Carrie

This is part one of a paper I have written which explains the Bible from a secular standpoint. This paper helped to deconvert my husband, who was a fundamentalist Christian until he read this. (The questions at the end of each part are intended for Christians only). There are 13 parts total, so look for the rest later. Posting all of it at once is too much information. Copy paste this and keep for yourselves, and let me know what you think, what you like, or where I need to make improvements.

This paper is basically a book report of 3 books I have read. "The Bible Unearthed" by Finkelstein and Silberman, "Gospel Fictions" by Randel Helms, and "The Jesus Puzzle" by Earl Doherty. I also used "The Bible" by "God."

(For some reason whenever I copy paste stuff and post it on here the text doesn't stay together, so please excuse strange looking paragraphs).

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PART ONE

The Creation of the Old Testament

The Old Testament is basically an exaggerated history. Much of it is legend. Some of it actually happened. The Old Testament was written to give the Israelite people a history. The writers looked back and created stories about the past.

Scholars believe most of the Old Testament was written around 700 BC.
Using archaeology and history, there are ways they can tell. For example, take the story of Joseph. Whoever wrote this story included things in the story that didn’t even exist at the time of the setting of the story. The story says that Joseph was thrown into a well by his brothers, and then a camel caravan came along and Joseph’s brothers sold him to men who took him by camel caravan to Egypt. Archaeology and history tell us that camel caravans did not exist during the time period that the story is set in. Camels were not
domesticated as beasts of burden at the Biblical time of Joseph. Camels were not used in caravans until well after 1000 BC (which is long after the time of the Exodus which was set in 1490 BC, and we know Joseph came before the time of the Exodus). So there was no camel caravan that could have taken Joseph to Egypt. However, a trade route by camel had been established by 700 BC A telling detail is that the camel caravan in the
story of Joseph was carrying “gum, balm, and myrrh,� and that reveals an obvious familiarity with the main products of the lucrative Arabian trade that flourished under the supervision of the Assyrian empire in the eighth to seventh century BC. Evidence for the story being written in the 7th century BC is also shown by the Egyptian names mentioned in the Joseph story. The names Potiphar, Zaphenath-paneah, Potiphera, and Asenath, were very popular in the 7th century BC. So basically, the writer of the story of Joseph
wrote about stuff that was familiar to him and included it in the story of Joseph.

Another example of the likelihood of the writing being done in the 7th century BC is the story of the capture of Jericho. The Bible says that the Israelites marched around the city and blew their horns and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. The problem with this story is that Jericho at the time the story was set in was just a small village, and it didn’t even have a wall, not in 1450 BC. It was not a city with a giant fortress at this time. Archaeology proves that the wall was not built until much later. It had been destroyed at some point, possibly by earthquake or other invasion. Basically the writer
of the story looked at the rubble around Jericho that was there around 700 BC and wrote a story about how the Israelites had captured the city.

Overall, Archaeology does not support the Bible. For example, take the story of the Exodus. The story says that the Israelites were slaves in Egypt and that they escaped by crossing the Red Sea, and after that they wondered in the desert for 40 years. The problem is that there is no record of the Jews in all of the archaeological findings of Egypt. Also, there is no archaeological evidence to show that the Jews were in the desert for 40 years. There is no trace of them. There is much evidence of other cultures living in the Sinai desert, both before and after the time that the Jews were supposed to have
been there, but no trace of the Jews ever. And millions of people wandering for 40 years would leave evidence, such as old camp site spots, pottery, bones, tools, clothing, etc. These things have been found from other cultures, but nothing showing that millions of Jews wandered the desert for 40 years.

So where did the Jews come from? The Archaeological evidence shows that the Jews had always lived in Israel. They never came out of Egypt, at least not around 1490 BC when the Exodus story is set. (Everyone came out of Africa at some point a long long time ago. Modern humans have been around for 200,000 years and they came north into Europe and Asia around 40,000 years ago, at which time they lived among the Neanderthals for maybe ten thousand years until the Neanderthals died off). The Jews had been in Israel since long before the time of the Egyptian empire, long before 1490 BC. We know this by the cultural artifacts they left behind. Each culture can be
distinguished by their style of pottery, housing, etc. The Jews had distinct cultural artifacts that they left behind. They are not found in Egypt or in the Sinai desert, but are found in Israel, going way back in time.

