The book of Deuteronomy

     The book of Deuteronomy is the most complete example of a treaty-formulary in the Bible.  This paper will explain what the book of Deuteronomy is, how the book of Deuteronomy is an example of a treaty-formulary and how this compares to other biblical texts.

     The Book of Deuteronomy receives its name from the Greek translation of a phrase in Deut 17:18 which indicate that the king should have a copy of the law written for him by the Levitical priests.  The Greek expression, deuteros nomos, means “a second law” most appropriate because Deuteronomy is a second formulation of the law, after the one given in Exodus.[1]   The period of Judges comes to an end with the movement toward a monarchy.  This movement begins with Saul and the Philistine crises and with David who is Israel’s first king. The Deuteronomistic History provides most of what we know regarding this story of the monarchy and the Book of Deuteronomy serves as an introduction to this history.[2] Deuteronomy is presented as the farewell address of Moses, before the Israelites crossed the Jordan to enter the Promised Land (Collins, p 159).  The Book of Deuteronomy follows the outline of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5:6-21, the stipulations in the form of the Law Code in Chapters 12-26 and the curses and blessing in chapters 27-28 (Ceresko, pp 124-125).

     Vassal treaties are those between a superior power and its subjects.  The basic structure of Deuteronomy draws on history as a motivational tool and reinforces the commandments with curses and blessings. What is most unique to these elements is the emphasis placed on curses (Collins, p 161).  The style is characterized by a series of subordinate clauses focused to encourage and instruct the people of their obligations and duties under their covenant with Yahweh.  The people are also warned of the consequences if they fail to be obedient (Ceresko, p 124).  Elements in Deuteronomy also include the treaty forms of including the invocation of heaven and earth as witnesses, the deposition of the document, the provision for periodic reading and making of copies.  Deuteronomy is not formally structured as a treaty text.  It is more of an address or homily that is informed by the treaty analogy and contains many elements of the treaty form (Collins, p. 161).         

     More than any other biblical book Deuteronomy is influenced by ancient Near Eastern Treaties.  In Deuteronomy much closer parallels are found in the Vassal Treaties of Esarhaddon, an Assyrian king who rules in the seventh century B.C.E. (681-669) discovered in 1956.  There is some evidence that Judah was still a vassal of Assyria in Esarhaddon’s time.  Assyria was the dominant power in the Near East (Collins, p 160).  The enforcement of the commandments with curses and blessings corresponds to the ancient vassal treaties.  The Assyrian treaties were basically loyalty oaths imposed by the King of Assyria to ensure submission to his successor.  Deuteronomy is similar, in that Moses is handing authority to Joshua, but the biblical text differs in that the loyalty of the people is to their God (Collins, p. 161).  The most striking correspondences between Deuteronomy and the treaties are vocabulary and idiom.  In both documents the word love means loyalty to God.  Other terms for loyalty both in Deuteronomy and in the treaties are “to go after…to fear…to listen to the voice of….” The series of curses in Deut 28:23-35 is parallel in VTE SS39-42, (419-30).  Deuteronomy appeals to history as a motivating factor more often than in the Assyrian treaties (Collins, p 161).  As in Exodus, the laws of Deuteronomy are presented as divine revelation, originally received by Moses on the mountain.  One significant variation concerns the motivation for keeping the Sabbath day, while in Exod 20:11 this commandment is grounded by recalling how God rested on the seventh day of creation.  Deuteronomy puts the emphasis on compassion (Collins, p 165).  One significant aspect of Deuteronomy is the revision of the older code of laws known as the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 21-23).  A more direct comparison with the Book of the Covenant is provided by the law for the release of slaves in Deut 15:12-18.  Exodus 21 indicates that male Hebrew slaves must be set free after six years, while Deuteronomy applies this law to all slaves whether male or female.  The laws about the remission of debt and the release of slaves are prominent features of Deuteronomy.  There is humanitarian concern for the poor and the marginal (Collins, p 165).  In contrast to Leviticus and the Priestly Code, purity concerns are not prominent in Deuteronomy (Collins, p 169).  There are similarities between Deuteronomy and Wisdom such as injunctions against falsifying weights and measures and removing boundaries.  This is also found in the Egyptian Wisdom of Amenemope (Collins, p 171). Regardless, Deuteronomy is unmistakably a law code which frequently invokes the death penalty as sanction for its ordinances.  It is also presented as a revealed law.  It appeals to the distinctively Israelite experience of the exodus rather than to common human nature as is customary in the older Wisdom literature.  Deuteronomy leaves little space for prophecy or other forms of revelation as in later apocalyptic literature (Collins, p 172).        

