| From a historical perspective, 'The
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| | the world flood and its implications for
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| DaVinci Code' is good fiction ...I do
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| | humanity.The vital lesson of Noah's story
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| think the book has provided a very real
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| | is the human capacity for
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| cultural benefit, though. By weaving many
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| | self-destruction and the ability of one
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| tales of medieval Christian mysticism
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| | person to save the world.
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| into its story line, the book has
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| | In our time, we possess the capability
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| stimulated a multitude of readers to look
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| | to quickly destroy creation through our
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| beyond the veneer of printed words in
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| | nuclear power or to slowly and
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| search of higher meanings. This is good,
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| | significantly damage our planet through
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| because both literature and history
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| | waste and pollution. Like Noah's
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| contain them in abundance. The richness
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| | generation, we are also able to corrupt
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| of the written word and the refining
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| | the purpose of our existence through
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| effects of time have produced works
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| | moral failure.When we come to think that
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| essential to our lives' inner
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| | we or our creations are invincible, we
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| guidance.Hopefully, more people will be
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| | soon find ourselves in deep water, just
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| inspired by this work of fiction to more
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| | like the people of Noah's generation.
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| fully explore other tomes that have even
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| | Even the most powerful of human beings
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| deeper meanings.I'm referring to the
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| | must face their limits or be brought
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| Bible, the Torah, and the Koran.Many of
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| | low.The tale of Noah's ark is about
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| the world's tensions have their roots in
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| | confronting both our power and our
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| opinion leaders who espouse literal
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| | limitations as individuals and as
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| interpretations of those volumes. Even
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| | society. The story is true not because it
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| more preposterous is that many of these
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| | ever happened, but because it keeps on
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| issues are fomented by their own
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| | happening.The Noah story is true, because
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| self-serving versions of those
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| | it describes a drama we all face,
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| interpretations. From the silly 'War on
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| | generation after generation.When we go
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| Christmas' campaign being waged by some
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| | beyond the literal sense of the text, we
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| religious conservatives in the USA to the
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| | find meaning and relevance. When we can
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| tragic turf wars over perceived sacred
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| | see our own struggles in the text, we can
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| grounds in the Middle East, power bases
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| | then take hold of the meaning of our
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| masquerading as pulpits exploit literal
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| | sacred texts.Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda
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| definitions of holy words to seek nothing
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| | Berlin, an authority on the
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| more than an increase in their sphere of
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| | interpretation of the Hebrew Bible and a
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| influence. It is not enough for them to
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| | giant of 19th century Judaism, maintained
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| sway likeminded individuals, they cannot
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| | that the entire Hebrew Bible "possesses
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| wield sufficient power until they can
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| | the nature and the central character of
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| alter the lives of those who have chosen
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| | poetry." One must be aware of poetic
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| a different moral path, no matter how
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| | allusions, metaphors and figurative
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| independently righteous that path may
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| | expressions to appreciate the meaning of
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| be.I believe an effective means of
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| | scripture.How could it be any other way?
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| curbing this troubling tendency is to
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| | Hardly a verse in the Hebrew Bible can be
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| expose the shallowness of such literal
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| | understood verbatim. Take the statement,
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| espousings. And so, I would like to share
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| | "And God said." Does God have a larynx?
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| an article written in 2000 by Rabbi H
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| | In what language did God speak?To read
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| David Rose, entitled:"The Literal Truth?
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| | Torah with the question, "Did it happen?"
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| Pondering the Variety of Interpretations
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| | in our minds is to think of the wrong
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| in Scripture."It is one of the best
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| | question. As Elie Wiesel has taught, "Not
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| dissertations on the subject that I have
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| | everything that happened is true, nor did
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| ever read.The balance of today's column
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| | everything that is true necessarily
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| consists of Rabbi Rose's words:"Dear
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| | happen."We all have the capacity to
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| God," Donna wrote. "Last week it rained
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| | recognize truth in art, in movies and in
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| for five days straight. We thought it
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| | plays, whether they accurately portray
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| would be like Noah's ark, but it wasn't.
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| | something that really happened or
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| I'm glad because you could only take two
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| | not.Imagine that two books are lying
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| of each animal into the ark, and I have
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| | before us. The first book was written by
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| three cats."A professor of molecular
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| | a Dr. Smith, an eminent ophthalmologist.
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| biology wrote in a national magazine,
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| | It describes a complicated surgery which
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| "Given the dimensions of the ark and its
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| | restored the eyesight of a Ms. Jones.Ms.
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| wooden construction, the first stiff
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| | Jones is the author of the second book.
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| breeze would have broken it up. Its
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| | In this book, Ms. Jones reports her
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| capacity was only a fraction of what was
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| | fright, her anxiety and her pain. Then
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| needed for the animals and their food
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| | she tells of her exultation after the
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| supply, not to speak of their specialized
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| | bandages were removed and she could see
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| needs for housing."Are the narratives in
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| | again.Should we ask which book is the
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| the Bible fact or fiction? Were the
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| | truth? Each book has a different
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| prophets truth-tellers, or great
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| | intention and shares a different
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| storytellers? Did Methuselah live upon
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| | perspective. The doctor's truth is not
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| this earth for 969 years, as we are
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| | that of the patient. A single criterion
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| taught in Genesis? Did Abraham send his
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| | of truth creates needless contradictions.
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| first child, Ishmael, out into the
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| | Both are true. Similarly, there is no
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| wilderness and almost sacrifice his son,
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| | single true way to read scripture.Our
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| Isaac?And is any of this relevant to us
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| | sacred texts are sources of truth and
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| and to our lives?Many who read the Bible
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| | meaning, and we must learn to open our
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| do so in a literal way. For these people,
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| | eyes to them.A literal viewing of our
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| be they Christian or Jew, the choice is
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| | traditional books may obscure the truths
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| simple: Either the Bible is the exact
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| | within them, or worse, cause us to turn
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| written record of God's words, or it is
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| | away and not look again.Most of us
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| not.If it is God's word, then it is to be
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| | learned scripture only as children. We
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| followed exactly as written. If not, then
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| | were taught only literal
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| why bother?Others, including myself, are
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| | explanations.When we grew up, we outgrew
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| convinced that to read our sacred texts
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| | such literal fairy tales and left them
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| literally is to miss the point. To do so,
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| | tucked away with the tooth fairy and
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| in my opinion, is to corrupt and stagnate
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| | other such nonsense.As adults, our task
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| the ever-growing relevance of our holy
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| | in reading the treasures of our
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| texts.The Zohar (a book of Jewish
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| | traditions and in living lives based on
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| mysticism) teaches, "Were the Torah
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| | scripture is to uncover the layers of
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| (Bible) a mere book of tales and everyday
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| | meaning. When we study, read and meditate
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| matters, we could compose a text of even
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| | on our sacred words, we discover their
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| greater excellence. The Torah has clothed
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| | spritual implications.May we hold on to
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| itself in the outer garments of the
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| | our sacred texts, and may they guide our
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| world, and woe to the person who looks at
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| | lives and give meaning to all that we
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| the garment as being Torah."In other
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| | do.J Square Humboldt is the featured
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| words, the essence of God's message is
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| | columnist at the Longer Life website,
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| hidden from a person who takes a literal
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| | which is dedicated to providing
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| view. The word is not the message; the
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| | information, strategies, analysis and
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| message lies behind the words.Consider
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| | commentary designed to improve the
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| the story of Noah's ark. A literal
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| | quality of living. His page can be found
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| interpretation misses the relevance and
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| | at and his observations are published
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| profound moral symbolism of the story, of
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| | three times per week.
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