Atheists, i need your help!?

Question

i need information on how the abrahamic faiths evolved. basically i'm looking for historical evidence that shows that they are man made. with focus on islam and christianity. if you have any links, that would be great.

Answer 1

Look to Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrahamic_religion#Origins

Answer 2

There is limited evidence because, apart from the torah, there is limited documentation and the archaeological evidence has little in the way of writing. You might try looking at what is known as textual criticism. This looks at similarities and differences in the torah and attempts to piece together how many authors were involved and when various portions were written.

You might also look at other texts which predate the torah. The Code of Hammurabi or the Epic of Gilgamesh are two well known examples of these. There are parallels between these texts and the torah which would indicate that there might have been a bit of plagiarism going on in Israel.

Still, if you are looking for man made versus god made, there is no evidence one way or the other. The torah's god would have to be a bit disorganized since there are far more inconsistencies in the first five books of the bible than the first five books of Harry Potter. It certainly looks like the work of several writers working at different times and different places to set down what had been oral tradition. But god could have written it like that. There is no evidence that he didn't write it any more than there is evidence that he did.

Answer 3

~~~trevir,,, Sorry I don't know of any websites but I do know books. You should try "Occidental Mythology" and "Oriental Mythology" by the late Prof. Joseph Campbell. There you will find where ALL the JudeoChrisitian Motifs were borne out of the Evolution and Amalgamation of the Ancient Egyptian Religion of Osiris & Isis, Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, Levantine Paganism, etc, etc, You will realize familiar Chrisitian Characters and Events,,, from Virgin Births to Sacrificed World Saviours which predate christianity by hundreds, and indeed thousands of years. Open Your Mind to Objective History and learn the Meaning behind The Symbolism of Religious Myths.

Answer 4

Try reading "101 Myths of the Bible: How Ancient Scribes Invented Biblical History" by Gary Greenberg

Answer 5

I'll help you with this but if you are really a person who is looking for knowledge and not joking around. Watch this video or read the book and then see what the nature of these religions really is;

Video Link:
http://www.harunyahya.com/m_video_miracles_quran.php

E-Book Link:
http://www.harunyahya.com/miracles_of_the_quran_01.php

More Information:
http://www.harunyahya.com/c_miracles_quran.php

(If you find that what is given in the book is possible to be written by a human then your project is completed)

Answer 6

I would suggest any books by Bart Ehrman.

Also, "The God Who Wasn't There" is a documentary about the subject. I'm not sure if it's widely available yet or not.

I would also suggest reading the "Epic of Gilgamesh" to see the pagan origins displayed quite clearly.

Answer 7

Yes, wikipedia rocks, but if you want to be taken seriously, you read turn to the scholarly journals. They are a hassle though. Wikipedia is just so much easier. I hate that I have to look up journals all the time that same the same thing Wiki tells me in a few minutes. lol

Answer 8

You might check on ancient texts like "Epic of Gilgamesh" and how it was borrowed from extensively by the abrahamic faiths.

Answer 9

"How can an Atheist help you with this?"

If you want real information about a certain group, you ask a third party, NOT a member of the group you're trying to find information on. Most theists wont tell you the real history of their religions (if they even know it), they'll tell you the *myths* about the history of their religions.

Answer 10

A good book is the Secret Origins of the Bible by tim callahan