BPR Mailing List Digest: 01/18/00

Philologos
BPR Mailing List Digest
January 18, 2000

Digest Home | 2000 | January, 2000

To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items (1/18/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 08:58:43 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

*** Barak, Arafat hold secret meeting

HADERA, Israel (AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat held a secret meeting Monday night
just hours after a pipe bomb suspected of being aimed at derailing
the peace process injured 22 Israelis, most of them only slightly.
The meeting came as Palestinians were accusing Israel of reneging on
its commitments by postponing a West Bank troop withdrawal, due to
have taken place Thursday. Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh told
Israel TV the meeting was aimed at pushing the peace process forward.
The two leaders were to have met later this week in Washington, but
Barak canceled his trip following Monday's postponement of peace
talks with Syria. Israel Radio reported that Barak was asking Arafat
for a two-month delay in reaching a framework agreement for a final
peace treaty. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563401591-a0d

*** Nuns block West Bank church seizure

JERICHO, West Bank (AP) - Two American nuns, including a sister of
ex-Clinton aide George Stephanopoulos, stubbornly stood their ground
Monday in a monastery Palestinian police tried to seize over the
weekend. Stephanopoulos' sister, Maria, said she was bruised in a
scuffle with police and at one point clung to window bars to resist
eviction in the property dispute, which could turn into a diplomatic
headache for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Sister Maria, 40, of
New York City, said during the first 36 hours of the standoff, she
refused to eat and drink, but has since ended her protest fast. At
issue is a property dispute between the exiled Russian Orthodox
Church and its more powerful rival based in Moscow. The Russian
Jericho Garden Monastery had been in the hands of the exiled, or
"White" church, but Palestinian police raiding it Saturday said they
had documents showing it belonged to the "Red" church in Moscow. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563396867-8fc

*** Jordanian king goes incognito again

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - In his latest undercover expedition, Jordan's
boyish king disguised himself in old clothes and slipped out of his
hilltop Amman palace Monday to find out about the hospital services
offered to ordinary Jordanians. It was the fourth time since his
ascension to the throne nearly a year ago that King Abdullah II has
left his palace in disguise to try to find out what life is really
like for the people of his Arab kingdom. On the previous occasions,
he posed as a TV reporter, a taxi driver and an old man. This time
Abdullah, 37, was dressed in old clothes and a traditional Arab
headdress draped across his face, according to Royal Palace
officials. His destination was a government hospital in the
northeastern city of Zarqa, where he made inquiries about services
provided to patients, the officials said. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563401016-ac1

*** Lunar eclipse visible in U.S.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - Finally, there's an astronomical event for
all of us. It won't take a telescope, filter, star chart or degree in
rocket science to appreciate the total eclipse of the moon Thursday
night. It will be visible above virtually all of North and South
America, where the weather allows. "It's perfect the way it's
choreographed," said Kelly Beatty, a senior editor at Sky & Telescope
magazine. Beginning at 9:03 p.m. EST Thursday, the eclipse will reach
its darkest phase between 11:05 p.m. and 12:22 a.m. Friday, when the
moon reaches its height over the East Coast. In most places, the moon
likely will dim to a dull charcoal or ruddy red, but it could totally
disappear for some viewers. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2563412704-6f7

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today (1/17/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 09:01:50 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Second attempt at anti-ballistic missile interception being watched by whole
world

