Origin of Gods word

The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Old Testament both are ancient writings of two different civilizations. The Sumerians of the Fertile Crescent, Mesopatamia created the Epic of Gilgamesh so it predates any text created by the Israelites of course.

quote:

---

the epic of gilgamesh even pre-date the bible, and contains a few of it's elements, such as the flood.

---

Their culture was based strongly around floods because of their dependence of the Tigris and Euphrates which they often flooded. Civilations had to have a river and that river had to overflow sometime. A civilization having a flood story does not mean it was copied from the earliest civilization.Saying that other ancient literature is better than another is simply an opinion. The Illiad by the way was not written by Homer to be truth. The Old Testament was. This underlying difference between the two means something. The Bible is also more consistent historically.

---

-porcelain

quote:

---

and your evidence for this is?

---

I have the impression it was an epic but not an historical text. I thought Homer wrote it not with the intentions of displaying history but creating a fantastic story. I feel this way because if you actually view the Illiad for what is said, didn't parts of the Illiad come from his imagination? Am I wrong in saying this?

quote:

---

you're right, no it doesn't. however, the genesis legend contains elements also found in the gilgamesh story: one survivor, a big wooden boat with all the animals, and a repentant god who puts something in the sky as a reminder that it won't happen again.

---

Is there more evidence for it being copied than it actually happening? No. It can only create a major coincidence of similiar stories. Especially judging that there wasn't much cultural diffusion between the Israelites and the Sumerians. The chinese were isolated from all other civilizations, they contain similiar features in their flood myth, very close to the Israelites myth. This can only show that flood myths were similiar in ways seemingly impossible without it actually happening.

quote:

---

and your evidence for this is?

---

quote:

---

the trojan wars happened.

​

if the exodus happened, there is no evidence for it.

​

i would argue that the iliad is more consistant historically.

---

Much of what it is is historically sound. The nations, the events most are recorded as of happening. Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon is one for instance.The exodus is being taught as happening it history textbooks. This however cannot be good evidence. Outruling the exodus leaves the other historically correct information which there is a good quantity of.This message has been edited by CHRIS PORTEUS jr, 09-30-2004 05:17 PM

---

-porcelain

World HistoryIt's in my bookbag right now.

---

-porcelain

" "

N ew YorkPrentice HallWorld History------------------
Connections to today.There is another caption that says "Discovery Channel School"Authors are Elisabeth Gaynor Ellis and Anthony Esler

The ISBN code is 0-13-128524-6

quote:

---

Think its:
Prentice Hall World History: Connections to Today
1997. 1038 pages. ISBN of the student's edition: 0-13-803271-8.
Prentice Hall, 1 Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458.

---

It isn't. heres the date i forgot to add Copyright 2005Same title probably very similiar.This message has been edited by CHRIS PORTEUS jr, 09-30-2004 06:22 PM

---

-porcelain

This is the exact excerpt of the exodus.

quote:

---

Early History of the Israelites

​

Early in history, the Israelites, or Hebrews, came to believe that God was taking a hand in their lives. As a result, they recorded events and laws in the Torah, their most sacred text.

​

A Nomadic People

​

According to the Torah, a man named Abraham lived near Ur in Mesopatamia. About 2000 B.C., he and his family migrated, herding their sheep and goats into a region called Canaan.* Abraham is considered the founder of the Israelite Nation.

​

The Book of Genesis tells that a famine later forced many Israelites to migrate to Egypt. There, they were eventually enslaved. In time, Moses led the Israelites in their escape, or exodus, they entered Canaan, the land they believed God had promised them.

---

quote:

---

??? Do you mean to say these two cultures had nothing in common?

​

Of all the cultural influences on ancient Israel, the Sumerian is most notable. The grand patriarch Abraham grew up in Sumerian culture and according to scripture: the patriarchs worshipped Mesopotamian gods.

---

No, I don't. But I would think Egypt would have greater influence

Is it not being established as happening and adding on to this? The exodus is used to describe the formation of the Israelite civilization.

I originally said
"The exodus is being taught as happening it history textbooks"

quote:

---

Not at all. It is simply repeating what the Judaic mythology says.

---

Yes, in establishing the origins of their civilization.

---

-porcelain

" "

What claim?

beats me

They used it to describe Israelites beginnings