Articles from East Texas attorney :: Blake Bailey Law work

Balance of Rights of Christian Fundamentalists and Others in American Politics.  Separation of Church and State and the balance of rights among citizens  Basic Constitutional concepts address the relative rights of our Christian brothers and sisters who follow a Fundamentalist view of the Bible. Christians have the advantage and responsibility as the majority religion in the United States.  The United States holds to a separation of Church and State. This concept is invaluable as it relates to other rights shared by Americans. Right to assembly and freedom of speech, for example, were stifled in many countries, at the time of the birth of the Constitution, because of the dominance of a state-sponsored religion. The Danbury Baptist Association. in 1802, who were justifiably concerned that their minority religion could be overwhelmed by a State religion, wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson seeking reassurance.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn1">[i]</a>  Jefferson’s response to this famous letter promised a “…wall of separation between church and state.”<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn2">[ii]</a>  Had that not been his stand, (as well as the position of other great thinkers who gave birth to the underlying philosophical foundation of our Republic), the Baptist Church could well have been crushed by its government. The rights shared by each of us are not absolute.  By the very nature of living in close proximity, we continually must seek a middle ground that allows the most freedom possible for everyone. Our courts address these issues continuously by balancing the rights of the parties. This is true with religious rights. Christians have the right to pray and read the Bible. Other religions as well as those who do not believe in a god have the right not to participate. Because of this, the various groups cannot have a perfect world. Quite frankly, the zealots from whom we hear on both sides of these issues should conserve their strength for situations in which their rights are being seriously affected. This is especially true when facilities and events are financed by common funds from the citizens. Difficulty with literally believing all that is written   A literal reading of some portions of the Bible can be hard to accept—even for many who accept the Bible as “Authority” for faith and practice. Since it is likely that a sincere person will adopt the religious beliefs of his or her parents, there is little statistical evidence that the Holy Spirit or other supernatural intercession is available to everyone. After all, the Christian religion has always occupied a minority position in world religions. A Hindu child in India is most likely going to practice Hinduism rather than become a Baptist, regardless of how sincere and dedicated the child might be. Certainly it is difficult to believe that reading the Bible is essential to becoming a true follower of God since most people on Earth are illiterate. The following are some of the passages with which a person not raised to accept the Bible without question might have trouble…especially if the premise is that the Christian God is all-powerful, all-knowing and loving: Several centuries ago, Abraham, a nomad in Iraq, was approached by God and commended because he believed in only one God, while those around him were polytheistic. In his talk with God he was told he would be rewarded for his belief. The only other person who was privy to these conversations was Sarah, his wife. We enjoy no independent source to verify Abraham’s story. The reward was unusual. Abraham was a hundred year old, with no children. His wife, also working on one hundred, was not of child bearing age. Yet Abraham was Promised Land for his prodigy.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn3">[iii]</a>  Sarah suggested he have a child by their hand maiden, Hagar. So, with permission, Abraham impregnated Hagar, who bore him a son, Ishmael. <a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn4">[iv]</a> Sarah determined this to be a bad idea so she had her own son and ran Hagar and her son, Ishmael, into the desert to die. Although neither God nor Abraham tried to stop her, God did follow along and make sure they had water and survived. So, in this manner, the second son of Abraham, Isaac, became the linage for God’s promise.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn5">[v]</a> Of passing interest, Abraham was Chaldean, Sarah was Jew and Hagar was Egyptian. Ishmael was a cross between Chaldean and Egyptian, hence Arab. The Jewish blessing would have been lost to Arab linage if the first born of Abraham had received the original promise to Abraham. Instead, the Arab child received a consolation blessing from God when he and his mother left the camp.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn6">[vi]</a> Later, Isaac’s second born son stole the promised gift of linage from his older brother by fraud and deceit.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn7">[vii]</a> Three religions follow the God of Abraham: Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Although all believe Christ was a prophet and spiritual leader, only Christians believe Christ is the Son of God, and that one must believe he is the Son of God to go to Heaven, (and not burn in Hell).<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn8">[viii]</a> At one point God told Abraham to kill his son Isaac with a knife and burn him as a human sacrifice. Abraham tied his son down and was preparing to do so when an angel stopped him. Abraham was praised for his willingness to kill and burn his son because he was told to by God.