Post Copied In Toto From Stuart Greenhouse's Blog


What I love about "The Book of Job" (yes, the one from the bible) is that Job complains. His friends tell him he'd better repent his sins, obviously he did something bad to deserve what has been visited on him. Job says you hypocrite, I've done nothing to deserve this. And he's right, he is righteous (remember, that's why he was chosen for tribulation). Part of his integrity is not pretending to be guilty so as to receive absolution. This sucks, he is perfectly willing to say.

And then god expands this already profound drama (well, he's god, that is what he's supposed to do) by saying who the hell are you to even think you know what the real rules are?

But what I love about it is that Job doesn't back down and pretend he's sorry for what he hasn't done, and says what is unfair is unfair (well, I mean, he’s suitably awed before the whirlwind, but before). He doesn't feel sorry for himself, either, I don't think. That's pretty profound.