Hi all. I just joined. OK. To be honest, I have always been interested in Judaism but I have always had problems believing in some of the doctrine, like most religions. :P I was raised Christian, like most people I have known throughout my life, here in Detroit, MI. I have not believed in the Christian church's teachings since I was 18, such as the trinity, the divinity of Christ, etc. But I still enjoy reading my bible. I like to read the Catholic bible because of the apocrypha (which means more ancient books to read :P). I realize this is not a religious forum but feel this is important in my introduction. The bible is not just a list of beliefs in a religion but also a historical book. And you might want to know where I'm coming from since introductions are encouraged. When I read these books, I try to think as the author might, considering that culture at the time the book was written. For example, there is a big difference between the book of Judges and the books of Mattew or Acts. Different time and slightly different thinking in people. Well, I would think, anyway. :P What I really want from all of you are your opinions on the culture at the time. From what I've read in the old testament, I do think they were rather barbaric, inconsiderate and incompassionate to women and livestock alike. But they were very, very clean compared to neighboring civilizations. A few of my questions are: Do you think there was a correlation between the two, the need for them to be so clean and also their disregard for women, animals, neighboring nations all the way down to their infants, etc? Do you think this was widesread among all nations at the time? I have read it was a common practice that when they came upon the enemy's chariots, they were to cut the hamstrings of the horses. Good Lord! Why put the animal through such misery? If you need to disable the horse, the least you could do is kill him. This way the horse starves to death or bleeds to death. Another question. Studying culture, I know there is a cause and affect. Something leads to something else. Many civilizations worshipped the sun and their religious festivals corresponded with the seasons. This is very understandable, since they were so dependant on the weather to survive. Cause and affect. So what do you think led these people to be this way? How did we evolve from this into the people that we are today, where we have animal rights activists, vegans, women hold jobs, have a say in who they marry, etc? Part of my logic says we are all born good and have a spark of the devine in us. Looking back, considering evolution if you will, the less intelligent life on this planet, any other animal besides humans, you do not see rapings, torturing, annihilating an entire nation including the females and infants, the way the Hebrews had a practice of. See 1 Samuel 15:1-3 So if evolution be the case, the neanderthals were more peaceful, I'm sure than these people and these Hebrews evolved into this. But why? These are some of the things I have been wondering. I am not here to cause arguments or offend. I am always learning more and I realize I don't know everything. I have asked this in religious groups that want to study the scriptures but the people usually get upset, saying I am questioning God, since God supposedly gave the commands for them to do these things. While I do pray, I also have a hard time believing that they were actually commanded by God to kill an entire nation that he led into being. I am fascinated with ancient cultures and ancient history. I love studying how they lived by studying their literature that we have today and examining how far we have come as a people over the eons of time. Thanks. Shelly
Shelly Fozzy "Hey Kermit! Do you know why everybody loves the mushroom?" Kermit "No, Fozzy. Why?" Fozzy "Because he's such a fungi!! Wakka wakka wakka!" _______________________________________________ b-hebrew mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
