How to Unite the Tribes of Joseph and Judah

¹⁵The word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁶"Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, 'Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.' Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, 'Ephraim's stick, belonging to Joseph and all the house of Israel associated with him.' ¹⁷Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.
--Ezekiel 37: 15-17, NIV

That was the scripture reading, and I was asked to make a prop. A stick to use. God gave Ezekiel kind of decent instructions, but they're pretty vague. If only He had used Instructables.

Note: This Instructable is not intended to promote any religion or teaching. It was just an excuse to use that title. Please, no flame Crusades. Apologies if I offend anyone with my sacrilege.

Step 1 The Stick

Okay, got a stick. Old sycamore, so it's lightweight but decently sturdy. Scraped off loose bark and trimmed it down a bit.

Comments

[spylock]

I like the stick,have a nice day.

[Lithium Rain]

Don't like it?
Don't look.

[StickStoneBone]

Part of the expression of freedom is to offer an opinion, don't like my opinion? That's okay, you're free to express your dislikes.

[Lithium Rain]

There are many types of freedom whose expression does not require offering an opinion. Do you perhaps mean freedom of expression? In any event, a private website is, sadly, not required to give you first-amendment rights.

[spylock]

(removed by author or community request)

[Lithium Rain]

That word...I do not think it means what you think it means.

[The Ideanator]

It means both, yet what he inferred and what you implied are not congruous. On that note, I haven't ever known you to be PC, and if you follow his advice and start a new site take me with you!!!

[Lithium Rain]

If I'm not being PC, I want to know so I can fix it.

I have a very strong distaste for the right-wing branding of "not-offensive" as "PC" and "PC" as "pandering" or some other negative connotation. I consider being PC to be a good thing inasmuch as it seems to include "not being racist," "not being misogynist," and generally "not being a tool." When someone says "this isn't PC, but -" something offensive never fails to follow.

And sure thing. ;)

[The Ideanator]

Kind of what I meant when I said you weren't. I usually take PC to mean the "unoffensive" politics BS, your part is more or less kindness and common sense and as it happens, it can fall under the PC category.

[spylock]

(removed by author or community request)

[StickStoneBone]

The conversation between Kiteman and myself was a year ago; on an 'epically fail day' (on my part). While I do still stand by many of my statements I could have put things much more clearly and without the drama. Yes a person can say 'what they want' but if they do they better be prepared to deal with the consequences.

That's the point. Talk the talk, walk the walk, punch a whale in the face; and deal with all repercussions.

[CameronSS]

D'awwwwww... Idea and Lira sitting in a tree...
^{>ducks flying banhammer<}

[The Ideanator]

XD I'm sure she'll throw steel-toe boots in as well ;)

[StickStoneBone]

And yet.... I still can give my opinion. If you feel I'm being abusive or rude by all means report me.

[Kiteman]

Explain?

[StickStoneBone]

This is pretentious, non-thought-through 'ible. I don't think the author understands the religious concept, if they had, it would have been done more respectfully. I don't have a problem with someone making a staff with symbolic/religious implication. However their tone is light-minded and mocking (non-intentional I'm sure, but still there). If they'd given more thought to their project things could have been interesting... For instance using Olive Wood (I could go on, but frankly I'm incredibly upset and don't want to speak further on this topic).

[Kiteman]

Did you see the introduction?

The part where the author says this is a prop for a play?

[StickStoneBone]

That's part of the point really... the fact that it was used in a play. If someone has a misunderstanding of a concept and makes a symbol of it. Then publicly displays it - Ignorance marches on.

[Kiteman]

Good grief - it's a play of that passage, not some disrespectful make-believe.


(I can't believe that *I* am defending the representation of religious imagery...)

[StickStoneBone]

NOTE: You are requesting clarification, I never volunteered it aside from my original opinion of this 'ible. Bluntly Honest: I don't care what you think of any belief of mine. Further requests for clarification will be ignored.

[Kiteman]

Firstly, your original opinion was vague and unhelpful.

Secondly, I ventured no opinion regarding your faith.

You criticised a well-made project for no better grounds than you do no approve of somebody representing a stick from a book of myths with a real stick.

How about using your membership for the purpose it was intended: creativity, not flaming?

[StickStoneBone]

As opposed to what you are doing? Antagonizing others? Please as you give advice be willing to take it.

[Kiteman]

I always do.

Check the comments made on this project: Who was the first to be critical without good reason? Who was the first to dish out insults?

Look a little wider: who has actually contributed positively to this site?

Hmmm....

[StickStoneBone]

I'm free to offer an opinion whether negative or positive, if it brings unwanted attention or your disdain - I will not feel bad about it. I think this 'debate' if it can be called that has gone on long enough. If you feel the need to progress further shall we take this to 'personal messages?'

[Kiteman]

If you must.

[StickStoneBone]

Not really, I'm good where I'm at. The offer was to you, PM me if you feel like it.

