And I think that Marc and I would agree. The point we are making, is we need to be careful not to go too far in the other direction, either. We are not like the evangelist Christian movements out there who are literal Biblicists. We realize that the Bible is not perfect (see the AoF that says we believe it as far as it is translated correctly). Figuring out which points are literally true and which are just symbolic is not an easy task. One thing I use is if I find it in the other scriptures (like the Red Sea dividing), then I'm fairly certain it is historical. However, I also realize that the early Jewish scribes had hidden agendas. We know this, because our prophets have told us that they cut things out of the scriptures, changed things, etc. It is also very possible that they may have tried to "enhance" the story of Israel's origin somewhat, we just don't know. Things changed in the Israelite religion over the centuries. At first, worshipping in high places was a good thing (the Tabernacle was at the high place in Gibeon, for example), but later Jewish kings and priests sought to consolidate power by destroying the high places of Jehovah and insisting people could only sacrifice and worship at the Jerusalem temple. This was a partial attempt to get people living in the Northern Kingdom to defect and move to Judah. This obviously was somewhat successful, as we have people like Lehi (from the tribe of Joseph) living near Jerusalem.
We constantly see the kings of Israel rejecting the prophets. Yet much of the Old Testament was written by the scribes of the kings. Clearly, there was opportunity for tampering. We just don't know how much was done, and so must accept the "history" by faith, until our modern prophetic leaders tell us otherwise, such as Elder McConkie telling us that Eve really wasn't made from Adam's rib. K'aya K'ama, Gerald/gary Smith gszion1 @juno.com http://www .geocities.com/rameumptom/index.html "No one is as hopelessly enslaved as the person who thinks he's free." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe JWR: I think we are in danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water when we start labeling as figurative those things that might be literally true. And we need to remember that just because something is symbolism, doesn't mean that is not also literally true. Literal facts can serve as symbols. ________________________________________________________________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
