Biblical beliefs that are similar to older pagan beliefs

by M.J. 36 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Leolaia

  Well.....how about Ezekiel referring to Danel, a figure from Canaanite legends?

  Or various OT passages that almost word-for-word resemble earlier Canaanite texts. Or the non-Israelite Aramaic Book of Balaam Son of Beor which is older than most books of the Bible?

  Or the fact that one of the Nephilim in the "Book of Giants" (part of 1 Enoch in Qumran) was named Gilgamesh? Or that Enoch's journey of the underworld and the distant mountains of jewels in 1 Enoch is strikingly similar to the Epic of Gilgamesh?

  Or the fact that Leviathan is a Canaanite chaos monster? And that Baal rides on the clouds like Yahweh does in the Psalms and like how the Son of Man does in Daniel and the NT?

  Or how the Rephaim in Isaiah, Proverbs, and Job are the ghosts of the underworld in Canaanite or Phoencian texts as well?

  Or how the Phoencian version of creation preserved by Philo of Byblos is strikingly similar to Genesis 1-5.

  Or that the account of the building of E-sagila in the Enuma Elish is strikingly similar to the biblical story of the Tower of Babel (including a quote similar to , "Come let's make bricks")?

  Or that a nice chuck of Proverbs is plagiarized from an Egyptian wisdom work?
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  The Leological One

  Have any of you ever gone and debated at the http://www.theologyweb.com/ forums, where there are numerous debates regarding similar discussions (with many of them archived at http://www.tektonics.org/twebarchives.html )?
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  AuldSoul

  Sheez! I learn so much about ancient history here. These kind of threads are incredibly important to me since I know I have always been taught a grotesquely warped view of it.

  Thanks for starting it, M.J., and thanks to all the contributors.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
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  peacefulpete

  Or god living on a mountain and speaking from a smoking quaking volcano or the thunder. A god who stops the rain when angry. Or the Samson (aka Hercules) story with its well established solar deity elements. Or how about the OT and NT foundational doctrine of human sacrifice being needed to appease a god. Cherubim are winged bulls and seriphim are winged serpents, both are mythological creatures pulled from the "pagan" culture. The use of a rod or staff to do magic. the astrological cultic significance of numbers like 7 and 10.

  Like what was hinted ealier in this thread, the illusion of some sharp distinction between the cult of ancient Judah and its neighbors is due to the work of later editors and religious propagandizing priests. What need would there be for the priesthood in Jerusalem if the priests on the next hill or in Dan or Bethel were just as good?
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  nvrgnbk

  I think is is great Sunday morning reading.

  Since were not at church, we can think about how absurd it all is.

  Some great posts here from some who have moved on or post less frequently.

  Enjoy.
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  Crazyguy

  It interesting to find out that the Book of the Dead also called the Pyramid Text which dates back to 1500 BCE is most likely where Christianity gets its origins. The Egyptians believed that when one died his spirit or one aspect of it would go to heaven then return to the resurrected body. The body was mummified to prepare it for the resurrection and all organs taken out of it except the heart.

  After the body was resurrected the person would travel through the Under-World having to meet and pass judgment by 42 gods. When speaking to each one of these gods the person would speak a Negative Confession, meaning he would state that he did not do a certain thing like "He did not murder anyone". These Negative Confessions is most likely where most of the Ten Commandment's came from for all but the ones about worshipping only one god etc. are found in these Negative Confessions.

  After the person successfully passed these judgments there was one final judgment left, judging of the heart. In the bible it talks about ones heart condition and finally in the book of Revelations one is judged by his heart condition, and this is where this idea comes from. When the Egyptian enter the room his heart would be weighed against a feather. If his heart was impure he would die a final second death for all eternity,(Sound familiar) by a ferocious beast.

  If the persons heart was pure he would pass the test and move on to paradise and live for eternity with other loved ones in a placed called The Field of Reeds also called Field of Offerings.

  In other versions of the Book of the Dead, the Kings (pharaohs) would travel through the Under-World at night when the sun, (Ra) was down or dead in their beliefs and go through a set of trials. Some trials had to do with a lake of fire and also surviving being attacked by a giant snake named Apophis god of the Under-World, he also represented Chaos

  I'm not 100% sure on this yet but from what I have read it looks as the the kings would not just go and live forever in the Field of Reeds but instead travel to heaven merge with Ra and lived in the heavens forever among the stars.

  Its also worth mentioning that the Egyptians were obsessed with getting their hands on a Book of the Dead, because with out this book one would not have the spells and incantations needed to get through the Under-World facing monsters and tests etc. And of course in order to get one of these Books Of the Dead and any other trinket one may need, the person would have to spend a lot of money and pay yeah you guessed it, the Priests for these items. Its unfortunate that just like today many Egyptians would spend most of their lives obsessing over this future event and trying to prepare as well as getting the money needed so they could have a successful journey to Paradise.
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  TTWSYF

  Almost every culture of people had tried to connect with nature, life and/or the hereafter. All pagan faiths were made [by man maybe spirit too] as a means to come closer to the source of life. As a result there are probably more than a few pagan beliefs that may have some truth.

  We find truth where we find truth.

  As an example I would say it is probably true that prayer with incense may be more focused because you are seemingly putting more effort then just praying without incense. Wedding bands or rings are another pagan tradition that reminds one of their commitments to their spouse.

  Just an observation