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UID:Indybay-18767295
SEQUENCE:18886074
CREATED:20150121T062600Z
DESCRIPTION:Join a reading/study group plumbing the justice details of Leviticus, part 
 of the book most influential in Martin Luther King's career. This is not a 
 religious studies group, it's an intellectual bootcamp exploring the 
 nitty-gritty economic and social mandates of the Hebrew Bible. \n\nAn 
 intellectually honest approach to appreciating MLK and the great sweep of 
 Black Liberation history in the US would have to include a (re)reading of 
 the book which inspired so many of the 19th century spirituals and so much 
 of 20th century Black Church and civil rights liberation rhetoric, and yet 
 which so few otherwise earnest, liberal, progressive do-gooders have taken 
 account. \n\nThe world's first documented constitutional society was in 
 ancient Israel. The collection of history, stories and homilies known as 
 the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament depicts a community which strove to adhere 
 to a constitution that could well inspire and point the legislative 
 direction for today's social justice advocates. \n\nperiodic (7 year) debt 
 abolition \nmandatory (!) vacation time \nuniversal land enfranchisement 
 \nmandatory social security \nno tax on work \n\nTaken together, these five 
 laws in ancient Israel resulted in a staggeringly huge middle class, almost 
 no bureaucracy, universal literacy (on par with Cuba), and an astonishing 
 absence of hierarchical governance and society. \n\n"Go down, Moses, way 
 down in Egypt land. \nTell old Pharaoh, Let my people go." \nSpiritual, 
 first published c. 1862 \n\n"Like anybody, I would like to live - a long 
 life; longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just 
 want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And 
 I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with 
 you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the 
 Promised Land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm 
 not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the 
 Lord." MLK, 1968 \n\nThese are words that touched hearts, launched action, 
 and which only hint at the depths of specific freedom legislation which the 
 Hebrew Law in the Bible book of Leviticus enunciated. \n\nYou are invited 
 to join The Commons SF in a non-denominational secular reading of several 
 texts treating the sociology of the Bible without dependence upon 
 supernatural forces, reading for profound lessons to be learned by justice 
 advocates today. Louis Wallis' "Sociological Study of the Bible" and John 
 Kelly's "The Other Law of Moses" will be supplied. \n\nFor more info: info 
 [at] TheCommonsSF.org \n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/01/20/18767295.php
SUMMARY:MLK's deep roots reading group
LOCATION:Notable House\n189 Ellsworth St.\nSan Francisco, CA 94110
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/01/20/18767295.php
DTSTART:20150127T030000Z
DTEND:20150127T043000Z
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