A deeper look at some uncomfortable Bible Stories Part I

The story of David’s sin with Bathsheba told in II Samuel 11:1-12:25 is known as King David’s greatest downfall, but it’s interesting as to how this story is taught as to who is to blame. There’s a classic expression that “It takes two to Tango” which holds much truth, but can also be used to hold one more accountable to participating in wrong doing than should be.

“One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her.”

It’s often been told that Bathsheba was advertising in this instance, but let’s back up to the verse preceding which is often overlooked.

“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army… But David remained in Jerusalem.” The WHOLE army eh? Well where is its leader, King David? Why did he stay behind? There’s lots to speculate on here. But one thing is clear, David wasn’t leading much less leading well.

What is he doing on his bed early enough in the evening that he can get up from it, look around from his roof top, and have enough daylight left that he can spot a woman caring for herself? Last I checked when at war, rest and relaxation much less sleep is a rarity. In fact it’s rare even in times when not at war!

Continuing on with the text, it says, “A woman bathing.” She wasn’t dolling herself up to go party with the girls. She’s the wife of one of the most faithful of David’s warriors.

Context and history matter. So be wary of those who pull Bible verses out of historical context to justify their wants and desires.

Folks, modern private indoor bathrooms weren’t the standard way to bath in ancient times. Natural pools springs and rivers were the means. Remember that’s how Pharoah’s daughter found Moses in the basket. Exodus 2:9.

Some had a private garden of sorts with a natural spring or pool in the ground to emerge in to bathe. One can read of this in the story of Susanna that is recorded at the beginning of the book of Daniel in the Orthodox Bible. See link below in references.

There are two elders who had been spying on Susanna on her family’s private property. They would hide in her garden to do so. They pined after her beauty and nursed a passionate desire to have sexual relations with her. One day when she went to bathe in privacy away from her attendants, they cornered her and tried to persuade her to consent. Since she refused, they hardened their hearts, conspired further, projected their evil, and framed her to receive their just punishment, condemned to die.

There’s nothing new under the sun. -Ecclesiastes 1:9b.

David’s royal palace elevated him high up where he could peer into people’s private homes. This was something that he should have been very careful to guard against and to not abuse. How else did Abimelech spot Isaac caressing Rebecca in Genesis 26?

But this is rarely highlighted. Instead Bathsheba’s beauty is used against her to minimize David’s pathetic weakness. Didn’t he have enough wives already? How about Abigail? She was so noble! According to 1 Samuel 25:3 she was also beautiful. Why wasn’t David satisfied with her? Was she pushed to the side because she was so intelligent and savvy? One hears very little of her in David’s life after she prevents him from shedding more blood and he makes her his wife.

In the book of II Samuel 7, Nathan the prophet told David that he was called by YHWY to lead the people of Israel so that they could have land to build safe homes of their own which would not be disturbed by the wicked who had been oppressing the since the beginning. But here, David behaves as the wicked, by extorting his kingly power to call for Bathsheba, committed adultery with her, tries to cover it up when he learns that she got pregnant, then planned the murder of her husband to suffer the fate that clearly should have been his according to Law stated in Deuteronomy 22:22. Then one wonders why people lose faith and hate both the church, synagogue, and /or state.

Returning to the text in II Samuel 11-12. The plot thickens with so much more heartache when the reader gets acquainted with Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah. When summoned back home to cover for David’s sin, he responds when asked why he didn’t go into his wife, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing.” Consider this contrast of men? Who is living righteously and who is living wickedly? It also points out that men are capable of saying, “NO” and showing self-restraint. It is not the wife’s job to deliver everytime her husband desires sexual relations to keep him from falling into sin with the attractive woman at the office.

If only churches and Bible teachers wrote Children’s books, Bible studies, and preached sermons on what kind of role model Uriah was I think our men would behave differently. But instead they are raised with, “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” which is true, but taken out of context. They wink and forgive prominent Christian leaders time and time again with this while overlooking the wealth of scriptural passages that call for and denote those who live righteously.

When it’s taken out of context the deceiver successfully convinces men over and over again that it’s ok to look at the pornography, watch movies that they shouldn’t, look longer at women dressed immodestly to entertain wicked fantasies that they should not. Which leads them down the path to fornication and adultery even though huge sections of the book Proverbs warns them not to.

Now the most important point of the story is that YHWY stays faithful even though his best human king does not. He fulfilled what He predicted in Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heal.” Then He promised it to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David that salvation would come through their lineage.

YHWY keeps the promise alive and sheds clarity on in through his prophet in Isaiah 7:14, “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.”

This is very important because Israel was never supposed to have a king other than YHWY according to I Samuel 12:12. They were to be a people who were capable of self rule instead of the typical king otherwise known as the biggest adult bully who takes as much land and bounty possible while subjugating all he is capable of conquering.

But Israel wasn’t following YHWY and ruling self as he directed them to. In fact, the Judge Samuel couldn’t even get his sons to follow YHWY. With this being the case, how could his sons lead the people to? So the people asked for a king in I Samuel 8.

Unlike other gods, YHWY never forces his followers to obey. He loves them and desires their voluntary love and faithfulness in return. What accompanies this free will are real world consequences. Good decision result in blessings, but poor choices produce bad outcomes. Sadly, the fact that they demanded a king to rule over them was an indication that Israel as a whole was leaning towards the later. YHWY gave them King Saul, their first king who proved to be a classic tyranical narcissist, I Samuel 13-31. In other words, Israel got what they asked for.

But YHWY intervened in I Samuel 16, he directed Samuel to annoint David before David slew Goliath or performed any military win that would make him worthy. YHWY chose him when he was a shepherd to point forward to the Good Shepherd of which Yeshua, Jesus would fulfill in John 10.

