since my awakening i will sometimes write in a notebook it actually helps with the emotions. anyway this was from the other day.
I had the chance to read the story of the samaritan man to my 2 little ones last night. i have lost much of my desire to read any scriptures lately as i almost feel they are all tainted but i know my wife wants me to read to them tonight so my 9 yo girl picks the samaritan man story from the bible story book. i didnt read it verbatum as this would bore them quickly so i told the story the way my kids enjoy it and afterward kissed them both goodnight. i had read them a few other stories but that one brought up a moral question so i searched online to find out who the samartans really were. (be warned the facts i write may not be perfectly accurate as far as dates and a few minor details anyway you can do your own research if so inclined)they were isrealites who descended from the tribes of ephriam and manassah they were isrealites. they were brought in as settlers to the land of cannan by the assyrians, they belived in thier own gods thus considered non jews by the hebrews and were not allowed to help rebuild the temple after the jewish release from babylonion captivity. in the second century antiochus epiphanies declared himself a diety and sought worship for himself declaring death to any who refused the samaritans repudiated all connection with the jews and conceded to the greeks mainly to avoid the death penalty. the jews were attacked for thier refusal to worship anyone other than yahweh. by the first century the jews hated the samaritans and looked at them as loathsome creatures as the bible shows in some verses. Jesus illustration showed that even though religoius beliefs were different and there was a negative view of samaritans it was not a jewish leader (elder) or even a high ranking jew(someone who might have even interpereted scrolls like the GB) who came to the (former jew)samaritan mans aid ( there was a class distinction in the two holy men in the bible btw). it was a regular jew that helped his religious enemy thus showing the love and kndness Jesus wanted us to display to ALL.
what a difference in teaching from jesus to the dogmatic way we are commanded to treat those of different beliefs and those who at onetime were called brothers but now have a differernt belief. i had to ask myself which viewpoint do i want to impress on the minds of my impressonable young children?