BRAGADAYJAH 228

The Lord did not stop short, nor failed to mention every human contingency as one who knows the beginning from the end.  One can just imagine the people, hearing all of those things and wondering, what on earth their Lord was talking about; for more likely than not, they never even heard or thought of most of those things at that time.

            So He told them, “you shall not make a false report, nor join with the wicked to be a false witness.”

            More specifically, the Lord said, do not join with a multitude to do evil, nor give evidence in a cause with a view to distort the course of justice.  This last was in fact a re-statement of the ninth commandment, not to be a false witness.

            Have pity on the poor man he warned; if you see the ox or an ass of an enemy going astray, catch it and take it to him. If you see the ass of one that hates you laboring under a heavy load and you can help, do help it.

            Do not distort the justice due to the poor, God again cautioned; “keep yourself far from a false matter; and the innocent and the righteous, slay not; for I the Lord will not justify the wicked.”

            Take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the eye of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous; and remember, do not oppress the foreigner; for you know the heart of the foreigner since you yourself was once one also.  More

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Justice Or Expiation

JUSTICE OR EXPIATION?

So Donald Sterling has been banned from Basket Ball in the capacity of owner or official; and while the whole Nation, at least on the face of it, has responded with righteous indignation as being highly offensive and harmful, speaking for myself I can’t resist the feeling that he is being punished as expiation for the Nation’s conscience.

Firstly, racism is not dead in America; it has just in recent years taken on a more subtle, but no less deadly aspect.  People don’t express racism openly; they just practice it more discreetly.

        Secondly, Mr. Sterling is an old man; he was no doubt jealous of his girl friend having a relationship with other men, especially black men.  What was so detrimental about his telling his girl friend to stay away from black men, or any men for that matter?

        Thirdly he was having a private spat with his girl friend.  A conversation not intended for the public ear.  Are there any of us who do not say things or have not said things in private that we would be terribly ashamed of if heard in public?

        Fourthly, I have heard the word “nigger,” and “nigga” used by black American men day in and day out on Television, Film, Radio, on the street corner, in conversation with one another, as easily and commonly as if offering a candy cane.

        Black people talk derogatively about “White People,” and to be sure White People talk derogatively about Black People.  White, Black for me are mere descriptive terms and mean nothing more.  The Words, “nigger or “nigga,” I have come to know are used with an insulting sting when used by mostly poor ignorant Whites; when used by black people, it is not intended to carry the same sting, although it is almost always used by equally stupid and or ignorant illiterate or semi illiterate Blacks.

        But it would seem that when it comes to race relations in the U. S, what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.  www.chaberbooks.com

STERLING - JUSTICE OR EXPIATION?

JUSTICE OR EXPIATION?

So Donald Sterling has been banned from Basket Ball in the capacity of owner or official; and while the whole Nation, at least on the face of it, has responded with righteous indignation as being highly offensive and harmful, speaking for myself I can’t resist the feeling that he is being punished as expiation for the Nation’s conscience.

Firstly, racism is not dead in America; it has just in recent years taken on a more subtle, but no less deadly aspect.  People don’t express racism openly; they just practice it more discreetly.

        Secondly, Mr. Sterling is an old man; he was no doubt jealous of his girl friend having a relationship with other men, especially black men.  What was so detrimental about his telling his girl friend to stay away from black men, or any men for that matter?

        Thirdly he was having a private spat with his girl friend.  A conversation not intended for the public ear.  Are there any of us who do not say things or have not said things in private that we would be terribly ashamed of if heard in public?

        Fourthly, I have heard the word “nigger,” and “nigga” used by black American men day in and day out on Television, Film, Radio, on the street corner, in conversation with one another, as easily and commonly as if offering a candy cane.

        Black people talk derogatively about “White People,” and to be sure White People talk derogatively about Black People.  White, Black for me are mere descriptive terms and mean nothing more.  The Words, “nigger or “nigga,” I have come to know are used with an insulting sting when used by mostly poor ignorant Whites; when used by black people, it is not intended to carry the same sting, although it is almost always used by equally stupid and or ignorant illiterate or semi illiterate Blacks.

        But it would seem that when it comes to race relations in the U. S, what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.  www.chaberbooks.com

BRAGADAYJAH 227

Seeking to protect the poor further from oppression by the more fortunate, God also provided that “If a man takes his neighbor’s coat or cloak by way of a pledge, he must return it to him by nightfall of that day; for so said the Lord, “it is the man’s covering; and if you keep it, with what shall he cover himself in the night? When he is cold and can’t sleep he is bound to cry our in the night; and I will hear him, and I will be gracious unto him.”

