Codec

Picking up on another thread, let's say you were handed the old testament to edit. Your brief was to remove the filler, make it more readable, but keep the essential message.

What would you do?

• I think I'd combine Chronicles 1&2 into Kings etc.
• Reduce Deuteronomy to a series of bullet points, and probably move it somewhere else.
• I think I'd probably combine some of the prophetical books into one.
• Maybe throw Ruth into the appropriate historic part (Judges?)
• Psalms and Proverbs to an appendix, it ruins the flow I think.
• Genesis could be made more compact by removing a lot of the duplication.

What would you do?

Alf

Put it in a museum along with Homer, Elder edda and other ancient books where it belongs?

Alf

Doug Shaver

I could remove the filler and make it more readable, but there is no essential message to be kept. To say there is, is to assume a coherence in the texts that is not there.

Codec

Well maybe message was the wrong word. There is clearly a story there, and some of it (the later parts) probably even has some basis in history.
Or maybe you think none of the stories relate to one another?

Roger Pearse

Answer "Jawohl mein Fuhrer," chop out all the bits referring to Jews and hope to avoid being sent to the concentration camp.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Loomis

I’d restore the names of the gods. For example Psalm 89:6 …

For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?

... would become …

For who in the skies can compare to Yahweh?
Who is like Yahweh among the sons of El?

Asha'man

I think the entire OT can be summed up in about 3 words:

"Obey or Die"

I'd put that up on a postcard, and leave the rest in the circular file under the desk.

gregor

[stolen idea]

I'd place inside the front cover in 18 point bold font:

"The stories you are about to read are fictional. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is merely coincidental."

Splarnst

You would have to at least have to specify whom to obey, so Obey Yahweh or die.

Alf

Another warning label that might be in place would be something like:

Warning: The material inside is not suitable for children and the contents is filled with grotesque description of slaughter, murder and other cruel act of violence in the name of yahweh. It also encourages immoral activities such as harassing gay, owning slaves and feature incest, rape of minors and other acitivities that is not acceptable in a modern society. People have in the past used this material to endorse or encourage mass murders, slaughter, burning of people and books and the material is on the whole very damaging to any society.



Alf