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Dr. Steven Collins - Confirming the Bible Through Archaeology

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#11 ·
I believe that religion in general is nothing but a way to control the masses, historically. Moreover, people in general need to believe that there is a higher being somewhere, somehow.

My humble opinion: Jesus and his buddies lived and walked amongst people 2000 years ago. The jews managed to create a wonderful history with all that, linked with older stories and beliefs (old testament). People liked it and it evolved since. What is sad in all that is that the story, beliefs and how to deal with it were stolen and deeply changed by those who sought to control the masses. What we know of Jesus's teaching is far from what we experience today (Jesus wanted it to remain simple, no churches, no idolatry, no accumulation of wealth in the name of the church, etc.)
Now, how can somehow even slightly intelligent could possibly believe that christianity is the only and first religion ballfes me. It is a religion amongst others.
What do I believe in?
I believe that we are but a single dust particle (figure of speech) in the huge universe and that here on earth, mother nature is what we should worship and care for because our planet is our only and sole source of life. I will believe that there is a 'god' when I see it. Until then, only morons continues to be enslaved in their actions and thought by a religion or another.
And what Jesus told us is simply common sense amongst humans with a brain and a heart. Love yourself and the others and don't do to others what you would'nt want someone to do to you.

Hope this is clear as english is my 2nd language.
 
#12 · (Edited)
crosscountryla said:
Click to expand...
Which Pharaoh was that? Pharaoh is a title, not someone's name.

Here is a list of pharaohs:
25 Famous Pharaohs | Great Pharaohs Of Ancient Egypt

It is widely accepted that the Exodus never happened.
Untitled Page <<<click link

"The exodus was a MASSIVE event. According to the bible, Moses led 600,000 Israelites out of Egypt. Archaeologists estimate the Egyptian population at the time (1450 BC) at 3 million people. Surely, someone would have noticed it if suddenly, a fifth of the entire population walked out!

The Egyptian economy would have collapsed, to say the very least. But in the historical and archaeological record: no such thing. Quite the contrary, never in history was the Egyptian empire doing better.

Around 1450 BC, you couldn't just get up and leave Egypt. The Egyptian empire was vast, back then. It reached deep into what's now Israel, with fortresses and army outposts everywhere. Canaan was Egyptian, the Sinai desert was Egyptian. Yet in Exodus and Numbers, we read how Moses and Joshua come across many cities and people - without ever bumping into even one Egyptian soldier.

Then, there are the details. Exodus mentions the Philistines, a people that didn't exist yet. Cities like Ezion Geber, Arad, Heshbon and Kadesh Barnea weren't founded yet. Other cities mentioned in Exodus and Numbers, like Ai and Jericho, were abandoned ruins for centuries by the time the Israelites arrived."

The archaeology doesn't help, either....

"The bible tells us how 600,000 Israelites lived in the desert for forty years. It even gives details about where they set up camp. But although archaeologists can even recover the traces of small bands of bronze age tribesmen in the desert, no camp site of the Israelites has ever been found."

Don't worry. Most scientists (historians, archaeologists and theologists) believe there may be a core of real history here after all. The exodus could be an exaggerated, mystified version of something that really happened! But what? The #1 theory:

1. The Hyksos
Around 1570 BC, pharaoh Ahmose did something remarkable. He kicked out a mysterious people named the 'shepherd kings' - the Hyksos.

Ancient Egyptian inscriptions tell us how Ahmose killed many of the Hyksos, and chased the rest out of Egypt, all way to the Syrian border - where they may have founded Jerusalem.

Archaeologists have discovered that the Hyksos lived in the Nile Delta from about 1800 to 1570 BC. They were Semitic. Ancient Israelites. And in Egypt, they founded a 'state within the state', with the city Avaris as its capital.

In the beginning, there were only few Hyksos. But after a while, the Hyksos became a pain in the neck. The situation got so bad, that the Egyptians considered them an alien, invading army. So they kicked them out. Exodus may reflect this traumatic event, from the Hyksos' point of view.

Image
Plus: The expelling of the Hyksos is well documented. And indeed, the parallels with Exodus are striking: Jews that are chased away by a pissed-off pharaoh.

Image
Minus: The Hyksos were expelled many, many centuries before Exodus was written. And of course, the Hyksos weren't slaves.

 
#13 ·
HighBaller82 said:
I believe that religion in general is nothing but a way to control the masses, historically. Moreover, people in general need to believe that there is a higher being somewhere, somehow.

