A WHALE OF A STORY…..A NEW JONAH

The story of Jonah in the whale a religiously popular one. Jonah’s 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a huge fish reported in Rabbinic literature, the Quran, and the New Testament.

The “huge fish” describing a whale.

The story of Jonah one of the most confusing I have ever read. Detailed. Difficult to comprehend.

Now comes a modern day Jonah. His name Rainer Schimpf. Age 51. He was in waters off Africa’s Port Elizabeth Harbour. Filming a sardine run. He had done this work before.

The work could be dangerous. All kind of large ocean fish about. Fish that feed on sardines.

Sharks the primary concern. Attention had to be paid as sharks would come up to those in the water filming. Schimph was on constant watch for sharks.

Whales never a concern. They kept their distance.

Schmipf says a whale came up out of nowhere, opened its jaws, and engulfed him. Headfirst. The whale a 20 tonnes Bryde.

Schmipf said there was no time for fear. Just pure instinct.

He felt pressure on his body. The whale’s body constricting on his. The whale’s throat exerting the most pressure. Strongest on his hips.

He knew it was a whale.

He held his breath in case the whale dove. He thought the whale might eject him at a deeper depth.

The whale did not dive.  Schimpf believes the whale decided not to eat him and “so spat me out.”

There is another whale story involving a man who was swallowed by a whale and lived. The whale in this instance a sperm whale.

James Bartley in the late 1800’s was swallowed whole by a whale. Three days later the whale washed up on a beach dead. The body cut open. There was Bartley in the stomach of the whale. Alive!

The whale had died of constipation.

Each a whale of a story!

Moving on now to abortion.

Roe v. Wade was decided 46 years ago in 1973. The decision recognized a woman’s right to privacy, her right to an abortion.

The battle still rages. Lawsuits abound.

Courts are of many types. Each established to deal with certain problems. The Supreme Court of the U.S. the most powerful. Close to the bottom of the hierarchy, though important, a probate court. Probate courts concern themselves with all type matters involving property of the dead.

An Alabama County Probate Court came down with a striking decision recently. It decided that an aborted fetus was a person with rights.

Anti-abortionists have always taken the position that life begins at the moment of conception. No court ever said the fetus has certain rights so clearly, however.

A reason why the Alabama court may have so rule is that Alabama has a State law which sets forth that life begins at conception.

The facts of the case are strange, however.

Boy friend and girl friend involved. Girl gets pregnant. Wants an abortion. Boy friend disagrees and tells her not to. She goes ahead and has the abortion. She was only six weeks into the pregnancy. The fetus six weeks old.

Almost 2 years later, the boy friend wanted to sue the Alabama Women’s Center for performing the abortion and the pharmaceutical company that produced the drugs used in the abortion.

In order to do do, the boy friend had to be appointed administrator of the fetus’ estate. What estate you might ask. What monies does a six week fetus have or which can safely be anticipated to have?

The court recognized the boy’s right to be so appointed never the less.

A way out decision. Will it be overturned on appeal? I don’t know. The Alabama law recognizing life at conception might have to be overturned in order to do so.

An hypocrisy regarding the abortion issue has recently become evident.

The U.S.Conference of Bishops has without deviation recognized life beginning at conception. The Bishops group has consistently opposed abortion.

The Catholic Church has had sexual problems within its ranks for years. Pedophilia involving priests the problem.

It has recently been discovered that bishops and priests have been having sexual relations world wide with nuns. Some of the nuns became pregnant. Some of those who became pregnant had abortions at the suggestion of the bishop or priest involved and/or through arrangements made by them.

Such information recently released by the Vatican.

What bothers me is the authoritarian way the Catholic Church has handled abortion and contraception over the years. Many lives affected by the Church’s decisions in these areas.

Regarding abortion, now when it suits the needs of clergy faced with an unwanted pregnancy, abortion is ok for bishops and priests. A do as I say situation rather than a do as I do one.

Syracuse played its last game of the season yesterday. Against Clemson. Syracuse favored. Syracuse lost 67-55.

Syracuse was leading by 6 or 7 points at half. Clemson destroyed Syracuse in the second half.

In Syracuse’s last 5 games, Syracuse led at half time. Then blew it in the second half.

The ACC tournament next. This week. Followed by March Madness.

The seeds for the ACC tournament came out last night. Syracuse seeded #6. Drew a bye for the first day.

A crazy season. An upsetting one, at least for me.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 comments on “A WHALE OF A STORY…..A NEW JONAH

  1. MEN know that women have abortions and MEN have always known that. MEN have always prohibited women from having abortions. WHY?

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