Origins of the Judeo-Christian god and religion

What agenda? The one you're defending maybe. Or jar's. To judge by my marginal notes. Not my agenda. You jumped to a wrong conclusion about the book and the review of it too. Reread it. You missed the boat.

By the way, Arach, since the various gods of the various cultures are listed in the index of this book, such as El, Enlil, Asherah or Ashtoreth, Mithra, Marduk, Zeus, Tammuz, Nabu, just to pick a few at random, I looked to see if a Yah or Yaw were also there. It's not.

What's your source for this supposed god in the Egyptian (or some other?) pantheon again?

Finegan, Myth & Mystery writes:The mythology concerning Baal is found in some eight large tablets and a number of fragments. Because of damage there are gaps in the narrative, and the sequence of events is not beyond question. Nevertheless three major episodes are recognizable: the conflict of Baal with the god Yamm (Sea); the building of a palace for Baal; and the conflict of Baal with the god Mot (Death).In the first episode, Yamm, son of El, whose name, like the related word in Hebrew, means Sea* and who is called by the parallel titles 'Prince Sea' and 'Judge River,' demands of the assembly of the gods that Baal and his powers be delivered over to him, and El agrees that Baal shall be the servant of Yamm. Kotha wa-Khasis, however, the craftsman of the gods, whose name means something like 'skilful and clever,' provides Baal with two clubs and promises that Baal will be able to smite his enemy and take his own 'eternal kingdom' and 'everlasting dominion.' Thereupon Baal does battle with Yamm and is vicotrious. Henceforward Yamm is evidently confined to his proper realm, the seas, while Baal is indeed the lord of the earth. In other words the forces of chaos typified by the ocean have been brought under control and order established in the world.The goddess Ashtoreth is mentioned in the account, but the text is so fragmentary that it is not possible to know what role she played. Although named frequently in Old Testament references to Canaanite religion, Ashtoreth appears only a few times in the Ugaritic texts, in contrast with the numerous appearances of Asherah, which gives some support to the theory that Ashtoreth and Asherah are one and the same.On one hand, the victory of Baal over Yamm is reminiscent of th victory of Marduk over Tiamat as the unruly primeval ocean in Mesopotamian myth. On the other hand there is something of the same theme of the restriction of the might of the sea in biblical language: the Lord 'by his power . . . stilled the sea' (Job 26:12); he prescribed bounds for the sea, saying 'Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed (Job 38:10-11).'

I don't think these things because I believe; I believe because I'm convinced they are true.But there's no convincing anyone who sees things the other way around. And this thread was originally intended to be about extra-Biblical information.

I see no connection whatever with Yahweh intended or implied.

*I looked up "sea" in the Concordance and it is indeed "yam" in the Hebrew.

Ifen writes: As long as it fits his pre judgements there is no evidence too flimsy or riduculous for him and on the other hand he will bend, cut, and mutilate any argument to get it to fit his foregone conclusion. In short Buz knows what he knows. Knows how to repeat it ad nauseum over the course of years. That is sum total his concept of evidence, logic, and argument.

would you trust someone to tell you all about the entire history of christianity and judaism in one chapter of one book written to explain why islam is superior?

Good observation. (post-hoc).(The name of the fallacy for readers)

faith writes:And this fallacy is what this whole bunch of nonsense rests on, nothing more than that.

No. As far as I can see no-one has relied exclusively on a post-hoc relationship. As Arach has been constantly demonstrating, there is some linguistic and cultural evidence. This evidence is (at the very least) no less strong than that which you argued supported Allah's early incarnation as a moon god!

faith writes:But I also know that the Bible is written for the express purpose of presenting to humanity the true Creator God...

faith writes:...this should be obvious to anyone who reads it on its own terms and in its own context instead of breaking it up into fragments.

faith writes:And truly, your comments on my mental frame are out of order.

Not seeing anything from your post that connects "Yamm" to "Yahweh." If an alternate for "Yamm" is "Yah" it would still mean "Sea" not "I AM" and "Hayah" in Hebrew is the root "to be" and "being" which is what "Yahweh" derives from. Nothing to do with seas and beaches.

I read Gilgamesh years ago. Your attitude is abusive at this point.

"Pagan" Is the scholarly term for all such religions.

Once again, your ignorance is hanging out. The book treats all the religions objectively, it doesn't say one word anywhere in it that suggests Christianity is superior

(although since it IS superior I wouldn't hold that against it if it did)