So returning back to the story in II Samuel 11-12 the story of David’s sin with Bathsheba, while Bathsheba may not have been completely innocent, I am comfortable placing the bulk of the blame on David. Especially because when Nathan rebukes David. There is not a rebuke for Bathsheba.

In fact the story that Nathan tells to bring David to recognize his sin paints Bathsheba and her family as completely innocent victims of a selfish tyrant. It says, in II Samuel 12:9b “You took his wife to be your own.” The story should be told as David and Uriah instead of David and Bathsheba.

The confrontation that Nathan delivers in I Samuel 12 is a stark contrast to how Joseph responded to the advances from Potipher’s wife in Genesis 39. So why is it that Bathsheba and her beauty get so much empahsis when discussed and taught?

May I recommend you take several days to work through all the passages on your own sited here to draw your own conclusion?

The story of David’s adultery https://www.esv.org/verses/2+Samuel+11%E2%80%9312

Genesis 26 Isaac, Rebecca and Abimelech https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%2026&version=NIV

Introduction to Daniel in the Apocrypha: https://biblehub.com/topical/s/susanna.htm

I Samuel 25: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2025&version=NIV

II Samuel 7: https://www.bible.com/bible/111/2SA.7.niv

Marriage Violations in Deuteronomy 22 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/? search=deuteronomy%2022:13-30&version=NI

Proverb warnings: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%205&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207&version=NIV

I Samuel 12 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Samuel%2012&version=NIV

I Samuel 8 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Samuel%208&version=NIV

I Samuel 13 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Samuel%2013&version=NIV

I Samuel 16 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Samuel%2016&version=NIV

Genesis 39 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%2039&version=NIV

John 10 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010&version=NIV

A day at the Miami Open

Admittedly, I don’t go out much. So I can easily cause a lot of stress for my friends and self with my lack of skill with Ticketmaster, parking, and what purse or bag I’ll be allowed to take in. The Miami Open was no exception.

A lovely friend of ours volunteers each year at this tournament. She generously shared these complementary tickets that she had. Since she gave the tickets to me I did my best to learn about parking ahead of time since I’ve never been to the Hard Rock Stadium.

The information on the Miami Open web page and app highly recommended purchasing parking tickets ahead of time. They even offered a $5 discount for doing so. Well that was really an advertisement because when I clicked to purchase they claimed that offer was no longer valid and $40 was the charge. Then they pushed for an insurance fee ticket in case something goes wrong so one can request a refund. So much for me feeling secure about my parking ticket purchase. All I envisioned is showing up with a lot full and being denied a space, so I opted to purchase the additional three dollar and something fee. Then the screen gave me instant praise for doing so. Meanwhile, the parking tickets never showed up in my email or on my Ticketmaster account.

So, when we pulled in to park, I jumped out to see if I could talk to a Ticketmaster representative to help me find where the tickets went since the charge went through on my credit card, but I couldn’t find them in my Ticketmaster account, Miami Open App, or email. Instead, I was told that no one was available and to go across the street to park and pay $40 again. The guy was pretty sympathetic and acknowledge that the web page and app bullies people into buying tickets ahead meanwhile, there’s no need to. He assured me that I could dispute the first parking charge through my credit card and to just pay again. Great, more work for me to do later to keep money in my wallet. This is supposed to be my day off and fun. Thankfully, my friend was very calm and didn’t get upset over it.

Moving onto more highway robbery are the concession stands. My friend pointed out that $27 for a kabob pita was actually pretty good compared to the $25 she paid last year for a pathetic veggie burger. Silly me got thirsty for lemonade. There went another $15.

Meanwhile one can alleviate the guilt of all the take out cups and plates for these snacks when they go to the trash can by choosing to which bin to dispose it in. What a bunch of one world green religious manipulation that’s nothing but lies. None of it is recycled. They just trash it all and send it to the new Florida hills and mountains built from garbage.

More psychological lies and signs remind users on the way out of the restroom that they still want us to social distance, wear masks, and flip out if you have any sign of a cough or cold virus. More than six years have past since the 2020 Covid panic. All the dissenting who were accused of conspiracy have since been proven right, yet these signs are still posted? Really?

Perhaps I’m coming across as not much fun as I point out how ludicrious and outrageous the costs are but it baffles me as to how stupid people have become. Did we learn anything from the collapse of Rome or appreciate what the Poet Juvenal suggested that they “give bread and circuses “to appease and distract the populace from that which really mattered? What’s different now that makes it even worse is they’ve convinced us it’s worth paying too much for on top!

They’ve also persuaded us that cash is dirty and inconvenient. Choose the ease of the plastic credit card instead. Better yet, pay it through your phone and soon the chip in your body.

Then sit idle and watch others get the exercise that everyone else desperately needs. Well, tennis tournaments tend to attract a crowd that make it to the gym several times a week more so than other professional sports, but I still saw a handful of overweight individuals moving really slowly while others bustled on by.

Just in case you think I’m only here to criticize, I had a great time with my friend and walked away inspired that one young at heart ball boy didn’t let his age sequester him to a volunteer desk job at the tournament.

I also enjoyed watching live right behind a dad and coach as their champion lost graciously in the 3rd set.

The Women’s finals are tonight with the Men’s tomorrow. But those true tennis players and fans know that going earlier in the week when we did is the secret to enjoying lots of great tennis up close and personal.

Thanks again to my friend and her husband who volunteer and gave us the tickets. Thanks to my other friend who she and her husband took care of my new rescue puppy while we were gone for the day. And thanks to my friend who drove and stayed calm with the paid in advance parking debacle.

Links to related topics mentioned:

https://greenpacks.org/do-trash-companies-really-recycle

https://nypost.com/2023/02/27/10-myths-told-by-covid-experts-now-debunked

Olympic Inspiration or Fantasy Dreams?

