Biblical Exodus Out of Egypt

[Ringer]

Is there any evidence to support that a massive exodus took place out Egypt that the Bible tells of? If not, how will that affect the way I'm eating my peppered beef jerky?

[Storm]

AFAIK, what archaeological evidence there is discredits the traditional story of Exodus.

For instance, the Egyptians did not build their wondrous monuments on the backs of slaves. Rather, they had an entire class of fairly well-off and expert workers.

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Originally Posted by Ringer

Is there any evidence to support that a massive exodus took place out Egypt that the Bible tells of?

AFIAK, the only evidence is the Biblical account. All the archaeological evidence I've heard of is either silent on the matter or indicates that the Exodus didn't happen.

Originally Posted by Ringer

If not, how will that affect the way I'm eating my peppered beef jerky?

I don't know about you, but it might lead some people to wonder whether they might want to sprinkle some cheese on that jerky.

Originally Posted by Storm

For instance, the Egyptians did not build their wondrous monuments on the backs of slaves. Rather, they had an entire class of fairly well-off and expert workers.

Indeed. And farmers would work for the Pharoah in the months their fields were flooded as their way of paying tax.

[Phasmid]

Ancient Egyptians - better than us since... way back.

[angellous_evangellous]

Originally Posted by Ringer

Is there any evidence to support that a massive exodus took place out Egypt that the Bible tells of? If not, how will that affect the way I'm eating my peppered beef jerky?

Put it this way: it's easier to twist the historical and archaeological data to make an Exodus possible than it is to say that dinosaurs and humans co-existed 6,000 years ago.

Of more interest to me personally is the conquest of the Hebrews and the subsequent kingdoms. There is almost no archeological evidence for Jews living in the holy land in the Iron and Bronze Age. The Hebrews first come on the scene - with earlier traditions - with the Egyptian, Babylonian / Persian, and Greek conquests of what is now Palestine.

[Ringer]

So, would it be more logical to believe that:

• The exodus never took place?
• The exodus did take place but was greatly embellished?

If the story was greatly embellished I guess my question would be, why? I don't know why I've never really given the exodus much thought but I thought this was a huge deal for Jewish people even to this day. Is this really nothing more than a fabricated story or, at best, a huge embellishment?

[angellous_evangellous]

Originally Posted by Ringer

So, would it be more logical to believe that:

• The exodus never took place?
• The exodus did take place but was greatly embellished?

If the story was greatly embellished I guess my question would be, why? I don't know why I've never really given the exodus much thought but I thought this was a huge deal for Jewish people even to this day. Is this really nothing more than a fabricated story or, at best, a huge embellishment?

Like many other peoples, it is an extravagent story of the beginning of a people.

[Ringer]

Originally Posted by angellous_evangellous

Like many other peoples, it is an extravagent story of the beginning of a people.

Thanks...

[angellous_evangellous]

Ah, it's not so bad.

On the one hand, we can know that the Conquest of Palestines by the Hebrews was not a genocide. It's extreme, but some polemists attack Christianity for this...

On the other hand, Christians have to reach out by faith for a salvation history rather than rely on scholarly arguments.

[Storm]

Originally Posted by Ringer

So, would it be more logical to believe that:

• The exodus never took place?
• The exodus did take place but was greatly embellished?

Though I'm far from an expert, I lean to the former.

If the story was greatly embellished I guess my question would be, why? I don't know why I've never really given the exodus much thought but I thought this was a huge deal for Jewish people even to this day. Is this really nothing more than a fabricated story or, at best, a huge embellishment?

Virtually every ancient culture mythologized its origins and borrowed from other cultures.