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: U.S. News

Mon Jan 17,2000 -- When a Minuteman II missile fires its engines at
Vandenberg Air Force Base on Tuesday evening, one of the Pentagon's most
nerve-racking waiting games will begin. Technicians will watch anxiously as
satellites and experimental new radars try to guide an "interceptor" missile
from Kwajalein atoll in the western Pacific toward the Minuteman. About 30
minutes after the launch, fidgety controllers will finally learn whether the
interceptor collides with the target about 100 miles above the Pacific=96or
passes by harmlessly. The suspense will be shared by a growing gaggle of
nervous onlookers in Washington, Moscow, Beijing, and other capitals. If the
interceptor finds its mark, it will be the Pentagon's second consecutive
success at "hitting a bullet with a bullet." That will satisfy one of the key
criteria for proceeding with a national missile defense system designed to
shoot down small numbers of warheads heading toward the United States, a
decision President Clinton vows to make by summer. A successful test
would also bolster Republicans who back a more aggressive missile defense
shield. It would increase pressure to make deals with Russia, China, and
U.S. allies=96all opposed to the missile defense plan. And it would leave
Clinton=96and presidential candidate Al Gore=96little room to maneuver out of a
$13 billion program that many experts think could fail.

Jordan calls for lifting of U.N. sanctions on Iraq

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Mon Jan 17,2000 -- Jordan's Prime Minister Abdul-Raouf al-Rawabdeh called
on Monday for the lifting of U.N. sanctions on Iraq, saying Iraqis have
suffered enough. "We call on our Arab nation and the whole world to work for
the lifting of sanctions on Iraq," Rawabdeh told parliament. "Our people in
Iraq have paid a heavy price...," he added. Jordan and its port of Aqaba were
a main route for Iraqi trade before the embargo cut the vital source of income
to the Jordanian government.

Turkey says its water can boost Middle East peace

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Mon Jan 17,2000 -- Turkey said Monday it wants to boost the Middle East
peace process by selling fresh water to arid Israel and Jordan from its
southern rivers. "Turkey would be quite pleased to contribute to the Middle
East peace process by offering its water potential," said Deputy Prime
Minister and Energy Minister Cumhur Ersumer. Ersumer was speaking
during a promotional meeting to a Jordanian delegation led by Water and
Irrigation Minister Kamel Mahadeen to introduce a $147 million plant to
provide 500,000 cubic meters of fresh water daily. "The waters of the
Manavgat River can be sold not only to Jordan but also to Israel, which has
also showed serious interest in our offer," said Ersumer.

Debating and wrangling mask progress already made on Mideast peace
talks

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Mon Jan 17,2000 -- Despite public posturing and procedural wrangling, U.S.-
sponsored peace talks between Israel and Syria are clearly progressing
towards crucial decisions, raising the stakes on both sides. Leaked
documents suggest the two sides should be able to reach an outline
agreement within two months, possibly sooner, according to diplomats close
to the talks. "Both sides have to show their public that they are fighting tooth-
and-nail to defend their interests, but it's clear from the draft treaty that there
has been progress and the gaps are bridgeable," one senior Western
diplomat said. Impelled by tight political deadlines, Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Barak and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara had been due to
begin a third round of negotiations near Washington on Wednesday, with
U.S. President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
mediating.

Israelis will vote for peace with Syria

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: ArabicNews

Mon Jan 17,2000 -- An opinion poll issued on Friday said that 50% of Israelis
will vote in favor of a peace agreement with Syria if a referendum is held in
this regard against 37% who oppose and 13% who did not express any view.
Replying to a question on whether it will be possible to reach a peace
agreement with Syria without at least giving great parts of the Golan, 69%
said no while another 24% said this is an acceptable base. The paper added
that the opinion poll shows that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak may have
greater backing than expected from the public opinion in order to conclude
peace with Syria after the demonstration which was held by 150,000 persons
on Monday night in Tel Aviv against any withdrawal from the Golan. Two
previous opinion poll had revealed that a majority of 53% of the Israelis in the
first and 55% in the second oppose complete withdrawal from the Golan.
Israeli law calls for ratification of any withdrawal from the Golan to be made
by major votes in the Knesset and in a public referendum. It seems as is
they are approaching the "third" of Israel in Zechariah 13:8-9; "And it will
come about in all the land," declares the LORD, "that two parts in it will be
cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it. And I will bring the third part
through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is
tested. They will call on My name and I will answer them; I will say, "They
are my people, and they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'"

