Most Christians seem unaware that the OT had been revised and extensively edited many times before the time of Jesus, but this is obvious to the observant scholar of the current text. Written Jewish history confirms this editing was done. Archaeology proves that the Jews were polytheistic through a large part of their history. They were released from the Babylonian captivity about 459 BCE by the Persians, subsequently their religion was greatly influenced by the monotheistic Persian religion of Zoroastrianism. Shortly after this time Ezra and his associates edited the OT deleting most references to the gods and goddesses of the Jews’ previous polytheism.
The Jews were originally a branch of the Canaanites (whom the Greeks called Phoenicians), this is obvious because their Hebrew language is derived from the Canaanite language and has also been proven by archaeology. The Canaanites had a very complex pantheon of gods and goddesses. El was the father of the gods and references to him can still be found in the OT (eg El Shaddai - El the almighty). Asherah was his wife.
One of their numerous children was Yahweh who was El’s cup bearer (wine waiter). Later Asherah became Yahweh’s wife (sacred incest). Yahweh eventually evolved into the deity that Christians call ‘god the father’.
Small household votive idols of the happy couple, Yahweh and Asherah are common archaeological finds on the sites of ancient Jewish houses in Israel. They date up until at least the times of the Davidic monarchies (about 1000 BCE).
So why do Christians ignore and do no honour to god’s father El, his mother-wife Asherah, and all his numerous sacred siblings?
Please do not answer this question with Biblical quotes, as they are irrelevant in this context.
2007-11-05
14:35:00
·
15 answers
·
asked by
Vermin
5
in
Society & Culture
➔ Religion & Spirituality
as Adam D asked
I am a British National and long term resident of Australia and am agnostic
2007-11-05
14:47:53 ·
update #1