Religious Lit. For Dummies: The Small Voice

See details below for more interesting information! All the stuff VenomfangX and Inmendham will not tell you about religious literature! Wow who thought religious literature could be read without theology. Wow actually comparing and contrasting real texts! We are almost doing this in a scientific way! Wow anthropology! Corrections: Do to my human frailties I have made a few blunders. Sorry about the Lag. I am working on this annoying technical issue. Also, If I screwed up some of the story line yell at me in the comments so I know you at least read the literature . :0) I'm sure you all will forgive me ;0) Interesting things to think about: Check into what the following names mean in Hebrew. Ahab, Izeḇel, Oḇaḏyahu, Ěliyahu, Baal, El. The Epic of Baal: http://www.theologywebsite.com/etext/canaanite/baal.shtml Background of I Kings: http://www.abu.nb.ca/ecm/Kg10b.htm Stories from Ancient Canaan. http://www.amazon.com/Stories-Ancient-Canaan-Michael-Coogan/dp/0664241840 Ugarit and Minoan Crete: The bearing of their texts on the origins of Western culture: http://www.amazon.com/Ugarit-Minoan-Crete-bearing-origins/dp/B0007EKSGA Antiquities Of The Jews Book 9:13 http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/ant-9.htm Mishnah-SANHEDRIN 7:6 He who performs an act of worship for an idol [M. 7:4D2]— `all the same are the one who performs an act of service, who actually sacrifices, who offers up incense, who pours out a libation offering, who bows down, `and the one who accepts it upon himself as a god, saying to it, "You are my god." `But the one who hugs it, kisses it, polishes it, sweeps it, and washes it, ` anoints it, puts clothing on it, and puts shoes on it, [merely] transgresses a negative commandment [Ex. 20:5]. `He who takes a vow in its name, and he who carries out a vow made in its name transgress a negative commandment [Ex. 23:13]. `He who uncovers himself to Baal Peor—[he is stoned, for] this is how one performs an act of service to it. `He who tosses a pebble at Merkolis [Hermes] [is stoned, for] this is how one performs an act of service to it. 7:7 He who gives of his seed to Molech [M. 7:4D3] [Lev. 20:2] is liable only when he will both have given him to Molech and have passed him through fire, `[If] he gave him to Molech but did not pass him through fire, `passed him through fire but did not give him to Molech, `he is not liable— `until he will both have given him to Molech and have passed him through fire. `He who has a familiar spirit [M. 7:4D4] Lev. 20:27—this is one who has a Python which speaks from his armpits; `and he who is a soothsayer [M. 7:4D5]—this is one whose [spirit] speaks through his mouth— `lo, these are put to death by stoning. `And the one who makes inquiry of them is subject to a warning [Lev. 19:31, Dt. 18:10--11]. THE BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES OF PHILO Chapter 38: http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/bap/bap54.htm HEBRAIC LITERATURE: TRANSLATIONS FROM THE TALMUD MIDRASHIM AND KABBALA. http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/hl/hl92.htm THE MIDRASHIM: Once Rabbi Shimon ben Yebozedek addressed Rabbi Sh'muel ben Nachman and said, "I hear that thou art a Baal Aggadah; canst thou therefore tell me whence the light was created?" "We learn," he replied in a whisper, that God wrapped Himself with light as with a garment, and He has caused the splendor thereof to shine from one end of the world to the other." The other said, "Why whisperest thou, I wonder, since Scripture says so plainly (Ps. civ. 2) 'Who covereth Himself with light as with a {p. 243} garment'?" The reply was, "I heard it in a whisper, and in a whisper I have told it to thee." Bereshith Rabbah, chap. 3. "As the tents of Kedar" (Cant. i. 5). As the tents of the Ishmaelites are ugly without and comely within, so also the disciples of the wise, though apparently wanting in beauty, are nevertheless full of Scripture, and of the Mishnah and of the Talmud, of the Halacha and of the Aggadoth. Shemoth Rabbah, chap. 23. "Write thou these words" (Exod. xxxiv. 37). That applies to the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa, which were given in writing, but not to the Halachoth, the Midrashim, the Aggadoth, and the Talmud, which were given by the mouth. Was the writer taking a jab at Baal buy recounting Yahweh causing a drought, being that Baal was a storm god and possibly suppressed by Yahweh? Was Yahweh, in Hebrew Literature, ever blamed for a Drout? How did both the cult of Yahweh and Baal fight for dominance against each other? How long was the Asherah Pole tolerated in the Temple of Solomon? What are the commonalities between Yahweh and Baal in other literature of the biblical texts? Extra Credit: What did Yaʽaqob(Jacob)mean when he said: "For I have seen Elohim face to face, and my life is preserved." Gen 32:30 P.S. Sorry I had to add all the wows for added drama. I have faith that most of you are in fact not dummies. ;0) (more)