Hello. I have made myself a footnote.

by NewChapter 60 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  ziddina

  Ah, I guess I became a little confused there...

  You were speaking as an author, in addition to your research?? I didn't quite get that...

  I'm writing murder mysteries and fantasies, but I've never gone near historical novels. I guess because I really prefer my history straight up - no 'novel' involved, just dry, hard facts - as much as possible...

  I don't know if you recall that scandal that occurred in Israel a few years back - some antiquities dealer claimed to have 'found' a carved ivory pomegranate which supposedly 'could' have come from the garment of a priest serving in "Solomon's" temple...

  The same antiquities dealer ALSO came up with a Roman/Jewish sarcophagus that 'had' the names "Jesus, Joseph and Mary" inscribed upon them...

  Bible scholars hailed these two discoveries as proof positive that "Jesus" had really lived, and that "Solomon's" temple had really existed...

  Only later did the Israeli Department of Antiquities declare both items to be forgeries - after an extensive investigation that revealed an antiquities-forgery workshop in the vicinity of the antiquities dealer's house...

  And the Israeli Dept. of Antiquities would have had NO motive to declare 'genuine' articles as forgeries, given the amount of monies that flows into Israel from America - based largely upon the acceptance of the bible as 'literal history' by a large portion of American citizens and politicians...

  Anyhoo... I'm starting to fall asleeep...
• 

  NewChapter

  I did know about the ossuary--I didn't know about the pomegranite. Yeah I write historical fiction. But when it comes to a mix of history and myth, I like to keeps my facts about both as genuine as possible. So I wouldn't just make up something if I can find the answer. I try to keep only the story fictional, but all other details would adhere to history---or the accepted myth as the case would be.
• 

  Chariklo

  Hi NC, I found your posts interesting before, but I've been reading through the whole of this thread and now I'm really identifying with you.

  You see, I am kind of where you were both at the beginning and now. I'm experiencing cognitive dissonance over and over again, and prehistory is one of them, because archaeology, paleantology, geology,....any old ology really, all fascinate me, and I've asked the same questions, though not specifically about hunting mammoths.

  However, I'm at the stage of working through those questions before making any commitment.

  I still think what I thought at the beginning about the Bible. That it is inspired, but written by men. In essence and spirituality, true, in occasional detail, not to be taken literally.

  Because, for a start, Moses wasn't exactly there recording it all in the Garden of Eden, was he? And did his poor old rheumatic fingers really write the Pentateuch all down in those long wilderness nights? I somehow doubt it.

  But still...there is so much that, upon research and rigorous investigation rings true and stands up to analysis.

  So mine is an ongoing story...
• 

  NewChapter

  Hi Chariklo. Thanks for sharing. For me finding this information was incredibly problematic. I could conclude that the bible was inaccurate or not literal---but which parts? It doesn't really say. It simply says that it is true and it is the word of God and God cannot lie. Yet it't not all true. The Bible constructs a god that informs his people and teaches them---but then leaves it up to them to decide exactly which parts to fully believe. To compound that problem for me, Jesus often referred to OT stories to support his teachings. And he was described as THE WORD. He also had a pipeline to his father, and his father spoke aloud on his behalf. The bible says he was there at the world's founding and even played a role in creation. Yet when he preached he referenced the old stories with convinction--but I have found those old stories just didn't happen the way they were told.

  People have said that the Bible was written for people that didn't understand these things. Archeology is a very new science. And yet--still wasn't that Bible written even for people in our day? Did God not foresee our new understandings? How about Jesus? Again, he had full access to his father.

  So that leaves me here--the bible is written by men and displays the same limitations as one would expect from humans. There does not seem to be any inspiration--because if it was inspired it would be true. Much of it is not true. Some of it IS true, but this should not be stunning or even proof of inspiration. They may have lacked knowledge, but they certainly had fully functioning brains and were able to have a lot of good information to share. And if some of it isn't meant to be taken literally---why would God leave it up to us to decide? It would invalidate the entire book because we could decide Jesus wasn't literal as easily as we could decide the flood wasn't literal. And if we can do that, I'm not sure why we bother.

  See---THAT was the kind of meltdown I had in the museum that day. As I've said before, I walked away stunned. I wish you well on your quest to seek out knowledge. Keep us updated.

  NC
• 

  clarity

  Newchapter ....

  Read this all the way through and I'm ........speechless.

  But only momentarily ...

  Omg I love how you put your thoughts and words together!

  Quite the funny bone you have there.

  Ok, I admit it .... I'm a bit in awe of brainiacks with huge imaginations who also have a wonderfully cheeky writing style. That would be you!

  Glad you're here!

  clarity
• 

  slimboyfat

  Good thread I missed the first time.
• 

  NewChapter

  OMG!
• 

  Crisis of Conscience

  NC, I was going to resurrect this thread after reading your 'they want to stop by and talk' thread.

  But I see it's been done already. I got curious and wanted to know your background, as I didn't recall reading it before. Boy did I miss a good one! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED your recounting the events that led to present day for you.

  You really got me thinking. And can I just say - I think you're awesome! Thanks for sharing.

  CoC
• 

  NewChapter

  Thanks COC and Sliimboy
• 

  Knowsnothing

  New Chapter, incredible how far you've come in a year. I'm surprised myself, I never thought I would reach agnostic.

  Really goes to show you what time does to a person.