Leolaia deosn't this sound familiar? The myths of food from the gods giving or sustaining immortality? It figures in a number of mediteranean and european mythologies. (golden apples,ambrosia, etc)
Was Rutherford aware of a Jewish myth expounding upon the Adam story? It would certainly make sense as the entirety of jewish mythology was of "Pagan" originality.
It was the food that did it!
by onacruse 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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peacefulpete
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Leolaia
Was Rutherford aware of a Jewish myth expounding upon the Adam story? It would certainly make sense as the entirety of jewish mythology was of "Pagan" originality.
I think this is a little overstated. Certainly there was a lot of indigenous Israelite input into Jewish mythology (i.e. the angelology of post-exilic Judiasm building on Canaanite-Israelite beliefs about the seventy sons of El and Asherah), unless that gets counted as "pagan" as well. And I would not regard everything else as simply borrrowings from mythologies outside Israel -- I would give the Jews credit for a certain amount of internal development as well.
As for the Rutherfordian doctrine about "perfect food" that sustains eternal life, this is probably derivative of Genesis 3:22 which links the eating of the "tree of life" with "living forever". Similarly, the lifting of the ban on eating the fruit of the tree of life (Revelation 22:2-3) is associated in the messianic Jerusalem where "there will be no more death" (21:4). The concept in Genesis is most reminiscent of the plant of immortality that a serpent steals from Gilgamesh that had sustained Utnapishtim's immortality. The tree of life and the garden of Eden are closely linked in general Semitic notions of the Temple as divine garden with a divine sacred tree (cf. Hatshepsut describing her temple as a "Garden to Amun," the sacred palm in the sanctuary of Ea in Eridu; cf. also the Israelite Temple, its menorah, and sacred waters, and also the asherim in Exodus 25:31-40; Deuteronomy 12:2; 1 Kings 7:49, 16:33; Ezekiel 45-47; Jubilees 3:19; Revelation 22:1-4, the river Gihon in Genesis 2:13 as the Jerusalem spring, etc), but it is not clear whether Israel in its conceptions of the Temple and Eden draws on the traditions of their neighbors or develops an indigenous concept common to Semitic peoples. It is interesting that 1 Kings credits the Phoenicians as building the Jerusalem Temple and the possible connections between the Eden story with Phoenicia (such as the name Hawwah, which is not Hebrew but Syrian-Aramaic for "serpent", and the depictions of serpent and tree in Phoenician art; see also Psalm 29 which shows a Phoenician Baalist provenance but and which concerns the Temple).
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onacruse
greatT:
Was it "The Lord" who taught Rutherford how to drink?
Now, now...alcohol is the only truly pure food-source on the planet, don't ya know? Especially when it's in case-lots of bourbon smuggled from Canada to Brookyln.
Leolaia, that's an interesting quote from the Millions booklet. If you don't mind, lemme know how to get my hands on an e-copy? SS & searcher: yeah, that "imperfect food outside Eden" does raise an interesting contradiction. Maybe the only thing that grew on the other side of the flaming sword was zucchinni. btw, I completed a search of all of Russell's stuff for "imperfect food," and didn't get any hits. But I gotta think that this little gem was a holdover from him...it was too early in Ruthy's and Franzie's careers to come up with something like this on their own. Craig -
Leolaia
onacruse.....here it is, enjoy!
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peacefulpete
I don't think I overstated anything Leolaia. As you llustrate in your posting edenic tales were very ancient and nonIsraelite (if you prefer this over "pagan"). The details and themes in common are many and varied. The 2 eden stories each coming from different layers in OT developement each show indebtedess in their own way. For instance the order of the E version (gen 1)follows the 7 day week pattern of the Babylonians. the Deties of the Babs determining the order of the creation. This of course allows that the tales were actively being assimilated and modified to local deities and tradition. Every culture is unique in the interpretation of these perennial tales but the source as nonIsraelite is not in doubt. I think we are agreeing, but I just wanted to spout off a bit more.
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Leolaia
I agree with you except that I think it is possible to have internal development of theology that doesn't have to draw on external pagan sources, and I construe much of the basal material the Israelites developed into their religion was inherited from their own indigenous Canaanite heritage. Eden is probably from external influence, the Flood defintiely was, but I think the folklore about Danel and the rephaim for instance are probably native concepts to the Israelites, inasmuch as they descend from pre-Israelite Canaanite culture.
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onacruse
Leolaia, thanks for that link!
And, I must say, you and Pete sure can type fast. LOL