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn9">[ix]</a> After bondage and wandering the desert for forty years, Abraham’s linage entered again in the Promised Land promised to Abraham, and found scattered tribes of people who were not “God’s chosen People”. God had them attack and kill these inhabitants—every man, woman, child and even beasts of burden in many instances. A person might read these and other passages and have trouble believing them—or, at least, have trouble believing that this is an accurate account of a all-knowing, all-powerful, loving God and his chosen people. Subsequent to these happenings, a splinter group of the Jews, lead by Jesus, felt that they were fulfilling a prophesy of the Jews. This movement eventually included non-Jews as well. Jesus was at odds with organized religion and eventually killed by its leaders. Over three hundred years later the Roman Emperor Constantine formed a committee known as the Council of Nicea (AD 325), to address the “Nature of Christ”. Some of the letters written by the early Christians were accepted and others rejected by that Counsel. It was the Synod of Carthage (AD 393), sixty years after Constantine's death that made the final decision of which letters were to be included in the “Canon”. The exact identity of those making these decisions and the source of their authority is lost in history. Interestingly, there was no evidence of writings by Jesus. Certainly, as an educated Rabbi and the Son of God, he would have been capable of writing something down if he felt it a good idea. Also, there is no evidence that Jesus instructed others to write down instructions the generations to come. The final collection of letters, now known as the New Testament, would seem to be the brain child of a Roman Emperor and subsequent committees, and not Jesus. Other letters were left out of the New Testament. Much of the Christian Bible is written by Paul, who only met Jesus in an apparition.  The actual text of the New Testament contains contradictions in reported facts.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn10">[x]</a>  Additionally, those close to Jesus and contributors to the letters in the Bible seemed confused as to who he was. Peter’s understanding that Christ was the Son of God stood out among Christ’s followers.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn11">[xi]</a> Paul, along with many other apostles, was confused as to Jesus’ second coming. He thought it would be during his lifetime.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn12">[xii]</a> There are multitudes of examples in which the stories from the Bible are hard to accept for someone reading it literally. But, certainly, anyone has the right to accept the Jewish or Christian Bibles as a true historical account of God’s intervention with mankind thousands of years ago. The question is how our Republic should balance that right with the rights of those religious citizens of a different faith; Christian non-literalists; or citizens who are agnostics, atheists or deists.  The risk is opportunistic use of religion, race, nationality or other division as a device to create “them” and “us” mentality. This mentality can justify horrible acts against fellow humans. Once such a thing is set in motion, then all sides have justification for inhumane acts of their own—and the balance of rights necessary in a representative government crumbles. Acts of tolerance or intolerance are naturally self-perpetuating. It doesn’t take a great deal of logic to see the advantage of the acts of love and the willingness to consider everyone to be part of “us”, especially in a society promoting individual freedom and expression.   Non-legalistic preaching of Christ  Another approach to the Christian religion is found in the words accredited to Christ.  In many ways the teachings and life of Christ are reminiscent of those of Socrates. The Greek philosopher also did not write down his teachings and coincidentally met death by judicial decree. The act of writing down rules did not seem to fit Christ’s style. In the first place, he condemned a legalistic approach to religion.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn13">[xiii]</a> As a rabbi, he studied the written law but rejected it, favoring instead a simple message of love and tolerance.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn14">[xiv]</a>  He taught love of enemies and tolerance of people of different cultures, faiths and races.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn15">[xv]</a> Christ did not build a church building or even a house.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn16">[xvi]</a> He had no political agenda, much to the consternation of the Zealots seeking to overthrow Rome’s occupation of the Jews.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn17">[xvii]</a> He did not advocate punishment, but understanding and tolerance.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn18">[xviii]</a> He condemned public prayer and public self-promotion.<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn19">[xix]</a> The Ten Commandments were written long before Christ, for the Chosen People, (descendents of Abraham), and not for everyone. Those rules eventually were adopted in part by the Gentiles as well as the Jews in the Christian movement.  “Keeping the Sabbath Day, (Saturday), Holy” and its over six hundred complex rules and regulations were pretty much abandoned. “Eye for an Eye” was replaced with forgiveness. Prohibition against killing was promoted to a command not to hate.  Ultimately, Christ’s anti-establishment, non-legalistic, message of love and tolerance was rewarded by his foreseeable punishment and death, much like the inevitable fate of other champions of love and tolerance such as Gandhi, Socrates, King and others. Is this really an issue about sex?  