Essay

Biblical references/quotes in Parable of the Sower

John 1 (general story of Jesus)

Acts 2 (general story of early Christianity: ‘And day by day the Lord added to their number those whom he was saving.)

Jericho (and the walls came tumbling down)

10 Commandments (honor thy father and thy mother; thou shalt not steal)

Revelations (Babylon the great is fallen)

Good Samaritan

Job (after Job’s ten children, crops, and herds have been destroyed by Satan, with God’s permission): Throughout all this Job did not sin; he did not charge God with unreason….(Then Satan afflicts Job with boils and sores): Then his wife said to him, ‘Are you still unshaken in your integrity? Curse God and die!’ But he answered, ‘If we accept good from God, shall we not accept evil?’ Throughout all this, Job did not utter one sinful word. …. (Then Job wishes he had never been born, and God reminds him that he, God, made the world and the crocodile, and has all power.) Then Job answered the Lord: ‘I know that thou canst do all things and that no purpose is beyond thee.’ … So the Lord restored Job’s fortunes and doubled all his possessions…and he had seven (new) sons and three (new) daughters.

Ecclesiastes 3 For everything its season…. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal…

Genesis 6 Noah was a righteous man, the one blameless man of his time…. God said to Noah, ‘The loathsomeness of all mankind has become plain to me, for through them the earth is full of violence. I intend to destroy them, and the earth with them. Make yourself an ark…. You shall go into the ark, you and your sons, your wife, and your son’s wives with you. And you shall bring living creatures of every kind into the ark to keep them alive with you…. To ensure that life continues on earth. … God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase, and fill the earth.”…. And from a man also I will require satisfaction for the death of his fellow-man: ‘He that sheds the blood of a man, for that man his blood shall be shed.’

Nehemiah 4:14 And I looked and rose up and said unto the nobles, and to the rest of the people, be not afraid of them: Remember the Lord which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives and your houses.

Luke 18:1-8 There was once a judge who cared nothing for God or man, and in the same town there was a wido who constantly came before him demanding justice against her opponent. For a long time he refused; but in the end he said to himself, ‘True, I care nothing for God or man; but this widow is so great a nuisance that I will see her righted before she wears me out with her persistence.’ … And will not God vindicate his chosen who cry out to him day and night, while he listens patiently to them.

Fishing that river Jesus said to them, ‘Come with me, and I will make you fishers of men.’

Luke 8:5-8 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell upon thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And others fell on good ground,, and sprang up, and bore fruit an hundredfold.

Parable of the Sower (large cover: 329 pages)

Fire 4, 18, 23, 31, 143, 196, 308 Fire drug 54, 110, 143, 154, 304

Water 13, 17-18, 47-48, 201, 265, 318,

Cops 19, 51, 71, 114, 164, 229, 237, 316, Firemen 32

Guns 8, 10, 36-37, 38-39, 40, 81, 94, 216, 227

Rape 9, 13, 22, 163, 184, 237

Sexism, gender roles 36-37, 88, 141, 169, 171, 182, 237, 287,

Masculinity 40, 81, 92, 131, 212-13, 233, 244, 259, 290, 299, 301, 310-11, 324,

Keith 40, 81, 89, 90, 92, 95, 97-99, 104, 108-09, 112-13

Media 18-19, 105

Mars, space 17, 20-21, 27, 77, 84, 222,

Walls 5, 9, 10, 23, 157, 16, 108, 166, 199, 205, 215

Nostalgia for past 5-6, 8, 15, 54, 56, 59, 79, 305,

Old vs young 62, 82-83, 230

Economy, jobs 9, 18-19, 27, 53, 73, 80, 82, 87, 118-21, 128-29, 146, 170, 215-16, 288-89, 312,

Slavery 27, 54, 118-21, 128-29, 170, 184, 218-19, 287-89, 292, 300, 305, 312, 316, 323, 328,

Class difference 9, 27, 37, 50, 53, 87, 118-19, 219,

Anti-rich 50, 111, 159, 163, 215,

Drugs 9, 12, 23, 110-11, 143-44, 304,

Race 22, 36, 86-87, 139, 120, 122, 207, 82, 122, 143, 168, 172, 204, 320, 323,

Teaching 33, 58-59, 66, 79, 95, 124-25, 148, 173, 186, 195, 218, 221, 269,

Literacy 58, 105, 124, 186, 212, 218, 269

Hyperempathy 11, 115, 191, 266, 278, 291, 299-300, 302,

Religion 7, 14-15, 16, 25, 36, 238, 276,

Bible references 14, 16, 24, 26, 55, 67, 71-72, 93, 134, 144, 172, 202, 223, 328-29

