This wandering community was not living in isolation. The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites and many other kinds of tribes n clans. Customs, rituals beliefs of all these tribes were thoroughly different from Israelites. Israelites used to marry the daughters of these clan and men from these clan used to marry Israeli daughters. (Judges 3:6)
Clashes between amongst these communities were obvious and every time some or other individual has always acted as a saviour for Israelites. Moses, Joshua, Judges…these were all a kind of Messiah for Israelites. Rather I can say that every period of this community’s existence had its own messiah. Having a messiah must be a kind of tradition at that time.
Jesus was just one of them.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
The ark of covenant & Idol worship
Does the idea of the ark of covenant defies the age old notion that Christianity is against idol worship?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Judges3
Judges 3 says “These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the LORD's commands, which he had given their forefathers through Moses”.
Philistines, Canaanites, Sidonians and Hivites were not eliminated completely. They were left by God to test the Israelites.
They were left by God or they themselves survived?
Philistines, Canaanites, Sidonians and Hivites were not eliminated completely. They were left by God to test the Israelites.
They were left by God or they themselves survived?
Judges: in Marathi its 'Shaste'
the book of Judges is named in Marathi as 'Shaste'. What does 'shasta' mean?
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Minorities are Chameleons
The communities with whom Jews had a fight in Old Testament were polytheistic. Judaism which is the root of Christianity proclaims monotheism. Christianity also in practical life propagates that its essence is monotheistic.
All the Indian communities who got converted to Christianity were definitely polytheistic in nature. So the conversion of Marathi Protestant Christians was the conversion from Polytheism to Monotheism.
Officially one may get converted or one may be forced to get converted but on subtle levels the process of conversion doesn’t take place at once. It’s a continuous process…probably the process goes on over for more than a generation. I think in a society where Marathi Protestant Christians is a minority, slowly, silently, a day by day but never completely a person keeps on converting. Thorough conversion is never possible for minority.
Minority is like a chameleon in a jungle who keeps on changing and matching his colors to the surroundings. Its nothing but his survival. Constant change which matches to the surroundings is the way of living of minorities.
All the Indian communities who got converted to Christianity were definitely polytheistic in nature. So the conversion of Marathi Protestant Christians was the conversion from Polytheism to Monotheism.
Officially one may get converted or one may be forced to get converted but on subtle levels the process of conversion doesn’t take place at once. It’s a continuous process…probably the process goes on over for more than a generation. I think in a society where Marathi Protestant Christians is a minority, slowly, silently, a day by day but never completely a person keeps on converting. Thorough conversion is never possible for minority.
Minority is like a chameleon in a jungle who keeps on changing and matching his colors to the surroundings. Its nothing but his survival. Constant change which matches to the surroundings is the way of living of minorities.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Mesopotamia
In Judges 3 God makes Jews to serve the King of Mesopotamia for 8 years because they commit the sin of serving the other Gods.
About Mesopotamia: (reference from Wikipedia)
Mesopotamia is the region now occupied by modern Iraq, and parts of eastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and southwest Iran. The name Mesopotamia here means "between" and "river", referring to the basins of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers and the area in between. The geographical area watered by these two rivers is often referred to as the "Cradle of Civilization", since it was here that the first literate societies developed in the late 4th millennium BC, using a highly sophisticated writing system in the context of the emergence of the first cities and complex state bureaucracies.
The region was as one of the famous four river-based civilizations where writing was first invented, along with the Nile valley in Egypt, the Indus Valley in the Indian Subcontinent and Yellow River valley in China.
The earliest language written in Mesopotamia was Sumerian. Scholars agree that other languages were also spoken in early Mesopotamia along with Sumerian. Later a Semitic language, Akkadian, came to be the dominant language, although Sumerian was retained for administration, religious, literary, and scientific purposes. Different varieties of Akkadian were used until the end of the Neo-Babylonian period. Then Aramaic, which had already become common in Mesopotamia, became the official provincial administration language of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
Mesopotamian people developed many technologies, among them metalworking, glassmaking, textile weaving, flood control, water storage, as well as irrigation. They were also one of the first Bronze age people in the world. Early on they used copper, bronze and gold, and later they used iron. Palaces were decorated with hundreds of kilograms of these very expensive metals. Also, copper, bronze, and iron were used for armor as well as for different weapons such as swords, daggers & spears.
