December 27, 2009, 11:39 am by dc-agape.

It is time to look at the results collected from this experiment.  This does not mean that the experiment is over, but the observations taken over the past year have lead to some interesting conclusions.  As with any experiment, the results will always be flexible and may change drastically with more observations.  At this point some conclusions can be estimated to have reached “steady states”.  I will discuss these observations in full with individual posts.  First, the results of operating a blog and my personal experiences with this project can be seen.  Making posts, writing daily, controlling spam commenters and trolls are all part of operating a blog.  Second, reading the “Holy Texts” has lead to some changes in my personal outlook.  Not the changes that Theist would expect, but overall some interesting ideas.  Third, unlike other Atheist blogs I have not had to deal with trolls or anti-Atheist bigotry.  This is a good thing, but it leads to an interesting conclusion.  I have obviously not stabbed a caged angry beast where it hurt!  Finally one missing result cannot not be denied, it just has not appeared.  YHWH has not intervened on my blogging.  This has neither been by direct interaction, making me more religious…or less tangible methods, such as attacks at home or cyber-issues.  YHWH has not made an appearance, nor has his followers been directed to intervene in any supernatural way!

From the Atheist perspective the experiment has been successful.  I will continue to read different spiritual texts focused on the Abrahamic faiths.  But I will not expect that YHWH and his minions will interfere with my experiment in any meaningful way.  I am particularly drawn to the Islamic Qur’an and to the Gnostics Nag Hammadi Library.  I will continue to look at the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Old Testament, and also the New Testament.  But it is will great interest that the DSC, OT, and the NT have become less than “Truthful” than I had assumed they would be when I started this experiment.  The NT has been the most disappointing.  Recognizing that over 66% of it was written by a man who was determined to destroy the original teaching of Jesus (which is now called Pauline Christianity) has been an eye-opening result of this experiment.  The fact that Paul wrote 13 of the Book in the NT is overwhelming.  Especially considering that there is only 27 Book in total.  Of the remaining book only with certainty can we be assured that followers of Paul did not write seven of the Books: The Gospel of John, James, and 1^st Peter, the Letters from John, and Jude.  These seven Books, in total from the NT, that are not Pauline in nature.  Worse is that these seven are not the central doctrine of modern Christianity!  The Books of James and Jude were written by the half-brothers of Jesus himself, yet neither of these Books are the focus of Christianity.  Peter was to be “Rock” of the Church, yet only one very short Book was written by him!  Does this not look strange to the believer?  It is certainly disappointing to an Atheist that we do not have the “True” teaching of Jesus recorded in historical documents!  Instead we have the teaching of a man determined to eradicate those same teachings (and his disciples) the focus of the modern Church.  What a truly sad state the Theist believes are left in…

Posted in State of Mind, Introduction | Print | 3 Comments »

December 26, 2009, 10:08 am by dc-agape.

Genesis Chapter 46 – 47:12

In this story from Genesis it is the original Beverly Hillbillies, I used the theme song in the last post from Genesis.  This section is rather long, but after considering it more closely, I believe I can sum it up in one post.  I did not post yesterday, because I was debating how to split this section up, and well, I ran out of time.  My research at UTK is speeding up and I had three consultation yesterday, starting at 11:30 and ending at 5pm.  Maybe one day I will fill you in on the research, after I have published!  Anyway, I ran out of time yesterday to deal with such a large chunk of Genesis.

Israel packs up his family, in the newly minted carts from Pharaoh.  When the family has traveled ~ 40 miles towards Goshen, they stopped at Beersheba.  YHWH speaks to Israel there and tells him that Israel will die there but YHWH will bring him out of Egypt.  Here is the first example of fuzzy math.  “I’m with you”, and “I’ll bring you out of Egypt” are part of the conversation.  YHWH did not bring Israel out of Egypt, Joseph did!  But that’s what fuzzy math is all about.  And the whole:

^{Gen 46:3} “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

Well now that is just a hoot!  “Don’t be afraid”, even though YHWH plans on making all of Israel’s descendants slaves for over 430 years (4 generations – Gen 15:16)!  This is the second case of fuzzy math.  400 years is not 4 generations!  It’s closer to 4 full life-times, if you count men’s life at 120 years (Gen 6:3).  That does not work either since all the men named in the Bible lived for at least 147 years (Israel, himself, being the shortest lifespan).  YHWH is not to be trusted.  His math is fuzzy, he is inconsistent, he does not keep his promises, and his plans, in general, are horrific.

