Monotheists my ass!!!

by Crazyguy 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Crazyguy
    Crazyguy

    We have been taught that the Hebrew’s were monotheists believing and worshiping in only one God, except for those times when they sinned and worship pagan idol Gods. Their one true god is Yahweh / Jehovah. Really????

    Comparing the book of Genesis with older Sumerian and Babylonian writings what do we find? Well when Jehovah is testing man about not eating of the tree, and then curses them for doing it, this God is actually Enlil and its his half brother Enki that is telling Eve she would have wisdom and become like the Gods if she does eat. When God tells Noah about a coming flood its Enki, but the one bringing on the flood to kill mankind it’s Enlil.

    It’s the God Enki again that is responsible for confusing the languages at the story of the tower of Babel. Enki is the one that creates a garden called Edin and put man into it. So it would seem as though they worshiped Enki yet what about the God Abraham is supposedly worshipping is this the same god, El Shaddia or Elyon?

    When one looks at the Canaanite writing and compares them with the bibles writings it becomes clear that this God is a God Named El from the Pantheon of the city named Ugarit. Descriptions of this god and poems written about this God closely match up with the God we are told is Yahweh. But it doesn’t stop there, one of El's sons Baal and his descriptions about him and his exploits also is used to describe Yahweh. Yahweh even takes on the attributes of another Canaanite god created by EL, Asherah.

    One last thing to note is in the scripture at Exodus 3:14 where god is telling Moses his name. He says to tell the Israelite that "I am that I am" in Hebrew were told that’s what this phrase means "Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh". Phonetically the last word sounds like how you would pronounce a Capital A then a lower a. Like Aa or maybe Ea.

    Enki was also known through the near east as having another name, a name the Babylonians used and it was “Ea”.

  • Finkelstein
    Finkelstein

    Its know by well studied theologians and ancient historians that the ancients (Hebrews) plagiarized and morphed belief elements from other belief systems

    to create something perhaps unique unto themselves. The identified Hebrews or Judeans were originally Canaanites from that particular polytheistitic civilization.

    Archaeological artifacts found in ancient Hebrew settlements shows that these ancient people were not monotheist by virtue of carved miniature idols

    found at these sites. They may have scribed writings to express relevance and power of one greater god (YHWH) but that doesn't mean they didn't

    worship lower or lesser gods in their every day social activities.

  • lurkernomore
    lurkernomore

    I only heard about the Sumerians fairly recently whilst perusing a plethora of different youtube videos one evening. I felt this was one of the biggest eye openers for me with regards to the so called 'inspired writings'. This was the first thing that made me feel that perhaps I'm more comfortable in the agnostic camp, unless of course someone or something can prove things otherwise.

    Thanks for the info Crazyguy very interesting!

  • sir82
    sir82

    My understanding is that most scholars long ago concluded that the Hebrews "evolved" from a polytheistic society into a monotheistic one, over many centuries.

  • Island Man
    Island Man

    The findings at Ugarit certainly pulled the curtain on Yahweh, revealing his true, Canaanite origins.

  • Doug Mason
    Doug Mason

    "Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan" by John Day, Sheffield Academic Press (2000, 2002)

    Doug

  • Cold Steel
    Cold Steel

    Yes, but since when are Sumerian and Babylonian accounts part of the canon? Because some of these accounts appear older than the biblical accounts, some scholars understandably believe that the biblical stories are derived from them; however, I believe the biblical accounts are older as a matter of faith. And the council of gods (Psalms 82) is a topic that is being given far more attention today because of newly discovered sources linking them to the early Hebrews who, as you correctly noted, were not the strict monotheists they later appeared to be.

    This is from the site thedivinecouncil.com. There are a number of articles listed on the topic. Keep in mind that the early Christians associated Jesus with Yahweh. It was Yahweh who was a son of El. The early Christians saw Yahweh as the mediator between the Farther God and man. Thus, when Yahweh spoke to Moses, it was actually the pre-existing Jesus. In other words, after the fall, Jesus became the great mediator, or advocate of man, while Satan was the great accuser. Only during the patristic era did the "church" begin using a linguistic crowbar to turning the Godhead into a Trinity.

  • myelaine
    myelaine

    dear Cold Steel...

    you said, " Keep in mind that the early Christians associated Jesus with Yahweh. It was Yahweh who was a son of El. The early Christians saw Yahweh as the mediator between the Farther God and man"...

    actually...

    Jesus is associated with Yahweh in the scriptures because in the NT Jesus spoke as a Son to the Father. That is what the NT faith portrays as far as relationship goes. Unfortunately for mormon theology the beloved only begotten Son is all over the NT and a pantheon of gods isn't.

    Yes! In the OT ([deuteronomy 32:8-9]) there are scriptures that vaguely hint at that (divine council in danel) but, those scriptures were written while the hebrews were still contextualizing their personal encounter with God. JESUS was the final revelation of God...you can begin at the end and work yourself backwards to a ANE pantheon but theologically you end up with a low christiology and elevation of angels/man...the hebrews/israelites continued to look forward.

    do you want to sanctify God (so that He will save mankind) or mormon theology?

    love michelle

  • CaptainSchmideo
    CaptainSchmideo

    I remember a PBS special dealing with this. In the pre-Exile settlements, they find all sorts of idols; a common one was an idol to Yahuwa, and a matched idol to Mrs. Yahuwa. It wasn't until the return to captiviity, and the restating of the Law by Ezra and Nehemiah that the Monotheistic Jewish nation was finally created.

  • skeeter1
    skeeter1

    My favorite quote, "In the beginning, man created God."

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