Parable Documentation

What are the sequence of events in the parable?
Two men went down to the temple to pray, one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed for god, he humbled himself by saying how much of a humble man he was and describing some of the various good things he does. He stated that he was not a sinner and that this man next to him was a sinner(the tax collector). The Tax collector stood up and exalted himself. He said that he was a bad man. He released himself to god, he wanted god to forgive him so he told him everything.
What is the underlying meaning of the parable?
The underlying meaning is for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. This means for everyone who admits to what they do, and is willing to put the trust in god and make a change they will be helped. But for the people who say that they are good and do not need any help and are fine they way they are, then they will not be helped and inflated.
Who are the main characters in the story?
The main characters are:
The Pharisee: Pharisees were one of the successor groups of the Hasidim an anti-Hellenic Jewish movement. The word Pharisees comes from the Hebrew word meaning "separated" , that is, one who is separated for a life of purity. The Pharisees were, depending on the time, a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews that flourished during the Second Temple Era (536 BCE–70 CE). After the destruction of the Second Temple, the Pharisaic sect was re-established as Rabbinic Judaism — which ultimately produced normative, traditional Judaism, the basis for all contemporary forms of Judaism, including to some extent the Karaites.
Tax Collector: Tax collectors in the Bible, also known as publicans. They are generally described as being greedy, and taking more money than they are entitled to.
What is the setting of the story?
The setting is in a church…
Who is Jesus addressing trying in the parable?
Jesus is addressing the Pharisee because, when he walked into the temple, he thought that he was the good guy and that God would only help him because he was good. He was putting the tax collector down. But Jesus was helping the Tax Collector because he admitted his wrong doings, and didn’t have the attitude that the Pharisee had.
What is the Question Jesus is asking in the Parable?
I believe the question is, would you rather be humble and exalt other? Or be exalted and humble others?
Can you apply this message to a modern day topic or broader topic?
A broader topic can be like seniors and freshman at a high school. The seniors may believe that they are royalty and are entitled to things that the freshman cant have. And if they commit a sin they wont be punished for it.

Final Reading Strategy

Step 1: Read through it slowly, write the sequence of events. Read for details and not facts. Outline/know everything

Step 2: Research the Context, Find the Underlying meaning. Read through it again.

Step 3: Characters Analysis and Background Context of the story and the area.

Step 4: Who is Jesus addressing in the parable? Read through the parable again. Also decide whats the question is Jesus is asking and Answer the question.

Step 5: Find the underlying message. Apply Message to a todays and more broader topic.

System Examples

The Country Wide Home loan took advantage of the parksinsons patient because he was in need and if they helped him they wouldn't benefit from it. Like if they were to help him they wouldn't benefit from him, but if they took advantage of him they can take his money and he can't do anything about it. They said that for him to get his house back he needs to pay 500,000 dollars but he only payed 140,000 for it. that is about 3 times as much. I think that Country Wide should take into consideration that he is a man suffering from Parkinson's disease, and he needs extra help. But when the system thinks about giving the extra help to one person, they wont benefit anything from it. We would have different responses because some people would say that they don't live by the system because to some people the system is trying to bring them down.

This experiment tells us when someone gets power they take full advantage of it. Its like if you put a power hungry person at police officer some people will take advantage of it and abuse it. Like the people who were the prisoners actually felt as if they were prisoners because the authority made them feel down and like they were nothing.

Erica Fernandez, 16
oxnard California

Erica Is from oxnard she was made when she found a large pipe through low income family homes. she protested and got the board to vote 12-0 against it and it got removed, she went against the system becuase she stoood up for what she believed in.