“Verruckt” “Insane” is that what we are?

Panem et circenses – Bread and circuses

Home Owners Associations, #HOAs, are usually governed by a #boardofdirectors made up of #volunteer owners who were voted in by the other owners of the homes in the given #community to represent them. This board facilitates making decisions for the HOA and enforcing the rules established by the community. It’s a #representative form of government with elected officials serving terms to encourage limits for needed breaks and change of #leadership.

These individuals who volunteer to serve on the board commit to read, review important documents, and attend regularly scheduled meetings where the community at large is usually only expected to attend the annual meeting. Since it is a volunteer effort most HOAs hire a community manager and or management company to facilitate the processing of the #communitybusiness.

These management companies often get hired by HOA’s because they offer services at a low bid estimates. So the person who winds up answering the phone for these communities may not be compensated very well, trained, much less care about the neighborhoods needs. This individual may even be overwhelmed with managing other communities at the same time. This is the first challenge.

The second challenge is usually when owners/residents are motivated to call the management company it is because they have a complaint. Who wants to listen to people whine? Especially if they are going to do so rudely.

This all spills over to what it means to serve on the board of directors. It also tends to be a thankless job that subjects them to bullying, yelling, and screaming that spews out from unhappy community members, but it’s a VOLUNTEER one. This is addition to the time it takes often leaves open positions rather than lots of competitive candidates that are motivated to serve their community to make it a better place.

These were all known challenges to getting along and living in community with other, but add into this technological needs to administer a business that constantly are changing that opened up the possibility of virtual meetings after 2020 has complicated matters even more.

Take for example Palmetto Pines HOA. It’s a decent sized community of single family homes off of Palmetto Park Road West of 441. I recall looking at two different homes for sale in 2021. Since I haven’t had the best experience with HOA’s in Miami, FL and North Bethesda, MD, I really hesitated to put a contract on either home. But if I were going to buy a house in Boca Raton, it was almost needed as very few parts of this town are HOA free.

So, I called to see if I could review the bylaws. I was baffled at the answer. I was denied by the company because they were only permitted to give them to the owner. Thankfully, the owner’s selling the house I was most interested called, got them, and gave them to me.

Then the question comes how nit picky is this community in enforcing the rules? Is someone going to inspect my lawn weekly with a ruler to measure the height of my grass? Will I be harassed if I leave the garbage can out too long?

I wound up buying and settling in this community. I’ve taken time to introduce myself to my neighbors and get to know them. In turn, I’ve found that some are happier and/or more helpful than others, but overall they’re pretty good people who just want a nice respectful neighborhood to live in.

But, we’re all pressed for time to bring in a buck, care for our families, and maintain our properties. So it makes it hard to keep track much less attend the HOA meetings to stay involved. Then to add to it, who has time to establish their account, remember their login password etc. to be able to participate in quarterly Zoom meetings only to run into more obstacles like:

Who is going to type in that meeting address and password? I think my one neighbor who I reached out to probably copied and pasted it to be 1/2 residents who logged in with a total of 7 people in the meeting. Now, that may make for a quick and efficient meeting, but it doesn’t encourage much community involvement, responsibility, or accountability.

I know from the one Zoom meeting I that had enough time and energy to attend a few years back I decided to follow up on one of the items discussed. I rode my bike over to the section of the neighborhood that apparently had a parking problem. What I found was inconsistent with what the management company reported. But, do. you think any management company is going to turn themselves into the board for not doing a good job?

Thankfully, I knew where the president of the board lived. I took photos of the reality I saw. I reported that the signs were already there just required a little cleaning which I did, and hopefully, he was able to save the community money on further action on the situation.

The problem is, I’ve not had enough time or energy to do anything else, much less really get to know the board members so that they know I’m just trying to keep our costs down and neighborhood nice. To add to it that president whom I gave the information that I witnessed sold his house and moved out of state so I lost my contact.

So I’m pretty much back to where I started except let’s hear it and give three cheers for the one neighbor who was able to log in and listen in on the meeting! Remember it only takes one person to make a difference!!!

Home

One’s own culture can be tricky to observe and contemplate because seeing the forest when you are living in the trees is tough to do. It’s always been easier to recognize a culture different from one’s own because the contrasts stand out and often offend. To articulate what one routine repeats on a daily basis takes a big breath, step back, and serious self-reflection.

Consider the Superbowl, its comercials and half-time show. How many host or attend a party to tune in to what used to be a unifying American experience? Once upon a time schools and cities rallied together to support the local sports teams. But the Super Bowl rises above this and calls all in the United States to come party at this once a year event. The ensuing Monday morning is full of chatter about the commercials, game, and half-time entertainment. This wasn’t always the case.

The tide turned in 1993 when #MichaelJackson was selected as the Super Bowl Half-time artist. According to IMDB , Jackson’s presence doubled viewership. The NFL quickly learned the power behind who they invite to perform and turned this into one of the most decked out pop/rock shows to exist. No longer was this event just about football. It became the platform to prop up the pop/rock idol of the day to manipulate the masses. Yes, manipulate.

Fast forward to #SuperbowlXXXVIII in 2004, ironically Michael’s sister, #JanetJackson, performed Rock Your Body with Justin Timberlake supposedly had a wardrobe malfunction where she was exposed in front of ~150 million viewers many of whom were naive children. If it were truly an accident on stage, the original choreography of what supposed to happen, Timberlake remove the bustier part of Janet’s costume to review a red lace bra is certainly not “G rated” much less family friendly. The grooming of children has been going on for sometime.

