Moses Rewrites History to Forge A Nation!

I had an interesting conversation with a family member the day before last. No names! It was one of those conversations where neither side will ever see the others viewpoint, because we were discussing a religious matter. A matter where I'm always sceptical, and discussing the subject with someone who has "faith" is pretty pointless, but I seem to enjoy sowing the seeds of doubt, where I can. There's no logic in faith, and I'm a logical person. It strikes me that fervent religious beliefs are associated with distinct irrationality, and there's nothing worse than people who are completely irrational.

Anyway, I digress, the subject was simple enough, the validity of the Bible and in this instance the Old Testament. I put forward the assertion (which seems as plain as day to me) that the Jews were simply a nomadic people in former times, shepherds mainly, with no cultural identity or history. I indicated, that Moses who had found himself in a powerful position in Egypt, had sought to unite the Jews, but in order to do so, it was required that they have some sort of heritage to claim. His position within the Egyptian Royal family allowed him to access the massive library at Alexandria, where he gathered up fragments of history from various ancient cultures, such as the Sumerians, and set about drafting a history of the Jews.

Next up, on liberating the captive Jews of Egypt, he had to find a homeland for them, Canaan sounded like a good bet. God ordered the Jews to kill everyone in their way, all those people who were occupying the land that belonged to them by divine right. Shame, nothing's changed in 3000 odd years has it?

So, the outcome of this assertion? Well, apparently I'll change my mind when I'm dangling over the flames. I don't think so, life's for living. I'm not the one obssessed with the end of the World, hellfire and brimstone, and so forth. This isn't the Middle Ages anymore, I though most civilized people had realised that that crap was only a tool employed by the Church to keep the masses at bay! Seems like so many people still haven't been raised from their native ignorant darkness!

I was a Roman Standard Bearer!

Dealing with less weighty issues than gaming and comedy classics today! Is there life after death? and is reincarnation real?

Two questions any individual has asked themselves many a time, and may well have discussed with others occasionally, but it's a personal matter really, a matter of faith, not in the Christian sense of the word, as we're leaning more towards Buddhist concepts here, but; you hear stuff, you read stuff, you enquire and you assimilate that knowledge to form your own opinions on what life is really about.

From a personal point of view, I think life is too short to spend it worrying about what comes next (I know people who do though). I've been fed a few Buddhist tidbits over the years and they do tend to make sense, but I'm neither a Buddhist or a Christian, because I don't believe Jesus was the son of God, nor that he actually died on the cross. I suspect that to have been the single biggest con job in history (I refer interested readers to the book "The Messianic Legacy" for detailed clarification).

Where am I going here then, oh yes, re-incarnation. I believe in reincarnation, not because I remember past lives, and I've never been hypnotically regressed (although I fancy it), but I once had the most vivid dream ever, in which I was a Roman Standard Bearer. In the dream I had the full regalia, I was holding the eagle standard, and I was descending a snow-covered mountain, in thick mist, with other soldiers seen dimly at either side. This was followed by a sort of recce-mission sounding out an enemy fort on a hill-top, in the snow, at night, with a clear sky. I can't really emphasise how vivd this dream was, I'm totally convinced that what I dreamt really happened, and I was there.

Anyone has the right to punch holes in my merry tale, but just like any good religious person, I can believe what I like and no-one will convince me otherwise. At least I wasn't Alexander the Great's Chief Eunuch!