Barak sees three-stage withdrawal, Syrians want two

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Ha'aretz

Mon Jan 17,2000 -- Prime Minister Ehud Barak envisages a three-stage
withdrawal from the Golan, to be spread out over four years, while Syria
wants a two-stage withdrawal over 16 months, according to the draft
timetable attached to the draft treaty between Israel and Syria, presented at
Shepherdstown by the United States. From the timetable document, it
appears the Syrians are ready to establish diplomatic ties six months before
the end of the withdrawal. But they would only raise the ties to
ambassadorial level at the end of a complete Israeli evacuation of the
territory. Israel wants ambassadorial exchanges a month after the signing of
an agreement between the two countries. According to the document, it
appears that Israel and Syria have already agreed that the formal end of the
state of war between them would take place immediately upon the "entry into
force" of the treaty, as would the confirmation and establishment of the
international border, even if withdrawal to the border takes time. Among the
issues on the agenda are the timing of the removal of boycotts, the
enactment of implementing legislation and repeal of inconsistent legislation,
and notifications under multilateral conventions - the other treaties the two
parties have with other countries.

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Religion Today items
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 09:08:10 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

January 18, 2000

Is the mantle of Christianity dropping from the United States and
Europe? Leaders of most denominations agree that Asia, Africa,
and Latin America will become the faith's "centers of gravity" as
rapid growth continues there, Cox News Service said.
..."The Gospel is no longer in Western captivity," David Garrison
of the Southern Baptist Convention (see link #1 below)'s
International Mission Board said. "It's every bit at home in
Beijing or Shanghai as in Atlanta or Dallas."
...Statistics bear the observation out. One-third of Roman
Catholic cardinals are from developing nations, and Asia and
Africa each has more members in the College of Cardinals than
does the United States. Anglican bishops from Asia and Africa
outnumbered those from the United States at last year's Lambeth
Conference, and almost 60% of Protestants and 66% of the world's
charismatic and Pentecostal Christians live in Latin America, Cox
News said.
...America has become a mission field for some international
churches. Korean missionaries are evangelizing America's Korean
population, Jung Joo Park, pastor of Hanbit Korean Presbyterian
Church in Atlanta, said. "We first received the Gospel through
American missionaries. Now the case is reversed." There are about
twice the number of Presbyterian churches in Korea as there are
in the United States, he said.

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide two cases that carry profound
moral implications. The court will rule on a Nebraska law that
made it a crime for doctors to perform partial-birth abortions. A
federal appeals court struck it down as unconstitutional, while
another appeals court has upheld nearly identical laws in
Illinois and Wisconsin.
...Abortion-rights activists say the procedure, which involves
partially extracting a fetus through the birth canal, cutting the
skull, and draining its contents, is among the safest ways to
perform late-term abortions. Opponents say it ends the life of a
child who might be able to live outside the womb. Arguments in
the case will be heard in April, with a decision expected by
July.
...The case could put the spotlight on the Supreme Court during
the presidential campaign. Since it likely will be decided by a
close margin, candidates will remind voters that the next
president probably will decide the future of abortion rights by
who is appointed to the court, legal experts said, according to
USA Today.
...In another case, the high court will decide whether the Boy
Scouts of America can exclude homosexuals as troop leaders. The
group has taught traditional family values since its inception in
1910, and says it does not consider homosexuals to be good role
models. The BSA has appealed a 1999 decision by the New Jersey
Supreme Court saying the Scouts violated state
anti-discrimination laws by removing James Dale, an assistant
scoutmaster, after he openly declared his homosexuality.
...The Boy Scouts is a private, voluntary, noncommercial
organization and should have the constitutional right to "create
and interpret its own moral code, and to choose leaders and
define membership criteria accordingly," its lawyers say. Lawyers
for Dale say there is no evidence that allowing homosexuals to
lead Scout troops will in any way "alter or burden the messages,
purposes, and values."
...The court's decision "could ultimately determine the future of
many private organizations that set their own leadership
standards," Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and
Justice said. "Many organizations, including religious groups,
will be watching this case very closely."

