Finished Reading “Heretics”

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  "G. K. Chesterton, the "Prince of Paradox," is at his witty best in this collection of twenty essays and articles from the turn of the twentieth century. Focusing on  "heretics" - those who pride themselves on their superiority to Christian views - Chesterton appraises prominent figures who fall into that category from the literary and art worlds... those who hold incomplete and inadequate views about "life, the universe, and everything." He is, in short, criticizing all that host of non-Christian views of reality, as he demonstrated in his follow-up book Orthodoxy. The book is both an easy read and a difficult read. But he manages to demonstrate, among other things, that our new 21st century heresies are really not new because he himself deals with most of them." (Goodreads)

Numbers 16-24: the Poem

Well on their way in their wandering,
Korah and sons all rebel;
God judges the men of those houses
to be an example for Israel.

The next day those people's own grumble
'gainst Moses and Aaron was heard;
God judged all that loud congregation
who lifted a contrary word.

The priesthood received confirmation
"Every devoted thing yours;"
Then purified through the Red Heifer,
The unclean and clean are made sure.

Miriam dies in the desert,
the people assemble, complain;
Moses in anger strikes rock-ward,
Instead of just speaking again.

Edom refuses their passage,
And Aaron, he dies in his place;
Then tension with Canaan's king Arad
caused Israel to search for God's face.

The people again gripe and grumble,
God judges that lot with those snakes;
But looking to Moses' Bronze Serpent
Brings life in those poisonous stakes.

The journey continues with battles,
the Lord giving great victory;
And Balaam says backwardly curses
Despite all he says or can see.

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