Most people are completely blind to the purpose of entertainment. While it has a time and place in each person’s life, it has grown to proportions where some never grow up. I witnessed my late father being one of them. Don’t get me wrong, my dad was responsible. He earned his pharmacy license and worked for the same corporation for 32 years. But besides providing for his family, life to him was about always cracking a joke, making fun, playing a round of golf or tennis, and then plopping in front of ESPN for hours upon end. He subscribed to the local newspaper for one purpose: to read the sports page.

Many people, like my dad, want to be amused for life. This was done on purpose. A group of people who are immature are easily seduced, deceived, conquered, and controlled.

Panem et circenses – Bread and circuses

I applauded TurningPoint USA’s impressive alternate half time show. f you missed it, I took photos of the time to move your cursor to in order to watch the show on #YouTube. The link is at the bottom of the blog.

I’m not sure hosting #KidRock was the best idea since lyrics to other songs he produced are definitely questionable, but at least he didn’t sing those songs at this performance in a foreign language and pretend it was family friendly like the #NFL hired #badbunny to do.

Don’t you love how classy they’re all dressed in #turningpointusa’s show?

#GabbyBarrett models that a gorgeous woman doesn’t have to dress like a slut when on stage behind a microphone. Recall how Janet Jackson was dressed for that SuperBowl Half time show. Barrett’s attire finally gives our girls a good role model on how to dress and carry themselves!

How about the quality lyrics to the songs performed? “A life without work is just a myth.” “If you got to label me, label me proud.” “when we’re pressed down, we get back up again.” “There’s a book in your house…”

Just make sure you teach your kids how to respect and drink responsibly since one of the song does glorifies the drinking crowd.

While I am not a huge fan of Country Music as a genre, it’s American Culture and known for quality lyrics as opposed to the stereotypical rebellious, sexual, angry, and violent lyrics of Rock, Hip Hop, and pop music.

https://www.youtube.com/live/nJszMT9wZtQ?si=kLkFCFfclXhALZKshttps://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Absbk62qJ/

Many others had a lot to say. Clayton Wood wrote on #Facebook, “Here we go again another Superbowl Halftime controversy https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GRTqePzDk

MCRTV posted on Facebook the English translation to Bad Bunny’s lyrics sung on stage. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HxQvkajRS/ Yikes, not exactly the music I want to listen to much less my kids. But hey, I did the same thing when I was a teen. I thought I could enjoy the beat and ignore the lyrics. When they mumble like Bad Bunny in another language its not tough to do. However, words do matter. More on that thought the blog I wrote on The Folly of Don’t Be a Prude.

The Folly of “Don’t Be a Prude”

Back to the Superbowl Half-Time Show, the NFL doesn’t like the competition https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Zc1arNu3Y/

David Rameria title his FB post, “When Two Halftimes Reveal a Nation’s Spiritual Crisis.”

Then starts his blog with, “#SuperBowlLX gave America more than a football game—it gave us a mirror, and the reflection reveals a profound spiritual crisis.

Bad Bunny became the first Latino solo artist to headline the halftime show, performing almost entirely in Spanish.  At the exact same moment, Turning Point USA streamed an alternative show featuring Kid Rock, drawing millions who refused to watch the official broadcast. 

Two stages. Two Americas. One spiritually sobering moment. The Problem on Both Stages…” Read the rest here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19FFjBqWNU

In closing, its not about English verse Spanish although I have a lot of experience with this having written a children’s book and songs in Spanish.

Bilingual Children’s Songs By Hope

It’s about getting people to push further apart on politically polar opposite spectrums to insult, mock and shame one another. It’s also to continue to amuse the masses to keep them fat, happy, and stupid so that they can be culturally, spiritually, and economically controlled by one centralized global power that is rebellion against YWHY.

Resources:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482607/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/celebrities/inside-janet-jackson-and-justin-timberlake-s-infamous-super-bowl-nipplegate-scandal/ar-AA1VNWUr

https://www.that-was-the-year.com/post/the-evolution-of-american-culture-from-post-war-grit-to-1950-s-glamour

Liam Out Loud concisely articulates what’s really going on. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BCyphtFha

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonifitzgerald/2026/02/06/what-to-know-about-turning-point-usa-halftime-show-including-controversies

Who was Jesus and was he really born on December 25? Why do churches celebrate Christmas Eve? It can be good to doubt and question why certain traditions are practice. But one should consider the attitude behind it. Is it to better understand or to mock and justify rebellion? Be careful of the later and let’s dig into the first.

There is no record of the exact date when Jesus of Nazareth was born. During this time in history poverty was rampant and record keeping scant as the costs of scrolls and scribes were exorbitant. But, individuals were very good at giving oral accounts that were much better than what moderns can fathom who depend on written texts to refer to.

According to Luke 2:8-20 shepherds who were keeping watch of their flock at night were greeted by an angel to proclaim the birth of the Savior. Israel is too cold in December to stay out at night with one’s sheep. It’s more likely that they would do this in the Spring or Fall.

Some say that Jesus was born in the Spring near the time of the Passover. Others say he was born later during the season of Fall Festivals of Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah. Both have deep literary significance with what each of these holidays commemorate that fore shadow the promised Messiah. So why celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25?

December 21st is known as the Winter Solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere it is the darkest day of the year as the angle of the earth points away from the sun even though Earth is actually in the closest part of its ellipse to it. Pagan celebration of this involved raucous partying, rituals, feasting, and sacrifice to their various gods. But in the 10th century, Norwegian King Haakon the Good, desired to convert all of Norway to Christianity. What better way than to blend Jesus’s claim to be the light of the world in John 8:12 and switch the celebration to his time of birth?