Selfserving Systems

The world today is all about power and money. So many systems are to obtain these two things in any way they can. Some systems dint really care for the people or anyone else and tend to make moves that only help them reach power or money. Throughout the years, you see the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer only because the system is set up for the upper class to prevail and keep on top. That's the main incentive is to be on top, or take down who is on top, to do better than the next person. Its all one big competition, where many only do for themselves. It is very unethical, because it is so selfish, only caring for yourself and not your neighbor, only looking for a way to accomplish your goal and not help others reach theirs. FEMA is a prime example, its suppose to be the support system for the all tragedies and big disasters that may hit our soil.When hurricane Katrina came around FEMA was no help. I would say it was a cover up they were so suppose to help the city and the people, when really there money is going other places like the War in Iraq. Many Systems fail to do what they are needed to do because they focus more on what they feel they need to do, and because Katrina hit a fairly black and poor community they didn't really care, but when 9/11 hit they were all over it. Like now with the wildfires, they are quick to help, but with Katrina there was no incentive.


The system arent meant to cause harm, but they do because there main purpose is to keep themselves going and if someone or thing not in the system gets away, thats when they get hurt. They can not show mercy towards any one or feel sorry because it would go against their system values. It is all for power and money. They want to be on top and will do whatever it takes to be on top. Only way a system at the top will help someone lower is if they will benefit from it.

U.S. Involvement

Did the road map have any potential to actually bring about a new peace process?
The purpose of the map was to end conflict, and no to end the occupation. This ignored the rights of Palestinian refugees and relegating them into permanent exile. Throughout the years when the map was in process, Israel kept creating "facts of the grounds" This term means that they change the realities in the occupied territory to benefit themselves and make it bad for the Palestinians. Under international Law it is illegal for an occupying power, such as Israel in Palestinian territories, to do anything to change conditions with occupied territories.



What was the international community's response to the 1967 war?
I didnt get this far



How did the US respond to the occupation?
The map was a way to show the Arabs, that they cared about their conflict even when the U.S. was bombing Iraq.

Letter to the Senator

To whom it may concern:(Sen. Feinstein, Sen. Boxer and Rep. Miller)
Advocating for : The Education for All Act (S.1259/ H.R. 2092)
Global Child Survival Act (S.1418 /H.R. 2266)
GROWTH Act (H.R. 2965)
Jubilee Act (H.R. 2634)

Hello, my name is Justin Shields and I am writing because i am supporting of the bills listed above. I heavily support The Education for All Act, because it gives children in other countries an opportunity to a quality education, I hope you accept this for American children to be granted the right for a quality education. If you support this bill it would lead to more communities around the globe educated, and possibly the solution to many of international issues and advances in science and medicine. By supporting this bill you have the power to make this come true. Also, I advise you to support the Global Child Survival Act. When a powerless child dies because they have no resources or any help, it is sad. But for our over privileged country, we take it as another number. I want you to do is endorse this bill becuase it will show that our country helped, but also it gives healthy drinking water, vaccinations, maternal health, and more. Another act I want you to support is the GROWTH Act. I want you to support this act because it gives women the ability to the right to become important in society. I believe that men and women should be equal and have the same opportunities. I ask you to help women in areas where they aren't given the respect and ability that American women are given to become equal and respected and have an education, better jobs in healthy conditions with nice pay. By doing so you will also be helping the families of these women in the not as developed societies. The good thing is it will cost you nothing. My last and final proposal, is you sponsor and help support the Jubilee Act. With this bill the money that is owed by the run down and poor countries will be gone, to help them obtain the Goals that they have been striving for. it will also make them accountable for their own earnings and how the country turns out. In the process it will also make poverty stricken countries less dependent on America in the future. Once they become more economically stable they can refocus their funds to primary education, improved healthcare, adequate nutrition, etc. This act will be one for the progression of foreign economies. With all these things in mind I hope you will make the right decision and support each of these bills.

Thank You for your time,
Justin Shields

The Mustard Weed

The mustard seed parable tells us about the Kingdom of God in that both start of extremely small and seemingly like nothing. But when the seed is nourished and spread it begins to rapidly spread. The Kingdom of God is aggresive because the individuals who are a part of it are relentless in sharing it with other people through words or deeds even though they may not think it will make a large impact.