"And, since I'm currently teaching the Old Testament on Sundays -- we just did the Babylonian conquest in 600 bc."
You should have an outing and take the class to the newish movie "One Night with the King" (or somesuch -- may be "My Night"). It's a reasonably (for Hollywood) accurrate re-telling of the Book of Esther. It may be on DVD now.
I suppose the mandated drunken (yes, literally mandated intoxication --- Google "Purim") Purim party is out for ya'll, though.
Maybe I will check out the movie. Thanks. Actually, I think a Mormon filmmaker has just done the story of Esther, too. And, yes, we'll have to skip Purim if drinking is mandatory. But, frankly, we can act just as silly as anyone else, even when we're stone cold sober.
I took an Old Testament class as an undergrad, and, of course, have dabbled in the Old Testament off and on throughout my life. But I've never, I don't think, appreciated the humanity of the ancient Israelites as much as this time through.
I think of them surrounded by cultures that were either bloodthirsty or morally degenerate, or both, and how much courage it took to be faithful to their religion, and think it isn't too much different today, is it?