9 January, Jerusalem, Israel
Today, 9 January 2006, 9 Tevet, 5766, at the Dati Leumi Synagogue in Har Nof, Jerusalem, the re-established Sanhedrin, which refers to itself as “the developing Sanhedrin”, accepted the vows of loyalty of ten non-Jews who call themselves B’nei Noah (sons of Noah) and established them as the first High Noahide Council in history.
The ten men were mostly from the United States, with one of them being originally from India.
At the ceremony they pledged their allegiance to the G-d of Israel, to the Torah and pledged to work under the guidance of the developing Sanhedrin, according to the Oral Law of the Torah.
According to Rabbi Michael Shlomo bar On, “they will develop a disparate and far flung movement into a powerful instrument for the spreading of the Seven Laws of Noah.”
The ten members of the High Noahide Council are:
Billy Jack Dial, Andrew Oberall, Adam Penrod, Jacob Scharff, Bud Gill, Larry Bomtrager (Chair), Dr. Vendyl Jones (Elder), Jack Saunders, Jim Long (Speaker), and Roger Grattan.
The High Noahide Council will be the governing body of the Noahide Movement, and will work under the direct guidance of the Sanhedrin in developing the details and examining the issues involved in teaching the Seven Laws of Noah and building a way of life around the Seven Laws of Noah.
The Noahide Movement evolves away from Christianity and other religions in following the Seven Laws of Noah as a way of life. It has members all over North and South America and Europe. Its prime mover has been Dr. Vendyl Jones, a Biblical archaeologist who is the model for the movie character, Indiana Jones. According to Talmudic sources, these laws were given to Noah after the Flood referred to in Genesis.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Aaman
One ring to ind them,
and a hobbit to lead them
2 - The Fifth Dentist
Which of the seven laws of Noah that you listed would christians not already be following?
3 - Bennett
How about eating the flesh of dead animals?
Not meaning to be too flippant here, but I never thought of the Hebrew culture as being particularly vegetarian.
That being said, WHO eats the flesh of "living animals"?
Oysters on the half shell aside of course.
4 - Aaman
Are there any deviations allowed from these laws? History generally shows that that the state exempts itself from various laws, in order to enforce them or to defend itself.
But, hey if it works for Indiana Jones, there's something to it, even if he did get the Temple of Doom wrong
5 - gonzo marx
"as all Mankind is descended from Noah"
now we have a problem here...
if Incest is forbidden...
and ALL men are descended from Noah...
then somebody fucked their sister
also, if memory serves, the "Sanhedrin" in this case are self appointed? and now they have appointed those that "rule" over all Men?
enjoy Israel, cuz that sure a shell ain't gonna play in Peoria...or Peking
Excelsior!
6 - Dave Nalle
I thought the Noahide Council oversaw the production standards of artificial leather. Oh wait, that's the Naugahide Council.
Dave
7 - Aaman
8 - Bennett
LOL, Aaman you didn't? Now I'll never hear that tune without thinking of this post!
Dave - I thought of that hours and hours ago. But your delivery is better that what I had.
Plus, I didn't know how to spell naugahide.
9 - Dave Nalle
Bennett, it's been a pleather to serve.
Dave
10 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Fifth Dentist,
The rabbis on the developing Sanhedrin and the Noahides will tell you that Christians do not obey the first law set down. Dividing a Divinity into three portions and worshipping a man as a god just don't comply with its provisions. But visit the website at the bottom of the article for a better understanding.
Bennett,
Think about the practice of cutting off the testicles of bulls to create steers and then eating "prairie oysters" for dinner.
It was common in the ancient world to cut off an animal's leg, let it live and roast the leg for dinner.
Aaman,
If you want to understand these laws better, including if their are deviations etc. go to the website at the end of the article.
The Indiana Jones movies are all fiction, purposefully so, but the lead character is based on the character of Vendyl Jones.
11 - Matthew T. Sussman
Gonzo, man, If we are all descendants of Noah (which, if that's the case, I got no-a problem with that) then it's not necessarily true that incest was involved, assuming that others were around at Noah's time.
