Preachers Kid a forced choice.

[Darkstar]

[Minimalist]

@Minimalist by little I meant besides that fact that the hebrews did arrive in isreal and did influence the region.

Incorrect.

Read Israel Finkelstein's The Bible Unearthed and/or William Dever's "Who Were The Early Israelites."

While they quibble around the edges about some matters both concur that no one "arrived" anywhere. They were already there. The collapse of Late Bronze Age empires which coincided with The Sea People attacks caused various nomadic groups in the eastern hill region of Palestine to settle down to grow their own grain as they had lost their trading partners on the coast because of the Sea People. Dever sees refugees from those attacks fleeing inland and settling down once they were clear of the danger. In any case, the "Hebrew" cultural markers grew slowly from this beginning. They were not imported to the region as a going concern...bible stories notwithstanding.

[bladevalant546]

@Minimalist by little I meant besides that fact that the hebrews did arrive in isreal and did influence the region.

Incorrect.

Read Israel Finkelstein's The Bible Unearthed and/or William Dever's "Who Were The Early Israelites."

While they quibble around the edges about some matters both concur that no one "arrived" anywhere. They were already there. The collapse of Late Bronze Age empires which coincided with The Sea People attacks caused various nomadic groups in the eastern hill region of Palestine to settle down to grow their own grain as they had lost their trading partners on the coast because of the Sea People. Dever sees refugees from those attacks fleeing inland and settling down once they were clear of the danger. In any case, the "Hebrew" cultural markers grew slowly from this beginning. They were not imported to the region as a going concern...bible stories notwithstanding.

Thanks for the resource, that I have not read yet. I mostly remained in the sector of Sumerian and Akkadian research.

[Brian37]

With my mothers possible death with in the next year or so. I rather not bust that card out, its more a respect to the fact that I rather not cause strife. I know it seems cowardly however I feel it is the better choice. However, I have send forward my objections towards the chruch and my disdain towards it and they seem to show acceptance to that aspect.

@JesusHChrist, Oddly enough my parents always taught my intellecual honesty. Regardless of their beliefs they wanted me to think for myself. Hence they NEVER supressed evolution, science or anything. In fact my father always taught me that science and faith can go hand and hand. Beyond my own doubts, it is refreshing that they are not like "other" preacher's families. I already had my doubts, however it was a hard choice to make.

It is not cowardly, it is called compassion. It is one thing to blast the claims of someone who is not ill, but all of us will die, some suddenly with no time and others long and protracted knowing it will happen. Compassion and empathy are why you wont make it an issue.

[bladevalant546]

Thanks Brian for the understanding. Being in the bible belt can be tough as free-thinker groups are hard to find.

[thesummerqueen]

Not just the Bible belt. You'll find some Christians on here who will taunt you and tell you to hurt your family even in hard times in the name of "being a man".

[bladevalant546]

I been through my share of break ups because "god told" them.Dogma hurt anyone regardless of beliefs.

[Minimalist]

Scribd can be a pain in the ass but this is a pretty good article.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/54914445/Is-Bi...of-Jericho


I keep this handy as a modern archaeology primer.

http://www.naderlibrary.com/falsetestament.htm

Not long ago, archaeologists could agree that the Old Testament, for all its embellishments and contradictions, contained a kernel of truth. Obviously, Moses had not parted the Red Sea or turned his staff into a snake, but it seemed clear that the Israelites had started out as a nomadic band somewhere in the vicinity of ancient Mesopotamia; that they had migrated first to Palestine and then to Egypt; and that, following some sort of conflict with the authorities, they had fled into the desert under the leadership of a mysterious figure who was either a lapsed Jew or, as Freud maintained, a high-born priest of the royal sun god Aton whose cult had been overthrown in a palace coup. Although much was unknown, archaeologists were confident that they had succeeded in nailing down at least these few basic facts.

That is no longer the case. In the last quarter century or so, archaeologists have seen one settled assumption after another concerning who the ancient Israelites were and where they came from proved false. Rather than a band of invaders who fought their way into the Holy Land, the Israelites are now thought to have been an indigenous culture that developed west of the Jordan River around 1200 B.C. Abraham, Isaac, and the other patriarchs appear to have been spliced together out of various pieces of local lore.

Lastly, I have an electronic version of The Bible Unearthed. PM an email address and I'll send it to you.

[bladevalant546]

Might have to take you up on that offer. Thanks for the warm welcome.

[Minimalist]

Feel free. The last you want to do is walk into a library in the Bible Belt and take out a book by a Jew who says the bible is bullshit.

Lots of trouble can come from that!