As I read more about this woman this morning, it occurred to me (I'm slow on the uptake) what a political hack she is.

She has applied for an asst. A.G. position, a federal judgeship, law school management positions. Now she wants to be a Supreme Court Justice.

Has she ever worked in a non-political environment?

Held a real-world job?

Like the rest of us?

She's no academic scholar or national legal treasure.

She's a detached liberal idealogue.

Everything is theoretical, as in:

"Let's try this, This should work."

And the corrollary:

"Huh, That should have worked."

By the way:

The Supreme Judge (and our Chief Advocate) suffered like us:

^Heb15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

 ^Heb16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Call Me Ishmael. These were the opening words of one of the most famous novels in literature. The narrator uses these words to introduce himself.

His name is not Ishmael. Why should I call him that?

This is why I first read the Bible.

I realized that if I were going to understand more of the world around me, and the literature that describes it, I would need a grasp of the major cultural touchstone, the central cultural reference point of western civilization: the Bible.

When Melville (the author of Moby Dick) used those words, he quickly summed up the position of the narrator. He was a bastard, cut loose from a very powerful family, left to make his own way, and as the story seems to show, with divine provision. These are the things we understand about Ishmael in the Bible.

Ishmael was the son of Abraham by his servant Hagar, an attempt to provide himself an heir since his wife was childless. Yet God had promised him a child by Sarah his wife.

Hagar and Ishmael hanging around would be detrimental to God's plan. So God had them leave, with a promise that he would still provide for them. And He did. Ishmael was at Abrahams funeral, and he was wealthy. But, of course, Isaac was the promised son, and the heir.

Melville said all this about his character in a three word shortcut: Call Me Ishmael.

I did not read the Bible because I was a goody two-shoes religious zealot. I often read the Bible on drugs, since I did everything else on drugs. 

I did not read the Bible to be reminded of my sins.

I read it to understand the world around me better.

Interestingly enough, some great minds, Newton being a most notable example, felt the same way.

I just wanted to know what people were talking about, or referring to.

I wanted to be less ignorant.

I never thought I'd get sucked in like this....