Curious Case of Jacques Ferron

Reading:   Exodus 22

This post is rated PG-13 for icky subject matter...

EXODUS 22:19

19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. 

Right then, I chose this verse because it reminded me of trial I once heard about where a man was caught doing unmentionables with a donkey and was subsequently put on trial for the act.  It's an interesting case because the donkey was put on trial as well.  I searched the all-inclusive Internet and found the story right quick, along with some other gems of note...

Thank you Rob Godfrey, The Burgundy Blog (posted on 4/6/2011):

In 1750, in France, Jacques Ferron was convicted of having sex with a donkey. Under Medieval law both Jacques and the donkey would have been sentenced to death. A parish priest petitioned for the court to show mercy, but unfortunately for Ferron the priest would only vouch for the good character of the animal. The donkey was spared and Ferron was burnt at the stake. 

In 1642 in America a young man called Thomas Granger raped a horse, a cow, two goats, two calves, five sheep and a turkey (after all that you’d think he would want to eat the turkey instead of shagging it). All of these animals were put on trial and later executed. 

In 1606 in Chartres (France, again) Guillaume Guyart sodomised a dog. After capture Guyart escaped custody and left the dog to face trial alone, which it did and was duly convicted of sexual impropriety. As punishment the dog was burnt alive. 

There’s a fascinating radio documentary about all this. It first aired on BBC Radio 4 in March, and has since resurfaced on the BBC World Service (which means that it will still be available to listen to). If interested you can find it here…Animals on Trial.

I listened to the BBC broadcast (25-min) and found it entertaining enough to include the link - a very worthwhile listen!  There was a case spoken of in the broadcast about rats on trial (a screenwriters dream come true)...I may just add the story to my future novel queue. 

Don't think I want to discuss the topic of verse 19 much more because it simply doesn't need overplay in the brain; however, it is important to recognize that the verse says nothing about destroying the offended animal.  So, with that, I'm out!

~Kipling

Ox for an Ox

Reading:   Exodus 21

There is an interesting concept put into play in this chapter.  The idea that it isn't the individual that deserves retribution for wrongdoing but the abused portion of the individual...

EXODUS 21:26-27

26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. 

27 And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake. 

For the sake of an eye or a tooth, not for the sake of the wronged person - hmmm?  Anyway, chapter twenty-one contains very precise instruction on how to handle servants (how long etc.) and other questions in regards to personal property; but the pinnacle moment comes in verse 17...

EXODUS 21:17

17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. 

There you have it...curse me not children or you shall surely reap the inglorious benefit of retirement from your tabernacle of clay!

~Kpling

Ten Commandments

Reading:   Exodus 20

I'm not going to fly off the grid on this one because I think it is important that everyone is aware of the Ten Commandments.  Some are obvious but I would bet 80% of you can't name all ten...go for it...hmmm, good effort but no.  So today is the commandments, ten...

EXODUS 20:3-4, 7-8, 12-17

3    Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

4    Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 

7    Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 

8    Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

12    Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 

13    Thou shalt not kill. 

14    Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

15    Thou shalt not steal. 

16    Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 

17    Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. 

There you have it - now to memorize!

Gods - graven images - vain - sabbath day - parents - kill - adultery - steal - false witness - covet

Great - Grandma - Visited on the - Sabbath - with my Parents - Keeping - Alive - Social - Festivities - for the Children.

We shall see how that goes (my mind does seem to wrap itself around sentences better)...

~Kipling

Stayed Up His Hands

Reading:   Exodus 16:11-36, Exodus 17-19

DAY 100!!

There is, surprisingly, a lot more murmuring in these chapters but I think I've ridden that horse enough and will discuss a different topic.  As the Israelites continued on their journey they came across a militant people led by a man named Amalek.  Moses selects an able man, Joshua, from among the Israelites and appoints him to gather together an army and march forth against Amalek.  Joshua does as he was directed and battles mightily with Amalek.  Moses, Aaron, and Hur (possibly the brother-in-law of Moses and Aaron) go to a hill above the battle in order to watch the proceedings.  At some point during the battle, Moses raises his arms up over his head and his troops seem to rally, when he lowers his arms the troops tend to falter.  Moses, therefore, decides to hold up his arms indefinitely...

