Plan B Forum

Happy Easter to those who celebrate.




There was a really powerful panel conversation on Morning Joe on Good Friday, which I highly recommend to any who might be interested. It’s just over 20 minutes long, worth every minute - includes the brilliant John Fugelsang and Rabbi Matthew Gewirtz. It’s a balm for souls troubled by the perversion of faith occurring today in our politics and nation.

‘We can’t let that pass’: Joe reacts to Trump’s spiritual advisor comparing him to Jesus

And a happy Jesus haters you pagan Easter ham to all.

He is risen indeed. I am still working on the book of Samuel. Robert Alter, in the introduction to his translation says: The story of David is probably the greatest single narrative representation in Antiquity of human life evolving by slow stages through time, shaped and altered by the pressures of political life, public institutions, family, the impulses of body and spirit, the eventual sad decay of the flesh. It also provides the most unflinching insight into the cruel processes of history and into human behavior warped by the pursuit of power."

One of my favorite commentaries on the New Testament is by Levine and Brettler, two Rabbis. Anybody have a hint as to the Muslim take on the story of David?

snailgate.

That's good about David - very fitting analysis, snail. Might have to look that one out.

Tried to have a discussion recently with a fellow Christian as to why they thank God for his goodness. It's not as if he has a choice. Is it?

Well, as the story goes in Genesis 6-9, He did loose control of his all-loving Grace and decided to wipe out all life on land and start over. Sometimes I wonder if much of the collective problems of mankind come from the too-narrow gene pool from Noah and his family. Many of us have just navigated out of that rational maze of 'what's good about Good Friday?' I have thoughts that the Passover is a much more socially useful holiday than Christian Easter.

snailgate.

... And on the third day He rode again!
 


-"BB"-

Burning Petard wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:00 pm

I have thoughts that the Passover is a much more socially useful holiday than Christian Easter.

snailgate.

Two very different things with very different significance for their respective cultures. (Unless you mean all the pre-holiday cleaning that goes with Passover.)

Bicycle Bill wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:55 pm

... And on the third day He rode again!

[Scooter]Crisse en bicyclette![/Scooter]

Also, Happy Easter!

Burning Petard wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 05, 2026 1:17 pm

Anybody have a hint as to the Muslim take on the story of David?

snailgate.

I can't say I'm familiar with any Muslim commentaries, but Daoud is revered in Islam as one of the great prophets, Allah having revealed to him the Zabour (Book of Psalms), using his great musical skills to praise Allah and bring the Children of Israel back to a righteous path of obedience. Islam rejects the adultery and murder parts of the David story as corruptions, because a prophet (especially one as great as Daoud, who was also an earthly king by the will of Allah) is not capable of such iniquities.

Yes, the differences in meanings and symbols between Easter and Passover are huge. Those differences are exactly why I believe one supports relationships that are destructive to the community and one supports relationships that strengthen the community.

snailgate.

I did eat Pagan Easter Ham (TM) yesterday along with a large number of other foods I probably shouldn't eat and certainly were not Kosher.

eddieq wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 06, 2026 5:10 pm

I did eat Pagan Easter Ham (TM) yesterday along with a large number of other foods I probably shouldn't eat and certainly were not Kosher.

Poor David Ben Ariel will never know how many years of smiles he gifted us.

ETA:

(I just looked it up, it's been 15 years since he died -- March 27, 2011.)

I talk about that thread occasionally with friends. It was a wild ride. And God bless him, I think about him every time I pick up a ham or even get a cold cut sandwich with ham on it. I wonder how he would feel if he knew that his legacy would be ham.

Side quest: At the Special Olympics a few years ago, we were in line for breakfast and one of the athletes was in front of us. When asked what they wanted, they yelled, "HAM!". The food service worker put ham on the plate to be greeted by, "MORE HAM!" It was humorous to us for the seeming absurdity of the interaction, but this athlete knew what they wanted and articulated it. Later I observed them happily eating their breakfast ham, completely oblivious of the paganism.