The Mesopotamians used a sexagesimal (base 60) numeral system. This is the source of the current 60-minute hours and 24-hour days, as well as the 360 degree circle. The Sumerian calendar also measured weeks of seven days each. This mathematical knowledge was used in mapmaking.
The Babylonian astronomers were very interested in studying the stars and sky, and most could already predict eclipses and solstices. People thought that everything had some purpose in astronomy. Most of these related to religion and omens. Mesopotamian astronomers worked out a 12 month calendar based on the cycles of the moon. They divided the year into two seasons: summer and winter. The origins of astrology probably date from this time.
The religion of the people was polytheistic which is completely contrary to the Jews ideology.
Mesopotamian settlers were some of the first people to make beer and wine.
About Mesopotamia: (reference from Wikipedia)
Mesopotamia is the region now occupied by modern Iraq, and parts of eastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and southwest Iran. The name Mesopotamia here means "between" and "river", referring to the basins of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers and the area in between. The geographical area watered by these two rivers is often referred to as the "Cradle of Civilization", since it was here that the first literate societies developed in the late 4th millennium BC, using a highly sophisticated writing system in the context of the emergence of the first cities and complex state bureaucracies.
The region was as one of the famous four river-based civilizations where writing was first invented, along with the Nile valley in Egypt, the Indus Valley in the Indian Subcontinent and Yellow River valley in China.
The earliest language written in Mesopotamia was Sumerian. Scholars agree that other languages were also spoken in early Mesopotamia along with Sumerian. Later a Semitic language, Akkadian, came to be the dominant language, although Sumerian was retained for administration, religious, literary, and scientific purposes. Different varieties of Akkadian were used until the end of the Neo-Babylonian period. Then Aramaic, which had already become common in Mesopotamia, became the official provincial administration language of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
Mesopotamian people developed many technologies, among them metalworking, glassmaking, textile weaving, flood control, water storage, as well as irrigation. They were also one of the first Bronze age people in the world. Early on they used copper, bronze and gold, and later they used iron. Palaces were decorated with hundreds of kilograms of these very expensive metals. Also, copper, bronze, and iron were used for armor as well as for different weapons such as swords, daggers & spears.
The Mesopotamians used a sexagesimal (base 60) numeral system. This is the source of the current 60-minute hours and 24-hour days, as well as the 360 degree circle. The Sumerian calendar also measured weeks of seven days each. This mathematical knowledge was used in mapmaking.
The Babylonian astronomers were very interested in studying the stars and sky, and most could already predict eclipses and solstices. People thought that everything had some purpose in astronomy. Most of these related to religion and omens. Mesopotamian astronomers worked out a 12 month calendar based on the cycles of the moon. They divided the year into two seasons: summer and winter. The origins of astrology probably date from this time.
The religion of the people was polytheistic which is completely contrary to the Jews ideology.
Mesopotamian settlers were some of the first people to make beer and wine.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Baal & Ashtaroth
In Judges second chapter it is mentioned that once Israel ‘forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth’.
Astaroth is depicted as a nude man with dragon-like wings, hands and feet, a second pair of feathered wings after the main, wearing a crown, holding a serpent in one hand, and riding a wolf or dog. Holding a serpent in one hand is an important depiction. This serpent could have had been the same one who deceived Eve in Eden. He is definitely the rival of Lord.
Overall the Jew’s history also denotes a strong abhorrence for any representation of ‘serpent’ (except Moses’ rod gets transformed into a serpent by God’s order). But overall serpent is taboo.
Contrary in Indian culture serpent is worshipped. How the converted communities of India would have had accepted (or still accepting) these age old symbols of Christianity is crucial aspect that should be studied
Astaroth is depicted as a nude man with dragon-like wings, hands and feet, a second pair of feathered wings after the main, wearing a crown, holding a serpent in one hand, and riding a wolf or dog. Holding a serpent in one hand is an important depiction. This serpent could have had been the same one who deceived Eve in Eden. He is definitely the rival of Lord.
Overall the Jew’s history also denotes a strong abhorrence for any representation of ‘serpent’ (except Moses’ rod gets transformed into a serpent by God’s order). But overall serpent is taboo.
Contrary in Indian culture serpent is worshipped. How the converted communities of India would have had accepted (or still accepting) these age old symbols of Christianity is crucial aspect that should be studied
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