Jews, Christians, Peter-Paul-and-Mary

That was a great moment when Dr. Murmer was talking about how he, as a child, was able to run on and on with his commentary because the Jewish law regarding the Seder is the more exposition the better. Very funny moment when they were talking about that. Tradition/Law overruled his mother and she knew it.

Dennis got in a couple plugs for some of his books (which were relevant plugs). (And I’ve bought both of his Rational Bible books.) But it was very generous of him to let us into his home. Have you ever seen anyone so comfortable in front of a camera or audience? I have not. He doesn’t seem to be “on.” Yes, Johnny Carson was comfortable in front of a camera but you knew he was “on,” that he was performing.

What is probably the reality is that his Seder is a bit above average….just as some Christians have a more meaningful Christmas while others over-indulge on the material aspect of things. That made it nice to witness. And it also sounds as if during this week they get a chance to enjoy some very good food.

Again, I don’t know if this Seder (and his understanding of it) is typical. I’m guessing not many Jews may sit around and notice that it is not Moses who is glorified. (And think Dennis mentioned that Moses is mentioned only once in the traditional Seder.) This is because it was God, not Moses, who freed them from enslavement by the Egyptians.

He noted that this would like Americans talking about the creation of their country without mentioning George Washington. A very interesting thought. I suppose had God sunk a few British ships, he'd have a point. But then many believe Providence was highly in play, if not the driving force for our Revolution.

Yes, a nice setting. And I had expected his wife and maybe a few friends to be there sitting around the table. I suppose they were all following “social distancing” and that the wife prefers to remain off-camera. Clearly the two men who were on-camera were very comfortable with it.

Just from a technical/production aspect, I think it worked very well how Dr. Murmer would fade in and out when he had something to say. He was in that little window at the bottom right. I think he said that the Dr. has something to do with Prager U as well.

I’m not sure a Freudian psychiatrist, proper, is the person I would go to for mental health issues. But I would lie on that guy’s coach and at least give it a try. “Mr. Nelson. Your neuroses all stem from your fear of Godzilla.”

That was hilarious. He knows his people. Maybe all people to some extent. Or just family-dynamics people.

Let me know if Sister Alice's husband find's that book of interest. There's a lot of material in there that not only explains the bible passages but provides ammunition against all the slander from the Left and atheists regarding them. I think everyone could learn something from these books.

Here Prager makes a general statement, something I know we’ve discussed here (and agreed upon):



Gotta love it.

Prager has a good essay in his book talking about the Jewish belief in the afterlife. I had always assumed this was an open question or a question answered mostly in the negative by Jews.

Turns out, there is clear evidence (such as “Being gathered to your kin” when you die) that the Torah is explicit about the existence of an afterlife even if it gives it little mention. Our job is to abide by the Torah and make this life more heaven-like, and then come what may. Prager notes the disastrous influence of Islamic belief in 72 virgins, and all that.

I agree with him. And he says that even though many Jews have been taught that there is no afterlife, they are misguided.

Jews and Christians can have an honest disagreement about whether or not Jesus is the Messiah. But the more I delve into the actual texts (granted, with crucial aid from Prager), the more I realize that the famous Chesterton quote universally applies to both: “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”

In essence, I would say things are so off-track, you need to get back to the basics and past the groupthink of any particular denomination or interpretation. We’re seeing during this virus hysteria that “experts” (outside strict, engineering-based things) is near worthless.

In some respects, being an apostate from your own “religion” could be considered a good starting point.