A U.S. congressman wants to pull the plug on a decision limiting
religious broadcasting. Rep. Mike Oxley (R-Ohio) is sponsoring
legislation that will overturn the Federal Communication
Commission's recent ruling that limits the amount of religious
content (see link #2 below) a noncommercial educational station
can air, National Religious Broadcasters (see link #3 below)
said. The bill has added several co-sponsors and will be
introduced when Congress convenes later this month.
...The NRB has asked Congress to express disapproval of the new
guidelines to FCC chairman William Kennard. In a letter to all
members of the House and Senate, the group said the guidelines
are "fundamentally at odds with this country's founding
principles" and represent "a clear violation of the freedom of
religious expression." It urged members to ask the FCC to repeal
the policy immediately.

Washington state denied a scholarship to a theology student,
saying it violates the separation of church and state. The state
awarded Joshua Davey a Promise Scholarship, designated for those
from low- and middle-income families who have high academic
ratings, but rescinded the award when it learned he enrolled at a
private religious institution, Conservative News Service said.
...A state law bars those studying religion from receiving the
scholarship. The attorney general requires state-funded financial
aid programs to include language that says, "you can't use state
funds to pursue a degree in theology," a spokesman for the Higher
Education Coordinating Board said. "That's just separation of
church and state."
...The law is "a very troubling display of religious
discrimination and hostility," Kevin Theriot of the American
Center for Law and Justice (see link #4 below) said. He is
representing Davey in a suit against Washington Gov. Gary Locke
to overturn the law.

Medicine is healing body and soul in Vietnam. A ministry prepares
medical kits that can be carried by evangelists and doctors to
remote villages. Each kit contains enough medicine and supplies
for about 1,000 people, roughly the size of an average tribal
village, the ministry said. In the past year, doctors treated
about 13,000 patients, who later heard the message of Jesus
Christ. More than 5,000 people professed faith in Jesus Christ
and are being discipled, the ministry said.

Mission Aviation Fellowship is flying the Gospel back to the
Stone Age. The ministry has identified 14 areas on the province
of Irian Jaya, Indonesia, where tribal people have never been
contacted by the outside world. The lifestyle of these "Stone Age
tribes" has remained unchanged for generations.
...Irian Jaya church leaders met with members of an ancient tribe
Jan. 3. A MAF (see link #5 below) helicopter transported two men
and two translators deep into the jungle where they met with a
group of nomadic men who watched with fascination as the craft
touched down. Though they were greeted with handshakes and hugs,
the tribesmen seemed suspicious of the outsiders and their
motives, MAF said.
..."There are many regions of Irian Jaya that still have no word
of the Gospel," MAF's Perry Pust said. "We chose 14 areas where
we can be the most help through aviation and radio communication
to reach the remote, Stone Age people."
...MAF has been charting the Irian Jaya jungles since 1993,
flying over the area using cameras to record the locations of
huts or other signs of human presence. After contact is made,
national church workers are sent to preach and teach. More than
130 evangelists are at work in more than 70 villages, MAF said.
...The ministers face incredible hardship but are seeing fruit
from their labors, MAF said. About one-third of a tribal village
became Christians during a recent evangelistic outreach, it said.
"We know that we cannot see this Jesus," the tribal chief said.
"But we know He is here and He lives in our hearts."

-----------
RELATED LINKS:
1: http://www.sbc.net
2:
http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/FeatureStory/view.cgi?file=20000107.s1
.html
3: http://www.nrb.org
4: http://www.aclj.org/
5: http://www.maf.org

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Is Elian a Modern Day Moses?
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 09:22:28 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Read the Rumor Mills' forum posts for interesting speculation on the whole
Elian affair (was it staged?).

IS ELIAN A MODERN DAY MOSES?
http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/config.pl?read=1139

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Elian's peers treated differently
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 09:27:59 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Elian's peers treated differently

Most illegal-immigrant children face deportation and detention -
not TV cameras and trips to Disney.

