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Asherah, the wife of god?

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  • #16
    Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
    That's quite the imaginative theory.
    Common statues are found ancient Hebrew villages.
    Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
    Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
    But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

    go with the flow the river knows . . .

    Frank

    I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

    Comment


    • #17
      Originally posted by shunyadragon View Post
      Common statues are found ancient Hebrew villages.
      And?

      How does that demonstrate that the Bible was polytheistic up until the 7th cent. B.C. rather than it was monotheistic but the people often weren't?

      I'm always still in trouble again

      "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
      "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
      "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

      Comment


      • #18
        Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
        That's quite the imaginative theory.
        To the contrary, that's the mainstream view, piglet. There's no evidence for monotheism in early Israel, and considerable evidence that it became nearly universal immediately following the Babylonian captivity.

        Comment


        • #19
          Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
          And?

          How does that demonstrate that the Bible was polytheistic up until the 7th cent. B.C. rather than it was monotheistic but the people often weren't?
          There is no evidence that they were monotheistic. The archaeological evidence and the most ancient texts indicate polytheism.
          Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
          Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
          But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

          go with the flow the river knows . . .

          Frank

          I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

          Comment


          • #20
            Benjamin D. Sommer provides some nuance on monotheism and touches on Asherah worship in ancient Israel:

            https://www.academia.edu/34893038/Mo...ical_Companion

            Comment


            • #21
              Originally posted by Juvenal View Post
              To the contrary, that's the mainstream view, piglet. There's no evidence for monotheism in early Israel, and considerable evidence that it became nearly universal immediately following the Babylonian captivity.
              Yeah that just popped up out of nowhere with absolutely no history or tradition behind it and became universally accepted.

              Go on, pull the other one.

              I'm always still in trouble again

              "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
              "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
              "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

              Comment


              • #22
                Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                Yeah that just popped up out of nowhere with absolutely no history or tradition behind it and became universally accepted.

                Go on, pull the other one.
                There is definite evidence that idols of Asherah are commonly found in the homes of early Hebrews in the hills of Judah. The Old Testament refers to many Gods. I believe the evidence clearly demonstrates that the beliefs of the Hebrews evolved from Polytheism, to Henotheism, and then to Monotheism. The Old Testament was finally edited and compiled by Monotheists emphasizing Henotheism, and conflicts within the Hebrews between Monotheism and Polytheism.

                The origins of the Hebrews culture, language, and traditions originated from Canaanite/Ugarite cultures, and the the text of the Pentateuch reflects that influence, including early belief in polytheism.

                Source: https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-when-the-jews-believed-in-other-gods-1.6315810



                When the Jews Believed in Other Gods

                The bible is rife with references to deities other than Yahweh: The prophets didn't deny these gods existed, they just didn't think Jews should worship them

                There is but one God, according to Jewish religious dogma. No other exists. We tend to assume that our forefathers devoutly believed the same. But the truth is that the Bible also shows, time and again, that wasn't the prevailing system of belief among the ancient Israelites.

                The different scribes who wrote most of the biblical canon believed the incorporeal world was populated by a multitude of gods, but that the Hebrews should not worship any of these other deities, only Yahweh (which is what scholars call henotheism or monolatry). This is explicitly stated in the Second Commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

                The verse "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?" (Exodus 15:11) is even more explicit about other gods existing alongside Yahweh.

                © Copyright Original Source

                Last edited by shunyadragon; 01-12-2020, 07:24 AM.
                Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
                Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
                But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

                go with the flow the river knows . . .

                Frank

                I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Originally posted by shunyadragon View Post
                  There is definite evidence that idols of Asherah are commonly found in the homes of early Hebrews in the hills of Judah. The Old Testament refers to many Gods. I believe the evidence clearly demonstrates that the beliefs of the Hebrews evolved from Polytheism, to Henotheism, and then to Monotheism. The Old Testament was finally edited and compiled by Monotheists emphasizing Henotheism, and conflicts within the Hebrews between Monotheism and Polytheism.

                  The origins of the Hebrews culture, language, and traditions originated from Canaanite/Ugarite cultures, and the the text of the Pentateuch reflects that influence, including early belief in polytheism.

                  Source: https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-when-the-jews-believed-in-other-gods-1.6315810



                  When the Jews Believed in Other Gods

                  The bible is rife with references to deities other than Yahweh: The prophets didn't deny these gods existed, they just didn't think Jews should worship them

                  There is but one God, according to Jewish religious dogma. No other exists. We tend to assume that our forefathers devoutly believed the same. But the truth is that the Bible also shows, time and again, that wasn't the prevailing system of belief among the ancient Israelites.

                  The different scribes who wrote most of the biblical canon believed the incorporeal world was populated by a multitude of gods, but that the Hebrews should not worship any of these other deities, only Yahweh (which is what scholars call henotheism or monolatry). This is explicitly stated in the Second Commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

                  The verse "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?" (Exodus 15:11) is even more explicit about other gods existing alongside Yahweh.

                  © Copyright Original Source

                  Nobody is denying that the ancient Hebrews were often polytheistic. Scripture repeatedly mentions it and condemns it. That is not the issue.

                  Just like today we do a whole slew of things that the Bible explicitly says are wrong.

                  I'm always still in trouble again

                  "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                  "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                  "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                    Yeah that just popped up out of nowhere with absolutely no history or tradition behind it and became universally accepted.

                    Go on, pull the other one.
                    I'm not a religious scholar. I just read them, and that's what they say. None of the archaeology, from temples to homes, finds Yahweh worshipped alone before the Babylonian captivity. If I were to speculate, I'd guess they picked up monotheism from Zoroastrianism during the Babylonian captivity, but that's just me.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                      Nobody is denying that the ancient Hebrews were often polytheistic. Scripture repeatedly mentions it and condemns it. That is not the issue.

                      Just like today we do a whole slew of things that the Bible explicitly says are wrong.
                      That's a PRATT, rouge. Nobody denies they were monotheistic when their sacred texts were last revised.

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                        Nobody is denying that the ancient Hebrews were often polytheistic. Scripture repeatedly mentions it and condemns it. That is not the issue.

                        Just like today we do a whole slew of things that the Bible explicitly says are wrong.
                        As I stated before the Pentateuch was compiled and edited by Monotheists with text adapted from older Canaanite and Ugatie sources. The existence of other Gods is demonstrated and henotheistic at best, and NOT monotheistic. The archaeological evidence, and the fact that Hebrews were a Canaanite tribe and culture overwhelmingly supports the fact that that the Hebrews were originally a polytheistic culture and evolved to a henotheistic culture, and then to a monotheistic culture. The Pentateuch clearly describes a 'Council of Gods' that reflects a variation of a Canaanite polytheistic culture, and uses Canaanite names Gods.
                        Last edited by shunyadragon; 01-12-2020, 10:49 AM.
                        Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
                        Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
                        But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

                        go with the flow the river knows . . .

                        Frank

                        I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Originally posted by Juvenal View Post
                          That's a PRATT, rouge. Nobody denies they were monotheistic when their sacred texts were last revised.
                          Post Exilic redactions and revisions.
                          "It ain't necessarily so
                          The things that you're liable
                          To read in the Bible
                          It ain't necessarily so
                          ."

                          Sportin' Life
                          Porgy & Bess, DuBose Heyward, George & Ira Gershwin

                          Comment

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