Is Your Historical View Of The World Shaped Only By The Bible?

Question

Or do you just see the bible telling history from ONE people's perspective?

In other words, do you acknowledge the facts that there were other people, civilizations BEFORE the Hebrew's historical/chronological story began and during there were other people, civilizations in parts of the world- Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe that they knew nothing of.

Do you also acknowledge that these people's experiences, social, cultural, spiritual are just as valid a picture and have you explored them (especially if you descended from those peoples like I did; my ancestors were probably Vikings) to see what you can glean from them?

Or have you taken biblical as the ONLY history of the world or the only one that matters to you?

I asked because some people seemed genuinely thrown off or offended when you say the Hebrews actually descended from other people, most likely Sumerians, Mesapotamians etc. and carried on many their myths etc into their own culture.

The Vikings did not descend from Adam. We have our OWN Creation story thank you and it has nothing to do with the Hebrew version found in the bible.

Answer 1

Somehow, I don't think very many of them are capable of conceiving the point you're making. It isn't because you didn't ask the right question, it's because they can't pull themselves out of their current mindset in order to evaluate the implications of your question. Don't be surprised if they attack you or demonize the experiences of others, that's what they've been taught to do.

Instead, be surprised by the ones that actually get it. Those are the rare shining examples that brighten my day when I come here.

Edit: MLF, you show a very ignorant and racist perspective. You may want to look up the stats for the views you hold. Most of the nations you consider to have the highest standard of living are largely non-christian and/or non-religious. Just because the U.S. has people with your mentallity does not mean the rest of the world adheres to your views.

Answer 2

Understanding that there is history outside of the Bible, (such as Viking who did not come along until hundreds of years later) is obvious to Christians. Otherwise what do you do with America (the largest Christian stronghold in the world) which is not even mentioned in scripture?

Nothing wrong with having an interst or even a pride in your heritage. I can trace my family back to 13th century Scotland, and there is still a standing castle build by the family in 1500AD. That is, of course, completely outside the history of the Bible.

The fact that there were Sumerians and Mesapotamians should also be obvious to Christians, as they are mentioned in the Old Testament. That the fact that the Jews came from the Mespotamians is also obvious because Genesis 12 tells us that. The founder of the Jewish race, Abram, was born in Ur.

Where you may get into problems is when you state that they Jewish religion was based on their "myths". If that is true, then how in one generation did they go from a pantheon of gods to a single God?

The Jewish religion was began by a man who rejected the Mesapotamian myths and began a religion that was theologically almost the opposite of everything they believed.

They placed the gods within the earth, creating everything from the body of a dead goddess. Genesis places God outside of the physical universe and creating everything from nothing by simply speaking. Very different concepts. The "claim" that the Sumerian tablets are the origin of Genesis is based on there being seven surviving tablets, even though none of them contain a single detail similar to the six days of creation in Genesis.

Because Abram originally spoke the same language, you will find certain root words carried over into the words used for "god" and the name assigned to him. Would you have expected Abram to have used Chinese or Spanish instead? But the concept of God in the Jewish faith is very different from that of the Mesapotamians.

Answer 3

This is probably the best question I've seen on here so far.

I see history from the perspective of Domination cultures and Nurturing cultures. Domination cultures have these ideas of competition, discipline, patriarchy, adherence to strict rules, and obtaining power-over others as a good thing because it makes you safer from the very dangerous and threatening world. Nurturing cultures value partnerships and cooperation, value innate empathy over rules, rough gender equality, egalitarianism, nonviolence, and ordered liberty.

The vision of God in the Old Testament starts out purely as dominating. The ancient jews were apparently hell bent on exacting revenge for having been slaves in Egypt by getting power over others. But Micah, for example, argues for partnership. So both visions exist there side-by-side. The same is true for Jesus. Turn the other cheek or condemn people to burn forever - if we view these as both giving un-biased objective truths then God is bipolar and possibly schizophrenic.

However, I believe Dominationa nd Nurturing are models we have in our minds for family, society, religion, and politics and that they largely determine how we view Christianity. Am I concerned with the Ten Commandments and puritanical restrictions on victimless crimes? Or am I concerned with terating my neighbor as myself and doing good unto the least of these?