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Interestingly, Hanukkah also known as the Feast of Dedication, a holiday not clearly instituted in the Torah like the Spring and Fall Festivals are, also falls somewhere around this time each year. The history behind this is found between the last prophets before Christ ~167-164 B.C. in the books of I Maccabees chapters 3-4 and II Maccabees 8:1-10:18, Apocrypha texts. Judas Maccabeus led a guerrilla-style rebellion against Antiochus Epiphanes to purify the Temple and restore Jewish faith practices. From this an 8 day celebration of rededicating the temple became known as Hanukkah. A key part of this celebration is the menorah, originally a seven branch candelabra that originates from Exodus 37:17-24.

Yeshua is recorded in John 10:22-23 as observing this festival:

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication^[a] at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 

The next few verses shed incredible understanding onto Jewish expectation and longing of the time. They wanted a political Messiah to free them from the bondage of the Roman Empire. The Maccabean Revolt was temporary. The majority of the brothers who led it died horrific deaths as an independent Israel eventually gave way to the rule of Rome. This did not align with the prophecies and hopes for freedom. Keeping this in mind, pick back up in John 10 verse 24:

²⁴ The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, ²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[b]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, ³² but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

³³ “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’^[c]? ³⁵ If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? ³⁷ Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. ³⁸ But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” ³⁹ Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

Reading this one can surmise why many Jews rejected Yeshua as Messiah. He did not fit the mold of what they believed. He did not give them the political freedom from Rome that they sought. Picking back up in the rest of the passage:

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And in that place many believed in Jesus.

This belief in Yeshua isn’t the kind that the demons exhibit as described in James 2:19. Rather, it’s the kind that changes lives through genuine repentance and true worship! It frees one from looking for heaven on earth in an utopian style of government. They experience the power of being forgiven a debt to G-d that they could never pay and in turn extend that forgiveness towards others. They are finally able to apply the Shema as written in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 by loving G-d with all their heart, soul, strength, and mind. Then in turn love their neighbor as themselves!

Perhaps this is what 10th Century Norwegian King Haakon had experienced which is why he was also called good and wanted to spread to others by converting Winter Solstice into Christmas. The bigger question is what have you experienced and desire? What do hope to convey to others when you wish a Merry Christmas?

For more reading and references in this blog:

https://textandcanon.org/paul-and-first-century-letter-writing

https://allthatsinteresting.com/yule

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208%3A12&version=NIV

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-menorah

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2037%3A17-24&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010:22-42&version=NIV

https://www.gotquestions.org/Maccabean-Revolt.html

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/feast-dedication-jesus-hanukkah

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%206%3A4-9&version=TLV

https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/James%202%3A19

Fall Holidays

What is Rosh Hashanah besides the first of the fall Jewish holidays that shows up on some calendars and calls for a day off of public school in certain communities? Why should it be observed by all Jews and possibly believing Gentiles who are grafted in through Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead?

First, to clarify, the purpose of this blog is restore and respect the spiritual rich history behind this holiday, not to get bogged down in the various unique cultural traditional details that one may be familiar with. By all means share in the comment section if you have something to add and correct any misnomers of which I am blissfully unaware.

Here’s one to start with. Last week I was enjoying the company of lovely friends when two who are Jewish looked at me strangely when I referred to High Holy Days as feasts or festivals. Little did they know I was thinking of this book that has taught me much about what I will discuss in this blog. One did agree that if I were to be a good practicing Christian I should first understand the Jewish faith and history.

Rosh Hashanah is referred to “The Head of the Year”, but it’s actually the 7th month of the Biblical Jewish calendar not the first. “ADONAI said to Moshe, “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘In the seventh month, the first of the month is to be for you a day of complete rest for remembering, a holy convocation announced with blast on the shofar.” Leviticus 23:23-24 It is a day of rest with no specified name. So why is it now referred to “New Year?” Perhaps it evolved to this like other traditions.

The new year varies depending on its purpose. The primary and secondary school year starts somewhere in August or September for most in the United States, but the academic medical school year starts July 1st. Neither starts in January. Then we have fiscal calendars for accounting and taxing purposes. There are planting and harvesting seasons so don’t get hung up on this “New Year” reference for agrarian based cultures of which Ancient Israel was one.

At the time of Christ, Tishri or the 7th month was established as the beginning of the fiscal year where Passover in the month of Nissan signifies the beginning of the spiritual year, but even this varies based on the tradition followed.

Don’t get hung up on the name either. There’s no fancy name or title given in scripture. It’s just referred to “Yom T’ruah” meaning the day of blowing. This evolved to the feast of Trumpets for some. So why this instrument and for what purpose?

Various types of horns or trumpet like instruments have been used to rally the masses to signify some form of announcement whether they are war cries or to announce the entrance of the king. What is unique about shofar is that it is to be made by a ram’s horn to remind the people of the ram that the LORD provided in the thicket for Abraham to sacrifice instead of Isaac his only son as recorded in Genesis chapter 22. This ram pointed to Jesus laying down his life as further described in Isaiah 53 that would ultimately occur in Golgatha as described in Matthew 27.

As a musician, I find it fascinating that the person who was to blow the shofar was to be a trained musician since youth who played beautifully on a virtuoso level. One who could play to evoke the deepest emotion within. His music was to awaken the deepest parts of the soul to reflect and remember.

This was to review all that God had done to rescue Israel from the slavery of Egypt which points to the ultimate freedom from sin, through Christ, that the apostle Paul writes about in Romans chapter 6. This freedom would finally equip genuine repentance of sins that kept weighing Israel down of which is another major theme of Rosh Hashanah especially moving into Yom Kippur.

Another theme of the holiday is judgement. That certainly isn’t a popular topic today. People are deluded into thinking that everything is ok as long as you are ok with just about any behavior, lifestyle, or belief, but this isn’t the case. What people do in private spills over into the public and affects others. So let’s look closer at look.

The view that the LORD judges Israel and the Gentiles obviously isn’t very popular, but is based on Deuteronomy 11:13-18. There are three books that get opened on Rosh Hashanah that group people into three general categories: the righteous, the wicked, and the in between.

