Sunday, August 10, 2008

9 ’Av 5768: Fast of ’Av

Before anything else, I would like to emphasize that this is the most serious fast day of the Jewish calendar, commemorating the destruction of both Temples and numerous other tragedies. Let us not simply spend the day moaning and then this evening get back on with our lives as if nothing happened. There is a lot that is wrong with the World these days. We are still wresting with war, disease, oppression, famine, environmental disasters, terrorism, injustice, ignorance, pain, poverty, and stupidity. Let each one of us try to find something, anything to make this world a little better, because if we make no effort to improve this world, we have no reason to expect it to get better.

Worthy cause of the day: “Urge Moratorium on Everglades Development”.

Relevant to Divine Misconceptions: “Millions Who Had Abortions Don't Know It”. The article deals with an attempt to redefine what an abortion is. Arbitrary redefinition is a cheap rhetorical trick and should never be tolerated. Shame on the Bush administration for trying to pander to their constituency in this manner!

Today’s news and commentary:Today’s Lovecraft story, in lieu of a weird thing due to the Nine Days and the Three Weeks is “The Book”.


WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

Theological review of “The Book”:

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) this short story was never finished. It is the story of someone who gets his hands on a magic text and things go horribly wrong for him. There is not not enough material for theological evaluation.

Theological rating: I (for incompleteness).

Scariness rating: My pants noticed nothing.


Note: This series is not quite over. It ends tomorrow.


Aaron

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