The next section is all the fuzzy math you could ever stand!  Here the sons and grandsons of Israel are listed.  First, in no way, shape, or form, can three generations of mankind have only one daughter!  And yes, in Gen 46:8 the author says the “sons of Jacob Israel”, but in Gen 46:26 it claims that this is all the people who went with him to Egypt, plus the slave wives from Shechem.  More fuzzy math is involved with the numbers of men.  In Gen 46:15 it claims that there were 33 sons of Leah, yet 34 names are listed.  This is explained in the study notes that a scribe somewhere in the future added a name by mistake!  YHWH, could you please keep your infallible text, well, infallible!

The total number of people who went with Jacob Israel (I really wish the infallible YHWH would remember that his name is not Jacob!) becomes 70 (Gen 46:27). But to get to this number…all the woman have to be left out, Joseph and his sons (already in Egypt) must be added, and add Er and Onan back in!  Er and Onan died in Gen 38:6-10 and were left out of the Gen 46:26.  As I said, it’s all the fuzzy math you could ever want, and a bit complicated.  This is a great example of Biblical family values: misogyny!

Joseph and Israel are reunited and it is a tearful experience.  Joseph must have lived many years wondering if he would ever see his father again, and Israel had believed his son was dead due to the lie Joseph’s brothers told.  Here is a great Biblical family value: lying!

Now because these men were shepherds, Joseph knew the Egyptians would despise them.  But he coached his brothers on what to say to the Pharaoh about being shepherds.  The Pharaoh gave the sons of Israel the best of the land (during a famine).  I’m sure it was a great place to have herds!  Jacob Israel blesses the Pharaoh twice, once on entering and once upon leaving the Pharaoh’s presence.  During this interview we find out that Israel is already 130 years old.  I guess those that YHWH blesses live longer than anyone else, but of course we have no proof of this because: we don’t know what calendar they used nor do we have any recorded maximum age of non-favored people! 

In the end all of Israel’s family is settled in the best part of the land.  I hope this was not like present day Israel where the Palestinians had to be removed from their ancestral homes.  But since this was the best property in Egypt, I would have to assume that this is exactly what happened.  Then Joseph makes sure that his brothers have enough food, for free, to ensure that they do not starve.  This must include food for the herds as well, since in a famine nothing is growing that is eatable.  I wonder how many Egyptians had to starve to death to ensure that the sons of Israel survived.

Posted in Family Values?, Genesis, Readings | Print | 1 Comment »

December 20, 2009, 8:10 am by dc-agape.

The Treatise on the Resurrection

I am changing gears for a number of reasons.   First, I have lingered in the Dead Sea Scrolls for too long.    I had thought that I would post on five additional Scrolls, but they are indeed very dry and very technical with little spiritual importance to modern day Theists.  Secondly, the gotten bored.  For the most important reason is that I have come to a much stronger conclusion that the Pauline doctrines of the New Testament should be questioned.  Both Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hammadi indicate a much stronger understanding and source for the teachings of Jesus.  As a result, I want to go ahead and work on the Nag Hammadi library.    The Treatise on the Resurrection is the next Scroll in this series. 

The scholars who have studied this Treatise can place this document as part of the Valentinian Gnostic doctrine.   The same scholars placed writing of this Treatise near the end of the second century CE.   This was a period of time in the new Christian religion where the concept of the Resurrection had not been firmly established.  Questions still abound as to whether the Resurrection would occur before death, immediately after death, or At the Second Coming (the Judgment Day).   More questions were still related an unresolved about whether the body, the soul, the mind, or a combination of these three would occur during the Resurrection.   This Treatise leaves no doubt in the mind of the reader exactly what the author understands will occur as part of the Resurrection.