     The study of biblical books is a study of ancient times with an appreciation for the beauty

of prose, history and artistic value, as we move to knowing who God is.  New discoveries of ancient manuscripts become a progressive enlightening of the ancient laws and love of God that are presented and utilized by us in contemporary society.  This growth from old to new and new discoveries of old bring us to a progression where we can understand God more fully and acknowledge our pact to lead a compassionate life with love for others. 

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[1] Collins, John J. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible.  Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004.  P 159.

[2] Ceresko, Anthony.  An Introduction to the Old Testament, New York: Orbis, Maryknoll, 2001.  P 123.

Intelligence (psychology, notes)

There is no single agreed upon definition.  However, intelligence is inferred from behavior that is goal directed, under conscious control, and adaptive meaning aimed at solving problems.  Thus, it is not the score one receives on a test.  It is the capacity to reason, to acquire knowledge and problem solve.

psychometrics - there are individual differences in the a/m characteristics.  Can these differences be quantified?  Yes.  The psychometric approach takes the position that one can compare any one's performance on a test comprised of items that require reasoning and problem solving and then compare a given individual to a standardized norm based on a large representation sample of others who took the test.

Historically, intelligence testing began with Galton and Binet.  Galton in the late 1800's was interested in variation in psychological characteristics and devised tests to measure perceptual speed, reaction time;  memory.  He noted correlations between one's heredity across generations and the ability to succeed on intellectual tasks.  He concluded that intelligence is largely a matter of inheritance.  Intelligence and stupidity runs in families.  He neglected the role of psychosocial variables.

Binet devised intelligence tests for the purpose of finding reliable means of assessing school children and then assigning the best possible teaching and learning situation based on measured ability.  Intelligence as a general attribute manifests itself in a number of cognitive functions, including perception, memory, reasoning, judging, language, social knowledge.  He believed that intelligence changes with age and that environment has an enormous influence on its development and expression.  Any child who takes the test can be compared to its own age group.  If the child succeeds in responding correctly to items of its own age group, the child is to have an average intelligence of mental age.  If however, the child exceeds its age group by responding correctly to items of an age group older than its own, than the child has a MA greater than its chronological of birth age.  If the opposite is the case, then it has a  mental age below its chronological age.  For Binet, mental age revealed how successful the child was in performing on those test items.  At above or below its own chronological age group.  Thus, a child's mental age could be at, above or below its chronological age group indicating an average above average or below average mental age or intelligence.  Stern in 1911 devised a formula for determining one's intelligence quotient or IQ mental age over the chronological age x 100.  MA x100  = IQ
                                        CA

   If MA and CA were the same the IQ is 100.  When MA exceeds CA, the IQ is more than 100 or above average.  When MA is less than CA the IQ is less than 100 or below average.  The IQ reveals the rate of intellectual development by determining the child's MA in relation to its CA.

  to be continued........

The long weekend and what will you do with it?

If you could do anything you wanted for a day or weekend, what would you do?  Not what you have to do but what you actually want to do?  What is keeping you from doing it?  I am speaking about leisure time.  Is it spending a day in the sun reading a book for pleasure?  Is it having a grand barbeque with family and friends?  Is it just getting away from everyone for a weekend and just be by yourself to think?  Is it time to re-examine your life and what you are doing with it?  Why not start a journal today and begin writing how you feel and about the events in your life.  That can be very therapeutic.  Are you allowing yourself to be the person you want to be?  Do you feel equal to your partner in your relationship?  No?  Why not?  If it does not bother you and you like your role, that is fine.  If however, you are bothered than why are you silent?  How is your spirituality?  Do you believe in a God?  Is God cruel?  Where did you get that notion?  Have you had a spiritual experience that you are too afraid to share?  Do you wake up in the morning feeling irritated?  Is it perhaps that you did not sleep enough?   Lots of questions.  Have you asked yourself any of them?  Why not do something for yourself this long weekend?     

