Path: ultra.sonic.net!nntp.dnai.com!uunet!pao.uu.net!newsfeed.wli.net!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.corridex.com!remarQ73!supernews.com!remarQ.com!remarQ69!news.remarQ.com!not-for-mail From: bob Newsgroups: alt.suicide.holiday Subject: Re: Suicide is telling God what you think of "life" (OT) Date: Wed, 05 May 1999 19:17:04 -0700 Organization: Crazy Bob's Used Cars Lines: 42 Message-ID: <3730FBA0.2D81@bob.com> References: <3729b046.17559124@news.virgin.net> <372AD2AD.3BA6@abc.com> <925561428snz@tikva.demon.co.uk> <372B4F17.E46C4D5B@hotmail.com> <925646724snz@tikva.demon.co.uk> <372CA421.FD5631A6@hotmail.com> <7gqmbo$il6$1@nnrp1.deja.com> Reply-To: bob@bob.com NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.133.59.227 NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 02:03:28 GMT X-Trace: 925956208.725.63 GZBUJJMIT3BE3D185C usenet1.supernews.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@remarQ.com X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01 (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Xref: ultra.sonic.net alt.suicide.holiday:65202 tryinghard@my-dejanews.com wrote: <...> > There is an entire body of Jewish Law dealing with the legal consequences > of following (with good intentions) an incorrect rabbinic ruling. > Arguing Rabbis ~~~~~~~~~~~ So it seems that these four rabbis had a series of theological arguments, and three were always in accord against the fourth. One day, the odd rabbi out, after the usual "3 to 1, majority rules" statement that signified that he had lost again, decided to appeal to a higher authority. "Oh, God!" he cried. "I know in my heart that I am right and they are wrong! Please give me a sign to prove it to them!" It was a beautiful, sunny day. As soon as the rabbi finished his prayer, a storm cloud moved across the sky above the four. It rumbled once and dissolved. "A sign from God! See, I'm right, I knew it!" But the other three disagreed, pointing out that storm clouds form on hot days. So the rabbi prayed again: "Oh, God, I need a bigger sign to show that I am right and they are wrong. So please, God, a bigger sign!" This time four storm clouds appeared, rushed toward each other to form one big cloud, and a bolt of lightning slammed into a tree on a nearby hill. "I told you I was right!" cried the rabbi, but his friends insisted that nothing had happened that could not be explained by natural causes. The rabbi was getting ready to ask for a *very big* sign, but just as he said, "Oh God...," the sky turned pitch black, the earth shook, and a deep, booming voice intoned, "HEEEEEEEE'S RIIIIIIIGHT!" The rabbi put his hands on his hips, turned to the other three, and said, "Well?" "So," shrugged one of the other rabbis, "now it's 3 to 2."