Momedy Sketch: Books and movies....

Here's a book recommendation:

I think it should be required reading for every woman regardless of their religious views. Campbell talks about how society has based many perceptions on the misinterpretation of Eve's role in the Fall. "Enlightening, empowering, exciting and inspiring! Two thumbs up"- Kirsty & Kirsty of Momedy

Here's a quote regarding the term "helpmeet" which I have noticed seems to be a topic of quite a bit of discussion on ye olde net.

"It seems that some of the original purpose and power of the term helpmeet has been lost through the ages. In today's vernacular, helpmeet would seem to indicate a person of lesser stature, a subject, a subordinate. Yet a careful examination of this venerable expression yields and altogether different meaning. "Even with or equal to" is the meaning attributed to it by the Oxford English Dictionary. That definition adds clarity and gives us a more correct image. The original text of Genesis 2:18 is even more enlightening. According to biblical scholar David Freedman, the Hebrew word translated there into English as "help" is ezer. This word is a combination of two roots, one meaning, "to rescue", "to save", and the other meaning "to be strong." Just as the roots merged into one word, so did their meanings. At first ezer meant "to save", and the other meaning "to be strong," but in time, says Freedman, ezer was always interpreted as 'to help', a mixture of both nuances. Ezer appears twenty-one times in the Old Testament.

In contrast k'enegdo, another Hebrew word used in Genesis 2:18 to describe Eve, appears only once. Freedman pointed out that in late rabbinical commentaries k'nenegdo means "equal" and stated that in his view "there is no basis for translating k'enegdo as 'fit' or 'appropriate,' as the traditional translators do when the describe the woman as a 'fit helper." He concluded, "When God creates Eve....., His intent is that she will be-unlike the animals-'a power (or strength) equal to him.'

Thus, it seems that through imprecise translation, our understanding now of the powerful words used originally to describe Eve's role have been diminished. As a result, our understanding of the intended role of Mother Eve has also been diminished. suppose we had all, male and female alike, been taught to understand Genesis 2:18 as something like the following: "It is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a companion of strength and power who has a saving power and is equal with him".

Get the book. It's good stuff!

And here's a movie recommendation. We saw this yesterday with Julie (who happens to be a speech teacher) and I believe she would vouch for it. I loved it. And I usually stick to a strict diet of romantic comedies. Because as Aaron would say, we do not wish to be "upset or confused" during our leisure time.