The author of the Treatise does add one additional concept that is left out of modern Christianity.  It is certainly not a new one, but it is one that has been forgotten but almost all of today’s denominations.  The author indicates that once the Truth is known about death and the Resurrection one has already been resurrected.  As a result, one should live a life as If they already possess the new resurrected body.  In other words, outwardly the believer should live a life free from the worldly nature of humankind.

This concept is truly appealing to a gay Atheist.  First of all, this Treatise does indicate that predestination elects the believer.  No amount of persuasion is involved in believing in this religion, it is truly based on faith.  Second of all, this Treatise indicates that Christians should be noticeably different from the mortal unbelieving human.  Both these attributes fit what is observed in today’s modern Christian religion.  In other words, the unbeliever cannot be persuaded to have faith, and this faithful should not be identical (in nature) to the unbeliever.  Since neither of these concepts are applied in modern Churches it becomes obvious that the Valentinian faith is more accurate than the Pauline religion.

Posted in Resurrection, Treatise on the Resurrection, The Nag Hammadi, Biblical topics, Readings, Introduction | Print | 2 Comments »

December 19, 2009, 12:21 pm by dc-agape.

Genesis 45

As with any lie, Joseph cannot continue deceiving his brothers. Even though he sent all his servants away, everyone heard him weeping in front of his brothers.  Of course the message got to the Pharaoh.  But the Pharaoh did not know what the weeping was about until Joseph had spent much time with his brothers.

Because of the lie that Joseph was living, his brothers could not respond to his declaration.  They were basically freaked out.  Can you imagine being in the presence of Egypt’s second-in-command while the man starts to weep so loudly that the entire building hears it?  I am sure the brothers believed they were responsible for this misery and would soon be dead.

Joseph had finally, after 21 years, forgiven his brothers.  It is the second year of the famine that only kept the grain crops from growing; Israel still had honey and pistachios.  Somehow Joseph has risen above the Pharaoh:

^{Gen 45:8} “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.  He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. 

Joseph is either lying again, or the power has made him arrogant.  When the Pharaoh put Joseph in charge he said:

^{Gen 41:40} You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders.  Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

So you can see that Joseph was neither the “father” to Pharaoh nor was he ruler of all Egypt. 

^{Gen 41:43} He had him ride in his chariot as second-in-command, and men shouted before him, “Make way!”  Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

He was in charge of Egypt, but that did not make him the father of Pharaoh or the ruler of all Egypt.  If the Pharaoh had heard Joseph say these things, Joseph would have been killed.  He was admitting to attempting to usurp the throne of the Pharaoh!

When the Pharaoh heard that Joseph’s brothers were in Egypt, he and all his officials were pleased.  The Pharaoh suggested that all of Joseph’s family move to the “best” lands in Egypt to live off the “fat of the land”.  I am really starting to think that this was not a true famine, but one more of the type that was caused by corrupt dictatorships.  Joseph can provide a huge meal to his brothers on their first trip, and that the Pharaoh tells Joseph that his family can live off the “fat of the land”.  There is the fact that grain cannot be stored for much more than a year or two, and that other food stuff were still available (cattle, honey, pistachios, almonds).  It looks like in preparing for the seven years of famine, the Pharaoh and Joseph caused the famine!

The Pharaoh goes on to tell Joseph to bring his entire family, and not to worry about their “possessions”.  Everything would be replaced by the Pharaoh once they got to Egypt.  If they were in the middle of a famine, supplies would be short…all supplies!  This was an agricultural society; everything was based off animals and plants.  The ability of the Pharaoh to replace all of Jacob’s belongings except his livestock seems suspect as well.

Well to say the least, Jacob is total surprised by his son’s words and by the “gifts” that the Pharaoh and Joseph sent with the brothers.  The best gift was the knowledge that his favorite son had not died 21 years earlier, as the brothers had claimed.  So Jacob packs up and moves to Cal-i-for-n-y! 

Posted in Joseph, Genesis, Readings | Print | No Comments »

December 18, 2009, 8:38 am by dc-agape.

