French Class Update:
Learned expressions, negations, and more conjugations. Learned days of the week and months of the year. More conversational exercises. Progressing.

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Because I watched "Raiders of the Lost Ark" yet again, I remembered this little research spree that I went on sometime ago regarding theories as to the whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark is one of the most important biblical artifacts along with the Holy Grail and there are many beliefs as to what happened to it after the Temple was destroyed.

Quoting Graham Hancock, "There is no report that the Ark was carried away or destroyed or hidden. There is not even any comment such as 'And then the Ark disappeared and we do not know what happened to it' or 'And no one knows where it is to this day'. The most important object in the world, in the biblical view, simply ceases to be in the story.' "

One theory as to the whereabouts of the Ark is based on the book, "The Sign and the Seal", written by Graham Hancock, chronicling his search for the Ark in Ethiopia. He claims to have found the Ark... and its guardian. What follows is an excerpt from "The Sign and the Seal":

'Yes. God Himself inscribed the ten words of the law upon two tablets of stone. Moses then placed these tablets inside the Ark of the Covenant - which afterwards accompanied the Israelites during their wanderings in the wilderness and their conquest of the Promised Land. It brought them victory wherever they went and made them a great people. At last, when its work was done, King Solomon placed it in the Holy of Holies of the Temple that he had built in Jerusalem. And from there, not long afterwards, it was removed and brought to Ethiopia...'

'Tell me how this happened,' I asked. 'What I know of your traditions is only that the Queen of Sheba is supposed to have been an Ethiopian monarch. The legends I have read say that when she made her famous journey to Jerusalem she was impregnated by King Solomon and bore him a son - a royal prince - who in later years stole the Ark...'

The monk sighed. 'The name of the prince you are speaking of was Menelik - which in our language means "the son of the wise man". Although he was conceived in Jerusalem he was born in Ethiopia where the Queen of Sheba had returned after discovering that she was carrying Solomon's child. When he had reached the age of twenty, Menelik himself travelled from Ethiopia to Israel and arrived at his father's court. There he was instantly recognized and accorded great honour. After a year had passed, however, the elders of the land became jealous of him. They complained that Solomon showed him too much favour and they insisted that he must go back to Ethiopia. This the king accepted on the condition that the first-born sons of all the elders should also be sent to accompany him. Amongst these latter was Azarius, son of Zadok the High Priest of Israel, and it was Azarius, not Menelik, who stole the Ark of the Covenant from its place in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Indeed the group of young men did not reveal the theft to Menelik until they were far away from Jerusalem. When at last they told him what they had done he understood that they could not have succeeded in so bold a venture unless God had willed it. Therefore he agreed that the Ark should remain with them. And it was thus that it was brought to Ethiopia, to this sacred city... and here it has remained ever since.'

'And are you telling me that this legend is literally true?'

'It is not a legend. It is history.'

More Ark theories to follow....

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Watched "The Two Towers" again last night. And after I have had the chance to analyze it more, I guess it's safe to stay that I stick by my original review of the film. :) Gollum still rocks. :)

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Excerpts from GiNnY's Diary

Yet another quote from "The Alchemist": It is the possibility of a dream coming true that makes life more interesting. Right. And about the "conspiracy theory"? I now feel as if the universe is conspiring against me, and not conspiring to make my dream come true.

...it seems that all my escape routes are barricaded with things that remind me of him. I cannot escape.

Don't ask me that question. Don't ask me why I even waste my time thinking about him. I don't know why. It seems that this whole thing has gone beyond rational thought.


.:chronicled by senator skywalker at 7:17:00 AM:.
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