The Bible's Buried Secrets: Did G-D have a Wife?

[dionysiandame]

I've been seeing a few threads asking about El and/or Asherah and remembered this documentary I listened to. I, actually, really enjoyed this and shared it with several of my friends, including a few die-hard Christians who found it illuminating. (Why can't I help but feel like I corrupted them somehow?)

I especially love how she uses the Bible as the jumping off point for her investigation. This kind of eliminates a common argument of whether or not a missing piece is found in the "canon" or not.

[video=youtube;QMtVXcC7t1Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMtVXcC7t1Y[/video]


As with any other documentary I post, if there are any inaccuracies, please mention them for the benefit of any other souls who may stumble upon this thread.

Other than that, I'd love to hear your thoughts/opinion on her theories and/or the reaction of the religious leaders she speaks with.

[Riothamus12]

I've been seeing a few threads asking about El and/or Asherah and remembered this documentary I listened to. I, actually, really enjoyed this and shared it with several of my friends, including a few die-hard Christians who found it illuminating. (Why can't I help but feel like I corrupted them somehow?)

I especially love how she uses the Bible as the jumping off point for her investigation. This kind of eliminates a common argument of whether or not a missing piece is found in the "canon" or not.

[video=youtube;QMtVXcC7t1Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMtVXcC7t1Y[/video]


As with any other documentary I post, if there are any inaccuracies, please mention them for the benefit of any other souls who may stumble upon this thread.

Other than that, I'd love to hear your thoughts/opinion on her theories and/or the reaction of the religious leaders she speaks with.

 
Well I can't say much about this subject though I have herd according to this theory that Asherah or an entity called the Queen of Heaven written in some related text.

Just as a side question why do people spell write God as G-d like that?

[Asch]

Just as a side question why do people spell write God as G-d like that?

If I recall correctly for religious Jews and some Christian sects spelling the name of God in full is forbidden. Or severely frowned on outside of religious context.

[sailor]

If I recall correctly for religious Jews and some Christian sects spelling the name of God in full is forbidden. Or severely frowned on outside of religious context.

 
Don't know about the Christians, but for Jews you can spell out the name where and when you want.  The problem becomes one of what do you do with what you wrote it on. Proper disposal requires it be treated similar to a human body - it has to be buried in a Jewish cemetery.  Considering how expensive that can get, one tries to only write it for religious texts that will be used for years such as prayer books.

[Sophia C]

Don't know about the Christians, but for Jews you can spell out the name where and when you want.  The problem becomes one of what do you do with what you wrote it on. Proper disposal requires it be treated similar to a human body - it has to be buried in a Jewish cemetery.  Considering how expensive that can get, one tries to only write it for religious texts that will be used for years such as prayer books.

 
But it can't be spoken, right? I've heard people read it aloud as 'Adonai' (Lord) when the four Hebrew letters are written.

[sailor]

But it can't be spoken, right? I've heard people read it aloud as 'Adonai' (Lord) when the four Hebrew letters are written.

 
It can't be spoken because nobody knows how to say it.

[Sophia C]

It can't be spoken because nobody knows how to say it.

 
Ahh, interesting. I'd picked up the idea that it was taboo to say.

[Riothamus12]

Ahh, interesting. I'd picked up the idea that it was taboo to say.

 
The funny thing about the whole name of God is that all of these names used to refer to God, Yahweh, Adonai, Elohim, and so forth are not actually God's true name. These are "names" technically but not the true name. There are plenty of legends I heard about the true name saying it is so powerful in and of itself that just saying it can rattle the foundations of buildings and make people faint. Of course, no one says what that name is in legends. Furthering the confusion is that these words are quite ambiguous. Elohim for example can mean God or Gods. Adonai is merely a substitute meaning lord. If I recall correctly Yahweh translates to something like "I am that that which I am." Other research suggests that we already know Gods name. El, the lord of the polytheistic Semites Gods. According to this theory, the Israelites were originally a nomadic tribe who favored El above all other Gods. The name of God is one of the great spiritual and historical mysteries and not an easy one to solve. As for the "true" name strictly within the context of Judaism your guess is as good as mine.

[Valentine]

Ahh, interesting. I'd picked up the idea that it was taboo to say.

 
In many circles it's considered extremely disrespectful and presumptuous, but yes, there is also a tradition that the true and accurate pronunciation of the Name is a carefully-guarded secret.  There's a whole tradition that a person who has actually done the lifetime of study necessary to be able to know and pronounce the true Name of YHVH, a "Master of the Good Name" or Ba'al Shem Tov, can derive miraculous power from it.  Sailor's also making an important point about traditions regarding proper treatment of any object on which the Name is written, which complicate matters.

Writing "G-d" doesn't come from believing "God" is the true Name--it's sort of an echo of that respect and humility and an acknowledgement of the Name's unknowableness and off-limits-ness even in indirect reference.