EXODUS 17:14-15

11    And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 

12    But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 

This is an awesome example of a mighty man accepting assistance in a time of need.  There is no indication that he asked for help but Aaron and Hur produced a chair for Moses to sit upon and then each steadied one of the outstretched arms of Moses and held it in place throughout the day.  Unwavering willingness to assist their literal brother.  What a great, inspiring, moment! And yes, the servant army of Israel won the day.

~Kipling

Hold Your Peace

Reading:   Exodus 14:10-14

Unfortunately we are taking a back step on the blog today, let me explain...if you are somewhat new to my blog you might not be aware of the guidelines I have set for this blog...here's the deal; I can only write a blog based on scripture I have read on the day prior to the posting date.  So, yesterday I was about to read after a long day at the new job and, sadly, I feel asleep at the proverbial wheel (iPad in hand, head on pillow, out cold in seconds).  However, I did read scripture during the day as I was preparing for the blog posting on the previous subject so I will utilize those few verses for today's blog.  Way too complicated, I'm sure you could care less, "Get on with it already!"

It is a piteous thing that the Israelites were so quick to turn on Moses and Aaron at the slightest glitch in their lives, especially considering the enslavement they were leaving behind, but, they murmured often.  I'm not going to rehash yesterday's blog about murmurers but I did want to point out their ridiculousness once again...here they are at the Red Sea as the Egyptians approach and of coarse they murmur because there seems to be no escape.  It's too bad Moses was so patient with these whiners because it would be nice to see him raise his rod and unleash hail again.  Anyway, Moses hushes the trembling crowd, rolling his eyes at their feeble faith, and with a stern voice, says ...

EXODUS 14:14

14    The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 

Here is a relevant story about "holding your peace" from an address given by Virginia H. Pearce in the 1994 April General Conference, General Young Women Meeting.  The talk was entitled Faith is the Answer:

 My great-great-grandmother's name was Mary Goble Pay. She was twelve years old and living in Brighton, England, when the missionaries taught her family the gospel. The year was 1855, and all Mary's mother could think of was to join the other Saints in Utah. And so the following spring Mary's mother, father, and four younger brothers and sisters boarded the ship Horizon for America. 

 By the time they could get outfitted and started on the trail, it was the middle of July. Winter storms came early that year, and the Gobles spent five terrible months on the trail between St. Louis and Salt Lake City. Mary wrote: "We had to keep close to [the handcart companies] to help them if we could. We began to get short of food and our cattle gave out" (A Believing People , ed. Richard H. Cracroft and Neal E. Lambert, Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1974, p. 144). Many died-among them Mary's two-year-old sister, her five-year-old brother, and Edith, a baby sister born on the trail and buried in Wyoming. 

 And then when all seemed lost, the stranded Saints were miraculously rescued by men and teams sent by Brigham Young. But even as the handcart companies crossed the final mountain into the valley, Mary's mother died. 

 Mary describes the scene: "We arrived in Salt Lake City nine o'clock at night the 11th of December 1856. Three out of four who were living were frozen. My mother was dead in the wagon. ... 

 "[We were] taken to a home ... and the sisters brought us plenty of food. ... 

 "Early next morning Bro. Brigham Young and a doctor came. ... When Bro. Young came in he shook hands with us all. When he saw our condition-our feet frozen and our mother dead-tears rolled down his cheeks" (ibid., p. 145). 

 Well, Mary grew up. She married a good man. They had thirteen children whom they taught to love the gospel. She said it made her sad to talk about that trip across the plains, but she always remembered her mother's words: "I want to go to Zion while my children are small, so they can be raised in the Gospel of Christ. For I know this is the true Church." Mary concludes, "I think my mother had her wish" (ibid., pp. 149-50). 