Lauren’s religion 8, 25, 216, 218-20, 221, 223, 238, 261, 269, 275, 287,

(survive, help others survive, plan for future survival by adapting, planning)

Lauren’s preparations & visions for future 21, 55, 57-58, 65-66, 80, 275, 318, 322,

Community 35, 75-76, 88, 155, 161, 167, 178, 182, 194, 207, 211, 223-24, 238, 242, 248, 257, 301, 302, 303, 311, 315

Trust 61, 142, 171, 178, 191, 193, 195, 204, 214-15, 27, 231, 243, 253, 265, 275, 301, 309, 316,

Parents, raising kids 159-60, 202, 212, 221, 248, 251, 252, 255, 259, 281, 283, 286, 290, 292, 295, 308, 321, 322, Not raising kids 31-33, 49, 192, 255

Children are future 221, 304, 321, 322

Kids as liability 87, 108, 128, 183, 204, 251, 253

Ragged children 7, 10, 13, 31, 49-50, 170, 177, 181, 192

Stealing, scavenging 34, 68, 117, 143, 170, 172, 189, 197, 223-24, 227, 235, 289, 301, 312,

Lauren can kill 45, 177-78, 184, 189, 277

People being eaten 42, 88, 90, 131, 133, 134, 209, 271, 316, 320,

Dogs 36, 40, 44, 130, 209, 320,

Parallel dogs & people 271, 182

Maggots 9, 23, 25, 50, 88, 159

Pack 182, 187 Gang 223

Charity, compassion 10, 22, 34, 202, 207, 226, 230, 236, 237, 238, 239, 248, 251, 257, 263, 275, 282-83, 302, 311, 313,

Benefits of helping others 207, 211, 226, 254, 259

Liabilities of helping others 234, 239, 282

Responsibility for those helped 232, 253, 282,

Worth 193, 238, 239, 285, 311, 313

Invited, Not invited 180, 181, 208, 226, 248, 272, 277, 285,

Parable of the Sower (small, green cover: 295 pages)

Fire 4, 27, 129 Fire drug 47, 98, 128, 273

Water 11, 15, 41

Cops & firemen 17, 28, 34, 62, 101, 128-29, 146, 171, 206, 212,, 219, 221, 284

Guns 33-34, 71, 83, 218

Rape 8, 145-46

Female inequality, gender roles 32, 78, 123, 151, 153, 212

Masculinity 72, 79, 82, 116, 183, 191, 209, 261, 268, 279, 291

Keith 34-35, 72, 79, 82-86, 92-100

Media 16

Mars, space 15, 8, 197

Walls 95, 140, 148, 179, 184, 193

Nostalgia 5, 7, 22, 47, 49, 50, 114, 216, 274

Old vs. young 55

Economy, jobs 8, 24, 46, 72, 77, 193

Slavery 32, 105-7, 113-14, 151, 196, 259, 261-63, 269, 290-91

Anti-rich 98, 142, 146, 193

Race 19-20, 31, 77, 106, 108, 150, 153, 76, 186, 245

Teaching 21, 58, 110, 131-32, 154, 166, 190, 196, 240

Literacy 50, 93, 166, 190, 196, 240

Hyperempathy 9, 102, 171, 249, 269

Religion 6, 12-13

Bible 12, 13, 22, 23, 59, 63, 82, 119, 164, 182, 200, 295

Lauren’s religion 68-69, 195, 197, 234

Lauren’s future 13, 18, 44, 48, 104, 110

Community 30, 66, 199, 200, 213, 230, 270

Trust 140, 153, 159, 162, 173, 188, 192-3, 207

Parents, raising kids 143, 181, 185, 222, 232, 252, 254, 261-2, 276, 288

Not raising kids 8, 27-29, 42-44, 229

Children are future 191, 198, 257, 273, 288, 289

Children are liability 77, 95, 183, 226-7

Stealing, scavenging 143-44, 153-54, 162, 169-70, 177, 200, 211

Lauren can/does kill 33, 39, 138, 158, 164, 168-9, 188, 200, 210, 266

People eaten 37, 117, 118, 119, 243, 257, 287

Dogs 31, 35, 188

People = Dogs 163, 243

Maggots 8, 142

Pack 163 Gang 200

Charity, compassion 203, 214

Benefits of helping others 203

Liabilities of helping others

Responsible for those helped 209

Worth 173, 214, , 257, 279, 281

Invited, not invited 161, 188, 203, 212, 222, 254-56