Who [Re-]Wrote the Bible?

[Garry Denke]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Parts of the book can be read here.
Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind ... - Google Book Search

Hello Freddy

Thanks for the link to Ehrman's work. We know who trashed "Gods" Key (herein) to Dragon Dagon ark of God, but who trashed "Ghost" 'host G', et al?

...But many that are first 'letters' shall be last; and the last 'letter' shall be 'first': So the last 'letter' shall be first, and the first 'letter' last: But many that are first 'letters' shall be last; and the last 'letter' first: And, behold, there are last 'letters' which shall be first, and there are first 'letters' which shall be last...

KJV "sword" 'words' cryptogram is simple to decrypt into plaintext. The texts are mathematics and sciences. Lord Jesus Christ, ye Set the Serpent.

Yule love it!

Scrooged

--
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, then beat 'em.
-Madalyn Murray O'Hair
(1919-1995)

TRIBE WINS!

[Garry Denke]

Originally Posted by Pyrotex

I just finished reading "Misquoting Jesus" by Ehrman.

Imagine if you will, a good Christian boy from a Presbyterian family who at the age of 17 becomes a "born again Christian", a fervent Fundementalist, a believer in the absolute inerrancy of the the Christian Bible [King James] -- and who decides that he has the money, the time, the passion and the intelligence to go back to the original Greek and Latin manuscripts, and ONCE AND FOR ALL, determine what God actually said!!

That is Ehrman. And by golly, he did it!!!

His heart-wrenching conclusion is that if God inspired the words of the Bible, then we are in a world of hurt. Because we no longer have those original words. For the majority of the New Testament, we cannot even reconstruct the original words. The best we may ever be able to do is reconstruct approximately what the "Church Fathers" had access to in the 3rd and 4th centures C.E. And he quotes those Church Fathers who complained even then that the scriptures were not being copied faithfully.

His evidence and candor is clear and credible. Step by step, he shows us who re-wrote the New Testament, when, and why. He gives dozens of examples where cherished verses (e.g., the lady at the well) do not appear in any of the earliest and most dependable manuscripts. He shows the actual greek words that were changed in order to make the texts compatible with the then-current "orthodoxy".

A fabulous and rock-solid look into the world of Biblical scholarship. If you believe that the King James version is the actual "word of God" you have to read this book.

Great Post!!!

[charles brough]

Originally Posted by Pyrotex

I just finished reading "Misquoting Jesus" by Ehrman.

. . . A fabulous and rock-solid look into the world of Biblical scholarship. If you believe that the King James version is the actual "word of God" you have to read this book.

There is a long list of "rock solid scholarship" out on the Bible and most disagree with that. Besides, when you claim you finally have the real Jesus, you are at the same time unavoidingly saying that the King James Bible is "wrong" and hence the religion of Christianity is wrong and, hence, that the whole civilization and culture that was built on it is wrong!

The best research I ever ready was written decades ago by Shoernfeld. He showed that St. Paul changed the whole belief into a universal-brotherhood system. He cut it off from Judaism, the racist religion in which only they are "God's People." No wonder the Christians were kicked out of the Temple and synagogues! No wonder they had to spread among the downtrodden people of the Roman empire who had lost all hope. They didn't want to read about a Jew who thought he was the Massiah come to deliver just the Jews from Roman bondage, who tried to start a revolution against Rome by starting a riot in the Temple. All the Roman people wanted to hear about being saved in their life time by this great compassionate diety-being who would deliver them from Roman oppression and despair.

Perhaps you are using that one book as a justification for taking in Christian fundamentalism on faith.

[Pyrotex]

Originally Posted by charles brough

There is a long list of "rock solid scholarship" out on the Bible and most disagree with that. ...Perhaps you are using that one book as a justification for taking in Christian fundamentalism on faith.

Well, um... no.
I'm an ex-believer, an atheist. I don't see how you can say that I'm "taking ...fundamentalism on faith".

On the other hand, the history of Christianity, from an historical point of view, is fascinating. I enjoy reading books on how it all got started, how the Bible was pieced together, and for what motives. This is all the good stuff that my church never, ever would breathe a word of when I was a kid.

