If God has "always been" why is there so much archeological evidence of cultures following OTHER gods

Question

(Sumerians for example and even Neolithic) and no proof of ANYONE following God before the Hebrews (who didn't pop up until about 5000 BCE)? Why keep quiet for so long?

Hay where do you get YOUR sources? There is absolutely no archeological proof that anyone followed Abraham's god before...well Abraham. Yet there is substantial evidence of Isthar, Isis, Frigga and a host of other gods, followed by other people. And even the evidence that HAS been found is only in the Middle East and no where else until Christians came along and tried to take over the world

Mac then how to do you explaiin the cultural evidence found in all the other parts of the world before 1800 BCE

And by the way, the Abrahamic God was followed around 5000 BCE which is BEFORE 1800 BCE. BCE goes backwards

Answer 1

Bad Tim is essentially correct.

Not only was there no Adam, there was no Abraham, King David (except as, perhaps, a very minor tribal leader of a mud hut duchy), or King Solomon, either. The Pentateuch is an assemblage of recorded oral traditions from at least three different authors, and Middle Eastern archeaology actually makes much more sense *without* referring to the OT or Torah.

The Hebrews were Canaanites . . . one of many Semetic tribes in the area. They were under a lot of pressure from Persia, and they needed a rallying point and propaganda campaign to keep from caving in entirely.

So their priests made it all up.

Until they realized this, archeaologists could never quite make the events and places of Abraham's life "line up" . . . and isn't it convenient that temples and palaces that never actually existed are under a big ol' MOSQUE and can't be dug up . . . ever?

The earliest known religious relics date to about 30K BCE. They're goddess figurines. Many people are familiar with the Willendorf one, but my personal favorite is mentioned in HRED's stellar "Roles of the Northern Goddess." She dates to 25K BCE . . . and she's holding a drinking horn. :-)

Answer 2

There has always been a basic need for mankind to seek a Greater being. The Christian concept of this creator is very new in the scale of things What make it worse is that the old testament God , has no connection at all with the later God of modern Christianity. The Hebrew tradition names at least ten deities including a Goddess named Sophia, and a inter sexual God Yahweh which translates as `Many` Later in the development of the early christian church the brother of Jesus, Thomas had problems recognizing the God Paul of Tarsus was preaching about (Acts) Evidently Paul who had never met The Christ while alive, perceived him in a different light. Later every Pagan God and Goddess was either demonized, or assimilated into saints.

Answer 3

Well, it is because he was not invented until ancient Egypt. He is the by product of the years in Egypt (Moses) mixed with the time in Babylon (Zoroastrian).

There after all many more older religions. Take Buddhism(2500 years old) it is an off shoot of Hinduism (4 or 5000 years old). Religions so different to the Christian religion.

And what of the religions of cultures which have had no connection with the Romans. North and south American natives. Religions so different. The Mormons have tried to breach the gap between. However, if there is a truly loving god would he just have dumped them, I think not.

What amazes me is that a religion dreampt up by a tiny and little known middle east tribe should become the world religion.

Answer 4

Excellent point...The notion of "God" is cultural therefore as cultures changed as did their "Gods". This fact is always forgoton because humans always develop a sense of ethnocentrism with everything they belong to and believe in. All Religions are nothing more than Micro-Cultures within larger cultures. For example in the United States Christianity may have the largest population of believers but that does not make the US a Christian nation for the overall Culture dictates Secularism. 150,000 plus years of Human History and beliefs will not be alone as one day the "Modern Religions" will also be replaced by new "Modern Religions" much like the "Pagan Religions" were. The belief in "God" will never be erased for as Karl Marx said "Religion is an opiate for the masses", however the names, faces and Religions will change as does everything overtime.

Answer 5

One of the things that has always bugged me about Christianity is the complete lack of knowledge of it's history by it's adherents.

No, monotheism did not come first. Historical facts and archeological evidence have long since proved this. However, that fact makes many people so uncomfortable that they feel they simply must deny it. Sad really.

Honestly, if one is going to argue history one really should know what one is talking about first. Of course, if most Christians were to actually research and learn the history of their religion there likely would be a lot fewer Christians.

Answer 6

Because he didn't exist before Abraham made him up. He was feeling left out because everyone else had gods so he came up with one all his own. It was his way of being special.

You've got to give him credit though. Thousands of years later gullible people all over the world still believe in his imaginary friend.

Answer 7

You seem to be looking at two different issues.

First, remember that the Hebrews didn't become a nation until much later than the Sumerian/Mesopotamian culture. Abraham, born Abram, was born in Ur of the Chaldees, according to Genesis, and so was a product of that culture until God spoke to him. Also, according to Romans 1, most of the world forsook the true God and began worshiping all kinds of things. Why there wasn't "tolerance" or "peace" for those who disagreed is a moot point--the whole idea is that most of the people in the world worshipped idols by the time of Abram. Since God specifically stated to NOT make any images, etc., there wouldn't be any evidence of something that wasn't made!

As for keeping quiet, hmm, that's an interesting way to put it. I was about to write that Abram/Abraham seemed not to go out of his way to "evangelize" the peoples he came in contact with, but that wouldn't be true. Every altar he built--according to Genesis, he made several--that didn't have an idol attached to it was a statement of faith. Even the Philistines who lived near him at the time (Ahimelech, Phicol, etc.,) recognized that God was with him. Read Genesis, chapters 12 and following--it's an amazing story!

*Additional point* According to Halley's Bible Handbook, he mentions an archaeologist named Sayce who in 1898 found three tablets that dated to the time of Hammurabi--more or less contemporary of Abram. Sayce said that he found on these tablets the words, "Jahwe is God". These tablets were in the British Museum, according to Dr. Halley.

Does that prove anything? Maybe, maybe not, but there is some evidence.

Answer 8

All of the Gods have existed since the dawn of time. The only thing about Abraham monotheism is that the Judeo -Christian God said "Thou shalt not have any other Gods before me." And by doing so he further establishes that there are many other Gods.

Goddess Bless.
Blessed Be.

Answer 9

Because the god of abraham came about later on. There is proof of polytheistic woreship early on.........one of the first monotheistic religions was when Pharoah Akhenaten
reigned. Aten was the only god he believed in, but that only lasted his own reign.

Answer 10

They were clearly just misled, or didn't know about the true God. For a very long time. I mean you've got to give God some credit: he had a lot of people to meet. It's not as if he has special powers or can be in two places at once or anything!