From: RFaussette@aol.com
Date: Mon Dec 02 2002 - 17:55:47 EST
In a message dated 12/2/02 12:36:14 PM Eastern Standard Time,
gmurphy@raex.com writes:
> While perhaps of interest, this would change the focus of the discussion
> considerably. Putting aside a number of other caveats, I would just note
> the following:
> The notion that the ideas about breeding in Genesis 28 & 29 can be
> equated with
> "God's Law" cannot be maintained. Jacob is pictured as a good con artist
> who knows some
> practical facts about animal breeding, but also as making use of notions
> that we know
> today are incorrect, like the belief that a child's physical appearance _in
> utero_ can
> be altered by the appearance of some startling thing that its mother sees
> while carrying
> it. As Westermann (_Genesis: A Practical Commentary_, p.214) puts it:
> "There are
> magical notions in the background, but the critical element in the case of
> Jacob is his
> intention to breed for a specific purpose by using his knowledge of animal
> behavior."
>
>
Jacob is not simply regarded as a good con artist. Jacob stole his birthright
from his older brother through cunning and his brother's failure to value it.
Jacob is not condemned by the Lord. In fact the Lord has already predicted
that the older will serve the younger. Isaac himself is agitated over Jacob's
trickery but does not reassign the birthright to Esau. That suggests to me
that cunning is favored in God's eyes.
Later, when Laban tricks Jacob into marrying his dull eyed older daughter,
Jacob is incensed. That means for a period of years Jacob must father sons of
a dull-eyed wife, producing dull-eyed sons. since the birthright goes to the
oldest, jacob's later sons of the vivacious rachel will lose the greater part
of their father's inheritance to their dull eyed older brothers who are less
able to 'cunningly' hold onto it. It is best if the oldest son is the
smartest son to protect the inheritance. In retaliation, Jacob weakens the
breed of Laban's flocks while strengthening his own - it is a perfect analogy
for what has Laban has cunningly perpetrated on Jacob.
This is proof that as animal breeders, Jacob knew that intelligence could be
selected for in animal populations and human populations. It is the reason
why Ashkenazi Jews have the highest mean IQ in the world. They still marry
their smartest sons to the daughters of their smartest rebbes.
Is that a quote from westermann? what is the specific purpose Jacob is
breeding for? Thanks for that reference.
I had an aunt whose son had a strawberry birthmark on his face. The
explanation: my aunt was struck on the face when she was pregnant. This is a
common folk belief even today but has no bearing on the story of the flocks.
I think you've proven my point. human beings can be bred for intelligence.
It's in genesis. You can yawn. Me? I think that changes everything and I was
excited to tell you about it.
Breeding has everything to do with God's Law, as far as Ashkenazi Jewry is
concerned and I do believe their religion also rests on the Torah. The
efficacy of God's Law is manifest in their having the highest mean IQ in the
world.
rich
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