Turns out the Old Testament is true!

DonJunbar · 12th July 2007, 01:15 AM

The British Museum found a clay tablet in its collection that had information about Nebo-Sarsekim, an official in the court of Nebuchadnezzar who is mentioned briefly in Jeremiah 39.

Anyway, apparently this means the Old Testament is totally accurate--or at least that's what I get reading this article.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22060312-2,00.html

Zep · 12th July 2007, 01:32 AM

Jeremiah 39:3

Quote:

And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.

Sorta... He was a prince, not and official. So he would have been a person of note.

Yawn. Seems the journalist has beaten up the story. Made it sound like all scientists thought the OT was all fairy-tales, to make this "discovery" seem momentous. The momentous bit was finding the artifact, not the name. There wasn't a lot of doubt to anyone that Nebuchadnezzar was a real king of a major kingdom, and so he would have a family and retinue appropriate.

Remember, though, this is News Limited, a division of "Sell 'em crap but make sure you sell lots!" Murdoch enterprises. P.T. Barnum and W.R. Hearst are grinning in their graves.

The Great Hairy One · 12th July 2007, 05:29 PM

Oh wow, an excellent example of really poor reporting in that article. Collective cherry-pick, anyone?

Cheers,
TGHO

joobz · 12th July 2007, 05:48 PM

If they found proof that Methuselah was 900 years old (assuming he's a real guy) before he died....that would be something.

boloboffin · 15th July 2007, 03:25 AM

I expect details in Jeremiah to be a tad more historical than the talking snake in Genesis. I really like Jeremiah's attitude, too. At the end of the book, Jeremiah has been taken to Egypt, because the Israelites have decided to back Memphis over Babylon. Jeremiah takes a brick, goes to a huge plaza, and buries the brick in the middle of it. Someone asks him what he thinks he's doing, and Jeremiah says that in one year, the king of Babylon will set up his throne over that brick.

We don't hear a lot more out of Jeremiah after that stunt. And according to the book, that's exactly what happened. A miracle or just a snarky, astute observation?

cgordon · 15th July 2007, 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by DonJunbar

Anyway, apparently this means the Old Testament is totally accurate--or at least that's what I get reading this article.

Not really. It means that parts of the OT are based on historical fact. Has nothing to do with the mythological and superstitious bases of the thing.

I don't think anyone ever held that ALL of the OT was false, I know I don't. It's more that it is inaccurate and that the mythology is just that .. myth.

12th July 2007, 01:15 AM	#1
DonJunbar Thinker Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 128	Turns out the Old Testament is true! The British Museum found a clay tablet in its collection that had information about Nebo-Sarsekim, an official in the court of Nebuchadnezzar who is mentioned briefly in Jeremiah 39. Anyway, apparently this means the Old Testament is totally accurate--or at least that's what I get reading this article. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22060312-2,00.html
DonJunbar Thinker Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 128

12th July 2007, 01:32 AM	#2
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985	Jeremiah 39:3 Quote: And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon. Sorta... He was a prince, not and official. So he would have been a person of note. Yawn. Seems the journalist has beaten up the story. Made it sound like all scientists thought the OT was all fairy-tales, to make this "discovery" seem momentous. The momentous bit was finding the artifact, not the name. There wasn't a lot of doubt to anyone that Nebuchadnezzar was a real king of a major kingdom, and so he would have a family and retinue appropriate. Remember, though, this is News Limited, a division of "Sell 'em crap but make sure you sell lots!" Murdoch enterprises. P.T. Barnum and W.R. Hearst are grinning in their graves.
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985

12th July 2007, 05:29 PM	#3
The Great Hairy One Chief Cdr Scientist, NWO Cloning Labs Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,066	Oh wow, an excellent example of really poor reporting in that article. Collective cherry-pick, anyone? Cheers, TGHO
	__________________ High Priest of Gzortch, the Demon Prince of Nostrils

12th July 2007, 05:48 PM	#4
joobz Tergiversator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: That's how you get ants Posts: 17,505	If they found proof that Methuselah was 900 years old (assuming he's a real guy) before he died....that would be something.
	__________________ What's the best argument for UHC? This argument against UHC. "Perhaps one reason per capita GDP is lower in UHC countries is because they've tried to prevent this important function [bankrupting the sick] and thus carry forward considerable economic dead wood?"-BeAChooser

15th July 2007, 06:44 AM	#6
cgordon Muse Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 900	Originally Posted by DonJunbar Anyway, apparently this means the Old Testament is totally accurate--or at least that's what I get reading this article. Not really. It means that parts of the OT are based on historical fact. Has nothing to do with the mythological and superstitious bases of the thing. I don't think anyone ever held that ALL of the OT was false, I know I don't. It's more that it is inaccurate and that the mythology is just that .. myth.
	__________________ "The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." Benjamin Franklin

15th July 2007, 03:25 AM	#5
boloboffin Guest Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 5,001	I expect details in Jeremiah to be a tad more historical than the talking snake in Genesis. I really like Jeremiah's attitude, too. At the end of the book, Jeremiah has been taken to Egypt, because the Israelites have decided to back Memphis over Babylon. Jeremiah takes a brick, goes to a huge plaza, and buries the brick in the middle of it. Someone asks him what he thinks he's doing, and Jeremiah says that in one year, the king of Babylon will set up his throne over that brick. We don't hear a lot more out of Jeremiah after that stunt. And according to the book, that's exactly what happened. A miracle or just a snarky, astute observation?