For what it's worth, I'll be giggling about the naughahyde comment all day.
12 - Dave Nalle
Well, #6 ought to appeal to PETA members anyway. Is there actually anyone in the modern world - any culture - which regularly cuts parts off animals and eats them? It seems like way more trouble than it's worth.
Dave
13 - Bennett
I don't buy it. The obvious cruelty of an 'operation' without anesthetics, combined with the surgical technique required if you are going to have anything but a dying animal on your hands?
Bulls nuts, yeah. Cutting off a just a leg for dindin? That's a joke* that somehow evolved into urban myth/legend.
*"He's my favorite pig! You don't expect me to eat him all at once do you?"
14 - Addie Noahide
The article says this council will be the "governing body" of the Noahide Movement. Boy! That's a laugh! They have not been given any such authority by the Sanhedrin or the Noahides. We didn't elect them. Hell, we don't even know who most of these guys are. They can't be leaders if we don't know them. Vendyl says he's been the leader, but that just isn't so. He's just been the loudest self-promoter. If he was leading this movement, why is it still so undefined and unorganized. The movement has had no leadership--that's why. He says he's the real Indian Jones, but his website says definately not. He can't have that both ways and we don't follow liars. By-the-way, the Sanhedrin said they chose ten men. Why do they list eleven with their Council titles? Either those 71 guys can't count to ten together, or one of the Noahides snuck in when the Sanhedrin wasn't lookin'.
15 - Aaman
Fight Club!
16 - Joseph S. Coat
No way is this a governing body--we ain't doggies to be herded along. Somebody better herd that council out of the way before they get stampeded by free thinkers who studied their way out of their forefather's religion. We didn't quit being sheep just to become cows.
17 - Aaman
You ain't pigs on the wing?
18 - troll
it would appear that fucking one's sister is not an immoral sex act under the 7 laws
troll
19 - Triniman
Regarding Law # 1, can someone explain precisely how the idea of trinity came into being? I can't say that I have ever really understood the concept of the holy ghost, even after reading about it on the Catholic Encyclopaedia. No Scooby Doo jokes about ghosts, please!
20 - Aaman
Well, Jehovah was riding on his Harley when he stopped at a biker bar. He had one too many, and the spirits imbibed made him somewhat tipsy. As he walked out of the door, he thought he saw himself coming in. The rest is history.
21 - Okie Dokie
#3
In Vinita, Oklahoma USA they have a Calf Fry Festival every year when the Bull calves are castrated. It's quite a big to do. People come from all over the U.S. for this festival and to eat the freshest calve testicles available. They prbably have other festivals in other places for "moutain oysters," "prarie oysters," or fresh cut testicles by any other name in other parts of the country as well.
Such eatings of live animal parts exist in other cultures. It isn't as uncommon as we'd like to think.
22 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
My apologies to Addie Noahide. The purpose of the Council is not to govern the Noahide movement. It is to promote the teaching of the Seven Laws of Noah. In time, it is to serve as the "garín" a seed for a Noahide Court. The error is mine, and mine alone, in what I wrote.
Shabbat Shalom,
23 - troll
so - the only social prohibitions are against murder theft eating live animals and certain immoral sex acts...
and other than that we only have to aknowlege G-d never curse him and - oh yeah - submit to a religious court whose members define all of the terms
sounds great
troll
24 - Addie Noahide
With a couple of exceptions, this council is just a Vendyl Jones mutual admiration society. Any observant Noahide who knows VJ personally, knows he is not observant. But he is a charismatic storyteller, so his circle covers for him--making excuses about his age, etc. How does this qualify them to teach anyone? How did these guys even get nominated for the appointment?
25 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Addie, Joseph, please understand that I support you guys 100%. You're all doing what was only theory a generation ago. The last thing I want to do is to spread discord amongst you by what I write here. Get a hold of me at my e-mail address (check out the blogsite above), and I'll put you in touch with the council members whose e-mail addresses I do have.
Shavua Tov,
Reuven