{"id":9579,"date":"2023-08-31T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lawcomic.net\/guide\/?p=9579"},"modified":"2025-11-13T14:55:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T20:55:49","slug":"129-complications-continue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawcomic.net\/guide\/?p=9579","title":{"rendered":"129. Complications Continue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Jewish<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n

Constitutional Law<\/p>\n

Part 2: \u201cWhat Were They Thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n

Digression: \u201cA History of Government in 6 Revolutions: From the Paleolithic to Philadelphia\u201d<\/p>\n

129. Complications Continue<\/p>\n

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TITLE: Part W: Complications Continue<\/p>\n

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Panel 1: A thriving Mediterranean port city, with grand monumental architecture and a sophisticated harbor.<\/p>\n

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NARRATION:<\/p>\n

After Alexander died in 323 B.C., the Greek empires of the Ptolemies (Egypt) and the Seleucids (Mesopotamia, Syria, Persia\u2026) ruled Judea in turns until Rome took over in 63 B.C.<\/p>\n

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Urban life in these empires had a lot to offer, and Jews happily migrated<\/strong> from Judea to all the big cities.<\/p>\n

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VOICE FROM TRADING SHIP:<\/p>\n

We gotta be where the action is!<\/p>\n

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-=-<\/p>\n

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Panel 2: A Mediterranean hillside town, with whitewashed buildings, terracotta roofs, and blue doors and shingles. A group of women in Hellenic attire are walking down a stone-paved path towards an old man seated on a stone bench, and a young man with a walking stick.<\/p>\n

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NARRATION:<\/p>\n

In each province, the Greeks set up a local council of elders (a \u201csynhedrion\u201d) to enforce local laws. So in Judea, you got \u201cSanhedrin\u201d enforcing Yahweh\u2019s laws. No surprises there.<\/p>\n

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But when Jews moved away to different provinces, they continued<\/strong> to obey Judea\u2019s\u2014Yahweh\u2019s\u2014laws!<\/p>\n

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OLD MAN:<\/p>\n

That\u2019s<\/strong> a surprise?<\/p>\n

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WOMAN:<\/p>\n

God commanded his chosen people,<\/strong> not his chosen land.<\/p>\n

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We should stop obeying because we moved?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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YOUNG MAN:<\/p>\n

God rules the universe, but his law stops at the border?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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-=-<\/p>\n

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Panel 3: A city street in Ptolemaic Egypt. People are walking off in a common direction. A man in the foreground turns to say something to people offscreen, as the woman he is walking with smiles at him.<\/p>\n

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NARRATION:<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, obeying Jewish law meant disobeying<\/strong> the fundamental rule of every other civilization.<\/p>\n

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MAN:<\/p>\n

You guys coming? We\u2019re off to the feast to sacrifice<\/strong> to our civic gods!<\/p>\n

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JEWISH VOICES:<\/p>\n

Hell,<\/strong> no. We won\u2019t go!<\/p>\n

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-=-<\/p>\n

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Panel 4: A festival is taking place at the immense monumental temple atop the acropolis of Pergamon during the Seleucid Empire. A bull is being led up the stairs as people parade in procession, dance, play music, etc. Two men in the foreground are speaking with disgust.<\/p>\n

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NARRATION:<\/p>\n

As you know, shared sacrifice is what enabled<\/strong> large urban societies\u2014it formed bonds of common identity, guaranteed cooperation, blah blah blah. But Yahweh\u2019s laws prohibited<\/strong> making offerings to any other go.<\/p>\n

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As a matter of faith, law, and duty, good Jews<\/strong> had to refuse.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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You can see where this is going. When people think someone isn\u2019t sharing the load, they can\u2019t help but feel indignation, outrage\u2026 even loathing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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DISGUSTED MAN 1:<\/p>\n

You know they won\u2019t so much as offer a pinch of incense?<\/p>\n

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DISGUSTED MAN 2:<\/p>\n

I\u2019m incensed!<\/p>\n

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GREEK VOICES:<\/p>\n

How vile.<\/p>\n

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How evil!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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JEWISH VOICES:<\/p>\n

\u201cEvil?<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n

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We\u2019re trying to be good!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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-=-<\/p>\n

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Panel 5: A Jewish family clusters together tightly, amid a red sea of hostile people. The father holds a toddler in one arm as his wife holds the toddler\u2019s leg with one hand, and pulls another small child close to her side. A teen girl defiantly faces the mob, holding a younger brother between her and her father.<\/p>\n

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NARRATION:<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no nice way to put this. Wherever Jews settled, the locals resented them. Hated<\/strong> them.<\/p>\n

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VARIOUS ANGRY VOICES:<\/p>\n

Freeloaders!<\/p>\n

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Leeches!<\/p>\n

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They must hate<\/strong> the gods.<\/p>\n

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You gladly share the benefits<\/strong> of our society, but not the responsibilities!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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How dare<\/strong> they refuse to pull their own weight?<\/p>\n

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They even refuse to eat or drink with their fellow man. They hate us!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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How impious!<\/p>\n

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How hateful!<\/p>\n

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I bet they don\u2019t even venerate their ancestors.<\/p>\n

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How evil!<\/p>\n

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JEWISH FATHER:<\/p>\n

But\u2026 but\u2026 we believe<\/strong> that-<\/p>\n

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VARIOUS ANGRY VOICES:<\/p>\n

Nobody cares<\/strong> what you believe! It\u2019s what you do<\/strong> that matters!<\/p>\n

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And it does<\/strong> matter. Very much.<\/p>\n

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So which is it? Are you a team player?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Or an enemy of the state?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/div><\/div>View Transcript<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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