I'm one those Jews, Sean. I believe that Moses existed. I also believe that the Story of Moses is allegory, combining fact and fiction. Anything that isn't pure data is prone to exaggeration, hyperbole, and every other literary/rhetorical device.

In Kind,

Michael

But do you see the terrible consequences of combining fact with fiction, Michael? Those who took it as fact, along with the Joshua invasion (never occurred), started a Zionist movement (19th cent.) that later drove the UN to kick out the Palestinians from their homeland--a homeland that existed long before Israel, while the Jews were still of Canannite ancestry (Even the Hebrew alphabet has its origins in a branch of North Semitic Canannite writing)--and created a Jewish state. What was the terrible result of historicizing mostly mythical characters and events?

Just turn on the television ... and see all this violence and killing between a group of people who are all related!!!!!!!!!! Brother killing brother! It's unbearably sad.

Israel emerged peacefully and gradually from within Canaanite society--A History of Jerusalem, Armstrong, Karen, p. 23

Forgive me for reposting this ...

... Hebrews were not a separate nation - they were merely peasant Canaanites who were left homeless. They made their residence in the Judean desert, which was part of the Egyptian empire at the time. "Joshua and the Hebrews were not conquerors of Canaanites. They were Canaanites," according to "Ancient Evidence: Joshua and the Walls of Jericho." What separated Hebrews from Canaanites was theology, not genetics: the peasant Canaanite caravan people did not eat pork, they believed in a single God, etc. Other than theology and poverty, Hebrews did not differ from any other Canaanite people. Originally, Hebrews referred to their God by the word "Baal" - which has come to mean "Lord" in the Hebrew language . Baal was the name of one of the Canaanite Gods...

SOURCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baal

Ancient Evidence: Joshua and the Walls of Jericho (Discovery Channel, 11/13/2003 at 1 a.m. Also available on DVD and VHS)
http://shopping.discovery.com

World Book Encyclopedia:

Canaanites, pronounced KAY nuh nyts, were a people mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament. Most of their land, called Canaan, later became known as Palestine. The Canaanites may have settled in the region about 2000 B.C. They were its chief inhabitants until about 1200 B.C. The Bible says that the Israelites conquered Canaan at that time. However, archaeology and some Biblical passages indicate that the Israelites only gradually became the area's dominant people. Archaeology also indicates that many Canaanite cities were destroyed by the Sea Peoples in the 1100's B.C. The Sea Peoples may have migrated to Canaan from the area around the Aegean Sea.

The Canaanites were a Semitic people related to the Arabs, Assyrians, and Israelites. The Canaanites had an advanced civilization. Their main political unit was the city-state, which consisted of a city or town and the surrounding villages and land. The chief Canaanite gods were El (a creator god) and Baal (a storm god). The main goddesses were Anat, Asherah, and Astarte.--Carole R. Fontaine, Ph.D., Professor of Hebrew Scriptures, Andover Newton Theological School

Most respectfully,

Sean

Sean, I couldn't agree with you more. The same argument applies to "Revelations" in the sense that it's also a mixture of fact and fiction (that John of Patmos was writing scathing social commentary on Rome and roman politics, and it's been entirely misconstrued and abused exponentially). It makes for terrific literature and Classic Rhetoric but not dogma (except for the 'Do No Harm' part).

-me

[quote name='seanph' date='Jul 17 2006, 09:55 PM' post='1273633']
But do you see the terrible consequences of combining fact with fiction, Michael? Those who took it as fact, along with the Joshua invasion (never occurred), started a Zionist movement (19th cent.) that later drove the UN to kick out the Palestinians from their homeland--a homeland that existed long before Israel, while the Jews were still of Canannite ancestry (Even the Hebrew alphabet has its origins in a branch of North Semitic Canannite writing)--and created a Jewish state. What was the terrible result of historicizing mostly mythical characters and events?

The Jews were a group of people who are decended from God not Canaanite and ever since being banished from paradise God has trusted sons and daughters of that tree to do prophetic and evangelic work around the world.The book of life does'nt lie If Moses and the Jews were sent to labour in Egypt there must of been a reason it was to build magnicent structures but you can't find any remains of Jews in Egypt which means Moses did lead them away from Egypt to there promised land Isreal where the son of man would be born.

Palestine babylon phoenociens Cannaanites were all defeated by the wrath of God through the great armys of King David & Soloman its only when the Romans came did change come to our world an empire which spread across the globe spreading commerce & christianity.

One question What was he going to do with all of it in the middle of the fricken desert Bury it

Well said, M!

Lion of Judah ... Where's your proof?

Respectfully,

Sean

That bit about the white light makes me wonder what they were taking. Luke was a doctor and knew about herbal medicine. Mandrake, which is common in the Near East, can send you on quite a trip. Sounds more like a drug trip than proof that Moses existed.


--DJS

The Akashic Records stored or housed in Subconscious or Universal Mind are a permanent record of everything that has ever been said, thought, and done. One who is able to access this inner, Universal library of mind has before him or her an accurate history and universal knowledge.The Akashic Records contain the entire history of every soul since the dawn of Creation. These records connect each one of us to one another. They contain the stimulus for every archetypal symbol or mythic story which has ever deeply touched patterns of human behavior and experience.Information about these Akashic Records – this Book of Life – can be found in folklore, in myth, and throughout the Old and New Testaments. It is traceable at least as far back as the Semitic peoples and includes the Arabs, the Assyrians, the Phoenicians, the Babylonians, and the Hebrews. Among each of these peoples was the belief that there was in existence some kind of celestial tablets which contained the history of humankind as well as all manner of spiritual information.In Psalm 139, David makes reference to the fact God has written down everything about him and all the details of his life – even that which is imperfect and those deeds which have yet to be performed.


In other words the bible is like a summarised version of the Akashic record if your mind is powerful enough you can picture places that were in history myths like Atlantis are actually there in the record in fact every soul that is and was is in the book along with their deeds or feats.So Im almost sure that Moses existed and was chosen by God to lead the Jews back to Isreal and make the 10 commandments.

Um ... never mind ...