Why Me?

Preface IV

[Ebal’s Plea, four of thirty-two]

Why should I attempt to tackle Ebal’s enigmas? The short answer is that I have appropriate experience. This includes dealing with the circumstances, resolving the issues, and guiding you in doing likewise.

For a definitive opinion on this matter one would likely at first blush consider a panel of archaeologists, epigraphers, and experts in tomography, computer science, and photography.

If the question was: “What is the ultimate truth about Mt. Ebal, Joshua’s Altar and the Curse Tablet?”, I might agree. In that case I would likely say,”Yes, the experts should receive considerable latitude.”

But that is not the current question. Instead, it is ultimately whether to excavate now or not!

To answer this question requires other elements beyond expert opinions. For one, it needs an agreed upon objective standard for decision making. Next, it needs a timely verdict.

Archaeologist, epigraphers, and similar experts are not necessarily equipped at negotiating these elements.

Consider for example an observation of Agatha Christie, the famous suspense novelist. She advised of the vehement interactions of her husband, himself a famous archaeologist, with others on archaeological issues. This she characterized as, “Blood on the carpet!”

Actual “blood on the carpet” may indeed resolve issues quickly, but likely not the non literal sense Christie intended.

Nor will it necessarily precipitate the best immediate resolutions. Instead, it may settle with the side that speaks loudest, oftenest, or worse yet today the side that best manipulates social media.

This matter is too important, too urgent for such a result.

So why me?

I possess none of the expertise of the panel listed above.

Instead, I am a combat infantry veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, I am an attorney, a mostly retired member of the Louisiana bar.

But on the questions at issue I am well qualified to make this case.

For me the necessary elements are at hand, that is, the scholarly expertise, an objective measure, and the ability to make a timely considered decision.

The internet provides me access to appropriate scholarly expertise. Such, for example, one finds for free at the website for Heritage Science, a respected peer review journal. Two opposing scholarly articles about the Curse Tablet one finds there.The first appears at:“You are Cursed by the God YHW:” an early Hebrew inscription from Mt. Ebal. You discover the second at: Mt. Ebal curse tablet? A refutation of the claims regarding the so called Mt. Ebal curse tablet.

Further, my background informs me in the other elements of the matter—the objective measure and the timely decision.

Experience as a combat infantryman helps a bit.

First, I have keenly learned ideas about operating in a combat zone. Particularly, I have experienced scenes of civil tranquility that in a moment, often the least expected, erupt into chaotic bloodshed.

The area of Mt. Ebal can become the eye of such. Periodically, it is at least within its penumbra.

Decisions about archaeological exploration and preservation here must bear this in mind.

Additionally, another aspect of military experience is of value. Fully understanding the issues presented here requires a journey across an eon of time, one that encounters battles of ideas about truth. 

For this journey one needs preparatory information.

In the U. S. Army such comes in an operation order. Anyone who has ever served knows “Sergeant Major eats sugar cookies!”—situation, mission, execution, sustainment, command and signal—the anachronism for the elements of an operation order. To equip you for this adventure the most relevant of these I detail below.

My being an attorney also adds something important. It informs of a rule of law for a situation analogous to this matter’s. It is U. S. Code of Civil Procedure Rule 56–“Summary Judgment”. This applies an authoritative objective measure, one yielding an expedited decision with more than a modicum of logic.

In this matter the public and those in authority need this type of decision making clarity.

Presently, much public confusion reigns over the issues surrounding Mt. Ebal.

About these some have already fixed notions largely derived as one might pick a favorite football team. They have decided that they prefer the red team or the blue team, the gold or the purple. Logic may not run much deeper.

About this matter the appropriate political authorities and the public who can influence them need to make up their minds quickly but after serious thought.

Why? There are immense consequences for a wrong or late response.

Delay could lead to the loss of riddle answers for another decade, another century, maybe another 3500 years. Who knows?

On the other hand, acting without deft forethought could upset the delicate political balance of a potential war zone.

The decision making process that I espouse in this memorandum offers the opportunity for an expedited, logical deliberation that this matter mandates. 

In sum, stick with me for this excursion. Together we can reach our destination. We can digest the academic evidence. We can apply an objective measure. Also, on the following questions we can render expedited yet considered decisions:

• Does satisfactory evidence support the fantastic claims about the Curse Tablet?; and
• Should we advocate for posthaste, but careful and thorough, excavation of Mt. Ebal’s alleged Joshua’s Altar, the origin of the Curse Tablet?

Again, come along! We can do this!

But first let us make sure we have our journey essentials.

That we review in our next post.

Next post: “Journey Essentials”