Is the bible historically accurate? (Jesus, exodus, creation, genesis)

[Pah]

Originally Posted by true blood

You're jumping the gun Deut. I previously gave you the names of the archaeologist who excavated the sites of Sodom, Jericho etc.. therefore I have supplied it so either research those names and their publishings of the evidence they found or give it a rest. I'm not an archaeologist. I repeat, I am not an archaeologist. btw, what's up with unicorn poop and pixie dust? You've mentioned it quite often...

Originally Posted by true blood

The discovery of Sodom and Gomorrah with tons of ash could possible relate to what happened in the bible. The proof that fires started on the roofs of all the buildings excavated and eventially the burning roofs collapsed into the interior and spread inside the buildings

Originally Posted by true blood

And its been proved that all the buildings in the cities were destroyed from a fire that started on the rooftops.

They weren't even found!!!!!!!!!

Sodom & Gomorrah
http://www.abu.nb.ca/ecm/topics/arch5.htm

Introduction
The names ' Sodom and Gomorrah' have long been associated with God's judgment of sin. The word 'sodomy' is still found in the English language as a legal term for unnatural sexual acts. To many, these names are only stories or myths from out of the past. Sodom and Gomorrah, however, were a part of a larger agricultural confederation of cities which were known as the cities of the plain. Genesis 13:12,13 The five Cities of the Plain included Sodom, Gomorrah, Zoar, Admah and Zeboim. Genesis 19:22 It appears that the cities of the plain have been found. Archaeological evidence points to five ruined cities which support evidence of the Biblical cities of the plain.

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Location

The search for the cities of the plain begins with some scholars saying they were non-existent. ( 1918 - W. F. Albright; 1948 - Martin Noth and finally Noldeke). Noldeke's rejection was based upon the idea that no route east of the Jordan River existed, as was described in the Biblical account. Evidence to support ancient Eastern travel in Abraham's day was discovered in a clay tablet from Babylonia, and also from a group of tablets found near the edge of present day Syria, at the site of the ancient city of Mari. On the Babylonian tablet a contract was found with the stipulation that a wagon was rented on condition that it was not driven to the Mediterranean coast.

Later, the actual route was found by Nelson Glueck. A very recent discovery made at the ancient site of Ebla has revealed the historical existence of the Cities of the Plain. University of Rome excavators, Giovanni Pettinato and Paolo Matthiae have translated tablets taken from the ruins and report that on one of the tablets a trade list is recorded which includes the Cities of the Plain. This is the first record of these cities mentioned outside of the Bible. The interesting fact is that the names of the Cities of the plain are spelled the same as they are in Scripture.

Early Attempts
In 1924 W. F. Albright, led an expedition in order to locate the Cities of the Plain. After an investigation of the area with little success, Albright concluded that the Cities of the Plain were swallowed up by the Dead Sea as it swelled with water and they were covered forever. This theory was further substantiated by Ralph E. Baney's discovery in 1960 of a small tree in the growth position beneath the southern basin of the Dead Sea. This showed that the continuous filling of the Dead Sea had taken land which was once exposed, supporting W. F. Albright's theory. Albright did, however, find the ruins of a great fortress, Bab edh-Dhra built of stone overlooking the deep ravine of Wadi Kerak. Taking into consideration the lack of occupational debris and seven fallen limestone monoliths found a short distance east of Bab edh-Dhra, Albright concluded that this was a place of pilgrimage where annual feasts were celebrated. He concluded that Bab edh-Dhra was directly related to the Cities of the Plain because it was unoccupied about the time the Cities of the Plain were destroyed 2000 B.C. or a little earlier.

One of your was Albright wasn't he? Why yes he was!

Originally Posted by true blood

On five of these valleys five cities have been discovered. The northern most is Bab edh-Drha. Dr. Willian Albright, renown archeologist, searched here for Sodom and Gomorrha in 1924

Nothing in that site refernce I gave says anything about soot and ashes. In fact, this Christian site only supposes that Soddom and Gomorrah were found by twisting the evidence.

You'll have to try again!

-pah-

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by true blood

I previously gave you the names of the archaeologist who excavated the sites of Sodom, Jericho etc.. therefore ...

Therefore, absolutely nothing.

