I'm inclined to believe that time is in some sense cyclical and "oldest" may be a completely arbitrary designation.
Why do people look to the Bible for answers when it is obvious much OLDER works exist?
by sinis 40 Replies latest watchtower bible
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VoidEater
Lots of PR.
And a church that figured out how to get secular authority.
Everything else is icing on the cake.
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PSacramento
Just finished up reading the Sumerian texts posted on a site, as well as the Vedic books. It is interesting to note that "fables" or works of antiquity, written down, that are much OLDER than the Bible, OT included, paint a different picture. Why, and I still cannot wrap my mind around this, do people let the Bible be the answer for everything, when it is quite obvious that there are works pre-dating the Bible?
You should ask the people in THOSE areas that question.
If Jews stopped using the Bible as their guide and started using a book from a different thnic group or geographical area, wouldn't you ask them why they did it?
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Qcmbr
If you think the books of the bible are an accurate historically true record of this earth's history and disregarding all factual evidence to the contrary that an invisible god magically made this place 6000 years ago then why would you suddenly apply logic to your thinking?
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sabastious
Unless it is the very first thing ever known and written - then why is the age of something even an issue regarding the truth?
The age of something doesn't decide it's validity, no. But I think the OP is talking about people who stop with the Bible. There are many works much older than the Bible and have just as interesting things to say. I do find it weird when people pigeon hole themselves with one sacred text.
Referring to something as the "highest authority" while ignoring older works is folly.
-Sab
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PSacramento
Referring to something as the "highest authority" while ignoring older works is folly.
Most scholars acknowledge the simliarities of the ancient writings with the stories in the bible.
The Flood is an example, as it Moses being cast into the Nile in a basket.
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sabastious
Most scholars acknowledge the simliarities of the ancient writings with the stories in the bible.
In my experience (as a JW) "scholars" were always ridiculed. Is this true with all Christian fundamentals?
-Sab
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PSacramento
In my experience (as a JW) "scholars" were always ridiculed. Is this true with all Christian fundamentals?
I have to be honest, I don't know.
The only Fundamentalists I know are from this forum, LOL !
I know that even some of the "great ones" were criticized by fundamentalists when they adapt any view that can cause bible inerrancy to be called into question ( according to their interpretation of course).
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Giordano
I always wondered how someone could be so dumb as to post a blank message ..........just found out!
http://www.nobeliefs.com/exist.htm"We know that the early Christians lived within pagan communities. Jewish scriptural beliefs coupled with the pagan myths of the time give sufficient information about how such a religion could have formed. Many of the Hellenistic and pagan myths parallel so closely to the alleged Jesus that to ignore its similarities means to ignore the mythological beliefs of history. Dozens of similar savior stories propagated the minds of humans long before the alleged life of Jesus. Virtually nothing about Jesus "the Christ" came to the Christians as original or new.
For example, the religion of Zoroaster, founded circa 628-551 B.C.E. in ancient Persia, roused mankind in the need for hating a devil, the belief of a paradise, last judgment and resurrection of the dead. Mithraism, an offshoot of Zoroastrianism probably influenced early Christianity. The Magi described in the New Testament appears as Zoroastrian priests. Note the word "paradise" came from the Persian pairidaeza.
Osiris, Hercules, Mithra, Hermes, Prometheus, Perseus and others compare to the Christian myth. According to Patrick Campbell of The Mythical Jesus, all served as pre-Christian sun gods, yet all allegedly had gods for fathers, virgins for mothers; had their births announced by stars; got born on the solstice around December 25th; had tyrants who tried to kill them in their infancy; met violent deaths; rose from the dead; and nearly all got worshiped by "wise men" and had allegedly fasted for forty days. [McKinsey, Chapter 5]
The pre-Christian cult of Mithra had a deity of light and truth, son of the Most High, fought against evil, presented the idea of the Logos. Pagan Mithraism mysteries had the burial in a rock tomb, resurrection, sacrament of bread & water (Eucharist), the marking on the forehead with a mystic mark, the symbol of the Rock, the Seven Spirits and seven stars, all before the advent of Christianity.