According to second century Rabbi Meir, the righteous have their name inscribed in the book of life, the wicked in the book of death and the in between are given 10 days until Yom Kippur to repent based on Psalm 69:28 which states, “Erase them from the book of life, let them not be written with the righteous.” and Exodus 32:30-32 “You have committed terrible sin. Now I will go up to ADONAI; maybe I will be able to atone for your sin…Now, if you will just forgive their sin! But if you won’t, then I be you bot me out of your book which you have written.” -The Complete Jewish Study Bible. There are lots of theological disagreements and implications in this which I will not pursue further here with the exception of one.

Humans are easily seduced by power, corrupt it, and love to lord it over their subjects in the name of God and religion. This is why all ancient cultures governments were entwined with gods of various cultures. Ancient Israel was to be different and set apart because this God of One who created all and is sovereign over all was an anathema to all other religions at that time.

The other differentiation is unlike the sacrificial systems of the numerous gods of all nations, YWHY prescribed Himself as One, Omnipotent Sovereign through Moshe or Moses to be only deity that could be satisfied. The promise of redemption and restoration was real. Not only this but the people could have fellowship with God experience His love and one another rather than living in constant fear and bickering. Free will to chose to love and obey was offered instead of demanded through force, conquest, and constant fear of the unknown. All other religions operate on the later.

This transitions into another major theme of Rosh Hashanah: repentance. Repentance is the voluntary means by which to submit to YWHY’s rule, authority, and law. It is how to become a righteous subject of such king.

So in closing, take time to reflect upon the spiritual depths discussed. Do not mistaken YHWY’s patience in judgement as indifference or inability to intervene. He is sovereign over all the earth, it’s rulers, and nations whether they honor him or not. Do not excuse your lack of submission to His rule based on the abuses or neglect of others. Choose this day and choose well.

Beware of the Re-writers

Back in February I wrote about getting Americans to return to constitutional principals by learning the original to start from. This led to my search for a copy of the Florida Constitution.

Make America Constitutional Again

Little did I realize that six proposed Amendments would be sponsored and placed on the November 5, 2024 ballot to change the Florida Constitution.

The founding fathers designed a unique form of government that would be limited by a Constitution. Each state has their own in addition to the Constitution of the United States of America. These words are compiled to generate a meaning that was supposed to create a representative form of governance or republic that had restrictions to prevent tyrannical rule.

However, words can be misinterpreted, misconstrued, and maligned. Some would argue that the profession of law has been corrupted by those most talented in doing just this. While it may seem to be more prevalent at this time especially in certain areas, it really isn’t a new tactic.

Consider one of the very first stories of human beings, chapter 3 of Genesis: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You^[a] shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” The first tactic is to question what was said.

The second is to twist the intent behind commands, directives, and laws. ⁴ But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

The third is to misapply it by taking it out of context as a separate entity. Look at the temptation of Jesus in Matthew chapter 4: “Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple ⁶ and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus aptly replies, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Expanding to other strategies used in the war of words is to change the meaning of words and phrases. How often does one hear, “That’s not what it means!” or “What does that mean?”

Well that’s exactly what is going on with the majority of the Amendments listed on the Florida November 5, 2024 ballot.

Amendment 1: https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/Initiatives/fulltext/pdf/10-104.pdf in summary is proposing to change school board elections from non-partisan to partisan vote as if divisions weren’t big enough already. But perhaps it will review one’s affiliation’s that explain why furies are provided liter pans, sexually confused students are allowed to impose their personal identity crisis onto others in bathrooms and locker rooms, and sexually graphic materials are included in health curriculums. Voting YES will mean school board candidates must divulge their political party affiliation. It also means that independent voters will not be able to vote on school board in the August primary.

Amendment 2: https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/Initiatives/fulltext/pdf/10-105.pdf rambles on about preserving the right to fish and hunt via traditional means as a constitutional right. Why this isn’t already a right is really baffling.

Amendment 3: https://initiativepetitions.elections.myflorida.com/InitiativeForms/Fulltext/Fulltext_2205_EN.pdf is laced with seductive wording to make it seem like voting in favor for it will further supply the state government with funds to provide great services with taxation on the approval of marijuana for recreational use. Meanwhile, it gives one corporation sole privilege to be the source of the substance while putting all competition out of business. It also opens to door to a myriad of additional social problems of which enough present. Vote “No” is probably in the best interest of everyone but the sponsors of the amendment.

Amendment 4: https://initiativepetitions.elections.myflorida.com/InitiativeForms/Fulltext/Fulltext_2307_EN.pdf deceives, lies, and mispromises. It’s quite the example of ambiguity to allow for interpretation as anyone sees fit. The advertising behind the amendment is very misleading. For example Unlike other Amendments, Amendment 4 does not define any of its key terms. For example, it does not define “viability,” “health care provider,” “patient’s health,” or how serious a health concern would need to be to allow exceptions for late-term abortions. These uncertainties create loopholes resulting in more abortions later in pregnancy than voters intend.

Amendment 4 goes TOO FAR by allowing late-term abortions, far beyond when science says the baby is capable of feeling pain.

Amendment 4 would overturn current laws requiring a parent’s consent BEFORE a minor can have an abortion, thereby making abortion the only medical procedure that can be performed on a minor without a parent’s permission.

Amendment 4 pretends to “just bring things back to how they were with Roe vs. Wade” – but it actually goes much further – creating a constitutional right to abortion throughout all nine months with no protections for the unborn baby.

In Michigan, where voters recently approved a similar amendment, the same lawyers who wrote Amendment 4 are currently suing the state to force taxpayers to fund abortions. The same thing will happen in Florida if Amendment 4 passes. Be sure to visit the Votenoon4FL.com web page for more information. The link is listed below.

