NOT SPAM

I read a book about the Bible a couple of years ago in which the author, who does a pretty thorough job of analysis, states that the Old Testament is about two completely different
Gods and religions — and that the dividing point was the “Babylonian Captivity.” Before that,
it was about a cruel, demanding God who demanded human sacrifice, etc. (I’ll check the library here and see if they have it.)

I abhorred the Protestant practice of pulling verses out of the Bible to “prove” points. As
a Catholic, I have some theology I can call upon to support my abhorrence: besides, it’s easier
to appreciate the Bible if you look at complete units, such as chapters.

The only parts of the Old Testament I _like_ are the later parts, such as Proverbs and the Psalms as well as the DeuteroCanonical books, which are the ones Luther decided to hack out. (btw, several of the Psalms are very closely related to the Zoroastrian Gathas, if not direct translations.)

Be very careful with spellcheckers. Microsoft’s is occasionally wrong. Microsoft’s grammar checker is often _very_ wrong.

Comment by Elizabeth

ME:

This is a very interesting business about the two Jewish religions back when. The problem is that only you and I and precious few others can DISUSS it. This is hte same problem I introduced in “The First Church of Judaism.”

You see, people who COULD see the history you and I are talking about have a REASON they know all that. The Bible thumpers are desperate to believe that tehre is no political or tribal subext inthe Old Testament except that which their theology declares. The anti-semites are trying so desperately to tie all that to their General Theory of the Jewish Conspiracy Throughout Time that you can’t keep a talk going with them, either.

But, pace Joe, I am human too. What fascinates ME about ancient Israel is my own lifetime of experience in the Cold War. So when I read the Old Tesament., I never forget for a minute that it wa written in a Cold War atmpsphere. As I keep saying, I read the words of Jesus inthe New Testament entirely differently than theologians do, because I never forget for a minute that Jesus was speaking in a totalitarian theocratic society, something I am VERY familiar with.

Throughout Israel’s early history, it was on the front inthe constant Cold War between Egypt to the south and Mesopotamia to the north. The center of ancient Israel didn’t LOOK like Checkpoint Charlie, but there were plenty of resemblances.