Why do Christians claim that archaeology does support the Bible? Because up until recently, most Archaeologists working in Israel were trained as clerics or theologians. They saw what they wanted to see, rather than looking at the findings more objectively. In the 1970’s the archaeological research was conducted by secular researchers as well, who questioned the findings of the religious archaeologists. The Christian archaeologists had the Bible to tell them the dates at which times certain things should have happened. For example, the fall of Jericho was supposed to be around 1450 BC. The Christian archaeologists did find ruined walls, but they had to admit that these walls did not come tumbling down around 1450 BC. But they figured that if it didn’t happen around that time, then it at least happened, and they thought the Jews really did conquer the city at some point. They tried to juggle the dates of things and make sense out of it all, but it’s not working for them. They made the same assumption that the author of the book of
Joshua made when he saw the ruins of Jericho. They assumed the Jews brought those walls down. But the truth is that another force brought those walls down, much later. Besides, it’s hard to believe in the first place that God had the walls of Jericho come down by having the Israelites march around it and blow their horns. It’s one of those legend stories. It’s hard to believe that God would work so powerfully and obviously back then, but today be totally invisible and unobvious.

So, if the fall of Jericho and the Exodus didn’t even happen in history, what things in the Old Testament really did happen? We know that the Jews worshipped idol gods and they worshipped Yaweh. They came to worship just one God, called Yaweh, eventually. They sacrificed animals and had other very specific religious customs. They did not eat pigs (no pig bones are found in the archaeological findings of Israel). They had many kings and judges, prophets and priests. There was a King David. The Jews were divided
up into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. And there were many wars. The Jews were forced into exile. And they always looked to God to save them. Even if many of the stories in the Old Testament were made up, it is important to remember that their faith was real. The moral lessons from the stories were what they believed in. And their feelings and emotions portrayed in the Bible were real. Whoever wrote the Psalms really
felt that way about God.

It’s just the stories that are fiction. You can tell some stories are probably fiction because they are so outrageous and hard to believe. Such as the story of Noah’s Ark. This story is based on a much older legend that originated in Asia, the story of Gilgamesh. This story is written on a stone tablet that was found and is much older than the written story of Noah. And there is no archaeological evidence for a worldwide flood, or even a big
enough regional flood. And it’s impossible that Noah could have collected every single specimen of animal and insect and housed them all on a boat.

Probably all of Genesis is legend, because who could really know how the world began? Christians think God told Moses this information, and then Moses wrote Genesis. They think Moses wrote all 5 of the first books of the O.T. (but that’s not possible since his own death is written about in Deuteronomy, and he couldn’t have written about that). We don’t know who wrote Genesis. Besides, if God had given Moses the information, it’s
not very accurate or detailed. It says that the earth was formed before the stars and sun, and science tells us that is not true. The creation story is written twice, and in the second one it says that man was formed before the plants, and we know that is not true. We know that man evolved from apes who evolved from earlier creatures who evolved from single celled organisms. That’s very unlike the story of Adam and Eve. And as for the rest of Genesis, the tower of Babel and the story of Sodom and Gomorra are probably
legend too.

But what about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his 12 sons, who are thought to be the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel? Did they actually live? Or are they just characters in a story? The stories themselves suggest that they were just characters in a story. Going back to the historic evidence, remember the story of Joseph and the camel caravans that didn’t exist at the time. That would show that Joseph didn’t really exist but was just a character in a
story. And Isaac probably didn’t exist. The Bible tells about Isaac’s encounter with Abimelech King of the Philistines of Caanan at the city of Gerar. The problem is, the Philistines were not in Canaan until after 1200 BC. So at the time of Isaac there could have been no Philistine King in Canaan for Isaac to meet. But it is these references to actual cities and historical figures that make the Old Testament stories seem like they
must be true. The reality is that the writers of the stories took things that they were familiar with in their time and added them into stories of a much earlier time to create a history.

Other legendary stories probably include the parting of the Red Sea by Moses, the plagues on Egypt, God following the Jews in the desert in a pillar of cloud, the tablets of stone that God gave Moses, David and Goliath, Samson and his great power from his long hair, the unlikely military conquests, Elijah being taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, and the story of Jonah and the whale, etc. What amazes me is how easily so many people believe these stories are literally true. Many people believe that the earth was created in 7 actual days, and that there is no such thing as evolution. People like that will not listen to science or any other facts and evidence you give them, and probably would not want to read this.

