(April 1, 2015 at 1:15 am)Brometheus Wrote: Coming from where I have, I've got a few questions as I try to sort out my world-view. Google hasn't been any real help, maybe someone here could help me out, or at least point me to resources.
1.) Were the ancient Jewish people actually slaves in Egypt?
2.) Did the ancient Jewish people actually carry out the genocides described in the Bible?
No and no. The most detailed records we have frim bronze-early iron is the Egyptians, and no where do they record any sort of en masse enslavement, and they don't mention a Jewish culture till the time of around the 8th-7th century. Also the archeological evidence does not support a genocide in the region of Isreal at that time and nor does it support the notion of mass migrating people from that time.
What it does suggest is that Jewish culture descended from cultures around it, not becoming truly monotheistic until after the BabylonIan exile.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