            In the midst of giving all these rules for the people to follow, God reminds his people not to revile God or curse the ruler of the people. He also reminded them not to forget or neglect to offer to The Almighty the first fruits, the outflow of the winepress, nor the first-born of their sons.

            As regards the young oxen and the sheep it shall be nurtured for seven days from birth; and on the eights day it shall be given to God. 

            In addition, God reminded them, “You shall be holy men unto me. You shall not eat any flesh that is torn by a beast in the field; it shall be given to the dogs.”  More

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BRAGADAYJAH 226

Now God continues to provide remedies for crimes against humanity.  So if a man were to entice a maid, who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he was called upon  to endow her to be his wife; but if her father utterly refused to give her to him, the man was compelled to pay money to her according to the custom of dowry for virgins.

            God also gave command that a witch should be put to death.

            Whosoever lies with a beast should also be put to death.

            It was also prohibited to sacrifice to any god other than the Lord; and who ever did so was to be destroyed.

            God’s people were also warned against vexing or oppressing a foreigner, reminding them that they, too, were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

            It was also prohibited to afflict or mistreat the fatherless and the widows.  For if they were afflicted or mistreated in any way, and they cried unto the Lord, He would hear their cry and kill the oppressor with fire and sword, and make widows and orphans of his wife and children.

            Turning to the poor, God said, “If you lend money to any of my people who are poor among you, you shall not be to him a usurer, not burden them with usury.

            Who but the Creator of the universe, the All-Knowing, All-Seeing, Provident God could have foreseen all there several contingencies?  More   www.chaberbooks.com 

BRAGADAYJAH 225

Reading English Legal History without knowledge of the Bible, one may be led to think that, at least to Western minds, the custom of trial by witnesses began with the English system of trial by “compurgation,” trial by attestation of twelve men touching one’s innocence, when accused of crime; but in fact it is written right there in God’s Ordinance to His people way back then on Mount Sinai.

            For it was written, “If a man delivers to his neighbor an ass, an ox, or a sheep, or any beast for safe keeping, and it should be reported by the keeper that the animal or animals have died, burnt, or driven off, and no sees it, that is to say no one can attest to the truth of the keeper’s claim, then an oath shall be taken of the Lord that he the keeper hath not touched his neighbor’s goods, and if the keeper so swears, the owner of the goods shall take his oath as being consistent with his innocence.

            But if the goods were stolen, the keeper shall make restitution to the owner. If the animals were destroyed by say a wild beast, then he had to take the remains in proof to the owner, and he shall be exonerated.      

            I cannot resist the temptation to recount here a very similar experience I had once appearing for an owner who was suing a person to whom she had given cattle under what was called a contract of agistment, which is in fact a contract of bailment such as being discussed here.

            Under the contract the bailee was under an obligation to take reasonable care of the animals, and in return he retained a half of the increase.

            At some stage there was a flood in the area and the bailee informed the owner that all her animals had perished in the flood.

            The owner did not believe the bailee’s account, and sued him for the loss of her property.

            The bailee gave evidence that he was not in the country when the flood occurred, but that his 16 year old son had called him and told him what had happened.

            Counsel for the bailee asked the lad, “What did you do when you discovered that the cattle had died?” 

            “I called my father and told him what happened.”

            “And what did you use to call him?” Counsel persisted.

            “I used to call him Daddy,” replied the boy.  Morewww.chaberbooks.com

BRAGADAYJAH 224

Every manufacturer or maker of goods knows, what those goods are made of, how they will behave in different circumstances, and under different conditions; so especially if they are expensive goods, or things made to last a long time, he includes or provides a manual or instructions regarding the repair, maintenance and use of such goods.

            Not surprisingly, therefore, God the Creator, not only laid down laws for his people to live by, but knowing their propensity for mischief and error, He gave them laws and by-laws, regarding not only how they should behave towards Him; but how His people should behave towards one another.

            Not only did the Lord provide remedy guidelines for trespass to persons inter se, and trespass to goods, and theft, he also provided remedies for negligence.

            So it was provided that, so if a man causes a trespass to another man’s vineyard to be eaten or cause his field to be eaten, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field.  If a man causes fire to escape from his own field and burns that of another, he shall make restitution.

            If a man undertakes to keep goods for his neighbor and he claims the goods were stolen, then if the thief be caught, then the thief would be compelled to pay double the price of the goods; but if the thief be not caught, then the master of the house from which the goods were stolen would be taken before the judges to enquire whether the goods were really stolen, or if the householder had dishonestly taken them himself.  If then the judges were not convinced that the goods were indeed stolen the bailee would have to make restitution up to double the cost.  More

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