The Coming of the Melchizedek

This Scroll is barely a page long and is somewhat fragmented.  The author(s) of this Scroll intended it to be a true interpretation of the Jubilee year, which occurred every 49 years.  Numerous Old Testament scripture has been used to explain the Yahad’s personal interpretation of the Jubilee year.  The Scroll is also filled with prophecy.  Unfortunately, this does not mean the prophecies took place.  The suggestion of using Bible verses to claim a prophecy will be fulfilled at a specific time is not a sign of a miracle.  This Scroll is a good example of how verses can be taken out of context and put in a future environment where they will lead to a “prophecy”.  The people of the time could not prove that the prophecy was wrong, and those people that lived when the prophecy was supposed to take place no longer knew that a prophecy had ever been written.  I will explain more about that and introduce the Old Testament verses that were used to create a false prophecy.

Lev 25:13 “’ In this Year of Jubilee everyone is returned to his own property.  

Deut 15:2 This is how it is to be done: every creditor show cancel the loan he is made to this fellow Israelite.  He shall not require payments from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.

These verses is interpreted as what will happen in the Last Days.  After 1878 years (1948 – 70 CE) the return of Israel to the Jewish people cannot constitute “returned to his own property”.  Family records were not kept of property ownership, so no one can return to their own property.

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

Here the concept of Melchizedek is invoked.  It is Melchizedek himself that will proclaim the good news to the poor, the broken hearted, the captives and the prisoners.  This is a very Messiah like concept, written over 100 years before Jesus was supposed to be born. But unlike Christian theology a specific time and specific people were to receive this “Good News”.  During the 10^th Jubilee Year (500 years in the future) those who were predestined to be atoned for would receive the “Good News”.  So not just any poor or broken-hearted, or captive, or prisoner – no, only the Sons of Light would receive the “Good News”.

Isa 61:2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

This is the verse that the author(s) change to fit their own desires.  It is no longer “the Lord’s favor”, they change it to “Melchizedek’s favor”.  Now this gives the believer something to hope for that is not just a vague “sometime in the future near the End of Days”. 

Psalms 82:1 God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the “gods”:

The Yahad’s version of this verse is also slightly different than our NIV translation.  The Yahad believed that a second figure was to presided in YHWH’s presence and give judgment. 

Psalms 7:7-8 Let the assembled people gather around you.  Ruled over them from on high; let the Lord judge the people.  Judge me, Oh Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.

They back up Psalm 82:1 with this verse claiming that one would rule from on high.  Their interpretation is that this person would be Melchizedek.

Psalms 82:2 “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Selah

This introduces the evils of mankind and the source of that evil: Belial…not the Christian Satan.  Men’s desire for evil will punished by Melchizedek himself at this time (500 years in the future).

Isa 61:3 and provide for those who grieve and Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of one of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair.  They will be called the oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 

Here is a promise for those who live righteously during that future time.  Melchizedek will be the one who bestows the crown, provides the oil and garments. 

Isa 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Here the “mountains are prophets and they will proclaim the truth to all Israel.  Notice that in hindsight this did not happen since between 300 – 500 AD the Israelite nation had crumbled. 

Dan 9:26 After the sixty two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing.  The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.  The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations has been decreed.

This “Anointed One” is the same as the one from Isa 61:2 who provides the vengeance of YHWH and comforts “all who mourn”.  The “Anointed One” will teach the people about the Truth and eternity.  He will also be instrumental in take Belial’s dominion and return it to the Sons of Light.

Isa 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Here Zion is those who turn to Melchizedek and are the ones predestined to follow him.  They will differ from the ways of man by proclaiming good news, peace, good tidings, and salvation.

Lev 25:9 Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the 10^th day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.

The Scroll ends without explaining this last verse.  But it is obvious that this should be taken as the sign that the prophecy written in this Scroll has taken place when the people here the trumpet sound. 

As with most “prophecy”, this one was written for a future generation.  This one happens to be the one that would have existed in the newly Christianized Roman Empire.  Basically about the time when Theodosius died and the Roman Empire was split into two distinct providences: the Eastern and the Western.  So if this prophecy was “true” a very important question is raised.  Which “Church” is the correct church and which one follows Belial?  Would this be the Catholic Church or the Eastern Orthodox?  The implications are astounding, for the Protestant and the Evangelical Churches of the US are based on the Catholic branch. 

