Re: the tradition that Abraham engaged in astronomical studies

From: RFaussette@aol.com
Date: Wed Jun 25 2003 - 21:21:14 EDT

  • Next message: George Murphy: "Re: the tradition that Abraham engaged in astronomical studies"

    In a message dated 6/25/03 8:14:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time, gmurphy@raex.com
    writes:

    > But the Bible has absolutely zero about this. It is just one more fallacy
    > of
    > belief in the efficacy of independent natural theology.
    >
    >

    That's what post-biblical means of course, which is why I reproduced the
    entire quote which is self described as post biblical but it does appear a
    plausible source for the astronomy remark which I don't believe has anything to do
    with astronomy (other than that celestial orbs are mentioned) but with religion.

    It's a neat way of saying Abraham rejected the gods of Mespotamia (Ur and
    Harran - the moon god sin) and Egypt (sun god) for the true God and describes a
    search for the true god that is definitively not the god of mesopotamia or
    egypt, the two regions bordering covenant Israel and it would be understandable on
    two levels, as a simple story and as an expression of comparative religion.
    It also says something about how Hebrew writers expressed themselves, simply,
    compactly, and often allegorically.

    ...One more fallacy of belief in the efficacy of independent natural
    theology? That was a quote from A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People edited by Eli
    Barnavi, Kuperard London, (page 2), an impressive looking publication by a
    great many Jewish scholars, not my personal shot in the dark.

    rich



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