Freethought & Rationalism Archive

gilly54 · 06-02-2002, 06:55 PM

An acquaintance of my daughter encloses snippets of Biblical scripture at the close of her e-mails. My usually tolerant daughter, enclosed one, Psalms 22:21, adding "God believes in unicorns, do you????" It had the intended effect, as the Scripture spouting stopped, at least temporarily.

My question, since there are some very learned people here knowledgeable in Biblical languages, did the author who wrote this Psalm,really mean unicorn? Or was the unicorn in those days something else, like maybe a rhinoceros, or a donkey with a bad hair day?

Bluenose · 06-02-2002, 08:00 PM

First, congrats on becoming a "Regular" member.

Second, Young's Analytical Concordance says that unicorn is English for the Hebrew word 'reem' at the nine places in the KJV OT where we find unicorn. He says it means buffalo or wild ox.

hezekiah jones · 06-02-2002, 08:04 PM

God has all the attributes of man. Some men have believed in unicorns. So why wouldn't god believe in unicorns?

B. H. Manners · 06-02-2002, 08:33 PM

I have read that the Hebrew word translated unicorn in the KJV has lost its true meaning to time.

gilly54 · 06-02-2002, 09:11 PM

Thank you, Bluenose, and all. I'm honoured to be in your company

I read that some of the phrases like "40 days" don't literally mean 40 days. It was a colloquialism of the day meaning " a long time".
So, the next thing is for me to get a copy of Young's Analytical Concordance, so I can interpret the Bible with less eye-rolling on my part. I just wish the fundies would also!

Anyway, be it unicorn, buffalo or ox, it stopped those annoying Scriptural snippets!

lpetrich · 06-03-2002, 01:09 AM

I've seen the theory in Asimov's Guide to the Bible that this is a misunderstanding of the way that wild oxen were depicted in artwork -- viewed from the side, only one horn is visible. And that this misunderstanding came about because wild oxen were gradually hunted to extinction in the Middle East, meaning that there were no real ones around to give a correct idea of their appearance.

[ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: lpetrich ]</p>

Thor Q. Mada · 06-03-2002, 01:18 AM

The real truth is that the bible and all the other "holy books" were written by men, reflecting the status of knowledge and science at the moment they were written. A bible written under today�s conditions would be entirely different.
Also this evil book was written to control people and society while giving them a set of behavioral rules. These rules are laughable in today�s world. Unfortunately, this book became a dogma for some.
Anyway, just came back from an overseas trip and had the opportunity to throw a bible or two in the garbage can in my hotel room. After all i didn't ask anybody to supply me with unclean literature.

06-03-2002, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Anyway, just came back from an overseas trip and had the opportunity to throw a bible or two in the garbage can in my hotel room.

Nothing amuses me more than intolerant ranting atheists. If you grow up, maybe you'll set a good example for Christians to follow.

And why didn't you put the bibles into a recycling bin?

Yours

Bede

<a href="http://www.bede.org.uk" target="_blank">Bede's Library - faith and reason</a>

Valmorian · 06-03-2002, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bede:
Nothing amuses me more than intolerant ranting atheists. If you grow up, maybe you'll set a good example for Christians to follow.

Yep, much more mature.

While I certainly wouldn't encourage people to throw bibles into the garbage, I'm not sure how such an action qualifies one as intolerant OR "ranting".

Wyrdsmyth · 06-03-2002, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bluenose:
<strong>Young's Analytical Concordance says that unicorn is English for the Hebrew word 'reem' at the nine places in the KJV OT where we find unicorn. He says it means buffalo or wild ox.</strong>

Then why wasn't it just translated as 'buffalo' or 'wild ox'?

06-02-2002, 06:55 PM	#1
gilly54 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New Almaden, California Posts: 917	God believed in Unicorns? An acquaintance of my daughter encloses snippets of Biblical scripture at the close of her e-mails. My usually tolerant daughter, enclosed one, Psalms 22:21, adding "God believes in unicorns, do you????" It had the intended effect, as the Scripture spouting stopped, at least temporarily. My question, since there are some very learned people here knowledgeable in Biblical languages, did the author who wrote this Psalm,really mean unicorn? Or was the unicorn in those days something else, like maybe a rhinoceros, or a donkey with a bad hair day?

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06-02-2002, 08:00 PM	#2
Bluenose Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: small cold water flat Posts: 471	First, congrats on becoming a "Regular" member. Second, Young's Analytical Concordance says that unicorn is English for the Hebrew word 'reem' at the nine places in the KJV OT where we find unicorn. He says it means buffalo or wild ox.

06-02-2002, 08:04 PM	#3
hezekiah jones Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: WI Posts: 4,357	God has all the attributes of man. Some men have believed in unicorns. So why wouldn't god believe in unicorns?

06-02-2002, 08:33 PM	#4
B. H. Manners Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 1,213	I have read that the Hebrew word translated unicorn in the KJV has lost its true meaning to time.

06-02-2002, 09:11 PM	#5
gilly54 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New Almaden, California Posts: 917	Thank you, Bluenose, and all. I'm honoured to be in your company I read that some of the phrases like "40 days" don't literally mean 40 days. It was a colloquialism of the day meaning " a long time". So, the next thing is for me to get a copy of Young's Analytical Concordance, so I can interpret the Bible with less eye-rolling on my part. I just wish the fundies would also! Anyway, be it unicorn, buffalo or ox, it stopped those annoying Scriptural snippets!

06-03-2002, 01:09 AM	#6
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	I've seen the theory in Asimov's Guide to the Bible that this is a misunderstanding of the way that wild oxen were depicted in artwork -- viewed from the side, only one horn is visible. And that this misunderstanding came about because wild oxen were gradually hunted to extinction in the Middle East, meaning that there were no real ones around to give a correct idea of their appearance. [ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: lpetrich ]</p>

06-03-2002, 01:18 AM	#7
Thor Q. Mada Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Asia Posts: 3,558	The real truth is that the bible and all the other "holy books" were written by men, reflecting the status of knowledge and science at the moment they were written. A bible written under today�s conditions would be entirely different. Also this evil book was written to control people and society while giving them a set of behavioral rules. These rules are laughable in today�s world. Unfortunately, this book became a dogma for some. Anyway, just came back from an overseas trip and had the opportunity to throw a bible or two in the garbage can in my hotel room. After all i didn't ask anybody to supply me with unclean literature.

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