Poem - published

The demon surveyed below him the mass of people and suddenly he smiled as he
swept down and entered her body.
She gasped feeling a slight pain and then began to vomit, as she never had
before.  The sounds of the church bell struck three and she looked up at the
house near her and noticed the numbers 666.
" My God " she cried before the evil tore her within.  She looked up at the
sky one final time before collapsing.

        Two spirits left her body, one good and one bad.  The evil one sneered
and then began to sing blasphemies.  The good spirit rose above to look at her
body.  She then became engulfed with the most beautiful soft color of white
PPand peace returned to her.

The biology of memory (psychology notes)

Which structures in the brain mediate memory?  Is it possible to study the brain as in input-output system, with central controlling processes that influence how memory works?  With MRI and PET scans it has been possible to identify anatomically distinct brain structures that mediate memory such as the hippocampus and the frontal lobes.

l.  Hippocampus:  located in the limbic system which is responsible for emotional behavior, the hippocampus appears to be important for declarative memory and conscious learning.  It is a vital structure for the encoding functions of working on short term memory (STM).  Damage to this structure leads to a preservation of old facts but difficulty in learning and retaining new facts.  Difficulty in forming memories among some older people may be due to too many stress hormones which interfere with the hippocampus and resulting attention and memory.  This limits the development of new declarative memories.

2.  Amygdala:  located in the limbic system, this structure is involved in emotional conditioning.  It has been shown that with amnesiacs, after they have been conditioned to dislike someone they continue the emotional reaction even though they cannot remember the person to whom they have this reaction.  Damage to this structure leads to difficulty in consciously learning and storing new facts (Declarative Memory) but not all facts.  New skills can be learned indicating that this structure is involved in procedural and not declarative memory.  The fact that we retain skills from early childhood indicates that procedural memory is mediated by other brain structures.  The fact that we cannot remember events before age two indicates we cannot establish very firm declarative memories.  This is in keeping with what is known about the hippocampus.  It is one of the last brain structures to mature fully.  Without a mature hippocampus, as is the case in early childhood -  no firm declarative memories.  This helps explain infantile amnesia -- the inability to remember our very early years between birth and four years of age.

3.  Frontal lobes:  located in the front portions of the cerebral cortex the frontal lobes develop thinking strategies for encoding and retrieval of items.  This structure is also involved in conscious memory and controls the hippocampus which is involved in declarative memory.  The frontal lobes gives the hippocampus direction and controls how it organizes information in incoding.  The frontal lobes also influence the retrieval of relevant information since the hippocampus lacks intelligent discrimination as to which information is relevant doing the retrieval process.  The frontal lobes focus attention and inhibit irrelevant responses.  Further, the frontal lobes influence the ability to remember where and when.  That is episodic memory and learning that requires organization and elaboration.

4.  Neostriatum:  located in the subcortex it controls motor activity and learning of new skills.

5.  Cerebellum  -  located below the cortex toward the back of the brain, it controls muscular conditioning as may occur in fear conditioning.  The hippocampus on the other hand is involved in more complex conditioning. 

Who do you trust to tell your story and help you get to where you want to go?

