tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13987092.post8388661767075076832..comments2023-09-28T01:46:12.871-07:00Comments on Bro. Bartleby: Humans vs God - Round 1Bro. Bartlebyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980379263844521557noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13987092.post-50422532599252385912007-11-12T22:37:00.000-08:002007-11-12T22:37:00.000-08:00I think the story was crafted to instruct the Jewi...I think the story was crafted to instruct the Jewish people to beware of self pride and arrogance and the abandonment of their God, which as the story demonstrates would undermined their laws and understanding of justice, their entire moral code, and their values in and of what community is. As Julie quotes above, the people turning from God would open the door to tyranny (all former agreed upon stardards would be gone). I think of it as the Torah being the overriding standard for Jews, therefore the most fundamental of all laws which Jewish rulers and governments must abide by are from the Torah. Of course the Tower of Babel story takes place after Noah and before Jacob, before the Jews became the Jews. The tower builders in the story were not Jews, the story presents them as a sort of universal humankind. And as most Biblical stories, it is a teaching tool, a lesson for each new generation which creates continuity between generations, that which makes a culture a culture. So I would think the author(s) were creating a morality play to explain why cultures differ, especially why the many different languages spoken in the land of Israel, for the land was a main trade route that one would hear many differing languages. The story tells each new generation that languages separate peoples, and helps to explain why they are who they are, for their language makes them so, a separate people, a unique culture, one that believes in the God of Abraham.Bro. Bartlebyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15980379263844521557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13987092.post-63195310348784667612007-11-12T15:39:00.000-08:002007-11-12T15:39:00.000-08:00Surely this is more of an example of Babylon vs. a...Surely this is more of an example of Babylon vs. ancient Jewish propaganda?<BR/><BR/>Taking the story literally seems kinda boring and nonsensical to me. What's really interesting is to try to figure out what it says about the author(s?) of the Bible and their relationship with other civilisations.Lifewishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07133804300464048756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13987092.post-51009501162261886482007-11-03T11:58:00.000-07:002007-11-03T11:58:00.000-07:00"He also gradually changed the government into tyr..."He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power…"<BR/><BR/>Nothing new under the sun, is there?<BR/><BR/>I'm sorry your walk ended so soon, but also very glad you've decided to share it.juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15975754287030568726noreply@blogger.com