Scott Baldauf (baldaufs@csps.com)
Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

He arrived in the United States illegally, without documents or
parents. His journey was unimaginably risky for a child of his
age, and today, his case for asylum is slowly working its way
through the courts.

No, he isn't Elian Gonzalez, the six-year-old Cuban boy who has
turned into a cause c=E9l=E8bre for the Cuban exile community in
Miami. He's Eber Sandoval Andino, an 11-year-old Honduran orphan
with no living relatives in Honduras or the US, no familiarity
with TV cameras, and only a slight legal chance of avoiding
deportation from the US.

The fact that Eber is not a household name underscores a
curious split in US immigration law that gives different
treatment to refugees from Cuba than from anywhere else. It's a
policy that has its roots in the cold war, and it's a policy
that has drawn increasing scrutiny as the nation ponders the
fate of young Elian Gonzalez and the thousands of other children
who arrive each year.

"We have two immigration policies in this country: one for
Cuba, and one for every other country," says Mark Krikorian,
director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington-
based think tank that advocates lower immigration levels. "But
the special case of Cuba is eroding." As Cuba ceases to be a
military threat, "it's becoming more like everyone else."

Unaccompanied minors like Eber and Elian make up only a
fraction of the 1.5 million INS apprehensions each year, but
their cases are hardly unique. In 1990, the US Border Patrol
arrested some 8,500 minors, more than 70 percent of them
unaccompanied by a parent or guardian. Thousands more likely
cross without getting caught, blending in with the estimated 5
million illegal immigrants who reside in the US.

In theory, all children or adults caught entering the US
illegally receive the same treatment. The vast majority are
deported, with most Mexicans sent back within hours of
apprehension. Exceptions are made for those who can prove they
would be in physical danger in their country of origin, or who
can prove they have close family members in the US.

But in practice, adults and children from some nations, such as
Russia, Vietnam, Cuba, and Nicaragua, get more favorable
treatment than others, such as Haiti, El Salvador, and Guatemala.

WHAT ABOUT ELIAN'S PEERS? Haitian children march as part of a
demonstration in Miami last week, charging that America's pro-
Cuba immigration policy is racist. About 5,000 unaccompanied
children arrive illegally each year. Most are deported. GREGORY
SMITH/AP

At times, America's cold-war-influenced immigration law has had
a never-never-land quality. In the early 1960s, for instance,
during Operation Peter Pan, 14,000 Cuban children were brought
to the US, leaving their parents behind.

"The US believed it was better to raise orphans in a
noncommunist state than to let them be with their families in
Cuba," says Rodolfo de la Garza, director of the Tomas Rivera
Policy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. The irony
of the Elian Gonzalez case, Dr. De la Garza says, is that the
Immigration and Naturalization Service is arguing for family
unification, while the Cuban exile community is digging in its
heels over ideology. "It's not clear to me that anyone other
than the INS is trying to maintain this around the family
issue," he says. "For everyone else, it's about politics."

The case of two Haitian children

Some critics note that the rationale for favoring Cuban
refugees disappeared with the vestiges of the cold war itself.
Others, particularly the Haitian community in Miami, say that
such preference for Cubans is a form of racism.

In the past two weeks, a group of Haitian demonstrators has
often marched through Miami to protest the treatment of 411
Haitians apprehended off the coast of Florida. During the
deportation proceedings, two children were sent back to Port-au-
Prince alone, while their mother remained in the US for medical
treatment. The US said last week that the children would be able
to reunite with her in Florida while her case is considered.

In any case, the legal process for undocumented children like
Eber attempting to remain in the US is a difficult one.

In the quiet south Texas town of Los Fresnos, the International
Education Services Center (IES) houses anywhere from a dozen to
40 youth detainees at a time, on a contract with the INS. Steven
Lang, an attorney for the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum
Representation Project in Harlingen, says he has barely enough
volunteers to provide even rudimentary legal advice to these
detainees.

