Historical Record

[secondeve]

OK, here's something I just don't get. We can look at archeaological evidence of civilisations and their history, sedimentary layers, pottery finds, remnants of cities, oral traditions passed down for generations, mythology recorded in artwork and literature, and it's plain to see that the Jews of the Bible were not the first people in the world. Other cultures predate them. In my mind, believing otherwise isn't the same as disbelieving a scientific theory or idea; you're disbelieving physical, tangible evidence of older cultures. From this point, then, it makes me think: why should Christianity (or Judaism, for that matter) be the one true religion when it clearly isn't the first one men have believed? By which I mean: if the very first people (Adam, Eve and their descendants) knew the one true God and passed it down in oral tradition, why does it only appear on the historical radar after the older Middle Eastern cultures and religions?

[CSLewis]

It is important that we remember the Bible isn't a history book nor a science book. But from a literary standpoint the Torah was really the first great piece in the Middle East.

[Guest]

OK, here's something I just don't get. We can look at archeaological evidence of civilisations and their history, sedimentary layers, pottery finds, remnants of cities, oral traditions passed down for generations, mythology recorded in artwork and literature, and it's plain to see that the Jews of the Bible were not the first people in the world. Other cultures predate them. In my mind, believing otherwise isn't the same as disbelieving a scientific theory or idea; you're disbelieving physical, tangible evidence of older cultures. From this point, then, it makes me think: why should Christianity (or Judaism, for that matter) be the one true religion when it clearly isn't the first one men have believed? By which I mean: if the very first people (Adam, Eve and their descendants) knew the one true God and passed it down in oral tradition, why does it only appear on the historical radar after the older Middle Eastern cultures and religions?

Your information about Adam and Eve, comes from the Book of Genesis. In Chapter 11, you see the story of the tower of Babel, where God confuses the languages of people, and they split up and go off and form there own separate societies, one presumes. In separate societies, customs and beliefs are free to take their own courses.

My wife is a Christian. Her parents were from the Church of religious science, a non Christian Cult. Their parents were Christian Scientists, another non-Christian cult. My parents were Generic Christians who never went to church. I grew up an atheist. To believe that beliefs can be passed down without interruption, is a bit naive, don't you think?

Adam and eve were not succesful in passing their knowledge down. Genesis, was written by Moses. He tells of Abraham, whom God called to be the Father of a family of people, the Jews. That is where The story of Judaism begins, with the descendents of Abraham. God called one man to begin a family, to whom He would re-establish communication, and God entrusted the Jews with keeping knowledge of Him alive. It is in the Jewish writings, that we learn of the Messiah who was to come. He came, and His followers continued on and that began the belief known as Christianity. It is not antiquity that determines which religion is true. Truth is what truth is. The reason I am a Christian today, is because unlike other world religions that I could gain knowledge of, Christianity (and Judaism) were the ones, which had sufficient detail, which could be tested historically for accuracy and pass the tests. I believe by faith, based on these truth tests, and as a believer, have learned so much about Christianity, that there should be no doubt in anyones mind, who would take the time to critically examine it's claims.

[Joshua-777]

lol, actualy Middle Eastern cultures and religions, Muslim actualy claims to hold the abrahamic God, but it was separated with Jacob and Esau. Ya see earlier cultures, would have been found before the jews where made known, why? the flood for one, if the flood did occure than that would mean evidence of pottery, and civilizations would be washed away in sedimentary layers, and thats exactly what you do find. before Isreal was even found by the Jews, as you know, the Jews where enslaved by Egypt, and lead by moses to the promise land, if the flood did happen, wouldn't you find remains of older civilizations? Before the Jews actualy had culture? and as for your predating, no one actualy knows the date of adam, we know when it was written, but it was written, after being passed down from generation to generation. Another thing, if those other cultures where true, and their religions predating the jews, wouldn't they still be around? I mean if infact they where true, they would still be in practice of that religion? And evidence, is it provable? Now if a flood did accure, you would find, exactly what you see.

[ted]

OK, here's something I just don't get. We can look at archeaological evidence of civilisations and their history, sedimentary layers, pottery finds, remnants of cities, oral traditions passed down for generations, mythology recorded in artwork and literature, and it's plain to see that the Jews of the Bible were not the first people in the world.

It's also plain to see that the Bible clearly shows that there were other cultures before the Jews.

Abraham was called from Ur, one of the established cultures that the Bible tells us about.

That's one culture, at least, and there are many others as well.

The Bible never claims that the Jews where the first culture of the world.

Other cultures predate them. In my mind, believing otherwise isn't the same as disbelieving a scientific theory or idea; you're disbelieving physical, tangible evidence of older cultures.

Believing otherwise could also be an indication that someone hasn't read the Bible or that they read it wrong in the first place.

From this point, then, it makes me think: why should Christianity (or Judaism, for that matter) be the one true religion when it clearly isn't the first one men have believed?

Great question!

Let's look at the scientific world for some insight: Early observations may change when newer evidence appears, true?

