A debate

[Greg12]

In my algebra class, i got into a debate with this this over part of "3 three kings"

"Westward leading, still proceding, guide us to thy perfect light."

SHe said that the Orientals would have been going east and the star should be poiting eastward.

And she quoted the bible about "the star rose in the east."

Then I said...

"If the arabs who wrote the bible where in Jeruslam, they would be looking east towards China and seeing the star over Bethalam."

"If the Orients where looking at the star, they would be looking at the west, since to the east is Japan."

Ney comments on who's right?

[vitualis]

I'm not a Christian but:

1. Due to the rotation of the Earth, all stars "rise" in the East and set in the West. This is exactly the same reason why the Sun does the same thing.
2. You probably shouldn't take anything in a Christmas carol literally
3. The same can be said for anything in the Bible.

Regards.

[mijman]

Ah, Virtualis, a man after my own heart.

BTW, the journey from the orient to Jerusalem 2000 years ago was SOOOO long that, it was nearly incomprehensible for anybody to do so. The oriental guy was probably on his way somewhere, or wandering the land like Kane from Kung-Fu.

If I had a time machine, I would go back to many different points in history and clarify them with a camcorder.

[Greg12]

I saw on tv, they said the "star" might have been an allignment of two planets and a methapor. The maji may have found out the location through other sources.

Around 3 or 4 bc, it can't be later than 6 because Harrid Died in 6bc, their were two planitary allignments.

Since the maji were astrologers, this would be important.

If their really was a bright light, why is their no record of it in China.

Doesn't it say they were wondering wise men?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Greg12 on 2001-12-23 21:25:28 ]</font>

[speedy]

Since when did "arabs" write the bible?

The present day bible is actually a collection of 66 books. The authors were all Jews except for St. Luke, a Greek. The books were written over a span of roughly 1600 years. Moses the oldest author, with John the Evangelist the most recent, most believe writing a hundred years after the death of Christ.

The Torah is the five books of Moses constituting the Pentateuch the body of Jewish wisdom and law handed down over centuries in sacred literature and oral traditions.

The Koran is said to be composed of sacred writings accepted by Muslims as revelations made to Muhammad by Allah through the angel Gabriel.

The above three major religions share much of the beliefs contained in the first five books of the bible.

God as in being called "Alla" began comparatively late circa 1584.

The Jewish people and some Christians refer to God as Jehovah, which isn't correct either. Most scholars more correcly state the word to represent God's name consists of the consonants JHVH or JHWH, with the vowels of a separate word, Adonai (Lord). God's name back in distant Hebrew history was considered too sacred to be said out loud and so the scribes at the time wrote the vowel markings for "Lord" into the consonantal framework JHVH as a reminder to future readers to not said it aloud. This was further compounded in later translations. So Jehovah incorrectly became the name of God rather than as a mere reminder not to speak the name of God out loud.

So for Christians and Jews, God's name actually is Jaweh or Yahwe frequently spelled Yahweh in more moder times. Keep in mind that the Hebrew language is mostly consonants with few verbs that carry differnt meaning depending on how they the consonants are structered. This of course lead to etymological complications. It boils down to God's name being in the abstract sense: "I am" or "He who is," ie the one and only Almighty God.




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: speedy on 2001-12-23 22:07:08 ]</font>

[disturbed1]

The last time I looked at a bible it said

"King James Version"

BTW, wasn't he addicted to opium?

[speedy]

Check this out:

http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/kingjame.htm

[sommersby]

Actually Speedy you cannot say actually as thew correct pronunciation of God's name was lost a long time ago because of the reason you stated, it was concidered sacred and because it was so rarely passed on and used the correct pronunciation was lost over the century's, there is about a 50/50 split among theologists as to the correct pronunciation with Jehovah being slightly favored as the modern day pronunciation.

As far as the King James Version, although very poetic, was mainly written to allow King James, who was quite a womanizer, to divorce wothout being in violation of church law, they did this by changing 4 verses in the gospels. There were other changes that the church made at the same time but the main reason was as stated.

[speedy]

I think this thread is getting a tad over the top. What always bothered me was under what circumstances would God say something along the lines of hey dude, nice to meet ya, by the way my name is Jaweh, Yahwe, Alla, Jehovah or whatever. Anyhow Merry Christmas everybody, or more politically correct; Happy Holidays. Say, since Time magazine now has a person of the year as opposed to the man of the year, is it correct to always refer to God as He?

[zzyzzx]

A debate? I love debates. I'm a master debater.

[d4n13l]

speedy, I enjoyed that link that you gave us, very entertaining stuff. Have you read the page where they try to explain away the theory of evolution using the second law of thermodynamics? Ha! Like I said: very entertaining.