Abortion, gay marriage and use of public domain to promote religious beliefs seem to be the overwhelming agenda of the Fundamentalists, especially as they form a cohesive political power within the social conservatives in America. This agenda leaves little room for efforts concerning issues Christ talked about in the Sermon on the Mount. One could argue that the underlying concern of the Fundamentalists’ concerning the first two is one of sex. The national debate concerning abortion isn’t whether it is a good thing. The question is: “What do we do about it?” The issues and circumstances surrounding abortion are endless: 1.                    What about a young woman who is raped? What if the rapist is insane and has passed these genes off to the fetus? 2.                    What about the young girl who is wrestled down in the back seat by her boyfriend more full of himself, hormones and muscles than understanding. 3.                    Should we be able to require someone to donate their body to keep alive another for nine months? 4.                    What about the thousands of frozen embryos that are the result of a medical procedure that allowed the birth of a child who otherwise would not have been born? 5.                    What about the fetus in a woman on drugs? 6.                    What about a woman who will certainly die if she carries to full term? 7.                    How many children will die as a result of being born in households unable to handle the responsibility? 8.                    How many children will die as a result of over population?<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn20">[xx]</a> 9.                    When does human life begin?<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn21">[xxi]</a> The list goes on, but the underlying question is what response would Christ have had. Should Christians push for secular punishment by imprisonment or the death penalty for those who decide the circumstances call for an abortion? It appears Christ didn’t respond in that manner to violations of law. Why is it that the vast majority of the Fundamentalists who advocate against abortion are also often against sex education and distribution of condoms and other forms of contraception when less unwanted pregnancies would decrease the abortion rate? Why is it that the political social conservatives supported by Fundamentalists aren’t as active in the fight for universal health care for children, or minimum wage increases for their working parents? It is foreseeable this would save lives of children, reduce need for abortion, and is arguably more in line with the remedies Christ would consider. Why do Fundamentalists often back social conservative agendas promoting killing with capital punishment; war; and loosening of pollution standards that are designed to reduce death and illness, especially among the young? One possible answer is that the underlying motivation of fundamentalists isn’t the welfare of the fetus but the punishment of premarital sex. Ironically, the commandment not to kill relied upon Fundamentalists opposing abortion goes back to the rules given to “God’s Chosen People” in the Ten Commandments. Under this dispensation, the Jews, by edict from God, killed many men, women, (some, presumably pregnant), and children who appeared not to be guilty of anything requiring punishment<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_ednref" href="#_edn22">[xxii]</a> In support of the other main issue for politically active Fundamentalists, huge amounts of effort are spent trying to restrict the legal rights of gays. This seems disjointed from the abortion movement, but for its connection with sex. One obvious question is: If gays are born with a desire for the same sex, what creator allowed that to happen? Assuming homosexuality is wrong; would Christ campaign for secular punishment and social segregation? When did conservatives decide government should look into our bedrooms to see if we are gay or practicing heterosexuality with too much flair or reckless abandon?   Democracy by Tolerance and Love  All religions and, for that matter, atheists feed off of the perceived injustices perpetrated by the “others”. The same can be said of the “them and us” groups identified by race, nationality, political affiliation, gender, or any other distinguishing trait. All are wrong if they justify their intolerance by the intolerance received from another. It is an unthinking cycle that destroys the good and kills the rights we wish to share in a free society. Real, lasting change doesn’t come from committing a wrong to another group. It comes from the example set by Christ, Gandhi, Socrates, King and others who rose above pettiness and gave the world examples of tolerance and love—even for their enemies. These acts of kindness destroyed the logic of revenge and unthinking resistance to the “thems” of this world. The reactions can be just sarcastic dismissal of the other’s position or violence justified by the violence of someone in the other group. Atheists need to get over the fact that many in their society are believers. It’s part of our culture’s heritage. No one has been violated if the response to a sneeze is “God bless you.”  They need to understand that the rigid ways of some Christian fundamentalists are similar to the ways of, what Einstein referred to as, the ways of militant atheists. Christians need to quit worrying about giving long prayers at football games. Christ wouldn’t have done that anyway. Free society can work, but it takes the understanding, respect and love of fellow human beings for it to happen. And, my friends who are atheists, forgive me, no one has said it better than Christ. As for my religious friends, look to the essence of spirituality and see if condemnation shouldn’t be trumped by love and understanding. If that happens, then the good part of American democracy will survive and touch all of us. <div style="mso-element: endnote-list;"> <hr size="1" /> <div id="edn" style="mso-element: endnote;"> <pre><a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_edn1" href="#_ednref">[i]</a> The