But there is fact and evidence to back up everything that I am saying. One thing I feel I can prove is that the Old Testament prophecies are probably also made up. There’s a perfectly good explanation. The thing about the prophecies is that they were written after the events actually happened, so of course they seem to come true. They were written for political reasons and moral lessons, and to give the Jews hope, like much of the Bible.
Besides, there are many prophecies we know did not come true. False prophecies prove themselves to be made up, and not from God. For example, the prophecy about the city of Tyre. The Bible says Nebuchadnezzar would conquer Tyre and plunder their wealth. And it says that the city would never again be rebuilt. But Nebuchadnezzar did not conquer Tyre afterall and didn’t make any profit. The prophet Ezekiel admits this. Tyre was destroyed a couple hundred years later by Alexander the Great, and it was rebuilt,
and it exists to this day. So Christians shouldn’t be claiming that all of the prophecies in the Bible come true. Lots of them didn’t. And some of the ones that had been written after the events happened still did not come true in the long run. Anytime the Bible says that such and such will be a certain way forever, and it’s not that way today, tells you that the prophecy didn’t come true. Isaiah predicted the complete and final destruction of Babylon. In Isaiah 13:19-20 he says, “Babylon will be overthrown by God like Sodom
and Gomorra. She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, and no shepherd will rest his flocks there.� Babylon was destroyed, however, today there is a museum there, a hotel, permanent homes, and Suddam Hussein built one of his palaces in the exact same place King Nebuchadnezzar’s was. Ezekiel and Isaiah were not considered to be false prophets, but nonetheless their prophecies did not come true.


Questions:

1. Does the fact that no evidence of the Israelites has been found in the Sinai desert, where they supposedly roamed for 40 years, make you think that maybe the Exodus story is not true? Or the fact that there were
no camel caravans at the time of Joseph that could have taken him away make you think that the Joseph story is not true?

2. Do you believe the archaeologists and historians more, or the Bible stories more? Basically, do you think the “evidence� is bogus and the Bible is correct, or do you think the evidence is legitimate? Why do you think so?

3. What Old Testament stories do you think are true, and which ones are fiction?

4. How do you determine which ones are only legends?

5. The Bible prophecies say things like Tyre and Babylon will be destroyed forever and never rebuilt, but they are rebuilt today. And it was prophesied that Nebuchanezzar would conquer Tyre but he didn’t. Does that make you think that these prophecies were from God or from man? If from God, why do you think so?

6. What do you think could have been the motivation of the Old Testament authors for writing their stories and prophecies?

Magdlyn

That was enjoyable! A couple minor points:

The word is actually "Reed," not Red.

The people would not have been called Jews or Israelites yet, as these states had not yet been created for the tribes (speaking as tho this story were true). Maybe call them Hebrews?


The Jews did not worship idol gods, they worshiped actual gods named Asherah, Astarte, Tammuz, El Elyon and Baal, and household spirits, whom they happened to represent anthropomorphically as statues and small figures. The idea that they were merely idols is Yahwistic.

I have seen Yahweh spelt Yahweh or YHWH, but not Yaweh.

Some think YHWH told Moses about his death ahead of time and that is how he knew, but perhaps this is not worth mentioning.

This pillar of cloud by day and flame by night could have been a charcoal brazier the leaders of the people carried.

Bede

It means the numbers were exaggerated but that's the case with all ANE sources. That Moses is an Egyptian name points to a kernal of truth. As for the camels, so what? No one claims Genesis was written at the time and camels are just colour.

Strawman.

True? What do you mean. Genesis 1 is a piece of metaphorical theology and hence true. But it's bad science. Another strawman.

Only legends? What do you mean? To interprete your question generously (which you fail to do for the Bible), I use the same methods you do but with rather better text books.

Men wrote them down. Divine inspiration is rather more than secretary plus dictaphone.

Religious and political axes to grind, the desire to glorify their God, wanting to preserve the story of their people. Motive is a tough one as the texts often don't tell us. That does not mean we are allowed to make motives up, which is what post modern critics often do.

Yours

Bede

Bede's Library - faith and reason

Carrie

Like I said, the questions are meant for Fundamentalist Christians, to help them think about what they just read.

Bede

Actually, both parts say the questions are for 'Christians' not 'Fundamentialist Christians' although you mention your husband was one. Perhaps you could try to tighten up your terminology rather than lumping us all in together.

B

jankin

Watch it here - this overstates it. Man evolved from a common ancestor of both apes and man.

- jankin

MiddleMan

But I was under the impression that most Christians, particularly the fundamentalist-type addressed by this article, would not lump the Bible in with "all" other "ANE sources." The Bible does not merely draw from the ANE for its source, but from the almighty God--the one who is the same yesterday, today and forever. They would not assert that this God is beholden to what typifies "all" other "ANE sources." If numbers are exagerrated, which is a hallmark of "all" other (factually inaccurate) "ANE sources," and this indicates a fallable human source, then why wouldn't exaggerated numbers in the Bible also point to a similar fallable human source for the entirety of the tales and not divine inspiration?

