THE IMPACT OF THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS?

Religious Studies Department ^ | Catherine Murphy

[drstevej]

Looks like Calvin was a Qumran dude.

"the scrolls also contend that God has already chosen the sons of light and the sons of darkness. "

[drstevej]

***Your task in this essay will be to pick one of the above groups of literature, or even one book in one group, and to study how that text differs from later Bibles and functioned as sacred Scripture at Qumran.***

This presupposes that any book found at Qumran was considered sacred Scripture. I have a copy of the Book of Mormon on my shelf. I also have Sean Hannity's book and a Bible on the same shelf.

Are these of equal value as sources of wisdom to me?

This lady may think so, but I consider one the Word of God, one a good read and the other a cult manual.

[drstevej]

Answer (post #3):

Bible = Word of God
Sean Hannity = A good read
Book of Mormon =

[Wrigley]

Its really interesting that restornu brought up the Dead Sea Scrolls in the other thread. Before I went to Chicago for Thanksgiving I put on the BYTV channel and guess what program was on? You're right, a show on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I tried watching but it was so dead boring, I gave up and put Buffy on.

Hey, rest, did you happen so see that show?

[Wrigley]

Some more interesting bits.

In advocating that initiates withdraw from the "sons of darkness," the rule texts imply that members broke ties with others in their usual company, such as their families. This is a striking and yet familiar pattern in sectarian development, as the sect establishes tight boundaries around itself that preclude the previous networks in which members traveled.

The first couple sentences are interesting. The pattern is seen amoung many cults, including the Mormons.

Although it appears that the core of the Jewish law, the Torah, was fairly well established at Qumran in its written form (Genesis-Deuteronomy), that does not mean that the law was static or rigid. This apocalyptic community gave its instructors great latitude to interpret that law in a manner that was at once faithful to it and at the same time very creative with it

It looks like there were a bunch of liberals at Qumram. The Law was not rigid, but in fact static and allowed creative interpretations.

The rules and halakhic material found in the Qumran caves stipulate ethical behavior that represents a rather strict interpretation of the Jewish law. Much emphasis was placed on observing the law and being judged for how well you did that.

Calvin may not have been a Qumram dude. It looks like there was some emphesis on works leading to some salvation.

[drstevej]

***Hey, rest, did you happen so see that show? ***

Which one the Qumran one or Buffy?

[Wrigley]

The dead sea scroll show.

I don't think our rest would be caught watching Buffy. And I probably shouldn't either, but it has an interesting ongoing story.

[restornu]

The Shape of the Bible at Qumran There was no Bible at Qumran, at least not in the way we think of a set collection of certain books judged to be sacred and published between two covers. Instead, we have lots of scrolls whose relative authority is difficult to judge. There are, to be sure, the books of the Jewish canon (except Esther). There are also some apocryphal works (those are the ones you'll find in a Catholic but not in a Jewish or Protestant Bible), like Tobit, Judith, and extra parts of Daniel. There are even some other books that seem to be authoritative for the community (because they quote them in legal contexts or use them as a basis for their sectarian beliefs) - books like Jubilees, Enoch, and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. These are not in anyone's Bible today. Even more interesting, perhaps, we sometimes have multiple copies of single "biblical" books at Qumran, and they are not always the same. That is, the sectarians did not seem too concerned, as later Jews and Christians will be, to have just one form of the text in use. Your task in this essay will be to pick one of the above groups of literature, or even one book in one group, and to study how that text differs from later Bibles and functioned as sacred Scripture at Qumran.

[drstevej]

Are all editions of Doctrines and Covenants identical? How about the BoM?

[wai-ming]

Why do you keep a cult manual on your shelf? If it is out of harmony with the other books, get rid of it. Not good feng shui.

May I suggest you replace it with The Teachings of Buddha. Also a good read. You might learn something.

[restornu]

My Mail | New posts to you | restornu

"My new posts to you" - won't clear! HELP?

[drstevej]

***Not good feng shui.***

Maybe that's why I have had sinus problems lately, you think?

[drstevej]

I think the problem is system wide.

[BibChr]

I saw Buffy. Don't tell anyone, but... I watch every week.

[wai-ming]

Smile.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

The Chinese would say something is "out of harmony" internally, and that causes your sinus problems. Perhaps you're thinking too much, doctor.

Relax your forehead. . . Breathe in . . . breathe out. . . Relax your eyebrows. . . Breathe in . . . Breathe out. . . Relax your eyes . . .

[xzins]

I just put a new computer on line in the last few hours. My "new posts" is also lit up constantly. I was thinking it somehow was the computer settings. Glad you posted this.

Do you have an answer yet?

[computerjunkie]

OK, I give! Who (or what) is Buffy?

[wai-ming]

The vampire slayer?

[computerjunkie]

Gee, if that's it, I'm glad I missed it! So, would that be considered a "who" or a "what"? :)