12-11-2008, 01:26 PM
Lew Whites Fossilized Customs---relevant or a fossil that needs to be buried? Fact based or the odd fact fueled by conjecture, wishful thinking and errant doctrine?
12-11-2008, 01:26 PM
12-13-2008, 06:38 PM
02-08-2009, 11:04 PM
One of Lew White’s main theories in his "Fossilized Customs" concerns the language of what he calls “pagan Christianity”. His view scopes out words that are used and speculates that the origins are pagan which equals anathema to God’s ears. Therefore, one must not use the words that he has culled out of the English language to use in reference to God or in worship to Him.
Following are quotes from Lew White’s book that refer to some of these words and how research exposes his errors. I will be adding more posts as I collect research. Here is the first word: Bible or Biblios
The following is what research has discovered. It looks like Mr White "misspoke" himself a bit. Perhaps he should have done a bit more "homework"
So, as we see here, Byblos/Biblia is not the name of a goddess, but actually comes from the name of the papyrus paper that was exported from Byblos.
Following are quotes from Lew White’s book that refer to some of these words and how research exposes his errors. I will be adding more posts as I collect research. Here is the first word: Bible or Biblios
Quote:Fossilized Customs: Pages 20-21
“Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other elohim; DO NOT LET THEM BE HEARD ON YOUR LIPS.” (See also Ps. 16:4). Today, we assume we can ignore a little thing like that, and call the days of the week by Roman and Norse deities, even calling the planets by ancient idols’ names. If we love Him, we will do whatever pleases Him.
Bible - This word was originally Phoenician, then passed into Greek, then Latin. It means books in Greek. It is no where to be found in the inspired text of Scripture ~ it’s just put on the cover. If your Scriptures have maps in the back, check for a Phoenician port city called “BYBLOS”. This city was named Byblos because the Phoenician fertility idol BIBLIA was worshipped there, in a temple dedicated in her honor. The city was later re-named Gebal. This port city exported papyrus, or the writing paper of the ancient world, so scrolls came to be called after the name of the city ~ which was named after an idol. It might not be wise to continue to call the Word of hwhy “The Bible” now that you realize this.
The following is what research has discovered. It looks like Mr White "misspoke" himself a bit. Perhaps he should have done a bit more "homework"
Quote:The English word "Bible" is from the Greek phrase ta biblia, "the books," an expression Hellenistic Jews used to describe their sacred books several centuries before the time of Jesus. Christians adopted the phrase "Old Testament" to refer to these sacred books they shared with Jews.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/...tures.html
Quote:Bible
From: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | Date: 1996 | Author: T. F. HOAD | The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996.
Bible the Holy Scriptures XIII. — (O)F. — ecclL. biblia, n. pl. taken as fem. sg. — Gr. (tà) biblía ‘(the) books’, pl. of biblíon, orig. dim. of bíblios, būblos papyrus, scroll.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-Bible.html
Quote:We know the Bible was composed of Hebrew words. But is the word Bible itself of Hebrew (or related) origin?
In his Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language, Klein writes:
The Bible [L. biblia, from Gk. biblia (= collection of writings), pl. of biblion (= paper, scroll, book), which is the dimin. of biblos, byblos ( = the inner bark of papyrus; book), from Byblos, Gr. name of the famous Phoen. transit port, whence the Greeks received the Egyptian papyrus. Gk. Byblos has been assimilated from גבל, the Heb.-Phoen. name of the city (=lit.: 'frontier-town') cp. Heb. גבול (= frontier, boundary), Arab. jabal (=mountain). cp. jubayl, the actual Arab. name of ancient Gebhal (jubayl properly is a dimin. formed from the original name of the city).
http://www.balashon.com/2006/06/bible.html
Quote:Baalat, or Ba'alat, is not properly a name but a title, meaning "Mistress", "Lady", or "Queen". She is the main Deity of the city of Gubla or Byblos, the modern Jebeil in Lebanon, a few miles north of Beirut. She is associated with Ba'al-Shaman, "Lord of the Heavens" as His consort and cult-partner. She is most likely a form of Ashtart, the Phoenician Goddess of Love, Fertility and the planet Venus, whose cult is known to have been centered in Gubla.
As the main Goddess of Gubla, Ba'alat watched over and protected the city and its royal family. Her shrine in Gubla, close to the Sea, was considered Her oldest, and indeed it has been dated way back to 2700 BCE. The city of Gubla was a very ancient one, and in Greek legend it is said to be the first city in the world. It probably can't claim to be quite that old, but there is evidence of a settlement there dating back to the Neolithic period, from about 5000 BCE. Gubla had a long history of trade with Egypt, especially in cedar wood, and Egyptian influence can be seen in its art and its religion. The city got its Greek name, Byblos, from its exportation of papyrus paper (called by the same word); later this Greek word came to mean books in general, which is how the Hebrew/Christian scriptures have come to be called the Bible.
http://www.thaliatook.com/OGOD/baalat.html
So, as we see here, Byblos/Biblia is not the name of a goddess, but actually comes from the name of the papyrus paper that was exported from Byblos.