drewjmore

I took a long drive this past week and passed the time listening to the bible-on-CD, mostly 'Kings' & 'Chronicles', which has reminded me of an old discussion that I tried to have in another forum: :Cheeky:

http://www.comparative-religion.com/...7&page=2&pp=15



I argue that a 'critical reader,' in the sense that my high-school english teachers used this phrase, could (or should) interpret the bulk of the Old Testament in the following (or similar) way:

The Levite priesthood were the central political force among the early Hebrews. They fabricated a religion to cement their hold on power, and to motivate people in their violent campaigns.

Dharma

yes, first the Levitical (Aaron's) priesthood, than the Messiah from King David. That's what most preists do.

Gavriel

So you're saying these same power-hungry Levites to make up verses such as Devarim 18:1-2 preventing them from ever owning land in Israel, or taking part in the spoils of wars? The same such wars that you claim then motivate their people to fight willy-nilly?

Dharma

nah, you just don't get priests, they don't want land, they just want your mind to manipulate... taking part in the "spoils of war" would be "sin" for them, so they let other losers sin for them. Most rulers are the ones who grant land and funds for the temples of priests, any one who does is the "messiah". The preisthood (not just the Jewish one) manipulates fully the interpretation, ritual and access of all religious scriptures...that is their power. :devil1:

drewjmore

How original, a talmudic scholar with a sarcastic streak. :banghead:


Now that I have gotten my ad hominem out of the way, I answer, "yes," to both of your little questions.

drewjmore

In 2 Kings chapter 22, we have the King of Judah at age 26 getting his first look at the 'book of the law.' "Josiah was eight years old when he became king," and was himself of the tribe of Levi, as was David. How is it that he or any of his 'ancestors' were unaware of the 'law'? "Hilkiah," it would seem, has produced a new law and imposed it on the people via his puppet King.

Further, "...no accounting shall be made with them for the money delivered into their hands, for they deal faithfully." From this I deduce that money flowed freely into the hands of the priests. Therefore neither land-ownership nor spoils-of-war could be as lucrative for the Levites as the offerings of the landlords, soldiers and the king himself to the temple gatekeepers.