"Every single day, the INS is sending back 11- and 12- and 13-
year-olds with no idea of whether they have family in the US,
much less in their home countries, and without knowing ... what
will happen to [them]," says Mr. Lang, who represents Eber and a
half dozen other kids.

Among the youths he represents, some will seek voluntary
departure to avoid being denied legal entry at a future time.
Others, such as Eber, are seeking asylum on the grounds that
forcible return will lead to a life on the streets, at the mercy
of roving gangs and renegade police officers.

"The cases we have won are those where we show that these
children are under extreme danger," says Lang. He pauses. "Don't
get me wrong, I'm extremely concerned with Elian Gonzalez. But
no one is out there protesting for the kid who is orphaned and
forced to go back to the streets of Honduras."

Typical are the twin teenage brothers Jos=E9 Enrique and Jos=E9
Luis Oliva-Rosa. Abandoned by their parents, they lived in the
homes of distant relatives. After years of abuse, the two boys
ran away and made their way north to the US-Mexico border.
Arrested by the INS shortly after crossing the Rio Grande, they
were sent to the Los Fresnos orphanage, where they are claiming
asylum based on their fear of persecution as street children.

But by having legal representation, Eber and the twins are
atypical of most children in immigration cases.

Detention instead of Disney World

According to a 1998 study by Human Rights Watch, one-third of
the 5,000 unaccompanied minors detained by the INS each year are
held in jail-like detention centers, placed among juveniles
accused of murder and rape. Some are subjected to strip-searches
and handcuffed during transport, and few receive adequate
information about their legal rights.

At the McAllen office of the Border Patrol, supervisory agent
Ramiro De Anda says officers work hard to be "humane" and take
extra steps to connect children with their relatives, when
possible. Recently, he apprehended two Central American kids who
were trying to join their parents in Dallas, who couldn't afford
to file the paperwork to unify their family. "I made contact
with the parents, and they came down to the Valley and took the
kids with them to the Dallas area while their petitions go
through the courts," says Officer De Anda. "That was a very
unusual case, but we are humane enough that we can take those
steps."

But at a time when the US is stepping up the presence of INS
officials along the US-Mexico border, there appears to be little
inclination in the US Congress to increase the flow of refugees
into the US, children or not.

Indeed, Elian's case has produced some odd political positions.
Conservatives such as Charles Borjas, who advocates restrictions
on immigration, are urging that Elian be allowed to stay in the
US. Many liberals who generally seek looser restrictions are
calling for Elian to be returned to his father.

"Immigration does that," says Mr. Krikorian, himself a
conservative who urges Elian's return to his father, despite his
own feelings toward Cuba. "This subject messes up most political
boundaries."

The URL for this page is:
http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/2000/01/18/fp1s1-csm.shtml

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - The Holocaust Libel Trial
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 09:36:08 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

The Holocaust Libel Trial

Last Updated: 01/18/00

Some believe it will end the controversy; others believe it will
legitimize Holocaust denial.

On Tuesday, January 11, 2000, one of the most important trials regarding
the Holocaust began. In this landmark case, an alleged Holocaust denier,
David Irving, is suing historian Deborah Lipstadt and her publisher,
Penguin Books Ltd., for libel.

After years of research on a subject many of her colleagues didn't think
should be taken seriously, Deborah Lipstadt published her book, Denying
the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory in 1993
through Plume, a subsidiary of Penguin Books. In her book, Lipstadt
detailed the history and growth of Holocaust denial from the end of World
War II to the present and included information about the Institute for
Historical Review, the gas chamber controversy, and the recent
prevalence, via ads, of Holocaust denial on college campuses. Lipstadt
also dealt with specific people, including David Irving, whom she called
"Holocaust deniers" - an accusation that Irving denies.

