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To: Zionist Conspirator
Were the original Jews even monotheistic? Biblical Judaism was heno-theistic (there are many Gods...you only worship this one).
19 posted on 02/12/2007 9:11:00 AM PST by Borges
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To: Borges
Were the original Jews even monotheistic? Biblical Judaism was heno-theistic (there are many Gods...you only worship this one).

You're repeating "higher critical" nonsense.

22 posted on 02/13/2007 7:52:09 AM PST by Zionist Conspirator ("Kol 'asher-dibber HaShem na`seh venishma`!")
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To: wideawake

Thought you might have some insight into this.


25 posted on 02/13/2007 8:01:00 AM PST by Borges
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To: Borges; Zionist Conspirator
Biblical Judaism was heno-theistic

I disagree.

Abraham, the first Jew, was not a henotheist.

The Biblical account of Abraham describes a man who (1) entirely rejects the religious tradition of his nation (the Chaldaeans of Ur) and (2) worships a single deity who claims power over the entire earth and over all peoples.

The putative henotheist of 1800 BC was a man who believed in the same deity that his family had traditionally believed in and viewed that deity as being a deity whose authority was limited to his own people and whose authority was limited to one geographic area or area of expertise (say fish for a people consisting of fishermen, etc.)

Abraham made a radical break from that milieu. And, unlike henotheists, he refused to follow the ways of other deities or worship other deities when visiting or dwelling among the henotheists of the ancient Near East.

A better way to look at it would be to say that the deity of Biblical Judaism was henogenic - there were many people besides the descendants of Abraham, but God chose that specific people as his own.

Sort of the inverse of henotheism - the Bible portrays one God choosing one of many peoples, not a people choosing one of many gods.

30 posted on 02/14/2007 6:45:47 AM PST by wideawake
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