[Kiteman]

I'll leave it, thank you. You have made your position clear ("thou shalt not use appropriate props in church, as to illustrate the word of my god is disrespectful"), and I have made mine clear ("get an life, stop flaming good projects"). You can take it to PM if you want, but, as I said, I'd rather you used your account to publish Instructables instead of for theist flaming.

[StickStoneBone]

"You have made your position clear ("thou shalt not use appropriate props in church, as to illustrate the word of my god is disrespectful")" I never made this implication. My only issue is that this 'ible in my opinion (which is all it is) should have been handled with more aplomb and research. That should be the end of it. Here is my original statement, read into it if you want, but I felt it was very strait forward: "I don't have a problem with someone making a staff with symbolic/religious implication. However their tone is light-minded and mocking (non-intentional I'm sure, but still there)."

[CameronSS]

Thank you, Kiteman. It wasn't quite for a play-the pastor read the passage while a couple of my friends stood behind her and demonstrated what it meant. But yes.

GroovyPoet: I'm sorry that you took offense at something not intended to be intentional. I don't believe that Kiteman ever requested clarification, and I'm not sure where you got the idea that he did. This same thing was done at a conference for the entire Midwest, that's where the pastor got the idea. I don't see how using "Olive Wood" would have particularly made any difference, since the passage from Ezekiel never mentions a type of wood, only to use two "sticks." The passage describes how to make a visual aid, and that is exactly what I have done. There is nothing more to it. It is a visual aid used by Ezekiel to help him explain to his people what he's talking about. If following a Scripture passage word for word is offensive to you, then I can't really do much about it other than hope you don't have the same objections toward the Commandments. Good day, sir.

[StickStoneBone]

Scroll up. You'll see he requests an "Explanation," (saying: Explain) that is a request for clarification. "he passage describes how to make a visual aid, and that is exactly what I have done. There is nothing more to it. " No I'm afraid not, from beginning to end you PUN the verse, and you even state so in your 3rd step. If you want to understand the Old Testament, READ IT IN HEBREW. The 'Olive Tree' *represents* Israel, that is how it is valid.

[CameronSS]

Did I say I punned the verse? I'm pretty sure I didn't, mostly since the pun was derived entirely from the process of making a prop, which had nothing to do with the verse. You're a bit unclear here...in two different places, you have stated that it should either be an olive branch, or a scroll. Since you can' t seem to keep a consistent translation, I think I'll trust GoodHart on this, since he has a very deep understanding of ancient translations, which he has shown since long before you got here.

[StickStoneBone]

As to the 'puns' and the silliness of your Instructable - you admit to it throughout the instructions; if you can't see it... I really have stopped caring. The Olive Tree is a symbol of Israel I stated earlier it would have been interesting had you chosen that material and been more mature about it, I didn't state it was in the text. As far as GoodHart goes he and I are in a conversation and are getting along just fine. If you feel the need to become more a part of it feel free.

[Goodhart]

The Olive Tree is a symbol of Israel - as was the grape vine, and, if memory serves me, also the Almond tree.

[StickStoneBone]

Incidentally, the 'sticks' represented are not 'sticks' as they are referred to in the English text, they are Scrolls. Text wrapped around two sticks, that is the literal 'word for word' understanding. Not a staff.

[Goodhart]

Incidentally the Hebrew here MEANS stick or tree, and only by means of emendation do you come up with scroll or scrolls. Even the JPS is careful to translate it properly as STICKS.

[StickStoneBone]

Are you a scholar? Do you read/write Hebrew? Have you studied Jewish culture and nomenclature/terminology? Have you looked up each word of the verse in Strongs Exhaustive Concordance and cross referenced the similar words listed? If so - it's very obvious. Don't go off a translation for information. Study it out for yourself.

[Goodhart]

yes, the word is used mostly as TREE in most translations because it refers to timber. I have intimate involvement with Jewish tradition, and the language, both ancient and current Hebrew. Fascinating language. Again, only by emendation do you get "scroll" from "timber". But now we are beyond "opinion" ;-)

[StickStoneBone]

"the word is used mostly as TREE in most translations," again, I'm really not interested in translations but my conclusions. Feel free to disagree.

[Goodhart]

I know you are not really interesting in the "meaning of the word" but rather how you want to look at it. Just don't say the word means what is does not. That is all. I have already hinted twice that it one would have to alter the meaning to make it scroll. A comparison with, say the staff each tribe carried with them, each "had writing on it" and was not a scroll, but was an actual staff that they also used to make the individual tribe. In all likelihood in Ezk., this is indicative of that vary staff (which has been "broken" by the splitting up of those tribes). Never was a tribe's "sign" or what signified that tribe ever refereed to as a scroll. But you may do so if you like.

[StickStoneBone]

Life is chess, and thoughts, and deeds, my response is forthcoming. I'm sure you'll wait eagerly.