I have helped people in one way or another in all my choices of work after my first part time job at the age of 13.  One fellow student in my Master's program  once commented that I have prepared all my life for the work I am now doing which is counselling.  I have a sincere liking for people and still adhere to my life guard saving motto, "whomever you see in distress, recognize in him a fellow man."  When I was studying in my undergrad, I was shocked when our professor told us that in Canada, anyone can post up a sign or shingle and offer therapy without qualifications.  The only rule he said is that you cannot call the client a patient.  We had a few psychology courses under our belt and we were astonished.  I learned fast enough how people could charge so much money with so little qualifications if any.  How often to we ask about qualifications?  It is just assumed.  In the fall, things should change.  People who are offering counselling without qualifications will have to cease and I am glad.  I have always considered that an exploitation of people who are vulnerable.  There is just too much of that in every sphere.  I work under supervision and adhere to ethical regulations from two different organizations.  I need to tread carefully as anyone should working with people.  When I first started providing counselling, I would always say a little prayer and hope I would cause no harm.  That was my nightmare.  With more experience and supervision, I have found that there is nothing more rewarding.  It can be as simple as to have a person being able to open up to another.  In psychology I found the ground work for all I do.  In my Masters I learned about the  various religions, concepts, spirituality and love for others in a more formal way.  I also learned more psychology as it pertains to faith or otherwise.  In my pastoral counselling education I learned how to work with others of different denominations, experience background and various education.  I learned about couple and family therapy, grief counselling etc.. I also received my practicum experience.  In all I felt I was becoming more rounded to not only grow but in growth to help others.  Going for therapy can be very challenging for someone.  I remember one psychologist telling us that someone may just want to speak to someone since the "Aunt Martha" of long ago is gone.  People have no one to confide in.  Others are struggling and don't know why?  There are so many types of therapies that I enjoy tapping into all depending what the needs of the clients are.  If you are looking for someone to help you, check around.  Ask what their qualifications are?  If you want proof, go for it.  Are they being supervised if they are not as yet registered?   Are they working towards registration? Who are they accountable to?  Which organization are they affiliated with?  Are they a fit for you?  Are they qualified to help you with your specific problems?  And most of all, are you comfortable with this person you are pouring out your soul to?  Right now it is my understanding that the arguement is whether a Masters is required or not.  I think that  a Masters is required as a minimum.  What do you think? 

Sutton, and a bit more of me

A few days ago I went to Sutton, Ontario with family, for a day outing.  I know someone there who has a house, that resembles a resort.  A good mystery story should be born there.  I have been to Sutton twice and always to visit the same people.  However this day we were given the grand tour and I must say Sutton is pretty.  We drove along the lake and sprinkled, for sale signs, facing the lake were everywhere.  It was explained to me that people put the houses up for sale in the spring to see how high a sale they can get for it.  For the right price, it is up for grabs.  I must admit prices are so low compared to Toronto and it is tempting, but I do have another two years of paper work to do and it may be difficult for my clients to follow me there.  They have no Go Train.  There is one in New Market but that is too far and New Market is not my cup of tea.  It looks too much like a suburb of Toronto.  I also couldn't find a coffee shop.  I could still see me living there, walking to the non existent Star Bucks.  Perhaps just regular coffee would do, but there was none.  There was a two story Vicery type house on the lake with huge windows.  You could see right through the windows, onto the windows, at the opposite far side.  This was my dream home, lots of windows and open concept, on the water.  Oh, how unaffordable!     However there is another side of Sutton that is only visible  by the empty shops.  I was informed that Sutton has rich people or poor.  I did not have to pause  to remark, that the middle class seems to be disappearing everywhere.  However, I don't believe that the middle class has disappeared in Sutton.  There are to many middle class homes to be seen.
     I stopped at Tack Town, a horse place that sells my lonely book.  It is at Hwy 48, # 24339.  Don't ask me how to get there, as I found it by accident.  I know it is close to Sutton.  The shops in Sutton have a blend of old and new, except the pharmacy, I walked into.  That seemed to be selling everything new.  You have to be careful if you shop there though.  I saw one item I bought at Bombay for sale at 9.99 being sold for 59.99.  I gave them out for Christmas gifts one year because I thought it was such a good deal.  I guess it was.  Anyway, if you get the chance to drive through this area which they call Georgina, it is worth it.
      It has been too beautiful to work hard and therefore,  I have been taking mini vacations when it is sunny.  Yesterday I worked a bit and than lay outside with one of my pets reading a good book.  I never got to finish it, but am planning to next week.  Tomorrow is mothers day.  To all mothers HAPPY MOTHERS DAY.   How are you spending your quality time?  Are you balancing your life?  What have you done that you consider fun or relaxing or re-energizing?  Are you tired of being tired?  What are you doing about your life?  What changes do you want to make?  Where do you see yourself three years down the road?  What do you think?