More:
http://holocaust.about.com/education/holocaust/library/weekly/aa011700a.htm

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Fruity Men and Vegetative Donkeys
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 14:15:17 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

[Tu BiShevat = January 21/22, 2000]

The Torah Universe, Reflection of Torah in the natural world #9
by Nosson Slifkin

* Fruity Men and Vegetative Donkeys *

Tu BiShevat, the New Year for trees, is a time of great
festivity. We may wonder, though, why this should be so. We do
not find such celebration on the New Year for vegetables or
crops. What is so special about fruit? A distinction between
fruit and crops is found at the beginning of the Torah. In the
utopia of Gan Eden, Adam was instructed that his diet would
consist of fruit:

"And Hashem, God, commanded man, saying: You shall eat from any
tree in the garden." (Bereishis 2:16)

When Adam sinned and fell from his lofty spiritual stature, his
diet was also reduced to a lower status:

"And to Adam He said: ...The land is cursed because of you; you
shall eat in suffering all your life. It shall sprout thorns and
thistles for you, and you shall eat the grasses of the field."
(Bereishis 3:17-18)

No longer would the fruits of the trees sustain man. Now he was
to to live off the grasses of the field - wheat, barley and
other grains and vegetables. Upon hearing this, Adam became
greatly distressed:

"When Hashem said to Adam, 'It shall sprout thorns and thistles
for you...,' his eyes streamed with tears; he said, 'Master of
the Universe! I and my donkey shall eat from a single trough!' "
(Pesachim 118a)

In the transition from a diet of fruit to one of crops, Adam
perceived that he had fallen to a status approaching that of an
animal. If we contrast the natures of fruit with crops and
vegetables, we shall see the same essential difference.

When grains and vegetables are grown, the entire plant is cut
and consumed. What you see is what you get. Once it is consumed,
there is nothing left. There is never any further possibility of
produce from this plant.

A fruit tree is different. What you see is only a tiny fraction
of what you get. For even when all the fruit have been consumed,
there remains vast potential in the tree. It has the ability to
produce more fruit, and more, for many generations.

Adam was originally on the level of eating fruit. He was a vast
reserve of potential, just waiting to be actualized. He is named
after the adamah -the fruitful earth, a vast reservoir of hidden
potential. But when he sinned, he dropped to little more than
the level of an animal. An animal is called a behemah, which is
formed of the words bah mah - "what is it? What's in it" - or,
as we might say, what you see is what you get. An animal has
nothing more to it than meets the eye. It does not possess great
potential that can be used for creative spiritual expression.
Adam therefore notes that his donkey subsists on a diet of crops
and vegetables, which likewise have no potential for further
development. In the same way, Adam's capacity for spiritual
development was greatly reduced. The donkey, featured in Adam
HaRishon's cry of despair, is called chamor, which is based on
the word chomer, "material." The donkey is the most
"materialistic" creature. A simple-minded beast, it is drawn
solely after its physical desires. Adam realized that his
altered diet demonstrated a fall to such a level.

But it is not only memories of a time long gone that we can
ponder. There are great times yet to come, times in which we
shall return to the level of Adam's original spiritual heights:

"In the future...trees will bear fruit every month, and man
will eat of them and be healed..." (Shemos Rabbah 15:21)

We yearn for the final redemption, through which we will regain
the spiritual level of Adam in Gan Eden. Tu BiShevat is the day
of rejoicing over fruit, the more spiritual of foods, and a day
of hope for man's ultimate restoration to his true greatness.

===============================
Written by Nosson Slifkin
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman

===============================
This essay is extracted from the ongoing publication of the
Torah Universe series of books (Published by Targum Press -
Distributed by Feldheim Publishers), which explore how the
lessons of the Torah are manifest in the natural world. Already
published is the book "Seasons of Life," which shows how the
Jewish year is reflected in the seasons and the life cycles of
animals and plants. In preparation is "Nature's Song," which
explains the ancient Midrash of Perek Shirah that details the
philosophical and ethical lessons manifest in the natural world;
and "Creature Chorus," a collection of essays on Torah and the
animal kingdom. The author, Nosson Slifkin, is currently
studying at the Mirrer Yeshivah, and in his spare time he
directs educational projects at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.

