Sherbert Hoover posted:

I think the biggest thing that prevents true syncretism or the acceptance of other faiths as equally or even partially true is not the idea of one supreme god, but the idea of special revelation, i.e. god himself gave us his words in the form of the bible or the commandments, etc. as opposed to general revelation, i.e. truths that can be inferred from the universe through reason, meditation, etc. Although the bible can be interpreted a number of radically different ways, some things are very much set in stone and there is really no way, for example, to reconcile the contradictions of being a devout Christian who either 1) accepts that other faiths are also valid or 2) declines to proselytize because of social norms, unless said Christian is intentionally ignoring or is ignorant of fundamental tenets of his own religion. How this exclusionary attitude developed probably has something to do with ancient Hebrews' antagonistic relationship with their neighbors, though I'm sure they're hardly unique in that so

Barrel Cactaur posted:

E. drat that's one hell of a snipe

https://lawcomic.net/guide/?p=7106 posted:

Arthur George posted:

Hebrew Bible scholars have long recognized that the writer who penned the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and much other narrative in the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible (called the Pentateuch, or Torah) had a distinctly anti-Canaanite agenda, and that his anti-Canaanite polemic started in his Eden story. Focusing on this helps us to decipher the meaning of that story, as I have stressed in my new book, The Mythology of Eden, and in talks that I’ve given on the subject at scholarly conferences.

This author, known as the Yahwist (because he was the first author of the Hebrew Bible to use the name Yahweh for God), most clearly set out his anti-Canaanite views at the beginning of his version of the Ten Commandments, in Exodus 34:12-15, where Yahweh warns the Hebrews against associating with the Canaanites, intermarrying with them, and worshipping their deities; Yahweh also orders the Hebrews to tear down Canaanite altars, pillars, and asherahs (wooden poles (stylized trees) in sanctuaries that were the cult object of their goddess Asherah (in Hebrew pronounced ah-shei-RAH) and symbolized her). Against this background, the anti-Canaanite polemic in the Eden story becomes apparent, especially that against the goddess Asherah, who at the time was widely viewed by Israelites as Yahweh’s wife or consort. As official Israelite religion trended toward monotheism, the other local deities had to be eliminated (Asherah in particular), and Yahweh appropriated their powers and functions. Insofar as this process affected Asherah, I call this “Yahweh’s Divorce,” and the proceedings began in the Yahwist’s Eden story.

LITERALLY A BIRD posted:

Barrel these links are very much my poo poo, thank you so much

oh absolutely let's.


edit:

oh hey it's Asherah. I don't think I have posted in here about Asherah. Asherah is interesting.

Yahweh’s Divorce from the Goddess Asherah in the Garden of Eden

e2: story in the comic continues here though

snoo posted:

imagine hating women this much

tristeham posted:

LITERALLY A BIRD posted:

that's coming. We gotta do this part again first

Trash Ops posted:

how do i summon a succubus