Posted in Important Questions, The Coming of Melchizedek, Dead Sea Scroll, kingdom of God, Freewill, Readings | Print | 1 Comment »

December 12, 2009, 11:58 am by dc-agape.

Genesis 44

Joseph continues with the charade of not being related to the brothers.  He sends his brothers back to Israel but with a horrific twist.  He has planted evidence that Ben-Oni has stolen from Joseph’s house.  Is it not bad enough to imprison one of his brothers, accuse all his brothers of being spies, demanding that Israel give up Ben-Oni, and trick his own father with the return of the grain price?  Now he is attempting to destroy his father by keeping Ben-Oni as a prisoner.  Talk about dishonoring your father and mother!

His steward caught up with the brothers very close to town, Joseph did not allow them much of a head start and he did know exactly where they were headed.  Immediately, the steward confronts the brothers with the “theft” of Joseph’s divination cup.  Joseph has a Divination Cup?  Why does he need one of these, isn’t YHWH who interprets dreams?

^{Gen 41:16} “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to the Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

So here is another example of Joseph lying to his brothers.  I guess once you start lying it is difficult to stop! 

The brothers vehemently deny any theft, and promise to kill the one responsible and the other 10 would become slaves to Joseph.   Way to go Judah and Rueben, that’s protecting your youngest brother!  Either kill him for the theft or give him into bondage.  Well, of course, the steward finds the divination cup in Ben-Oni’s possession, since Joseph had it placed there. 

Upon returning to Joseph, Joseph demands that Ben-Oni becomes his slave!  This is pushing the limit of cruelty.  Ben-Oni is innocent, and Jacob had to know that Ben-Oni was special to his father.  The brothers plead for the life of Ben-Oni to be returned to Israel.  Judah takes the lead and tells Joseph everything about the events that occurred at Kiriath Arba.  He tells Joseph of the pain that Israel feels because of the demands that Joseph has made in regards to Ben-Oni. 

Judah pleads with Joseph to take him instead of Ben-Oni.  Somewhat out of his responsibility to Israel, but more for a personal reason:

^{Gen 44:34} How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father.”

Judah’s biggest concern is that he would have to see the pain in his father’s eyes.  His biggest reason for wanting to take the place of Ben-Oni is to save himself from facing up to his responsibility and oath that he made to Israel!  What a coward!

As a gay Atheist, I can only interpret the Word of God in this chapter of Genesis as an incredible example of how horrible people can be to their own families.  Joseph continues to lie, continues to dishonor his father, and continues to punish his brothers for something that he claims he has forgotten:

^{Gen 41:51} Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh, and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my troubles and all my father’s household.”

He may have forgotten, but he certainly had not forgiven!  Joseph is a role model that I should follow?  How can this Holy Book be a guide to godly living?

But there is more: Judah and Reuben.  Reuben had made a promise to his father regarding the safety of Ben-Oni that would require the death of his two sons.  Not once in this chapter is Reuben step up to save Ben-Oni, and by that save his own sons!  And Judah is just as bad.  He wants to take Ben-Oni’s place as Joseph’s slave, not to save Ben-Oni.  No, that is not the motivating factor; he wants to ensure that he does not have to face Israel with the bad news that Ben-Oni has been taken into slavery!  Is this the Family Values that the Religious Right want us to remember enact into US law?

Remember: the brothers do not know that this is all a deception devised by Joseph.  Why would anyone go to such lengths to punish his own family over something that happened 21 years ago, has had such a positive outcome, and has been forgotten!  Or maybe this is the Family Values that the Religious Right want memorialized.

Posted in Joseph, Genesis, Readings | Print | No Comments »

December 8, 2009, 7:55 am by dc-agape.

A Vision of a New Jerusalem

The good news is that I finished the proposal for my trip to Korea!  The bad news is that I still have 2 journal articles to write and prepare 2-3 presentations for upcoming professional conferences!  Hopefully I will have time to devote to this blog again.

In attempting that I want to discuss the next Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls entitled “A Vision of a New Jerusalem”.  But this scroll will take two posts.  This post is dedicated as an introduction, whereas the second post will be the actual reading of the scroll.  The concept of a new Temple and a New Jerusalem is the reason for this scroll and I want to cover a little history before delving into the actual Scroll.