The most tempting supposition is to relate the narrative in Genesis 14 about the five "cities of the plain" (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, Zoar) to the discovery of five Early Bronze Age sites close to the eastern shores of the Dead Sea. At least two of these cities were fortified (Bab edh-Dhra' and Numeira). Their destruction, which was followed by total abandonment for centuries, was presented by some as real archaeological evidence of the story in Genesis. Perhaps a severe catastrophe bringing an end to these five cities was remembered and transmitted orally in legendary form over centuries down to the first millenium B.C.E., when it was adapted to its final form by the author of the Book of Genesis.

An alternative theory has an etiological basis. Some of the Early Bronze Age sites were prominent ruins visible to the inhabitants of the country in later periods. The remains of the ruined EB cities east of the Dead Sea, as well as of cities such as Arad, 'Ai, and Yarmuth, were exposed for centuries. Even today, ancient fortifications at several of these sites protrude from the surface. Later inhabitants of the country--the Israelites among them--might have invented etiological legends related to these ruins, such as the legend about the cities of the plain, the story about the war against Arad (Numbers 21:1-3) and the conquest story of 'Ai (Joshua 8). These people might have also used terms such as "Rephaim" and "giants (Genesis 15:20; Deuteronomy 2:11, 20; Joshua 13:12; and so forth) to describe the indigenous population of the country.

- see Mazar, Archaeology of the Land of the Bible: 10,000-586 B.C.E., pp.143-144

[true blood]

Hugo Winckler, german archaeologist.
A. H. Sayce, british
Bedrich Hronzny, Czech
Dr. Fred Wright

Pah, you're correct about Albright, 1924, but more digging was done in the 60's and 70's.
Dr. Bryant Wood
Carl Watzinger
John Garstang
Kathleen Kenyon
Dr. Avraham Biran
Thomas Holland

Deut. Your source says "might have" at least two times, and suggest "alternative theory". Indeed skeptical.

[Jayhawker Soule]

Let me ask again: Can you point to any evidence of the Exodus/Conquest? Can you even offer a date for this upheaval?

[true blood]

Sure Deut. The Bible. Do you have something?

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by true blood

... Dr. Bryant Wood ... Kathleen Kenyon .

Yours is a rather interesting laundry list, particularly since Wood and Kenyon disagreed with one another - a fact you obviously didn't know. Again: Can you point to any evidence of the Exodus/Conquest? Can you even offer a date for this upheaval?

[true blood]

So? Archaeology isn't like other sciences. Evidence must be interpreted by humans. Therefore presuppostitions and worldviews play a role. You take this "shooting down the bible" buisness quite seriously don't you? Ah well, looks like all three of us have time to kill. Honestly this has been interesting debating back and forth. If you think all archaeologist agree with each other, I admit that I know they do not. It's running late here and I have shots of tequila to slam and a club full of girls to dance with but I'll "dig" up some documents on the exodus/conquest data, honestly I know of no evidence off the top of my head that could persuade you other then scriptures, btw is literary works considered evidence?

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by true blood

So? Archaeology isn't like other sciences. Evidence must be interpreted by humans.

Unlike other sciences?

By the way, can you point to any evidence of the Exodus/Conquest? Can you even offer a date for this upheaval? Is there any reason why you so consistently avoid answering these questions?

[Pah]

Originally Posted by true blood

Hugo Winckler, german archaeologist.
A. H. Sayce, british
Bedrich Hronzny, Czech
Dr. Fred Wright

Pah, you're correct about Albright, 1924, but more digging was done in the 60's and 70's.
Dr. Bryant Wood
Carl Watzinger
John Garstang
Kathleen Kenyon
Dr. Avraham Biran
Thomas Holland

Deut. Your source says "might have" at least two times, and suggest "alternative theory". Indeed skeptical.

I just took that name at random, and I found what you attributed to him was bunkum. How are we to trust anything you or your sources say. You said you couldn't find your source but I found one in a matter of minutes. We both have the internet.

You really should be more critical of what a biased site says. The clues are not that hard to distinguish that the site I referenced bent the facts to fit their desired outcome. It is a case of a Christian authority lying.

-pah-

[Pah]

Originally Posted by true blood

I need no evidence Pah. The Scriptures are my primary source of authority, you should know that by now. I do not elavate archaeology to a point that it becomes a judge to the validity of the Scriptures.

But on the other hand, what do I get if I provide you with the documents of the dig?

You are using archaeology to prope up the Bible. You put great vaule in Archaeological evidence and the evidence you gave was not the truth. You tied archaeology to the bible and the bible suffers from it.

I have no need for you to supply a reference, I found one - several in fact, that put your statements to shame.

-pah-