Changing It Up A Bit

Due to the overwhelming positive response to our Book Club, we have decided to showcase it more on the site.  Hopefully this will allow us more time to focus on the book and get some really fruitful discussions going.  Thanks to those of you brave enough to respond last week.  Check back tomorrow for the beginning of our discussions about pp. 70-140.  Also remember to check Facebook for more ways to keep the conversations going.

Today we highlight one of the responses to last week's questions.  Please feel free to respond with your own thoughts.  Just comment below.  It may take some time to have your comment post as they need to be moderated first.  Thanks, Melanie, for getting our new Book Club format going.

Why do you think Jacobs makes the point that he will not pick and choose the rules?  I agree with Jimmy that this does make a great idea for a book, but also that really following  the rules, to the letter, is a most difficult task. People tend to want to follow only the rules  that are easy to follow. Ones that are more difficult often get re-worded or adapted to make  them easier for individuals to follow. Some rules are just ignored. Being Catholic is hard. It  takes work and rules. Heaven is not free, but oh what a reward for those who work for it  and live by the "rules."  “Miracles only occur when you jump in” (p.13) Do you agree or disagree?  I agree! When you jump into something, you don't think it through, make a plan, or strategize.  Miracles are surprising, welcome events that wouldn't have the element of surprise if you had thought it all out. Then again, sometimes I laugh at myself when I try to plan it all out. After all, I really have no control over some things do I? So one can say, every day in this world could be considered some sort of miracle.  Avoiding women who are unclean is actually out of respect for life. How can this be so? (p. 50)  I laughed out loud when I read his wife's reaction to this "rule" in the book. How when Jacobs  was gone from the house, she went and sat in every chair in the house so it was now considered  "unclean." (Totally something I would have done if my husband had sprung that on me). However,  I like the idea of it being out of a respect for life even if the "unclean" event would seem to mean  there was no procreation of life. I am reminded of the women we read about in The Red Tent *  last summer. How they would be relieved of their "duties" for the 5-7 days that they  were menstruating. It was their time to rest. I think I would see it as out of respect for the  women's lives. To allow them time to rejuvenate themselves in the event they were able  to conceive; an awesome responsibility that was given to us by God. A miracle in itself. *Last summer, our Book Club read "The Red Tent."  It is one we enjoyed.  The link to buy the  book will soon be available to this AGOG site if you are interested. What do you think?  Tell us!