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Amendment 5: https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/initiatives/fulltext/pdf/10-106.pdf Here’s an interesting amendment that proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to require an annual adjustment for inflation to the value of current or future homestead exemptions that apply solely to levies other than school district levies and for which every person who has legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner, or another person legally or naturally dependent upon the owner is eligible. This amendment takes effect January 1, 2025.  A YES vote would allow the homestead exemptions to be adjusted for inflation, a NO vote would keep the homestead exemptions the same as current.  But let’s look closely at the language of the proposal:

(1) An exemption not exceeding fifty thousand dollars to a
82 person who has the legal or equitable title to real estate and
83 maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner, who has
84 attained age sixty-five, and whose household income, as defined
85 by general law, does not exceed twenty thousand dollars; or
86 (2) An exemption equal to the assessed value of the
87 property to a person who has the legal or equitable title to
88 real estate with a just value less than two hundred and fifty
89 thousand dollars, as determined in the first tax year that the
90 owner applies and is eligible for the exemption, and who has
91 maintained thereon the permanent residence of the owner for not
92 less than twenty-five years, who has attained age sixty-five,
93 and whose household income does not exceed the income limitation
94 prescribed in paragraph (1).

Who has an income less than 20,000 and owns property?

Could it be that this Amendment is just smoke and mirrors to the Tax racket described here?

Local and State Property Tax Racket in Florida

Amendment 6: https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/initiatives/fulltext/pdf/10-107.pdf Proposes the repeal of the provision in the State Constitution which requires public financing for campaigns of candidates for elective statewide office who agree to campaign spending limits.  A YES vote would repeal the requirement for public financing for campaigns of statewide office candidates who agree to campaign spending limits, a NO vote would keep the law the same.

I’d like to thank the women of We The Locals Podcast.com for their guide and podcast on this subject. Visit it here: https://wethelocalspodcast.com/#9a605efa-1b4a-43c8-96a0-a50861dfb927

Other recommended references;

https://www.flfamily.org/

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ttps://votenoon4florida.com

For the full Genesis Chapter 3 click here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%203&version=ESV

For the full Matthew 4 story of the temptation of Jesus, click here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=ESV

For a fantastic sermon discussing how the Bible can be misinterpreted click here:

August 20, 2024 Primary Election Palm Beach County, Florida School Board District 5

In February I wrote about a debate I attended between the two Republican candidates for Sheriff in Part I. This post I will be focusing on a debate that was held between three of the candidates for the District 5 position for the Palm Beach County School District School Board.

First, to clarify, the Palm Beach County, School District 5 position will be voted on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 in the Primary Election. School Board is a non-partisan local government position. Since this is a primary election, people will receive a different ballot according to either the Democratic, Republican, or Nonpartisan voter’s registration preference. But the five people running for PBCSD Board District 5 will appear on all three of these ballots, unlike sheriff regardless of their particular party status.

A winner for District 5 could also emerge from this Primary Election on August 20, 2024, but it is unlikely since the winner must secure more than 51% of the votes which will be difficult with five people running. Most likely whoever the two individuals who secure the highest percentage of votes will then run off on November 5, 2024.

The Palm Beach County School Board is comprised of 7 districts that do NOT geographically coordinate with the the 7 districts for the Palm Beach County County Commissioners Board. Why this is is a whole additional subject. In short, I view it as a convenient complication to keep the normal citizen ignorant and unaware of their local governance. Stay with me though so that you can change this and hold these leaders accountable. After all, the school district taxes your property without homestead relief, determines its own millage rate, and is the largest business in Palm Beach County with an astronomical budget funded by your public tax dollars.

PBCSB like most boards rotate terms so approximately half of the board is up for election at the same time. This also allows for incumbents to have time to merge into the board and learn the system should they be new, which many of the American Founding Fathers envisioned. People would leave their farms and businesses for a time to serve their community. They would then return to their farms or businesses. Each would take their turn leading. This professional politician game where they move from different position to position isn’t what was intended.

School Board members serve for a four year term. This year, 2024 the seats that are up are Districts 1,2, and 5. Women Impacting the Nation, founded by Trombino hosted a Candidate Forum at the August monthly Charter Meeting Tuesday evening in School Board District 5 in Boca Raton. The leadership of WIN asked three of the school board candidates who were present several questions followed by the audience. The three candidates present were Gloria Branch, Mike Letsky, and Suzanne Page.

Each were given an opportunity to answer, but Branch rudely interrupted Letsky early on because she didn’t like that he was differentiating himself from her. Meanwhile Ms. Branch was the one who went first and arrogantly claimed to be the ONLY one… blah ,blah, blah. Heated exchanged calmed down and civil dialogue ensued.

Branch began to sound like a broken record resaying the same things over and over again. My teen daughter who I took with me for her summer homeschool civics field trip found it amusing that a grown woman would claim experience because her father was a principal and superintendent in the past. We are also puzzled why a “successful banker” would give that career up in order to be a substitute teacher. If she cares so much why didn’t she share specific plans that she has to implement if elected?

She just kept harping on getting back to the basics of “reading, writing, and arithmetic.” Thankfully she didn’t refer to them as the “Three R’s.” It might be a catchy phrase, but it’s a terrible way to teach reading, spelling, and writing. It’s already confusing enough for students to differentiate between write, rite, and right! Then its just sloppy speaking to claim that R in arithmetic. But this was the slogan to start public schools in the beginning of the 19th century. See my blog on Private, Public, or Homeschool The Answer Part II in the references below for that bunny trail.

Back to the school board debate, Mr. Letsky specified that student scores and learning were not improving with the laptop curriculums. He shared data on this and proposed ditching these costly programs in order to replace it with returning to empowering teachers to lead daily instruction and require students to read physical books.

