Lugubert

I'll try.

1. Do: The Sikh Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Baha'i might apply; I don't know too much about them. Don't: most others, especially the Abrahamic sets.

2. Please give an example of scripture (or writing at all, for that matter) before any religions.

3. I'd vote for the Abrahamix. (I hope I didn't offend any Goscinny & Uderzoo fans by that reference:Cheeky

semiopen

I recently mentioned that Numbers 31 involves the sacrifice of 16 of the Moabite girls to YHWH.

IAJ was upset about this, although this seems a triviality compared to the total massacre of the rest of the people.

Interesting contrast.

Patrick F

There's no proof the virgin girls were sacrificed, though, is there? It just says they were given to the priests. This could have been to be used as slaves, no?

brettpalmer

Yes, I've read it. I'm encorporating some of Kovac's arguments into an article I'm working on currently dealing with the ancient Hebrew concept of a domed sky. The book is a thinly-veiled apologetic. It's horribly researched and the sort of pulp you'd expect from a journalist with conservative Christian leanings. Is there anything specific you'd like to know about the book?

Sheshbazzar

Collectively, None of them, by the Mosaic law, any person born to slaves owned by a Hebrew master, is the property of the slave owner, and can be sold, traded, or left as an inheritance to that Hebrew slave owners children into perpetuity.
The person that through no fault of their own, was born into the Hebrew institution of slavery is from birth to death denied access to any 'equal rights', to freedom of movement, to freedom of choice, or to freedom of religious conviction and practice, or of ever by their own will, delivering themselves from that subservient position.
Collectively, all of them. 'Israel' and the 'Jewish religion' is favored and granted an exclusive treatment that by The Book is not available to any other nation, or non-Jewish persons, with the ultimate goal being Israel and the 'Jewish religion' exercising dominance and authoritarian control over all non-Jewish inferior peoples.
Not any found within the Jewish created Bible.
The work is inclusively exclusive, that is the restrictionary and exclusionary clauses that are written into 'The Laws and and Statutes' of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy cannot be separated from the whole of the work in which they appear within.
Humanities share in these so called 'blessings' are presented as being very contingent upon ones circumstances of birth, and of a willingness to be subjugated to the dictates, wills and whims of the Jewish religion as it is interpreted, and as it is applied by a biased and exclusively Jewish Priesthood.

Which is all a farce, as even the majority of The Nation of Israel itself adamantly rejected this form of religious domination, at every opportunity, much preferring to 'serve other gods' and risk the Mosaic Laws 'death penalty' than to violate their own freedom of conscience by following those dictates fabricated by a power hungry, self-serving priestly minority.

Basically, the people of The Nation of Israel 'voting with their feet' as much as told the 'YHWH priesthood' and their imaginary god YHWH to go fuck off and die, as they, The People of Israel wanted nothing at all to do with that pack of lying thieves.
That is why so much of the text of the Hebrew Bible consists of little more than the 'Prophets of YHWH' whining and complaining on and on and on about how 'Israel' had rejected YHWH and 'his' holy priesthood.

Whenever they did gain the upper hand, it was seized only by the means of employing Biblically sanctioned Taliban-like tactics of wholesale murder and ongoing terrorism. 'Do as WE say, or we will kill you, along with your wives and children'.
Little wonder then that the majority of Israel's population would gladly choose to serve damn near any 'other gawd' or religion under heaven, than submit to that vile abomination that was being 'offered' to them by the homeboyz.

Even with the Tanaka being written by the 'homeboyz' own writing 'team', with the best possible 'spin doctoring', what is revealed therein, shows just how unpopular and how rejected this 'form of religion' was with most Israelites.
You got 'em.

mg01

I just read Num 31 and I'm trying to picture an army of 12,000 Isralites taking 625,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys, and 32,000 female POWs from Moab and returning to Moses's mobile command center and refugee camp in the Sinia.

brettpalmer

Shoot, that's nothin'! Try to picture nearly 3 million Hebrews and a "mixed crowd" of others fleeing Egypt in the exodus with all their cattle, sheep, donkeys, etc. Even Cecil couldn't put that many extras in his film!

mg01

The booty alotted to YHWH and to the Levite priests is listed distinctively seperate.

The Levite priests get 1/50 of the peoples share, and YHWH gets 1/500 of the warriors share "as tribute" and the Levite Priests to be given to Eleazar "as offering to YHWH". This means 675 sheep/goats, 72 cattle, 61 donkeys, and 32 "virgins" are to be given to Eleazar "as offering to YHWH".

If the Levite portion of the booty was already 6,750 sheep/goats, 720 cattle, 610 donkeys, and 320 "virgins", what is Eleazar supposed to do with YHWH's tribute? In all other instances of something being "devoted" or "offered" to YHWH the text is pretty clear about what's going on and it always involves a fire and an alter. Where in Numbers 31 does is say this instance is any different?

Patrick F

I don't know if this helps but it's fascinating to think how they managed to bring the little virgin girls back willingly after the poor girls just witnessed Yahweh's warriors hack their mother, father, and any brothers to death.

Btw...how do you know it was only 12,000 Israelite soldiers?

Petergdi

It is a "heave offering." Where in the Bible is a "heave offering to YHWH" something to be consumed by fire? It seems to be that it is always for the use of the priest(s) even though it belongs to God.

Peter.