Egyptian Mythology

[David Mauldin]

As many of you know I am no longer a "Born Again" Christian.  IAfter my Assembly experience there is no way I can  ever be so sure of myself and religion again.  Where-as I once said things like "The lord showed me such and such..." I now view my former convictions  in the same way I view the convictions of a Mormon or Jehovahs wittness.  he or she is under the immpression that God has spoken to them and their experiences seem to confirm that He has.  So in response I have committed myself into searching all religons, trying to see what is similiar and maby somehow make sence of my Assembly/Christian experience. Thus I have studied Egyptian Mythology and I have discovered some pretty amazing facts I would like open up for disscusion.

[David Mauldin]

Circummscion  has been practiced by the Egyptians for thousands of years before God instituted this exclusive covenant with Abraham.  This seems to me a controdiction to the  "  sign between you and me..."


(More to Follow)

[Arthur]

Abraham lived at a time that was about 300 years after the flood.  There was no Egypt for "thousands of years" before that.  At the time of Abraham, Egypt was a fledging society, being only in probably its 8th or 9th generation after Mizraim.

[BenJapheth]

As many of you know I am no longer a "Born Again" Christian.  IAfter my Assembly experience there is no way I can  ever be so sure of myself and religion again.  Where-as I once said things like "The lord showed me such and such..." I now view my former convictions  in the same way I view the convictions of a Mormon or Jehovahs wittness.  he or she is under the immpression that God has spoken to them and their experiences seem to confirm that He has.  So in response I have committed myself into searching all religons, trying to see what is similiar and maby somehow make sence of my Assembly/Christian experience. Thus I have studied Egyptian Mythology and I have discovered some pretty amazing facts I would like open up for disscusion.

David, that's sad...Perhaps, you can try Jesus again for the very first time.  I've been telling people for years, if it weren't for Jesus I wouldn't want to be a Christian.

[Oscar]

Hi all,

A few thoughts on Egypt and Dave's "logic".

The first dynasty of Egypt dates to around 3100bc.

Abraham dates to about 2000bc.

Civilization in Mesopotamia dates to about 3500bc.  Remember, Abraham was born in "Ur of the Chaldees".
There was a civilization in Mesopotamia for over a thousand years before Abraham.

Dave,

I think you must have your logic check feature turned off.

Premise 1. Circumcision existed in Egypt for "thousands of years" before Abraham.
Premise 2. Unstated
Conclusion-Therefore God could not have used circumcision as a sign.

First, you are missing a premise, which invalidates the whole thing.

Second, If you try to use something like, "God cannot use anything that already exists as a sign", you would need to demonstrate how you know that is true.

Third,  What I just told you about Egyptian and Mesopotamian dates has been known for over a century.  What were you doing in History class???

Tom Maddux

[Arthur]

3100 B.C.?  I wonder how some people arrived at that date.  I'm guessing that it was the same people who believed in and taught evolution.  

According to the calculation from the numbers given in the Bible, the flood occurred about 4,400 years ago.  Mizraim came from Ham not too long after that.  Egyptians are decendants from Mizraim. Therfore the earliest date for Egypt's existance is sometime after 2400 B.C.

[David Mauldin]

Hi Tom  No I wasn't saying that God couldn't us a sign after  it was already in practice.  I think it is interesting that it is presented as an exclusive sign between God and Abraham when it was already in practice. (Also that it is not or no longer an exclusive practice-this is my main point)  As for the dates in question  Egypt wasn't in existence during the time of Abraham?  This is new to me!  I will research this!  

next fact
  THERE IS NO ARCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF HEBREWS LIVING IN EGYPT DURING THE PERIOD ATTRIBUTED IN EXODUS!  This is strange given that  the bible states  there was about a million people.  TOM please treat me with respect.

[Arthur]

As for the dates in question  Egypt wasn't in existence during the time of Abraham?  This is new to me!  I will research this!  

No one said "Egypt wasn't in existence during the time of Abraham."  We know that Egypt was indeed in existence during the time of Abraham because the Bible says that Abraham (then known as Abram) went down into Egypt and had interactions with the Pharaoh of Egypt.
I stated that there was no Egypt for "thousands of years" before the time that God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision.  Egypt was in existence less than 300 years by the time Abraham was alive.

[David Mauldin]

In the Egyptian museum in Ciro there is an account on papyrus of an Egyptian Phaoroe, Snefru, (Old kingdom many years before Hebrews are to show up)  who, probably in efforts to help his political carear, gave an account about his "ability to part the waters of a lake" through the use of his magicians.  Again Tom I am not  trying to use this as proof that Moses never did it only that I find it very interesting.

[David Mauldin]

Thanks  for the clarification Arthur, In my foolishness I assumed that Egypt had been around much longer.  I wtll research the issue.

[David Mauldin]

According to the Egyptian book of the Dead, in order to get into heaven an individual must  pass judgment as to the character and behavior of his life. In fact he must be sinless!  He must be able to pass qualifications that even surpass those of the ten commandments.  Never lie, cheat etc... Given the fact that the Egyptian believed that their whole life on earth itself was only a preperation for the next life I find terribly interresting.  (Could there be a connection or major influence upon hebrew/Christian culture?)

[David Mauldin]

I have read quite a few books and listened to over 35 lectures by a noted Egyptologist "Bob Reis", seen on the National Geographic channel.  Yes I may have blown it on the dates yet the fact that there is no evidence is generally accepted.  I personally believe that the Hebrews did come out of Egypt yet they were only about 50-60 people.   Almost all conservative Hebrew scholars concede that the number of Hebrews accounted in the Exodus is immpossible. A major problem in the Exodus account is that there are no specific refferences to which Phaoroe. (The same problem exist in the account of Joseph.)  As to my "Born Again" experience.  I believe it was completely legitimate when it comes to religion.  Jesus to me ws the Eternal Creator God who died for my sins.  My Faith in Him saved me.

[David Mauldin]

I stand corrected!  What  is considered Egyptian culture begins at the first dynasty.  Yet circumsicion predates Egyptian society by thousands of years! So in principle my original statement stands.

[David Mauldin]

To "Vernacarty"  what refferences are you talking about?   I'm  discussing the Exodus account in scripture.

[David Mauldin]

Verne I think that many of the reference in the Bible AFTER are archeologicly sound. Yes I think Daniel was a real person, yet as far as any valid evidence goes- Moses cannot be accounted for (Beyond scripture.)