RE: Elohim and Yahweh are 2 Different Gods
April 10, 2016 at 9:08 pm
(This post was last modified: April 10, 2016 at 9:11 pm by TheRocketSurgeon.)
El simply means "god". There is some evidence (not conclusive, but highly suggestive) from Ugaritic (a kingdom just north of Canaan) texts that El was the primary God, who ruled over a council of gods, the Elohim (plural of god, so "gods") some of whom were "patron" gods of a particular people. Among this council of gods was the War/Storm deity YHW, the Hebrews likely picked up from the Edomites (the people of Jethro, Moses' father-in-law), and adopted as their divine protector of the Israelites. [ETA: This is particularly important, since the modern evidence is that the Hebrews did not originate as their "Origin Story" suggests, but instead were an amalgamation of various Semitic peoples in the Canaan region, unified under the culture/religion that became known as Judaism.] There is also evidence that early Hebrews also worshiped Ashera, the wife/consort of YHW, before later reformers "glued together" the council of gods into a monotheistic religion and excised her from more than a passing mention in the surviving Old Testament.
There is also evidence that the deity YHW was worshiped in southern/upper Egypt (Nubia), with an archaeological find that mentions "the Shasu of YHW", and possibly was worshiped across a broad region. http://jandyongenesis.blogspot.com/2013/...moses.html
The "Al" in Allah is also related to the word "El", and you guessed it, means "god".
As you picked up on, the deity mention in Genesis 1 is El or Elohim (the primary god or the council of gods), to which is "copy-pasted" a later account, in Genesis 2, which attributes the same actions to Yahweh, at the time the Redactors were putting together the unified, monotheistic Judaism we know today.
Modern apologists explain this by saying that Elohim is simply a "royal we", rather than the simple plural form "gods" that would be used in any other context, but I find this explanation to be wishful thinking/mental gymnastics.
There is also evidence that the deity YHW was worshiped in southern/upper Egypt (Nubia), with an archaeological find that mentions "the Shasu of YHW", and possibly was worshiped across a broad region. http://jandyongenesis.blogspot.com/2013/...moses.html
The "Al" in Allah is also related to the word "El", and you guessed it, means "god".
As you picked up on, the deity mention in Genesis 1 is El or Elohim (the primary god or the council of gods), to which is "copy-pasted" a later account, in Genesis 2, which attributes the same actions to Yahweh, at the time the Redactors were putting together the unified, monotheistic Judaism we know today.
Modern apologists explain this by saying that Elohim is simply a "royal we", rather than the simple plural form "gods" that would be used in any other context, but I find this explanation to be wishful thinking/mental gymnastics.
A Christian told me: if you were saved you cant lose your salvation. you're sealed with the Holy Ghost
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
