enlightenment under his guidance. If one is not inclined to this level of dedication, you can be left feeling inferior. This is similar to the despair people feel when they think they are going to go to hell, because they don’t have the correct ideas about Jesus.
Thie book takes a look at spirit from the perspective of all religions. A central concept is the avatar, the idea of G-d become man. (This was long before the movie with a similar title.) The avatars of recorded history include Zoroaster, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed. Some say that Meher Baba is the modern avatar.
Mr. Chapman has a knack for phrasing. There are expressions that PG remembers from reading HTCAG in 1978. They are still there 34 years later.
Creation First, there was G-d. Then, there’s you. Then, there is G-d.
Speculation The average persons speculation about consciousness…has “the stink but not the weight of his turd”
Evangelism An authentic Master will encourage you to let your life itself be his message.
Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds Don’t be sidetracked by elaborate creeds and doctrines- the truth is as simple as it is profound. From the ancient teachings of Zoraster to today, these three principles have been the heart of the message of every G-d realized Master.
Books “Excellent guides until you find the Way.”–Abu Sa’id
Books Part Two …the scriptures of the past compare to the writings of a present-day Perfect Master just about the way that dust compares to honey.
Satan Worship If you have been toying with the thought that any form of Satan worship can lead you to higher consciousness, sober up by reading the story of Dr. Faustus. There are many paths to enlightenment, but this back alley isn’t one of them.
Sex A real guru never has any form of sexual relations with his followers. If a person posing as a guru tries to seduce you in the physical sense, then you can have no clearer indication that he is a phony, a pathetic and hypocritical collection of unresolved desires.
Truth, Old and New One time the Buddha was approached by a young man who was skeptical about Gautama’s renowned divine status. “Does the Blessed One teach a path that is new and original?” he asked. One of the Buddha’s close disciples, Sariputta, turned his gaze from the Master to the skeptic and replied, “If the Blessed One taught a path that was new and original, He would not be the Blessed One!” “Well said, Sariputta,” smiled the Buddha, “well said.”
Several of these quotes are available in copy/paste form at Meher Baba Information, for which this reporter says thank you. This site says that Rick Chapman is a follower of Meher Baba, and met him in 1966. This relationship is never made explicit in HTCAG. A glowing chapter is devoted to Meher Baba, and this relationship is not surprising. Still, HTCAG might be a bit more upfront if this relationship was clearly spelled out.
Meher Baba was born February 25, 1894 with the name Merwan Sheriar Irani. The name Meher Baba means “compassionate father”. From July 10, 1925 until his death January 31, 1969, he maintained silence, and communicated by gestures that were interpreted by his followers. Meher Baba believed that he was the avatar of our age.
With all of it’s human imperfections, HTCAG is a valuable book. It is easy to read, will expose you to ideas about spirit, and get you to think. When you grow up in a Jesus Worship tradition, one can be aware of a spirit within. At the same time, you get tired of the obsession with life after death. You sense that there is more to G-d than scheming to live after you die. HTCAG shows one path.
This is a repost. It was written like Vladimir Nabokov. Pictures are from The Library of Congress.
The Prodigal Son
Luke 15 1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of G-d over one sinner that repenteth. 11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. Text for today’s story is from Bible Gateway. Here is a commentary on The Power of Parable . Here is a discussion about this parable. This is a repost. Pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.
Yesterday, this facility published the text of Luke 15, also known as The Prodigal Son. The titular phrase does not appear in the King Jimmy text. The story is a parable, that is, a made up story to teach a lesson. Those who say every word of the Bible is true somehow miss this.
The Prodigal Son is a popular story. It is well known, and speaks of forgiveness. Some unkind people say that Jesus worshipers like to be forgiven, and do not like to forgive. There is plenty of evidence for this observation. Lets just say that lots of people don’t want to take responsibility for their actions. If your pie in the sky hero to forgives you, then you can have a cleaner conscience.
PG was at a memorial service once. The guest of honor was a leather wearing pagan. The minister, who had met the deceased one time, told the story of the Prodigal Son. It made PG feel better.
The forgotten character in this story is the older brother. He was faithful to his father, stayed at home and helped out, only to see his wayward brother welcomed back with joy. The father never killed a fatted calf for the elder brother. Maybe the elder brother deserved it more. Sometimes, life is not fair. Some say this is more than a parable. Maybe it is three units of bull.
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