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Old 05-25-2002, 01:22 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally posted by Liquidrage:
<strong>Just because you got something different out of a book does not mean you should result to insults.</strong>
In my opinion, your 'book review' was and is intellectually insulting. Your interpretation of its intent is supportable neither by the text nor by the debate surrounding it. You persistent, critical comments regarding the "authors ability to back up his claims with clear references" can only suggest (a) that you never read the book, (b) that your copy lacked the bibliography found in mine, or (c) you chose not to use it.

As for your comment: "As a non-theist, this book basically told me what I wanted to hear." - that truly says it all.

[ May 25, 2002: Message edited by: ReasonableDoubt ]</p>
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Old 05-25-2002, 08:46 PM   #12
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Thank you for the *spin* on you insults.
However, I don't find needing to rely on 100+ references responsible in a comerical publication.

Without reading through every reference you are forced to accept conclusions without proof very often. The author lists references by chapters instead of by point, even though each chapter includes many points categorized by a topic of the author's choosing.

Does everyone read everything in the bibliography? I doubt the average reader reads more then a few if any. The author could have included more archaeology and less conclusion of other works (alebit inlcuding many of the authors own).

I can just as easily call names and call someone else's views "intellectually insulting". Next time back it up.

Though I still advise being more skeptical of views which are similar to your own.
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Old 05-26-2002, 08:14 AM   #13
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Originally posted by Hans:
<strong>I recently downloaded an electronic version of the King James Bible. After reading the first few chapters of Genesis I quickly realized there were a lot of exuberant claims I wasn't previously aware of. Specifically, that in what are the early days of humanity according to the book, people lived for multiple centuries. A fact that apparently isn't widely communicated as I have never heard of such a thing. Curious!

Anyway, It led me to wonder who is believed to author this and the other books of the old testament.

Is there an online resource for this info that anyone is aware of?

Thanks.</strong>

The author you are looking for is an atheist Hittite. I'll not tell you his name though. Strains of thought by this man can be found in the works of Aristotle and elsewhere. Needless to say this person was a very controversial figure in his day (and beyond). He was despised by the Romans and Jews but his ideology would later conquer them (to an extent). The Greeks were rather fond of him. He had no intention whatsoever of his works being used in a religious context. That was a later corruption by both his enemies and those that misinterpreted him.

[ May 26, 2002: Message edited by: Berenger Sauniere ]</p>
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Old 05-26-2002, 10:48 AM   #14
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Originally posted by marduck:
<strong>"I caught that statement about the giants when I was reading Genesis. It seemed ambiguous to me. Was the author trying to convey that giants lived among the people or was everyone a giant? My reading is the former but I'm to unfamiliar with ancient writing to be sure."

Yes, the Giants lived along side the regular folk (check out 'The Book of Enoch' and the Dead Sea Scrolls 'Book of the Giants' both available online) In the book of Numbers Joshua battles the giants, reffered to as the Nephilim, Anakim or Raphaim, Goliath was one. The authors though paint themselves into a corner however, in Genesis all the giants should have been killed off in the flood but they keep popping up later. Naturally they write this off by saying "but that was a new batch of giants" oh really, then they were related to Noah right? well... er.. ah.. I guess, blah blah blah

"I guess giants living for centuries is not a big selling point for modern Christianity. It would explain why I've not heard of it before."

No, it's very silly. Unless you buy the Sitchin theory that they, along with Angels and The Sons of God were Space Aliens violating the prime directive by teaching humans secret knowledge and making whoopee with the Earth women!

[ May 25, 2002: Message edited by: marduck ]</strong>

It should be remembered also that the account in Genesis 6:1-4 is a mutialted fragment of the original material. Commentators in the second century BCE seem to have been aware of a different version of Genesis in which this scene was much longer and probably closer in form to the version of the story in Jubilees.
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Old 05-26-2002, 10:52 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally posted by Hans:
<strong>I recently downloaded an electronic version of the King James Bible. After reading the first few chapters of Genesis I quickly realized there were a lot of exuberant claims I wasn't previously aware of. Specifically, that in what are the early days of humanity according to the book, people lived for multiple centuries. A fact that apparently isn't widely communicated as I have never heard of such a thing. Curious!

Anyway, It led me to wonder who is believed to author this and the other books of the old testament.

Is there an online resource for this info that anyone is aware of?

Thanks.</strong>
Hans,
The majority opinion of scholars today is that Genesis is a compilation of at least three major sources of tradition that were brought together around 600-500 BCE or so. But please note that there is a growing school of thought in schoalrly circles that Genesis (and all of the major biblical literature) was produced much later than this, between 500 and 100 BCE. Whatever the precise date of its compilation (I say 300-200 BCE makes the most sense), it is clear that the final product is the work of an elite caste of priests. Any good book on the Penteteuch will explain the reason for this (van Seters has written three excellent volumes on the subject, as has Thomas Thompson).
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Old 05-26-2002, 08:42 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Wildish:
<strong>Commentators in the second century BCE seem to have been aware of a different version of Genesis in which this scene was much longer and probably closer in form to the version of the story in Jubilees.</strong>
Please: what is your source for this?
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Old 05-26-2002, 10:15 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally posted by Berenger Sauniere:
<strong>

The author you are looking for is an atheist Hittite. I'll not tell you his name though. ...</strong>
Smoking some good stuff this holiday?
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Old 05-27-2002, 12:17 AM   #18
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The authors of Genesis seem have picked up part of their story from Hindu
legends of the creation and early history of humanity. Stories of Hindu
heros Adimo, Heva, Sherma,, Hama and Jiapheta apparently were replicated
into legends about Adam, Eve, Shem Ham, and Japeth.
(Taken from the religious tolernace website.)

Why doesn't the naming pattern alone sink Christianity and all its apologists?



What is their rational for the similarities? Do they say that the thing happened the other way around (ie, the Hindu legends were imitations of the Christian ones)?

To me, this makes it pretty clear that the very foundation of monotheism (Judaism, Christianity. Islam) is sand. And quicksand at that.

Am I missing something?
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Old 05-27-2002, 01:51 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Wildish:
<strong>


It should be remembered also that the account in Genesis 6:1-4 is a mutialted fragment of the original material. Commentators in the second century BCE seem to have been aware of a different version of Genesis in which this scene was much longer and probably closer in form to the version of the story in Jubilees.</strong>
Do you have more info on this? Website? Papers?

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Old 05-27-2002, 01:54 AM   #20
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The authors of Genesis seem have picked up part of their story from Hindu
legends of the creation and early history of humanity. Stories of Hindu
heros Adimo, Heva, Sherma,, Hama and Jiapheta apparently were replicated
into legends about Adam, Eve, Shem Ham, and Japeth.


They reference K. Graves for this. I doubt it is very reliable.

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