address of the Danbury Baptists Association in the state of </pre> <pre>Connecticut, assembled October 7, 1801. To Thomas Jefferson,</pre> <pre> </pre> <pre>Esq., President of the United States of America. </pre> <pre> Sir,</pre> <pre> Among the many million in America and Europe who rejoice in your election to office; we embrace the first opportunity which we have enjoyed in our collective capacity, since your inauguration, to express our great satisfaction, in your appointment to the chief magistracy in the United States: And though our mode of expression may be less courtly and pompous than what many others clothe their addresses with, we beg you, sir, to believe that none are more sincere. </pre> <pre> Our sentiments are uniformly on the side of religious liberty--that religion is at all times and places a matter between God and individuals--that no man ought to suffer in name, person, or effects on account of his religious opinions--that the legitimate power of civil government extends no further than to punish the man who works ill to his neighbors; But, sir, our constitution of government is not specific. Our ancient charter together with the law made coincident therewith, were adopted as the basis of our government, at the time of our revolution; and such had been our laws and usages, and such still are; that religion is considered as the first object of legislation; and therefore what religious privileges we enjoy (as a minor part of the state) we enjoy as favors granted, and not as inalienable rights; and these favors we receive at the expense of such degrading acknowledgements as are inconsistent with the rights of freemen. It is not to be wondered at therefore; if those who seek after power and gain under the pretense of government and religion should reproach their fellow men--should reproach their order magistrate, as a enemy of religion, law, and good order, because he will not, dare not, assume the prerogatives of Jehovah and make laws to govern the kingdom of Christ. Sir, we are sensible that the president of the United States is not the national legislator, and also sensible that the national government cannot destroy the laws of each state; but our hopes are strong that the sentiments of our beloved president, which have had such genial effect already, like the radiant beams of the sun, will shine and prevail through all these states and all the world, till hierarchy and tyranny be destroyed from the earth. Sir, when we reflect on your past services, and see a glow of philanthropy and good will shining forth in a course of more than thirty years we have reason to believe that America's God has raised you up to fill the chair of state out of that goodwill which he bears to the millions which you preside over. May God strengthen you for your arduous task which providence and the voice of the people have called you to sustain and support you enjoy administration against all the predetermined opposition of those who wish to raise to wealth and importance on the poverty and subjection of the people. And may the Lord preserve you safe from every evil and bring you at last to his heavenly kingdom through Jesus Christ our Glorious Mediator. </pre> <pre> Signed in behalf of the association,  Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, Stephen S. Nelson</pre> </div> <div id="edn" style="mso-element: endnote;"> <a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_edn2" href="#_ednref">[ii]</a> To messers Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut. Gentlemen The affectionate sentiments of esteem & approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful & zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, and, in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more & more pleasing. Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;" thus building a wall of eternal separation between Church & State. Congress thus inhibited from acts respecting religion, and the Executive authorised only to execute their acts, I have refrained from prescribing even those occasional performances of devotion, practiced indeed by the Executive of another nation as the legal head of its church, but subject here, as religious exercises only to the voluntary regulations and discipline of each respective sect, [Jefferson first wrote: "confining myself therefore to the duties of my station, which are merely temporal, be assured that your religious rights shall never be infringed by any act of mine and that." These lines he crossed out and then wrote: "concurring with"; having crossed out these two words, he wrote: "Adhering to this great act of national legislation in behalf of the rights of conscience"; next he crossed out these words and wrote: "Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience I shall see with friendly dispositions the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced that he has no natural rights in opposition to his social duties."] I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & the Danbury Baptist [your religious] association assurances of my high respect & esteem. Th Jefferson Jan. 1. 1802. </div> <div id="edn" style="mso-element: endnote;"> <a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_edn3" href="#_ednref">[iii]</a> Genesis 15   1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, [<a title="See footnote a" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015&version=31#fen-NIV-362a#fen-NIV-362a">a</a>] your very great reward. [<a title="See footnote b" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015&version=31#fen-NIV-362b#fen-NIV-362b">b</a>] " 2 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit [<a title="See footnote c" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015&version=31#fen-NIV-363c#fen-NIV-363c">c</a>] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." 4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.  7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it." 8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?" 9 So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon." 10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure." 17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river [<a title="See footnote d" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015&version=31#fen-NIV-379d#fen-NIV-379d">d</a>] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates- 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."   </div> <div id="edn" style="mso-element: endnote;"> <a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_edn4" href="#_ednref">[iv]</a> Genesis 16   1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."       Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.       When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me." 6 "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?"  "I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered. 9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count." 11 The angel of the LORD also said to her:  "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, [<a title="See footnote a" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=16&version=31#fen-NIV-393a#fen-NIV-393a">a</a>] for the LORD has heard of your misery. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward [<a title="See footnote b" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=16&version=31#fen-NIV-394b#fen-NIV-394b">b</a>] all his brothers." 13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen [<a title="See footnote c" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=16&version=31#fen-NIV-395c#fen-NIV-395c">c</a>] the One who sees me." 14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi [<a title="See footnote d" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=16&version=31#fen-NIV-396d#fen-NIV-396d">d</a>] ; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. 15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael. </div> <div id="edn" style="mso-element: endnote;"> <a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_edn5" href="#_ednref">[v]</a> Genesis 21   8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac." 11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring [<a title="See footnote b" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2021;&version=31;#fen-NIV-526b#fen-NIV-526b">b</a>] will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring." 14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there nearby, she [<a title="See footnote c" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2021;&version=31;#fen-NIV-530c#fen-NIV-530c">c</a>] began to sob. 17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation." 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt. </div> <div id="edn" style="mso-element: endnote;"> <a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_edn6" href="#_ednref">[vi]</a> Genesis 17 18 And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"  19 Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. [<a title="See footnote a" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%2017:18-20&version=31#fen-NIV-417a#fen-NIV-417a">a</a>] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. </div> <div id="edn" style="mso-element: endnote;"> <a style="mso-endnote-id: edn;" name="_edn7" href="#_ednref">[vii]</a> Genesis 27  1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." "Here I am," he answered.  2 Isaac said, "I am now an old man and don't know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your weapons—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die."  5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7 'Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.' 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. 10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies."  11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "But my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I'm a man with smooth skin. 12 What if my father touches me? I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing."  13 His mother said to him, "My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me."  14 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it. 15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son, which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins. 17 Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.  18 He went to his father and said, "My father."       "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?"  19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing."  20 Isaac asked his son, "How did you find it so quickly, my son?" "The LORD your God gave me success," he replied.  21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not." 22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau." 23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him. 24 "Are you really my son Esau?" he asked.  "I am," he replied.  25 Then he said, "My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing."  Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here, my son, and kiss me." 27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. 28 May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness— an abundance of grain and new wine. 29 May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.  May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed." 30 After Isaac finished blessing him and Jacob had scarcely left his father's presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. 31 He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, "My father, sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing." 32 His father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I am your son," he answered, "your firstborn, Esau."  33 Isaac trembled violently and said, "Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you cam