Any one read David Rohl's books?

by sleepy 12 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  sleepy

  These are two fascinating books on the historisy of the ealier bible accounts.
  
  If you doubt that the books of "Moses" were based on real history these books are worth a read.

  Anyone else read them and what did you think?

  I what to do more research on ancient bible history and how these stories relate to real history.

  I find it amazing how many ancient accounts of early humans mentions Gods coming to the earth and breeding with humans.
  They usually contain a flood account too.
  These stories come from all over the earth from south america , eygpt and asia as well as the middle east.
  Is there any truth in these stories .

  Any books you could recomend.
• 

  sleepy

  By the way David Rohls books are :

  The test of time, and
  Legend
• 

  bboyneko

  find it amazing how many ancient accounts of early humans mentions Gods coming to the earth and breading with humans.
  They usually contain a flood account too.
  These stories come from all over the earth from south america , eygpt and asia as well as the middle east.
  Is there any truth in these stories .

  none agree on the details, so you can't simply assume the bible account is the correct one. I agree there is a possibility of something real behind the stories.

  -Dan
• 

  sleepy

  By the way i don't assume the Bibles story is the correct one and neither does David Rohl
• 

  rem

  Sleepy,

  A very interesting book about the historicity of various OT accounts based on modern archaeology is The Bible Unearthed by Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman.

  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684869128/qid%3D999108993/104-6048261-0575912

  rem

  "Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so."
  ..........Bertrand Russell
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  logical

  Didnt he write the Twits, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Great Glass Elevator, James and the Giant Peach, etc etc?
• 

  Moxy

  ive just recently come across david rohl's theories regarding the amarna period. he seems to play pretty fast and loose with conventionally accepted archeological findings. according to his theories, we should push the entire amarna period forward some 300 years! the evidence for this is suspicious-looking but i havent investigated enough to debunk it well. i just hope that the WT doesnt get their hands on it and start preaching his 'revised chronology.'

  If anyone is more familiar with rohl's theories than me (ginny?), i would like to see some direct counter-arguments. in the meantime sleepy, i would be careful with this guy. his ideas are pretty unorthodox.

  mox
• 

  Stephanus

  i would be careful with this guy. his ideas are pretty unorthodox.

  So were Darwin's.
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  patio34

  Hi Sleepy,

  I haven't read Rohl's books, but did enjoy "Middle Eastern Mythology" (from the library) and some books on Sumerians, etc.

  Some salient points for me were that the Sumerians were the 1st ones with writing and predated the Hebrews by centuries. They were the FIRST ones with the stories of a great flood (they lived in the Mesopatamian Valley), a woman and a rib, a serpent in a paradise, a king (Sargon) in a basket in the river as a babe.

  Also, interesting is the Bible says Abraham was from Ur (a chief city-state of Sumer), so it seems logical he could have brought those tales with him.

  Joseph Campbell (authored several books on the Power of Myth) stated that the peoples before the Hebrews were farmers in the Egypt-Mesopatamia area and worshipped goddesses. They were not nomadic nor agressively warlike. Settled and peaceable.

  However, the herders were nomadic and very agressively warlike. They worshipped gods. The Hebrews, he said, were notable for having only one god, Yahweh, who was VERY warlike and so were his worshippers. They were the only ones who got rid of all the goddesses.

  Another fascinating character is Ahknaton of Egypt. Many people have linked him to the time of Moses' being at the palace. He was the only king of Egypt who was a MONOTHEIST. Some feel HE was the inspiration for Moses and his one god.

  Next on my list is a fairly well-known book recommended, "The Golden Bough" which ties together a lot of the similarities of the Hebrews' religion and the other ancient peoples.

  Happy reading to you--there's a lot out there!

  Pat
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  Simon

  I've read them both - I thought they were excellent. He puts a credible account of where the stories and legends in the bible may have originated from.

  Ironically, one of our local elders cut out the review of on of the books from the local paper and proudly brandished it as 'proof that the bible stories were true'. Obviously he hadn't read the book and hadn't read the review very closely, just saw the headline and grasped at it...