but I really don't know where to put it if not here.
Just an interesting bit of things that I'm reading. Now, please remember that I had NO Bible knowledge prior to JWs and they 'got' to me just as I was hitting the years where most people go to University to expand their knowledge. So in my quest for knowledge and catchup, I saw this book and my fiance picked it up for me to read.
It's called the Secret Teachings of All Ages, written by Manly P. Hall, originally published in 1928. It is self-described as "An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic, and Rosicrusian Symbolical Philosophy."
I'm taking a philosophy course, but as anyone who's delved into that area of study knows, the subject of religion is quite intertwined. I picked up the book for its philosophical side, but am I ever getting my eyes opened to religion, and the 'stories' from the Bible in particular.
Things like most ancient cultures had a flood fable (which even the Insight book mentions). What they don't mention is that most ancient cultures had a 'dying god acting as a saviour for all' facet. !
I'm only 100 pages into this 700 + page book. I'm simply astounded at how much the Bible *could* have been taken from other cultures and their mythology/religion.
This, coupled with reading the DaVinci Code earlier this year, really boggles my mind. I mean, I don't know how much of any of these other things are true either, but the concept that it *could*...wow. Talk about opening my eyes.