I have a friend who used to be a city judge. One day he said to me, "I want you to come to my courtroom and watch our next dog case." "What in the world is a dog case?" I asked. He smiled and replied, "Periodically a person is charged with having a dog which because of its incessant barking is a public nuisance." "But what," I asked, "could be interesting about that kind of case?" "It's more than interesting," he said. "It's fascinating. I will have five or six neighbors present sworn testimony that the dog is driving them crazy with its barking. Then, five or six other neighbors plus the owner will swear that the dog has never barked in its life."

My friend, the judge, believes firmly that if King Solomon with all his wisdom could return for a few days of judicial work, we would not assi…