Letzky also impressively articulated specific ideas of where to cut wastefully spending in the budget to increase teacher salaries and benefits in order to retain talent. Details like “15.5 million dollars were spent on Multi-Cultural a.k.a. DEI curriculum and 5.5 million dollars were spent on Social Emotional Learning, SEC.” He understands what I blogged about curriculum this time last year. See that story in the references below.

Mike is also aware of the busing and transportation problems and has solutions to address them. Good talent needs to be retained through good leadership, respect, and decent pay.

Suzanne Page kept calling herself Pitbull Page. She promised to address the DEI problem in the schools. Dr. Page also promised to deal with the bloated budget. She pointed out that PBCSD has 24 different lawyers whose incomes are consuming some of the wasteful expenses. She didn’t seem too excited about increasing teacher pay like Letsky.

Obviously, I’m endorsing Letsky. But look up the candidates web pages, read, and determine for yourself. I included the link for Letsky’s below. Branch has her page designed to take over mine when I tried to insert it, so I ditched it. Her page should be easy to find because she raised a lot of money from donors outside of the county unlike Letsky. 71 of Mike’s donors are grassroots locals who care to change the board. If Suzanne Page has a web site, I couldn’t find it. I’m sure she’s a great person with good values, but it’s hard to envision her being successful in what she claims she will do.

Two other candidates are on the ballot who were not present at this debate. Mindy Koch who is boasting that she is endorsed by former Chair of the Board, Frank Barbiari, Jr. I’m curious if this man still has any supporters. The disrespectful way he treated the public at board meetings revealed him as a tyrant. The other candidate is Charman Postel. Both of these women are democrats with progressive views. I’m guessing that’s why they weren’t at WIN’s debate.

One closing thought, understand the reason for public school, how it is funded, and operated before you cast your vote. It’s one of the most important government businesses that affects you and your community whether you have children in the system or not.

https://ballotpedia.org/Statewide_primary_elections_calendar

Click this link to find your sample ballot: https://www.votepalmbeach.gov/Voters/Precinct-Finder

https://voteletsky.com

Curriculum Has a Time and Place

Private, Public, or Homeschool, The Answer Part II

Who’s the best candidate?

Early March 2020 major news broke out across the world about a possible worldwide pandemic. Since one of my projects years ago when I worked in the pharmaceutical industry was to work with infectious disease medical thought leaders about a new drug to treat influenza called zanamivir I had been scouring through the CDC’s web site for information about this new strain of coronavirus.  I recalled what these thought leaders taught about how quickly a pandemic could spread throughout the world given our modern travel habits.  I knew it was a matter of time before it would be a local issue.

But, I also remembered that doctors, even the thought leading ones at the prestigious medical school are humans vulnerable to pride to fill their curriculum vitae’s with publications, speaking engagements, referrals, and political advancement within the medical and local communities of which they partake.  They are subject to the quality and quantity their subordinate researchers support them with.  The accuracy and speed of their testing equipment limits and sometimes fails them.  And most of all the statisticians can “cook the books” or power their studies to say just about whatever the writer of the hypothesis really wanted to prove.   A professor of medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center taught me to be careful of the latter.  He repeated frequently, “Figures lie and lairs figure.”

So I began to tune in to dissident voices that argued against what the mainstream media was saying to see what they had to say and why. Fragmented parts of my life finally came together to form a clear picture much like lost pieces from 1000 piece puzzle.

Fast forward to January 2024, another bizarre time of events. Rumors of what happened on January 6 still haunt many. I’ve always felt that there are two sides to any story with the truth often falling somewhere in the middle.

I don’t really remember where or how I came across an article featuring one of the J6 prisoners and the treatment they have endured. I felt compelled to share it through one of my social media accounts on December 2, 2023. I forgot about it and moved on. But then early in January 2024, at an informal dinner out, I met the fiancé and mom of one of one of those men!

What has ensued since is a friendship with these two women who encouraged me to write to Barry.

First I had to re-write my first letter to him in order to comply with the standards of what the federal prison system would allow for me to send. No stickers, tape, cards, or flyers are permitted. Only a hand written note on white paper. Then I started receiving letters back from him along with updates from his fiancé and mom on how happy he was that I started to write.

It’s been a long time since I had a pen pal and wrote letters. It’s also been a while since I studied at public school and university. Most of us weren’t taught much about the Constitution of the United States. Most public school curriculum offers Civics: American Government for only one or maybe two years. However, I’ve worked to ensure that my homeschool daughter has it every year since middle school.

One organization that has helped me to do this is Constituting America. They host weekly live podcasts on Tuesdays at 2 PM EST. Each week they host a different guest who is well experienced in the Constitutional topic they plan to discuss. This guest gives a brief monologue on the subject which is followed by the most thought provoking Q & A by regular members of the show.

They have also introduced me to a few other great resources like the Ashbrook Center which is an independent organization at Ashland University that is committed to restore and strengthen the capacity of the American people for governing themselves. Below are links to these organizations and their resources.

Lastly all of these organization offer their resources freely because people who can support them financially do. So if you can, please consider donating to them, thank you and let’s make American Constitutional again.

https://americanminute.com

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https://constitutingamerica.org/

Exclusive Update: J6 Political Prisoner Barry Ramey Launches Appeal Against Egregious Sentence – Continues His Fight for Justice – PLEASE DONATE BELOW

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https://online.hillsdale.edu/landing/constitution-101

Family Theatrical Drama

https://www.turningpointacademy.com/resources : Look for the Patriots’ Catechism Ages 12-99, Junior Patriots Kit Ages 5-8, Constitution Kit: Ages 9-12 Bahnsen Economics Course: Ages 14-18 and How We Got Here: Ages 12-18