Of course the Old Testament has a number of references to a new Temple.  But only the New Testament (Ezekiel, Isaiah, Ezra and Tobit) has a reference to the New Jerusalem (Ezekiel and Revelation).  The Dead Sea Scrolls has an additional Scroll call the Temple Scroll that only deals with the New Temple itself.  What I want to do in this post is look at the other religious documents that relate to the Vision of a New Jerusalem.  These would be the five that I mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph.

The Book of Ezekiel was written between 593 and 565 BCE.  During this time Nebuchadnezzar and his armies destroyed the original Temple in 586 BCE, which Solomon built in 960 BCE.  Interestingly, when one does physical research on this “First Temple” there is not documentation (except the Bible) of it ever existing and worse is that there is no archeological proof that it existed either!¹  To add to this, even the Jewish Talmud claims that the Temple was not destroyed until 420 BCE.²  But if we should take Ezekiel at face value…his writings were either recorded as the Temple was destroyed or after the destruction.  One must keep in mind that the war between the Babylonians and the Israelites had been in progress since 597 BCE, prior to the recording of the Book of Ezekiel.  The chapters in the Book of Ezekiel of importance to this post are chapters 40 – 48.  Here Ezekiel has a vision of a new Temple surrounded by a new territory for the Israelite community.  As recorded in Ezekiel 45:1 the Temple grounds would be 25,000 cubits by 20,000 cubits (4.73 x 3.78 miles, 7.62 x 6.096 km) and the city itself would be an additional 4.48 sq. miles.  Yes that is right the temple would 8 times the size of the city of Jerusalem.  So the Temple plus the city would be 22.4 sq. miles, as big as Dover, Delaware, USA (the capital of that state)!  But 88% of the city would be devoted to the Temple.  The Levites would live in 11% of the city and the rest of Israel (the other 11 tribes) would have the remaining 11%.  This would be a very large city to cross by horse!  It is also the oddest organization of a city ever designed.  Most likely Ezekiel was fantasying about the good old days and exaggerated the size of the city.

This New Jerusalem’s design is almost as staggering as that proposed by John of Patmos who describes a city in the Book of Revelation.  In Rev 21:9-27, John of Patmos describes a city that is 1,350 x 1,350 miles in size.  That is nearly the entire area of the planet when the oceans have been removed (1,822,500 sq miles or 4,720,000 sq km)!  For a reference to this size: the USA is 9.6 million sq km and India is only 3.3 million sq km.  Heaven will be only half the size of the present day US.  I certainly hope there are not too many souls there!  India has become over populated at the present count of 1.2 billion people.

Two more of the references describe the dreams of the Israelite people and how they long for a splendor of the old days.  In the Book of Isaiah (Isa 54:11-12) the New Jerusalem is described as having layers on layers of fine jewels.

Isaiah 54:11-12 “O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build with stones turquoise, your foundations with sapphires.  I will make your battlements of rubies, and all your walls of precious stones. 

Will we can certainly say that this Zion has never been built!  Earlier in this chapter two other promises from YHWH have still not been fulfilled either (Isaiah 54:3 or 8).   Reading this chapter it is quite obvious that Isaiah was describing an earthly kingdom.  Nothing of the description of the New Zion indicates a heavenly city.  It is beautifully written, and beautifully described but these three promises have not been fulfilled.  So we can be sure that these were fantasies of a misplaced society wishing for better days.  The other Old Testament reference is only found in the Catholic Bible. 

Tobit 14:5 And that again God will have mercy on them, and bring them again into the land, where they shall build a temple, but not like to the first, until the time of that age is fulfilled; and afterward they shall return from all the places of their captivity, and build up Jerusalem gloriously, and the house of God shall be built and it forever was a glorious building, as the prophets have spoken thereof.

The Book of Tobit was canonized in 397 AD.  So if it existed as an Old Testament book written by the Jewish people we have no proof of that.  So here we have a catholic writer pretending to be a Jewish writer wishing for the better Jerusalem.  Is it just me, being an Atheist that this sounds wrong?

