M
Mike_from_NJ
Guest
I want to talk about the story of Samson, specifically the part featuring Delilah. So, Samson falls in love with Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines bribe her to trick her husband to reveal the source of his strength. She outright asks him what that source is:
Now let’s ponder what Samson is thinking. He made up a way to be subdued and only told it to his wife. Even a half-wit would know that his wife was guilty. But no, she complains that she was made to look like a fool. Like a fool in front of the Philistines? Instead of calling her on it he tells her another lie, that if he is tied up with new ropes he will lose his strength. The Philistines already know that won’t work because they tried new ropes on him in the previous chapter when he was in the cave. Still, while he sleeps Delilah ties him up with new ropes and again shouts, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” Again he breaks free.
We now have two instances where Samson gives a unique (made-up) weakness to his wife and she clearly passed it onto the dreaded Philistines. Again, neither of the two main parties act remotely human. She complains about being made a fool and he gives her another false weakness. This time it’s putting his several braids through a loom and tying it with a pin. Now, have a super-strong character’s main weakness being a rock from his blown-up planet doesn’t seem so stupid. For a third time Delilah ties him in his sleep, lets Philistines in their own home, and shouts, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you.”
This shaggy dog story hasn’t ended at its third iteration. She cries a third time about being made a fool, but this time (sick of nagging) he tells her the truth that cutting his hair will sap his strength. Again, this is a man who thrice now knows for a fact that his wife is in cahoots with the Philistines, who are looking to subdue him. For plot purposes he falls for it, and he gets his eyes gouged out as a reward.
From there we get 3,000 people on the room of a temple asking for Samson to be made to dance below the roof where the pillars holding up the roof are. It doesn’t seem like there would be enough room, but more glaringly how are they going to see him from that vantage point? Then, knowing that Samson’s hair is the source of his strength doesn’t regularly shave it (or just kill him) and instead put him by the pillars where his returned strength will then kill them all.
This is a bad, logicless story. There is no moral. There is no rhyme or reason. I don’t want to link to it, because it’s not safe for work, but there is an animation on youtube showing how silly this all is. Any thoughts on Samson?
He tells her that if he’s tied up by seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried that he will have the strength of a normal man. She gets the bowstrings and ties him up. Several men hide in the room, then Delilah shouts, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He gets up and breaks the bowstrings.
Now let’s ponder what Samson is thinking. He made up a way to be subdued and only told it to his wife. Even a half-wit would know that his wife was guilty. But no, she complains that she was made to look like a fool. Like a fool in front of the Philistines? Instead of calling her on it he tells her another lie, that if he is tied up with new ropes he will lose his strength. The Philistines already know that won’t work because they tried new ropes on him in the previous chapter when he was in the cave. Still, while he sleeps Delilah ties him up with new ropes and again shouts, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” Again he breaks free.
We now have two instances where Samson gives a unique (made-up) weakness to his wife and she clearly passed it onto the dreaded Philistines. Again, neither of the two main parties act remotely human. She complains about being made a fool and he gives her another false weakness. This time it’s putting his several braids through a loom and tying it with a pin. Now, have a super-strong character’s main weakness being a rock from his blown-up planet doesn’t seem so stupid. For a third time Delilah ties him in his sleep, lets Philistines in their own home, and shouts, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you.”
This shaggy dog story hasn’t ended at its third iteration. She cries a third time about being made a fool, but this time (sick of nagging) he tells her the truth that cutting his hair will sap his strength. Again, this is a man who thrice now knows for a fact that his wife is in cahoots with the Philistines, who are looking to subdue him. For plot purposes he falls for it, and he gets his eyes gouged out as a reward.
From there we get 3,000 people on the room of a temple asking for Samson to be made to dance below the roof where the pillars holding up the roof are. It doesn’t seem like there would be enough room, but more glaringly how are they going to see him from that vantage point? Then, knowing that Samson’s hair is the source of his strength doesn’t regularly shave it (or just kill him) and instead put him by the pillars where his returned strength will then kill them all.
This is a bad, logicless story. There is no moral. There is no rhyme or reason. I don’t want to link to it, because it’s not safe for work, but there is an animation on youtube showing how silly this all is. Any thoughts on Samson?