In the long run I view this as a contest between the two worldviews and so unlike Evangelical Christians I view postmodernism as the best thing to happen to humanity since the neolithic era. Now we have a chance to actually love each other rather than following rules and saying "what a good boy am I."

Answer 4

certainly! this is the only words we can have confidence through fact it extremely is from Our Heavenly Father! All scripture is inspired of God and effective for coaching, reproving and putting issues at as quickly as. 2 Tim. 3:sixteen i might extremely have self belief in His be conscious than to persist with somebody else's advice. additionally I agree that if there seems a discrepency, or seeming contradiction interior the Bible... look extra interior the Bible through fact while all the scriptures are used jointly, then this is like a puzzle, the lacking products would be got here upon and it will all come jointly of course.

Answer 5

>>>In other words, do you acknowledge the facts that there were other people, civilizations BEFORE the Hebrew's historical/chronological story began and during there were other people, civilizations in parts of the world- Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe that they knew nothing of. <<<

Yes, of course I do -- and acknowledgement of these facts does not in any way disprove Christianity or the Bible.

>>>Do you also acknowledge that these people's experiences, social, cultural, spiritual are just as valid a picture ...?<<<

Not necessarily. I don't acknowledge that the human sacrifice performed by the Incas, for instance, is "just as valid" as the Judeo-Christian ideal of loving one's neighbor.

I don't acknowledge that the cannibalism practiced by the natives of the Caribbean islands prior to Columbus' arrival is "just as valid" as the ideals of love, justice, and equality spawned by Christianity.

Nor do I acknowledge that the genocide perpetrated by communist and fascist regimes in places like Russia and Germany are "just as valid" as the democratic ideals that forbid and condemn such things.

I do recongize that most cultures have at least some redeeming social, cultural, and theological qualities -- but do I adopt an across-the-board "just as valid" view of all of them? Sorry, but I don't.

..

Answer 6

good grief look at some of the answers. Too bad for the fundies that beer was being brewed several thousands of years before adam and eve supposedly were created. It is a shame that some people are gullible enough to take the bible as literal. Disagreeing with the bible means disagreeing with the claims of man. That is an extremely weak instrument of faith.

Answer 7

The Bible is the history of God's dealings with one family of man...Adam to Jesus. It excludes all other families except when they come in contact with the Adamites-Hebrews-Israelites... same family, just known by various names thoughout their history.

If your ancestors were Vikings, then you are a decendent of Adam. The other races of people were on earth before Adam. Genesis 1 says, "male and female" and "to be fruitful and multiply". Cain married a woman from the land of Nod...a non-adamite.

Adam was formed from the dust of the earth in the second chapter of Genesis and did not have a mate until much later. The Hebrew word for Adam means to show blood in the face, to blush...therefore we know that Adamites are a fair-skinned people.

As for the validity of other cultures, look at the people with a highest standard of living, and look at where the non-Adamite people want to immigrate. Asians, Africans, and Latins are coming to white Christian nations by the millions. Why? Because of who our God is, and the "crumbs" from our table is more than they ever had in their homelands.

Most people take God's blessings for granted and don't realize that through Adam ALL the families of the earth are blessed.

Answer 8

I like to look at all aspects of history, I really get into the ancient ways of life. before the Hebrews. In order to understand all things you must explore all things with your mind, and there fore come up with your own conclusion as to what is what. they say if we knew the whole truth that it would be so enormous and so advanced that we wouldn't understand it anyways. Or be able to comprehend it.

Answer 9

Exploring history is like digging for bones. The dirt and bones are both equally fact, but the bones are more interesting. To me, the bible is like a big pile of bones among many bones. It is very interesting, but I find rare accounts even more interesting. But because of the widespead popularity, I find understanding the bible more relevant to my immediate relationships.

Answer 10

It's only offensive if you are spreading untruths. However, the fact is that Abram was originally from Ur which was an ancient city in southern Mesopotamia. The Hebrews are descendent's of Abram, so technically, you are correct.. However, when he left and chose the path God has called him to, he was no longer a Caldean, and God called his name "Abraham".