One verse in the Old Testament does describe how the people of Israel were disappointed by the New Temple.  This would be from the Book of Ezra.  In verse 12 of that book it describes how the older members of the community wept bitterly for they knew that the New Temple was not what the prophets had described.  So here the bible explicitly indicates that the Second Temple was not the prophesied Temple of YHWH.  So even though an earthly temple was described by the prophets, as of this date no such temple has been built.  As an Atheist this would seem to be an unfulfilled prophecy, making it a false prophecy.  Yet to get around this problem, Christian apologist claim that the prophecy is related to a heavenly Jerusalem instead of an earthly one.  What a load a crap!

¹ D. Langmead and C. Garnaut (2001). Encyclopedia of architectural and engineering feats (3rd, illustrated ed.). ABC-CLIO, Inc. pp 314-319.

² Seder Olam Rabbah; An Ancient Post-exilic Judaic document written in the Hebrew language.

Posted in Contradictions, Vision of a New Jerusalem, Dead Sea Scroll, Inerrancy - My Ass, Tall Tales, Readings | Print | 1 Comment »

December 5, 2009, 8:36 am by dc-agape.

Genesis 43

Judah this time tries to talk Israel into letting Ben-Oni go with them.  He repeats to his father that they cannot return to Egypt without Ben-Oni on account of the lie that Joseph told them.  Judah, the lying slave-trader, takes personal responsibility for the safety of Ben-Oni, promising Israel that he will guarantee that Ben-Oni will return.  Somehow this guarantee is stronger than Rueben’s (the adulterer), even though Rueben’s punishment would have been much greater.  Judah only promises to bear the burden of guilt for the rest of his life, whereas Rueben promised to have both his sons put to death if any harm came to Ben-Oni.  Personally, Rueben seems much more reliable and is willing to take a much higher stake in Ben-Oni’s life.  He is also the one that attempted to save Joseph when his brother’s wanted to kill Joseph.  But YHWH in his infinite love and power had already chosen the lying, slave-trader (Judah) to be the father of Jesus.

Israel agrees that Ben-Oni can make the journey, with great hesitation.  He makes his sons return the extra silver and bring extra gifts: balm, honey, spices, myrrh, pistachios, and almonds.  I guess the famine was not severe enough to stop the production and growth of honey pistachios, and almonds.  These items should have been in shorter supply than the grains.  Honey, true honey not that made from grapes or date juice can be stored indefinitely; I just wonder how the bees make any extra honey if the famine is destroying the crops bees use to make the honey.  The more I read about this 7 year famine, the more I wonder how it could have happened!  None of the food products could last, definitely not for the entire populace.  Foreigners, like the Hebrews, would not get the opportunity to purchase food stuff, unless the Pharaoh and Joseph allowed the subjects of Egypt to starve to death!

The sons of Israel arrive in Egypt and see Joseph.  Joseph requires a private audience with his brothers, still holding on to the deception of being a stranger.  In the mean time, the brothers find out that the silver in the first shipment of grain was not the silver they paid with.  Joseph put the money back in their sacks from his own pocket.  At that time Simeon was released to them. 

In the private audience, Joseph asks more about Israel’s health and nearly breaks down in front of his brothers when he sees Ben-Oni.  He has to race out of the audience room, weep and wash his face before they eat.  He does not eat directly with his brothers, or with the other Egyptians.  So there seems to be at least three tables or even three rooms.  The brothers are astonished that Joseph seats them in order of age.  Is this truly that difficult, even for someone who is not their brother?    We do not know how many years apart the brothers are, but they could be up to 14 years between Reuben and Zebulun.  Ben-Oni being easy to recognize as much younger, since he was born after leaving Haran!  But life as a sheep-herder cannot be an easy life, so their age would be quite apparent.

The story ends with Joseph lavishing 5 times more food on Ben-Oni’s plate than on his other brother’s plate.  Here again, the concept of a famine in the land and the lavish amount of food just does not seem to connect.  It would seem that Joseph took full advantage of his status.  If this is the case then Joseph was not acting very godly or justly.  He seems no better than many of the cruelest dictators and rulers of history!

Posted in Joseph, Genesis, Readings | Print | 4 Comments »