===============================
(c) 2000 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved. This
publication may be distributed to another person intact without
prior permission. We also encourage you to include this material
in other publications, such as synagogue newsletters. However,
we ask that you contact us beforehand for permission, and then
send us a sample issue.

via: Ohr Somayach" <ohr@virtual.co.il>

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - The Lunar Eclipse and Number Patterns in Scripture
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 16:54:07 -0500

From: owner-bpr@philologos.org

[BPRnote: Susan is a BPR list member, so if you have any comments
or questions, I'm sure she would love to hear from you. At the end
of this article she refers you to her previous work on numbers in Scripture
which will give you further background material on some points she makes
in this article, e.g., her suggestion that 7 is associated with maleness,
while 12 is associated with femaleness.]

The Lunar Eclipse and Number Patterns in Scripture Declare God's Glory

By applying number patterns in Scriptures, God's glory can be
seen in the eclipse. The interaction between sun (bridegroom)
and moon (bride) during an eclipse can be seen to be like a
marriage union speaking to us of our coming redemption.

Psalm 19:1-5
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth
his handywork. [2] Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto
night sheweth knowledge. [3] There is no speech nor language,
where their voice is not heard. [4] Their line is gone out
through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, [5] Which is as a
bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong
man to run a race.

The sun is like the bridegroom of Psalm 19:4-5 whose daylight
is organized into weeks of 7 days. The number seven is
associated with maleness. God, Our Father, created in 7 days,
His Word is symbolized by the 7 candle menorah in the Temple,
and the number 7 is very prominent in the Bible as many authors
have written.

The moon is like a bride reflecting the sun's light. The lunar
cycle gives rise to 12 months per year and is similar to a
woman's reproductive cycle. The Jewish calendar, a lunar
calendar, is the pattern for God's people to respond to Him.
Tides, mainly caused by the moon's gravitation, rise and fall by
12ths (tides rise by 1/12th of the total change the first
hour, 2/12th the second and 3/12th the third and fall the next
hour 3/12th, then 2/12th and finally to 1/12th before slack
tide). The moon is associated with femaleness and the number 12.

Rev. 12:1
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed
with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a
crown of twelve stars:

Life arises from the union of two elements, one male and one
female. The number 7 is repeatedly associated with maleness and
the number 12 with femaleness. The sun (maleness or 7) travels
through the heavens which is divided into 12 signs. Human
gestational time is 7X40 days. This pattern for life and
redemption is outlined in the numbers (7,12, 40, 50) of the
miracle of the Loaves and Fishes.

This interpretation using Bible number patterns adds richness
to this natural event of an eclipse especially since it lasts 77
minutes. The numbers 7 and 12 also interact in the book of
Revelation and point to the Wedding of the Lamb. Often the world
views such eclipses as bad omens. Might not God actually be
saying good things to us who listen to Him? Bible number
patterns speak of redemption and give us reason to look up and
celebrate!

Rev. 19:7
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the
marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself
ready.

Luke 21:25-28
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in
the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with
perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; [26] Men's hearts
failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which
are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be
shaken. [27] And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a
cloud with power and great glory. [28] And when these things
begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for
your redemption draweth nigh.

Anna testified of the coming of the baby Jesus, Our Redeemer.
She gave thanks to see Him and her life is marked with
redemption's number pattern. She lived 7 years with her husband,
77 years without a husband until she saw our infant Bridegroom
at her age of 84 (7X12) years.

Luke 2:36-38
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with
an husband seven years from her virginity; [37] And she was a
widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from
the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and
day. [38] And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise
unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for
redemption in Jerusalem.

For further discussion see Number Patterns in Scripture
http://philologos.org/bpr/files/Misc_Studies/ms-028.htm

by Susan Kanen at kanen@ptialaska.net

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

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