An answer to those who think the Bible is the source of Civilization.

[The Bastard1]

They tell me that there never would have been any civilization if it had not been for this Bible. The Jews had a Bible; the Romans had not. Which had the greater and the grander government?

More truthiness

[yellowcanine]

1. Well there is tons of evidence that the Bible borrowed a lot from the

Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans, so let them think it. They are still wrong.

[The Bastard1]

2. Hmmm?

Greatest story ever told.

[Cleita]

4. And that would probably be the Iliad and other tales of the

Trojan War.

[shadowknows69]

11. Exactly

Greatest STORY ever told. By men. Not God.

[Cleita]

3. Hmm. Bible means book. The Romans had lots of books

with their version of creation myths and biographies of their gods. Considering that other civilizations right next door to Israel created magnificent civilizations while the Hebrews were herding sheep, might not make them so grand. Also, many of the more important books of Genesis were borrowed from Sumerian mythology.

[The Bastard1]

6. The Spaghetti Monster

Will have all non-believers simmering in a pot of Marinara sauce for all eternity. All hail the Graden of Beer!!!!!!

[Cleita]

8. I could go for a beer. Thanks for the suggestion.n/t

[The Bastard1]

16. Whiskey for me.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. Actually, it might be helpful to check out the Mayans

Their calendar is an explanation of the evolution of consciousness, which is still going on:

http://www.mayanmajix.com

Also might wish to check out the Egyptian holy books, and the Vedas are still venerated and used today in India.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas

[The Bastard1]

7. Free your mind

and your ass will follow.

Ancient proverb.

[laconicsax]

9. Why use that comparison?

Its a lot easier to use Egypt, Sumeria, China, Greece, and India. All of them developed prior to and/or in isolation from the Jewish kingdom.

[The Bastard1]

12. Well

they all could have been included, just making a point. I mean, since, the Jews and Israel are the hot discussion of late, just thought I would bring religion into the fold. I'm just waiting for the anti-semitic remarks to start flying, you know, because if you talk badly about the state of Israel you must be anti-semitic.

[eggbeater]

10. are the Jews still here today?

Is the Roman Empire still here today?

Im just saying.

[The Bastard1]

13. In all its glory

it's called the Roman Catholic church and the Jewish lobby. Both state they are for peace yet their beliefs have killed millions, so has the Muslims, Hindu's and all other organized cults except for the spaghetti monster.

[eggbeater]

14. odd you would say that.

My grandfather choked and died at a resturant one evening while eating spaghetti.


true story.

[The Bastard1]

15. I'm soooo sorry

Really I am, but since you brought it up the first thing that came to mind was Greg Allman.

[eggbeater]

17. Dont be sorry

The whole family jokes about it now.
matter of fact, My wife did spaghetti once for a family dinner years ago, it brought on suggestions that she might be trying to off someone for the inheritance.
my reaction to the comment was that that was just plain silly,, then I asked my father if he wanted another meatball.

[The Bastard1]

18. LOL!!! Sounds like my family!

[eggbeater]

19. family is great

its what makes life worth living.

take my family at that same dinner.
we have some members so far right that they think the bush is far left.
then we have some members so far left that they can even see bush if they squint in good light.
then there is me, just left of center.

of course, I cant resist during boring moments to say that bush is doing a great job, or bush is doing a bad job... then I just sit back and wait for the food fight.

you would think by the time you reach the age of 50, this type of entertainment would hold little value to you, but I tell you, its great.

[glitch]

23. Welcome to DU and thanks for the laughs both of you! nt

[China_cat]

24. Yeah, but it was the northern barbarians

with NO books of any kind that finished off Rome (which had the bible by that time and was converted to christianity by the conversion of the emperor Constantine)

[kiahzero]

20. Here's an answer for people like that

"Go back to high school, and try not to fail this time."

[blogslut]

21. ask "them"

to define civilization.

According to Webster's:

Main Entry: civ·i·li·za·tion
Pronunciation: "si-v&-l&-'zA-sh&n
Function: noun
1 a : a relatively high level of cultural and technological development; specifically : the stage of cultural development at which writing and the keeping of written records is attained b : the culture characteristic of a particular time or place
2 : the process of becoming civilized
3 a : refinement of thought, manners, or taste b : a situation of urban comfort

If one goes by the Webster definition, then civilization goes back to -at least- the Egyptians in 3200 B.C.

[The2ndWheel]

22. There wouldn't be civilization without agriculture

There wouldn't be a Bible either.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

25. The Story of B

[SPKrazy]

26. I Think It Is Hard To Argue That The Bible Didn't Have An Impact

on civilization in the Western world.

Don't know if there wouldn't have been "civilized" society without it though.

Your point about Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese, etc. all have had societies that were civilized before Christianity.