tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post1628947713033091180..comments2024-03-21T05:26:37.436-04:00Comments on Hausdorff's Bible Blog: Why Is Abraham Considered a Hero?Hausdorffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01690401058367596952noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-82650096160385171502013-04-24T22:22:28.216-04:002013-04-24T22:22:28.216-04:00Yeah, and my guess is that this was a story, and a...Yeah, and my guess is that this was a story, and a good story needs some sensationalism! OK, well, "needs" is a strong word, but stories about perfection are often difficult to write well, making these "realistic" ones a more approachable target for an author, and probably the author's audience as well.<br /><br />Also, I think this speaks to the culture of the gods at that time. If you look at Egyptian and Greek mythology, for example, the gods are far from perfect, and their heroes often have flaws too.TWFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06016277303703254572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-49924726375892919592013-04-24T17:59:38.005-04:002013-04-24T17:59:38.005-04:00Totally agree. I didn't mean to single him out...Totally agree. I didn't mean to single him out from the rest of the characters of the bible, this thought just occurred to me after reading his stories. Hausdorffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690401058367596952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-41286466371802783072013-04-24T17:56:37.603-04:002013-04-24T17:56:37.603-04:00That's a good point, it might not really be Ab...That's a good point, it might not really be Abraham, but whoever it is that wrote the story. Actually, how sure are we that Abraham was even a real person? Are we pretty sure there is a man who these fables are based on, or is there a strong possibility that he was created out of whole cloth? Ultimately I'm not sure how much it matters, but it is an interesting thought.Hausdorffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690401058367596952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-38406240945331551982013-04-24T13:35:54.964-04:002013-04-24T13:35:54.964-04:00Agreed, but the same is true of most characters in...Agreed, but the same is true of most characters in the Bible, most of them are seriously messed up, borderline sociopathic and dishonest to their core. If it's meant to show that you don't have to be perfect to follow God, then it worked, they couldn't have chosen a more imperfect lot than ended up in the Bible.Cephushttp://bitchspot.jadedragononline.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-57132180112253048562013-04-24T10:49:30.091-04:002013-04-24T10:49:30.091-04:00I think it was the impotent men who wrote about Ab...I think it was the impotent men who wrote about Abraham who were the insane ones. It appears to me Abe was just a downright vain and greedy man who pointed out "his" people should worship only one idol...and named it "God," And then he made up fables and "miracles" to attribute to it to convince equally greedy and ignorant flocks that they were the "only" ones that "god" favored. The rest of humanity was all going to burn and get poked by a devil in a red spandex suit with a pitchfork in hell fire for eternity for not being as "wise" as the ancient Israelites were. To think people still believe it is simply scary. Anna Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11945983971515869500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-39064793725039716952013-04-24T10:17:45.029-04:002013-04-24T10:17:45.029-04:00I think that makes some sense. Suppose Abraham was...I think that makes some sense. Suppose Abraham was a con artist who just invoked the name of God to manipulate people. How would we know? It certainly seems to me that he was at least somewhat insane. It's really a shame people have used this book to justify so much violenceHausdorffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690401058367596952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-49655823087680952992013-04-24T10:13:51.200-04:002013-04-24T10:13:51.200-04:00It's an interesting point for sure. They are c...It's an interesting point for sure. They are chronicling the lives of these holy figures and telling us the bad along with the good. Certainly not a strong argument, it's pure speculation so we can counter with "they were trying to make it realistic", or "they made people flawed so you could relate to them more easily", or "they were trying to use the story to teach a lesson". <br /><br />But actually, I think my favorite response would be "okay, suppose it is true, why would you follow this guy?" Their claim is basically that the bible includes the good along with the bad. I would ask "where is the good?"Hausdorffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690401058367596952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-18131523816501544852013-04-24T10:04:22.120-04:002013-04-24T10:04:22.120-04:00That's definitely true, if you are brought up ...That's definitely true, if you are brought up in a tradition and always told it was good, you might never question it. The thing about these stories is they are so terrible that it is surprising to me that people don't question it. <br /><br />But then, how did it get to be a tradition in the first place? Some large group of people had to hear it without the baggage and decide to make it their tradition. I guess it was a different world back then, but still.Hausdorffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690401058367596952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-22589378583077329972013-04-24T07:34:00.917-04:002013-04-24T07:34:00.917-04:00Right on target Hausdorff! I've contended for ...Right on target Hausdorff! I've contended for a long time that the "original" prophet was the "false one." The three major religions, Jews, Christians, and Muslims, that worship his wrathful god are the ones who have been inspired to create the most havoc on earth ever since the Bible was written. Why folks continue to worship and glorify the god of Abraham is a mystery to me.Anna Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11945983971515869500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-40530368742789592932013-04-23T23:15:35.470-04:002013-04-23T23:15:35.470-04:00Not that I find a whole lot which is praiseworthy ...Not that I find a whole lot which is praiseworthy about Abraham, but one thing I've heard from some apologists is that Abraham's imperfections, as well as those of nearly all the key Biblical figure, are evidence of the story being true. Why? Because if you were writing a story of heroes and an all-good deity, why would you write one using such imperfect people?<br /><br />It's kind of a good argument... if you ignore God's imperfections which get demonstrated at the same time. ;-)TWFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06016277303703254572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-18324688898218676652013-04-23T21:16:13.340-04:002013-04-23T21:16:13.340-04:00give anything a couple hundred years to become a t...give anything a couple hundred years to become a tradition and people will believe it. it doesn't matter how messed up it is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-24537883720789537392013-04-23T14:55:36.123-04:002013-04-23T14:55:36.123-04:00And yet they do, it's quite puzzling.And yet they do, it's quite puzzling.Hausdorffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690401058367596952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5442584566219442310.post-68153832758431367782013-04-23T11:24:50.385-04:002013-04-23T11:24:50.385-04:00I like the picture you chose -- it depicts Abraham...I like the picture you chose -- it depicts Abraham as more of a madman than a servant of the divine.<br /><br />I'm at a loss as to why anyone, past or present, would see such a sociopath as a hero.Ahabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14675629709031865432noreply@blogger.com