what do you say to the archeological innacuracies of the old testament?

[shadowman]

there seem to be many. please check out the book "the bible unearthed"

it shows how the latest archeology/anthropological finds stack up to what we find in the old testament...

[Jnthn]

Expecting us to buy a book to carry out a discussion is unreasonable.

Is there a particular argument you want us to discuss? Bear in mind the citation limits if you want to quote directly.

J

[GoBahnsen]

there seem to be many. please check out the book "the bible unearthed"

it shows how the latest archeology/anthropological finds stack up to what we find in the old testament...

There was also some interesting insight into flooding forums with threads.

[shadowman]

Expecting us to buy a book to carry out a discussion is unreasonable.

Is there a particular argument you want us to discuss? Bear in mind the citation limits if you want to quote directly.

J

well it looks like the exodus didnt happen, and the patriarchs abraham isaac and jacob are probably just legends, and israelites came from within canaan and spread out gradually as a result of socio economic problems in canaan, the israelites werent the warring victorious party that joshua and judges makes them out to be....


Im not even finished with the book, but its basically saying that the old testament isnt historically accurate....

[infide]

there seem to be many. please check out the book "the bible unearthed"

it shows how the latest archeology/anthropological finds stack up to what we find in the old testament...

give some examples, and this should be a great discussion.

The short and broad-brush answer - I dont do anything with them. They are what they are. As I can tell, the Bible isn't and never was a history textbook. What is interesting is not whether or not what they believed was accurate - what ends up being interesting is the fact that they believed this about themselves and told history that way.

It is pure folly and, in my estimation, intellectual dishonesty to try to claim that the entire Bible is supposed to accurately record historical events.

Peace,
JD

[infide]

There was also some interesting insight into flooding forums with threads.

hehe. I dunno - maybe the guy just has a bunch of questions. I certainly can understand that.

I'm going to give a little rope on this one.

Peace,
JD

[Jnthn]

well it looks like the exodus didnt happen, and the patriarchs abraham isaac and jacob are probably just legends, and israelites came from within canaan and spread out gradually as a result of socio economic problems in canaan, the israelites werent the warring victorious party that joshua and judges makes them out to be....


Im not even finished with the book, but its basically saying that the old testament isnt historically accurate....

Pick one issue and outline the argument of the book. Until a substantial argument is presented, it's nothing more than tu quoque.

J

[shadowman]

give some examples, and this should be a great discussion.

The short and broad-brush answer - I dont do anything with them. They are what they are. As I can tell, the Bible isn't and never was a history textbook. What is interesting is not whether or not what they believed was accurate - what ends up being interesting is the fact that they believed this about themselves and told history that way.

It is pure folly and, in my estimation, intellectual dishonesty to try to claim that the entire Bible is supposed to accurately record historical events.

Peace,
JD

but its the word of god?

[infide]

well it looks like the exodus didnt happen,

That is one critical theory. Another suggests that there was a smaller (than reported) Exodus group that integrated with a Canaanite group when they arrived there. This would suggest that the "conquest" of Canaan was more of a "merger". I happen to currently favor this view, since I think it at least explains the merging of the Yahwist and Elohist OT sources. (Genesis 1 vs. 2 for example).

and the patriarchs abraham isaac and jacob are probably just legends,

do you mean the people themselves or the stories told about them? the former, i am not sure about, though it is definitely possible; the latter, definitely.

and israelites came from within canaan and spread out gradually as a result of socio economic problems in canaan, the israelites werent the warring victorious party that joshua and judges makes them out to be....

right. Not sure if that theory best fits everything going on. I think it is more likely that there were elements of an outside exodus group mixing with a canaanite group.

Peace,
jd

[infide]

but its the word of god?

What does this term "word of god" mean for you? Sure the whole Bible is a message from God, in a very real sense. But the sense is not historical in the case of these OT stories. The meaning is elsewhere, and is deep, and powerful. Sometimes the meaning is found in how people believe incorrect things about God - like, for example, that God loves only a certain group of people, or hates another group of people. This is certainly hinted at in places, but cannot be, understood literally or historically the truth.

Hope that made sense.

Peace,
JD

[Whipartist]

there seem to be many. please check out the book "the bible unearthed"

it shows how the latest archeology/anthropological finds stack up to what we find in the old testament...

It all depends on what book you're reading man. Try James Hoffmeier’s “Israel in Egypt”

Or try this web page for a nice little article. It's part two of two, but is good just by itself.

http://www.aish.com/societyWork/scie...e_-_Part_2.asp

Revisionist Biblical Archaelogists are pretty much just arrogant idiots. Don't believe everything you read about archaelogy. It's more of an art than a science. Ask Indiana Jones.

And come on now man. When are you going to quit using your puny brain to examine God and start having some faith in Him instead? Your threads are more than people can deal with because there are too many. You've taken over this whole forum and you're really getting repetitive. But you never question your own assumptions. God is there and does care, whether you have yet understood it or not.

Merry Christmas,

Ben

[shadowman]

I cant put faith in eternal torment, I question everything. what have I not questioned?

[infide]

When are you going to quit using your puny brain to examine God and start having some faith in Him instead?

You can't have faith in something you don't believe with your "puny brain" to be true.

Faith is an assent to a principle or idea, the fact of which may be hidden by the circumstances.

So when one has faith in Christ, we assent to the teachings of the Realm of God which we know to be true (because of the example of Christ), but which tends to be hidden by the apparent circumstances that surround us from day to day.

Peace,
JD

[infide]

I cant put faith in eternal torment, I question everything. what have I not questioned?

So dont put faith in eternal torment. The Bible doesnt teach it anyway. It teaches temporary judgement, and universal reconciliation (Colossians 1:20).

Peace,
JD

[GoBahnsen]

So dont put faith in eternal torment. The Bible doesnt teach it anyway. It teaches temporary judgement, and universal reconciliation (Colossians 1:20).

Peace,
JD

Sure...nothing to fear then. Live as you please. You might get spanked, but then all will be ok.

I think not!