Afternoon Discussion Abraham

Afternoon discussion of Abraham by Bruce Feiler proved to be thought provoking and lively. We covered the specifics of Abraham's life such as the call and the binding in relation to information presented in the book that was new to us. We sympathized with Hagar's plight and the natural tension between Sarah. Several members commented that having any information about women in the Bible was nice since they are largely overlooked. One member who has kept a journal for an extended period expressed her dismay at reading early entries and from her present perspective finding them whiney. In relationship to Sarah and Hagar, we speculated that we wouldn't want future generations to base their own spirituality on a decision that had been recorded perhaps at a moment when we weren't our best self, as in Sarah's harsh treatment of Hagar. We discussed the idea of better interfaith understanding and barriers that exist to prevent that. Several members came to distrust Feiler as a source of information as his presentation differed from their own beliefs, others appreciated the balance of viewpoints. It was noted that mistrust and perhaps the idea that our beliefs have "more truth" than someone else's could prevent common ground. At the same time, we felt that uniqueness was a strength and shouldn't be homogenized in the name of peaceful coexistence.