What it means to me (my interpretation) is that like the French Revolution, the rise of the Greek Civilization, and many other profound, history-changing events, the origin of Christianity was <just> an historical process, one of those rare events that fed on itself, grew huge, and took over civilizations.

But it was just history. There is no need to rely on superstition or miracles to explain how it all happened.

[rockytriton]

that book is next in my queue to read. I look forward to reading it. I'll tell you who I believe wrote the old testament. An oppressive leader who wanted to use the name of god to legitimize his murderous genocidal sprees.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Pyrotex

... For the majority of the New Testament, we cannot even reconstruct the original words. The best we may ever be able to do is reconstruct approximately what the "Church Fathers" had access to in the 3rd and 4th centures C.E.

Ask, & yee shall receive the best we have access to that they had access to.

This Website will go live on July 24, 2008

Codex Sinaiticus
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the most important books in the world. Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. Its heavily corrected text is of outstanding importance for the history of the Bible and the manuscript - the oldest substantial book to survive Antiquity - is of supreme importance for the history of the book.

The Codex Sinaiticus Project
The Codex Sinaiticus Project is an international collaboration to reunite the entire manuscript in digital form and make it accessible to a global audience for the first time. Drawing on the expertise of leading scholars, conservators and curators, the Project gives everyone the opportunity to connect directly with this famous manuscript. ...

Codex Sinaiticus Project

There's a story on this at Comcast news but I can't copy any text to quote. Here's the link for as long as it's good: >> Science News - Scholars plan to reunite ancient Bible _ online

Epistle of Barnabus? Shepherd of Hermas? Say what? Who re-wrote dat damn Bible!!???

[Turtle]

Who (re-wrote) the Old Testament? Well, J, E, & D among others, if recent archaeology is any judge of the matter. I recommend this most excellent program from PBS's NOVA series.


NOVA | The Bible's Buried Secrets | PBS

Originally Posted by PBS

TV Program Description
Original PBS Broadcast Date: November 18, 2008
In this landmark two-hour special, NOVA takes viewers on a fascinating scientific journey that began 3,000 years ago and continues today. The film presents the latest archeological scholarship from the Holy Land to explore the beginnings of modern religion and the origins of the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament.

[charles brough]

Originally Posted by Pyrotex

Well, um... no.
I'm an ex-believer, an atheist. I don't see how you can say that I'm "taking ...fundamentalism on faith".

I must have been asleep when I read your paragraph---the one I had quoted.
We do agree and also an atheist.

[Pyrotex]

Charles,
that's cool. I think the point I was trying to make was that the very fundementalist church I grew up in did not, and still does not today, accept any scholarly book on the Bible, except those that are written by and generally approved of by the denomination. All REAL scholarly works, they accuse of being written by "liberals". The church teaches that "liberals" are agents of satan who spread lies about the Bible so as to pull folks away from the "one truth" -- that only this particular denomination has. I tried to get a cousin of mine to read this book, and he wouldn't even touch it. Literally, when I offered it to him, he drew back his hands, and his eyes bugged out.

That's what I escaped from.

[Galapagos]

Originally Posted by Turtle

Who (re-wrote) the Old Testament? Well, J, E, & D among others, if recent archaeology is any judge of the matter. I recommend this most excellent program from PBS's NOVA series.


NOVA | The Bible's Buried Secrets | PBS

Did anyone manage to catch this? How was it?

This news article makes it sound interesting:
New PBS series exposes Old Testament fairy tales - Yahoo! News

A visually stunning two-hour special edition of "Nova" examines decades of archaeological studies that contradict much of what is in the Bible. The entire Exodus story is debunked, as is the idea that the Israelites were monotheistic following the contract made between God and Abraham. It turns out idol worship was common through the reign of King David and right up to the Babylonian exile.

Usually the documentaries I see on the Bible are on the same level as those about psychic detectives and UFO abductions, with a kind of SPOOOOOOOKY "maybe this could have happened!?!?!?" attitude. The above article makes this documentary sound like a skeptical deviation from the norm..