(urth) Oannes

[David Stockhoff]

On 3/19/2012 5:05 PM, James Wynn wrote:
>
>>> Lee:
>>> I mean the God of the OT recognizes the existence of rival gods,
>> Jerry Friedman wrote:
>> In the early books, but not the later ones.
>
> It never occurred to me that in the early books of Bible God is ever 
> depicted as actually feeling to be in competition with actual rivals 
> (as opposed to /effective/ competition for the affections of his 
> worshipers). While the early books seem to assume that His worshipers 
> DO believe in rival gods, the upshot of the storytelling seems to 
> imply that the true circumstances are otherwise.
>
> In Genesis, he condemns Sodom and Gomorrah even though they do not 
> appear to be his worshipers. In Genesis one never seems to encounter a 
> god he must compete with or overcome. In Exodus, God plagues the 
> Egyptians and their gods are not even addressed. In Numbers, Balaam's 
> prophecy seems to assume one God who blesses and condemns. Also, in 1 
> Samuel, when the Philistines capture the Ark of the Covenant, they 
> offer it before Dagan. Then the next morning the find the idol fallen 
> forward on its face in front of the Ark.
> Also in 1 Kings when the Aramites decide that the gods of the 
> Israelites are gods of the hills. So they decide to fight them in the 
> plains where they can be easily defeated.  So God thrashes them extra 
> hard to make a point.
> And in Job, argued to be the earliest book written, there is really no 
> credible alternative to God offered even though Job's worship of God 
> does not protect him from harm.
>

Bang!