Also, we can gauge from the Bible that God allowed the world to be clouded with their own practices for a while before he called Abraham from Ur. From that point on, a timed event was set in motion, setting apart the Jews to be His people. It was also His will that there would be a time for the Gentiles (non-Jewish peoples) to repent and come to Him. This time has an end, too. From there, other things are set in motion, culminating in even the end of death itself.

Though the Bible never comes close to claiming that the Jews were the first civilization on earth, it does reveal many things concerning God's plan for the world, and for it's inhabitants.

By which I mean: if the very first people (Adam, Eve and their descendants) knew the one true God and passed it down in oral tradition, why does it only appear on the historical radar after the older Middle Eastern cultures and religions?

Simple: God's covenant with Abraham, then through Isaac and Jacob, came after many of these older "religions" were established.

Adam and Eve knowing who the one true God was and the establishment of the Jews as a nation were two different things. God's promises to Abraham were well after certain events including the events in the Garden of Eden. There was plenty of time between the acts of the Garden and the establishment of the Jewish nation for mankind to go "whoring" after their own gods. Most likely, the religions you speak of cam from this time period.

Also, there were plenty of religions established well after the Jewish nation was established, and many new ones continue to sprout up today.

Just think of how many have been launched in the last two thousand years or so, and you can get an idea of what was going on before Abraham was called by God from Ur to be the vehicle of whom God would establish His people with.

Much like what has happened since the time of Jesus, many of the older religions were spin-offs of the oral accounts of Adam and Eve. We must also consider the information lost during various wars and invasions over the past 4,000 years or so. Consider the amount of information lost when nations would invade others and completely wipe out their libraries and cultural centers while establishing their own. These items lost probably held a wealth of information concerning various religions of the world.

Anyway, take a closer look at the entire book of Genesis to get a clear view of what the Bible says about the establishment of the Jewish people. It skips around some and leaves a bunch out, but gives enough for a clear vision of how they came to be. Think if you were to write a book about your life. You wouldn't describe every action or thought you have had in your life because it would take too long, but you would take what you thought was pertinent and do the best you could. The same happened with early Jewish historians when they were writing the OT.

In other words, it doesn't describe every day of the time period, but highlights the important stuff.

Hope this helps!

t.

[apothanein kerdos]

OK, here's something I just don't get. We can look at archeaological evidence of civilisations and their history, sedimentary layers, pottery finds, remnants of cities, oral traditions passed down for generations, mythology recorded in artwork and literature, and it's plain to see that the Jews of the Bible were not the first people in the world. Other cultures predate them. In my mind, believing otherwise isn't the same as disbelieving a scientific theory or idea; you're disbelieving physical, tangible evidence of older cultures. From this point, then, it makes me think: why should Christianity (or Judaism, for that matter) be the one true religion when it clearly isn't the first one men have believed? By which I mean: if the very first people (Adam, Eve and their descendants) knew the one true God and passed it down in oral tradition, why does it only appear on the historical radar after the older Middle Eastern cultures and religions?

No one ever claimed it was the first religion. In fact, we rest on the idea that it had to be revealed to Abraham because man had become so perverse in his belief about God. The fact is that man, at one point, did have a firm belief in God but moved away from it. Furthermore, Judaism is the first belief to have a God that is both transcendent and immanent - no other religion to that point and after (with the exception of Christianity) can make that claim.

[CSLewis]

True. The Bible is unique in that it described a God who seeked a relationship with man. Very different than the pagan religions prior or to the Greeks after it.

[Leonard]

While it may not be the case any more, for many, many years when I was a younger man, the earliest shred of human writing ever foundwas a shard of cunieform clay, of non-Jewish origen (if I remember correctly the language was called "Proto-Ugaritic") on which was written "Yah is God..." This lends credence to the belief that man's earliest religion was a monotheistic worship of Yah (or YHWH), but that this happy situation rapidly degraded.

[Jorge S]

While it may not be the case any more, for many, many years when I was a younger man, the earliest shred of human writing ever foundwas a shard of cunieform clay, of non-Jewish origen (if I remember correctly the language was called "Proto-Ugaritic") on which was written "Yah is God..." This lends credence to the belief that man's earliest religion was a monotheistic worship of Yah (or YHWH), but that this happy situation rapidly degraded.

Leonard, you've hit gold there.

Gen. 4:26 clearly states an early monotheistic belief: 'And there was also a son born to Seth, and he called his name Enos. Then men began to call upon the name of Jehovah.'

And not only that. It looks that it was a statutory practice of some sort because 'Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.' (Gen 6:9)

The birth of the Mosaic Law is per se a proof against an evolutionistic view of human religiosity (which prescribes monotheism is a gradual development from universal paganism), but those biblical quotes destroy that assumption entirely.

Blessings.

[Jorge S]

I hold the view that all other religions arose out of rebellion and perversion of the TRUTH of the one true God.

Yes, brother, I agree with you wholeheartedly. And thanks for bringing up the input on ealry sacrificial practice. It rounds up the subject very well.