Egypt's Heretic Pharoah (cont'd)

name from Tutankhaton ("Living image of Aten") to the more familiar Tutankhamen, indicating his return to the old faith.

However, a few psalms and prayers to this god endured. Biblical authors merely changed the text, replacing Aten's name with Yahweh, the Jewish god, and placed them in the holy texts.

Some scholars have suggested that Ahkenaten's ideas inspired Judaism. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychology, wrote a book suggestion that Moses was a priest of Aten who, when his pharaoh died, took the now discredited religion to the Jewish slaves. That has not won any support from historians. After all, Yahweh is never depicted as a solar disk.

Akhenaten's original idea did live on. Monotheism gradually became acceptable and now claims more than 3 billion followers. To reach that status, it had to be carried by Jews. They barely made it through the next 500 years.

Next: Judaism Survives

God in the Post Office?

This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US Postal Service.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words: 

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her. You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her

Love, Meredith.

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith, and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed "To Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand writing. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, "When a Pet Dies." Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey and Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven.
Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.  

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God