My humble opinion: Jesus and his buddies lived and walked amongst people 2000 years ago. The jews managed to create a wonderful history with all that, linked with older stories and beliefs (old testament). People liked it and it evolved since. What is sad in all that is that the story, beliefs and how to deal with it were stolen and deeply changed by those who sought to control the masses. What we know of Jesus's teaching is far from what we experience today (Jesus wanted it to remain simple, no churches, no idolatry, no accumulation of wealth in the name of the church, etc.)
Now, how can somehow even slightly intelligent could possibly believe that christianity is the only and first religion ballfes me. It is a religion amongst others.
What do I believe in?
I believe that we are but a single dust particle (figure of speech) in the huge universe and that here on earth, mother nature is what we should worship and care for because our planet is our only and sole source of life. I will believe that there is a 'god' when I see it. Until then, only morons continues to be enslaved in their actions and thought by a religion or another.
And what Jesus told us is simply common sense amongst humans with a brain and a heart. Love yourself and the others and don't do to others what you would'nt want someone to do to you.

Hope this is clear as english is my 2nd language.
Click to expand...
Well said High baller it is good to see some truth on here .
 
#14 ·
Thoughts from Highballer82
"I will believe that there is a 'god' when I see it. Until then, only morons continues to be enslaved in their actions and thought by a religion or another.
And what Jesus told us is simply common sense amongst humans with a brain and a heart. Love yourself and the others and don't do to others what you would'nt want someone to do to you.

Hope this is clear as english is my 2nd language."

Your thoughts are very clear Highballer82. You think anyone that has faith in anything other that your beliefs is a moron. But since your belief is so strong, I think you have become enslaved by your very own religion, and by extension are therefore also a moron. Welcome to the club.
 
#15 ·
bobzinger said:
Thoughts from Highballer82
"I will believe that there is a 'god' when I see it. Until then, only morons continues to be enslaved in their actions and thought by a religion or another.
And what Jesus told us is simply common sense amongst humans with a brain and a heart. Love yourself and the others and don't do to others what you would'nt want someone to do to you.

Hope this is clear as english is my 2nd language."

Your thoughts are very clear Highballer82. You think anyone that has faith in anything other that your beliefs is a moron. But since your belief is so strong, I think you have become enslaved by your very own religion, and by extension are therefore also a moron. Welcome to the club.
Click to expand...
Oh boy! I knew I would get replies from religious people.
Perhaps my words were harsh by I do believe them. Needless to say that many people still believe that there is a God somewhere and that religion is still relevant and making sense in today's world. Sheeps need that to have a 'purpose' in life.
Accept my apologies as my intention was not to insult anyone in particular. Softer words could have been wiser.
Having said that, those who take the Bible and preach it are easily crushed in any scientific debate. I am sure you must know that the Bible as you know it was changed, modified and re-written many many times in history by monks or other people who were changing it to fit the proper beliefs or needs of the era...quite sad...
How can you defend the church principle since Jesus himself, per the story, didn't want such a thing?
I am not perfect, far from it, but I do have something called a scientific mind. Bring my some proofs that your religion is the ultimate number 1 best way of thinking and acting and I will seriously consider it.
Until then, I will remember that millions of people died in the name of religion and non tolerance of other beliefs and the catholic religion or christianity itself is amongst, if not the, most destructive force since the last 2000 years...(religion wars, crusades, medieval inquisition, etc.).

At any rate, I don't know where it is you live, but in my part of Canada, churches are 95% empty and it's never, ever going to recover. The time of enslavement of the masses by religion is over.
Having said that, do whatever you feel like doing or praying in your own home...none of my business...

My apologies again for what came out as harsh words...
 
#16 ·
As a SINNER and a CHRIST follower I will say...
FAITH can never be explained or scientifically proven...
But none the less... It is very REAL.
As real as all of mankinds HATE and SINS. Also as real as LOVE, JESUS and GOD.
I offer no debate here for the lost in this WORLD.
I agree that the EARTH does not need more RELIGION..
Religion is man made and obviously contains sin..
BUT do not maKe the mistake to confuse religion with CHRIST!
The WORLD needs more CHRIST followers not religion. Obviously no follower of CHRIST can ever walk in his shoes..
But it gives us no excuse to walk the other way!!
The only thing I will offer for all of us SINNERS and the damned, is PRAYERS.

WW
(AKA, a faithful sinner and follower of CHRIST who is not religious).
 
#17 ·
HighBaller82 said:
Having said that, those who take the Bible and preach it are easily crushed in any scientific debate.
Click to expand...
run a search for william lane craig if you haven't done so. He is a well spoken, educated theist and his arguments are well presented and comprehensive. i took a minute to look up a quick reference and by no means am i claiming i have seen all of his debates, or even this one in its entirety, but as you will see in this open format not structured at all like a debate, that the questions quickly get into the meat and potatoes of his positions unlike structured debates where it takes a few nauseating minutes to get to anything substantial or worthwhile.

 
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