I added this story because it speaks loudly of a people struggling to survive with nothing to hold on to but faith and the warming peace of their own conviction and willingness to continue moving forward.  I'm sure there were many souls among the Israelites that had this type of unwavering faith and conviction but it always seems as though the murmurers are the ones who speak the loudest and proclaim to speak for all.  Bottom line, as Moses said, we need to hold our peace and have faith that God is fighting on our side, oh, and quit your dagum murmuring!

~Kipling

Absurdity of Murmurers

Reading:   Exodus 16:1-10

"Discontent magnifies what is past, and vilifies what is present, without regard to truth or reason. None talk more absurdly than murmurers."   -Matthew Henry

EXODUS 16:2-3

2    And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 

3    And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. 

The Israelites have just walked through a 12,000 foot wall of water that crashed down upon their pursuing enemy and yet here they are, bitter, angry, and frustrated, that they have nothing to eat - what?  Henry is absolutely correct...people do indeed complain and murmur about the present, make grand the discontent of the past and ignore miracles altogether.

To quote a good friend of mine, Mr. Chuck Finley, these people are nothing but "...a bunch of whiny little [dogs of the female persuasion]!"  Moses and Aaron should be awarded their everlasting crowns of glory for their immense patience alone.

~Kipling

Obeisance of the Red Sea

Reading:   Exodus 13-15

In my post about God's command over all creatures (see Frogs, Lice, and Flies 1/24/13), I discussed the importance, or better yet, the absolutism of obedience that the animals show unto God.  All creatures immediately deploy from one purpose to another at God's command (ie. the frogs swarm Egypt and then, just as suddenly, die).  As I read the verses today, Moses parting the Red Sea, I reflected on the "Frogs" post and realized that I had not allowed for the three Omni's of God (omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent).  It's not just the creatures but everything, all matter, performs a purpose for God and will divert its purpose without quarrel, instantaneously, upon God's command.

The Red Sea parted, altered from it's purpose, and created a path for the Israelites to obtain safety.  Now, was the wind involved, sure, but the involvement of wind merely illustrates the point more poignantly - the wind obeyed God as well, diverting from one purpose to another.  Keep in mind that the water did not simply detract on either side, thus flooding lands on either end of it's perimeter, it literally raised up, creating a wall of water on either side of the path...

EXODUS 14:21-22

21    And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 

22    And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 

I wanted to illustrate the majesty of what a water wall like that would be like by spouting off some numbers but I'm not quite sure, mathematically speaking, how I would go about formulating an equation to handle such a problem.  I figured someone out there must have already done the math but, in my minimalist search for the magic formula, I could not find the answer...needless to say, depending on the site, the max depth of the Red Sea is somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 feet.  So add some footage to account for it dividing and cascading upward and you have quite an impressive wall.  Can you imagine walking down a path with a wall of water on either side reaching 12,000+ feet.  That's nearly 80 Statue of Liberty's stacked or 11 Empire State buildings, over 2 miles, ridiculously high!!

Anyway, back to my point, all things: creature, element, matter, all, go about their purpose as directed by God, diverting at his will.  Only we, humanity, can choose an alternate purpose to that prescribed by God.  We are given the agency to choose.  We can do as directed or choose not to...yes, God can destroy us and act upon us in any number of ways as He chooses but He does not - we are gifted with free agency!

Remember also that although the miracle of dividing the Red Sea, and all miracles, are wrought through the Omni's of God, it is man that pulls the trigger through his faith and as directed by God.  If Moses chose not to exercise his faith, and he had every right to, the great Exodus might not have happened as we read it today...

Moses parted the Red Sea by using that all powerful weapon called Faith.  As a conduit for God, a man, commanded the element of water to divide and it did as directed.  Faith truly is the first principle of power!

~Kipling