RE: paleonet Faith and skepticism

["Andy Rindsberg" <arindsberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Peter, and others interested in biblical tidbits, can read ahead. Otherwise,
hit that delete key!

> I know of no explicit statement that the Egyptians are descendants of 
> Noah

The names of "Noah's descendants" are largely the same as the Hebrew names
for ethnic groups. Archaeology has made this even clearer by rediscovering
forgotten names on clay tablets and stone inscriptions:
http://faculty.gvsu.edu/websterm/Noah's_Descendants.html

Ham's sons include the names of groups located in Egypt (= Mizraim, not
mentioned in the website but whose meaning was never forgotten) or near it
(Cush, Put, Canaan). 

I don't care for the idea that religion stands apart from everything else in
a box of its own. Religion can be subjected to scientific tests like any
other body of knowledge. It is reasonable, for example, to expect a
religious work to be internally consistent. It is also reasonable to expect
that a work that presents itself as history should be consistent with
physical laws and the archaeologic record. "Miracles" such as statues that
apparently weep or bleed can also be studied scientifically.

In the current context, archaeology has confirmed that "Noah's descendants"
amount to a geographically arranged list of tribes and countries of whom the
Hebrews were aware at the time -- and only those countries -- with the
greatest detail being closest to home. An interesting datum, to be sure.
What would we make of such a list if it were not found in Genesis, but in an
ancient Greek text instead?

Andrew K. Rindsberg
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

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