Did the Biblical Exodus Happen? - Page 5 - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#13919870
It seems that while all other religious legends are disregarded as being complete fantasy, the stories of the Bible garner tons of arguments for and against falsehoods. Somebody was clever enough to come up with a story that could be true and has enough following to be believed in. How many other legends do so? The problem with Biblical stories is they are mixed with fantasy and reality. Faith is needed to believe in them fully, though. Even in Jewish religious tradition Moshe is an Egyptian name. He was brought up in the royal court. With regards to a lack of waste in the Sinai: No traces of it were left in the desert because of the substance that was provided for the Hebrews. I think that's the crux of the story in itself. It's impossible to sustain a population of millions without this 'manna' which was provided by God. Ultimately it's ridiculous to discuss these events from a scientific perspective. It is a matter of faith, after all. Come on, food, every day, at the same time, exactly the same amount - twice that on Fridays? Either it happened as it's claimed unless one provides methods of how to sustain a million strong population without a steady source for food and water?

Social_Critic wrote:Don't you get it? If God had really wanted to help the Hebrews, he would have taught them to build large seagoing canoes and would have sent them to Hawaii. Chosen my behind. The only thing that made the Hebrews special was their location, which made them the victims of endless invasions and butt kickings by more powerful entities. And the admirable thing about them is their ability to survive in spite of having been beaten like drums for 3000 years.


Hmm... I think it's you who doesn't get it. Your argument is religiously naive. This is a religious subject after all. The story about the Exodus is mainly about giving the Torah which is, in essence, a book of law. It doesn't provide instructions on how to construct a hammer, but it does give you the understanding of what worldly tools are used for. In other words, 'paradise' isn't given, but made. The Torah has also allowed for the Jews to survive with the same tradition for millenia. Of course, this can also be refuted but this is the idea from a religious perspective. See, it's not about the best but of the essence of things. The Torah was given on 'Mt. Sinai' which is a lesson in itself. It wasn't the smallest or largest in the area. It was the most humble etc.

Chabad wrote: The Torah was given freely, in an ownerless public place. If it had been given in the land of Israel,the nations of the world would say that they have no portion in it. Anyone who wishes to properly accept it is welcome to do so.

Why was Mount Sinai chosen to be the site for the giving of the Torah?The conventional answer is that the choice of Mount Sinai was to teach us humility, since Mount Sinai was the most humble of all mountains. If so, why was it not given in a low lying valley?Surely that would have been a stronger lesson in humility?

Hence, we learn that a Jew must be able to distinguish between being proud and being arrogant. Arrogance is distasteful. Being proud of one's roots is a virtue. The Torah therefore, was given on a humble mountain.
Last edited by danholo on 19 Mar 2012 01:55, edited 2 times in total.
#13919889
danholo wrote:Somebody was clever enough to come up with a story that could be true and has enough following to be believed in.

I think that is exactly the case, I doubt it was one single man though. I rather believe it was a group of people who created (the basics of) a chauvinistic ideology based on a special, unique and exclusive relationship between an almighty god and a people. They wrote a myth of ancestry and instructive stories in order to establish, maintain and manage a nation.

danholo wrote:The problem with Biblical stories is they are mixed with fantasy and reality.

That is its ingeniousness actually, that is what makes it work and last so long.
#13919921
They wrote a myth of ancestry and instructive stories in order to establish, maintain and manage a nation.


For some reason the people who live under this management are some of the kindest, balanced and sane people I have met, men and women alike. Nobody really took any credit for it either. Then again, I've had mostly positive experiences with such people. So, it can't be all bad. On the other hand, I won't discount the negative effects ideological social systems have on people.
#13920340
danholo wrote:For some reason the people who live under this management are some of the kindest, balanced and sane people I have met, men and women alike.

Racist, ideological monsters often have a smiling, superhero face for other believers.
#13921264
QatzelOk wrote:Racist, ideological monsters often have a smiling, superhero face for other believers.


Well I guess in your case it takes one to know one. You are correct, of course, but some are while others aren't.
#13921417
It's funny how things look when you assume the world is entirely malevolent - the most pleasant possible person becomes the most villainous liar.
#13921420
It really did happen. Charlton Heston led them out of Egypt and evil Yul Brunner chased him away!
#13921536
Godstud wrote:It really did happen. Charlton Heston led them out of Egypt and evil Yul Brunner chased him away!

:lol:
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