And "Kansas" is a real name for a State, but that doesn't mean the Wizard really lives in Oz or that Dorothy was a real person (even though her name has factual English roots). The only "truth" the Egyptian name Moses points to, in my opinion, is that the author of this tale had enough peripheral knowledge (since Moses is so horribly generic) of Egyptian culture that he was able to create what we would call today a "historical fiction," not unlike "Gone With the Wind."

Ted Hoffman

A number of pointers:

<polemic>"Liberal Christian" is an oxymoron.
"Fundamentalist christian" is a tautology.</polemic>
Attempt to reference actual texts like Enuma Elish for Unapitshim - IIRC, it was an Akkadian text - saying the Epic of Gilgamesh was an Asian story is misleading considering the historiographical knowledge we have regarding the setting from which it was written. And the word "Asia" - what it brings to mind. Also, find out about Astra Hasis , which contains the Sumerian creation Epic and compare with Genesis.

As much as possible, reference scholarly work. For example, how did you determine that Camels were not used in caravans until well after 1000 BC? Sources, methods? Readers shouldn't have to take your word: the evidence should be your strength. Support your arguments!

Don't speculate - present the evidence, make your premises and draw conclusions. Don't make empty claims like "...there is fact and evidence to back up everything that I am saying".

If possible,look at Alan Alford's When the Gods Came Downs for the linkages between Sumerian -> Egyptian -> Jewish/Hebrew cross-pollination of ideas and myths. When examining for example, the stories of Moses, Jesus etc and all infants whose childhoods are placed in a hostile setting, the idea of Mount Sinai, babies being placed on a raft, the genesis of the creation epic from the start when God poured his sperm on the virgin earth and fecundated it to bring forth mankind (the Annunaki?), to the earth representing Logos that was with God in the beginning, to the Logos(Sophia) being personified as a woman (Sophia in Sirach), a virgin woman (in Odes of Solomon) who gives birth to the Logos, to the Logos being a son of God (intermediary being) to the Logos being a historical Jesus (dying and resurrecting God). After reading the Jesus Puzzle, go to the period before Paul back to proverbs, back to Genesis, back to the Egyptian texts and sumerian texts and what you will find will be very interesting.

Philological arguments are also in Alfords book which you may find interesting - like Moses from Thutmosis?. The stories of Romulus and Remus etc etc.

For example looking at Odes of Solomon and particularly Ode 19 (as translated by R. Harris and A. Mingana) we find:
About this verse, Doherty notes:
Earl Doherty, The Jesus Puzzle p.134 Even in Shepherd of Hermas, we have a son of God, but he is not Jesus.

Looking at Samuel Kramer in History Begins at Sumer quotes from a sumerian poem:
In Egyptian Pyramid Texts, we find another account of creation where Atum masturbates in Heliopolis and the twins Shu and Tefnut are born (its inferred from it that since Shu and Tefnut were the Semen from Atum - they originated via virgin births).

In The Gospel of Philip as quoted by Elaine Pagels in The Gnostic Gospels, there is a passage that refers to the earth as a virgin:
And from whence came the virgin Mary?

Alan Alford When the Gods Came Down, p.391.

From Proverbs 8:1-36:
Baruch 3:37:
John 1:34:
Harold Leidner's The Fabrication of Christ Myth would also be very useful for a better understanding of midrash and mimesis usage and for helping in understanding how the myths moved from the OT to the NT and the Hellenistic and Homeric influences.

Carrie

Before getting too picky ya'll, understand that this is NOT a professional paper. It is just a paper written by a wife to her husband.

Since this paper is meant for Fundamentalist Christians, I wanted to keep it simple and understandable from their point of view. Not too long and overly detailed. If they want to know more, they can read the books I read. This paper is just a book report. So it is a condensed version.

The average fundamentalist Christian is not going to read the books, but they might read a shorter paper presented to them by a friend, and then read the books later. That is my intention. I want to present them with a different point of view, encourage them to think about it, and then do their own research and come to their own conclusions.

I think I provided enough evidence to say that some of the prophecies in the Bible did not come true. If the Bible says that Babylon will be abandoned forever, and it is not abandoned today, then that shows the prophecy to be false. And Tyre was not destroyed by Nebuchanezzar like the prophecy said it would be. If a Christian needs more evidence for my claims, he can go look it up himself.

I don't cite sources for every claim that is made because all of my claims come from one of three books, which I listed. Those books do a great job of giving a lot of evidence, and that makes them long. My paper is short = less evidence provided, but it was good enough to deconvert my husband.

I think the paper is good enough to at least put a lot of doubt in a fundamentalist Christian's head, which was my evil intention

Ted Hoffman

Behold the day when a naive christian will take it to a christian scholar...

There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth...