At Passover we are reminded why rituals are important -- FoxNews
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Posted by: Russ Walden ®

04/15/2022, 12:31:28

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At Passover we are reminded why rituals are important

A thought provoking piece by Prager as we continue to circle the cultural bowl.

Regards,
Russ








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"Why must we suffer each race to believe that no race has been grander?" - Genesis (rock band)
Re: At Passover we are reminded why rituals are important -- FoxNews -- Russ Walden Post Reply Top of thread Forum

Posted by: LateForLunch ®

04/16/2022, 06:58:49

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Recently read a book by the late Anne Rice (reviewed herein) Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. One of the things about that series is how deeply Rice studied the ancient culture of the years 1-33 AD in Israel. 

Rice did what other authors like Stone, Michner et al have done in recreating an entire world from historical research. The value of her Christ the Lord novels goes beyond the central plot (dramatizing the possible early life of Christ before He took up His Mission). Rice gives the reader a chance to visit life as it was in that time - so different yet so familiar in the ubiquitous brutality, senselessness, waste, infamy and suffering so long endured by Humanity. 

I personally got immersed in the whole time-machine quality of the books. The olive groves, standing on the roof of the Great Temple in Jerusalem, fording the Jordan River, living in the massive multi-generational homes of tradesman families in Nazareth. 

The ancient cultures were immersed in rituals - some worthy, some profane, some beautiful, some terrible. Each had its own significance to the people Jews, Romans, Egyptians, religious groups, zealots, revolutionaries, thieves, traders, schools. 

The richness of the average person's community/family life was profound - it calls into question the whole notion of "progress" when viewed from a purely psychological/social POV. Life was so fleeting in that time, disease, violence, chaos - all came to steal life from people prematurely.  People valued life more - they were serious-minded because life was obviously so precious/fragile. 

Convenience and fun were not the orders of the day.







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