The problem with the DH is there is zero independent evidence for it, it is not a theory that ever makes predictions that are falsifiable, it is simply a just so explanation of problems in the text that there are other possible resolutions for, for example by comparative ANE literature. If you knew how little evidence these grand theories of mushite priests were built on you would be less impressed.
I agree, but DH purports to be more than hermeneutics, and fools laypeople like Bryan into thinking there is more data behind the theories than there is. DH is, being extremely generous, the mode of an extremely diffuse posterior probability distribution that is formed from the fixed data of the Bible. It may not be the most likely explanation, but even it is, it is “most likely” in the sense of 3% likely in a sea of 2.9% likely explanations.
The DH people are mostly silly anti-Christians and the sort of people who find patterns in random lists of numbers, because it makes them feel special.
Nonetheless, the Bible was somehow assembled, and by more than person. How, is an interesting question. Public Choice is a great tool for that. I think the Bible is divinely inspired, but that doesn't rule out selfish motives in the writers. Jeremiah notes that he has his scribe writing things down, presumably for pay. Note the similarity with the Invisible Hand. Smith saw that as the invisible hand of God's providence, divinely producing wealth but using human greed.
I thought I remembered a quote where some devil like Mephistopheles say, "I am the spirit that tries to do evil but ever does good." Anyone know what I'mthinking of?
Under public choice theory, which power elite authored the passages that every child is created in the image of god, or love the stranger for you were strangers in Egypt, or to open your hand to the poor, the widow and the orphan, or the provision for debts to be released and slaves to be freed? Something else is going on there.
Mate, you're even mixing things from the Old and New Testament. If you are not familiarized with the Documentary Hypothesis, not even with the Bible, don't give your opinion.
“And God said: Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness…”
Genesis 9:6 (reaffirmation after the Flood)
“For in the image of God He made man.”
***
Exodus 22:20 (22:21 in Christian numbering)
“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
Leviticus 19:33–34
“The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself…”
Deuteronomy 10:18–19
“He loves the stranger… therefore love the stranger.”
Deuteronomy 24:17
“You shall not subvert the rights of the stranger or the orphan…”
***
Deuteronomy 15:7–8
“You shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand against your poor brother… you shall surely open your hand to him.”
Deuteronomy 15:11
“You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your poor and your needy.”
Deuteronomy 14:28–29. 26:12
“At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce… and the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow shall come and eat and be satisfied.”
***
Exodus 22:21–23 (22:22–24)
“You shall not afflict any widow or orphan.”
Deuteronomy 10:18
“He executes justice for the orphan and the widow.”
Deuteronomy 14:29
Widows included among those supported by the tithe.
Deuteronomy 24:19–21
Gleanings of harvest reserved for “the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.”
Deuteronomy 27:19
“Cursed is one who subverts the justice due to the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.”
***
Deuteronomy 15:1–3
“At the end of every seven years you shall make a release… every creditor shall release what he has lent.”
Exodus 21:2
“If you acquire a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go free.”
Deuteronomy 15:12–15
Command to free slaves generously and with dignity.
Leviticus 25:8–13
Proclamation of liberty in the fiftieth year.
Leviticus 25:39–41
Indentured servants return to freedom in the Jubilee.
***
Public choice theory makes these verses a challenge not only to the ambition of biblical criticism to be a total critique, also a challenge to the atheist. If societal power is dictated (or strongly influenced) by those who can make the public decisions, what was the incentive in Ancient Israel (say 750 BCE and earlier) for these public choices? No one was trying to recruit the votes of the poor, widows, orphans, strangers, etc.
For a discussion of how these ideas affected Western Civilization,, see Justice for All: How the Jewish Bible Revolutionized Ethics (2017), Jeremiah Unterman; and In God's Image: How Western Civilization Was Shaped by a Rvolutionary Idea, Tomer Pesio
The problem with the DH is there is zero independent evidence for it, it is not a theory that ever makes predictions that are falsifiable, it is simply a just so explanation of problems in the text that there are other possible resolutions for, for example by comparative ANE literature. If you knew how little evidence these grand theories of mushite priests were built on you would be less impressed.
Lol, falsifiable prediction with hermeneutics xD
I agree, but DH purports to be more than hermeneutics, and fools laypeople like Bryan into thinking there is more data behind the theories than there is. DH is, being extremely generous, the mode of an extremely diffuse posterior probability distribution that is formed from the fixed data of the Bible. It may not be the most likely explanation, but even it is, it is “most likely” in the sense of 3% likely in a sea of 2.9% likely explanations.
The DH people are mostly silly anti-Christians and the sort of people who find patterns in random lists of numbers, because it makes them feel special.
Nonetheless, the Bible was somehow assembled, and by more than person. How, is an interesting question. Public Choice is a great tool for that. I think the Bible is divinely inspired, but that doesn't rule out selfish motives in the writers. Jeremiah notes that he has his scribe writing things down, presumably for pay. Note the similarity with the Invisible Hand. Smith saw that as the invisible hand of God's providence, divinely producing wealth but using human greed.
I thought I remembered a quote where some devil like Mephistopheles say, "I am the spirit that tries to do evil but ever does good." Anyone know what I'mthinking of?
Under public choice theory, which power elite authored the passages that every child is created in the image of god, or love the stranger for you were strangers in Egypt, or to open your hand to the poor, the widow and the orphan, or the provision for debts to be released and slaves to be freed? Something else is going on there.
Mate, you're even mixing things from the Old and New Testament. If you are not familiarized with the Documentary Hypothesis, not even with the Bible, don't give your opinion.
See
Genesis 1:26–27
“And God said: Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness…”
Genesis 9:6 (reaffirmation after the Flood)
“For in the image of God He made man.”
***
Exodus 22:20 (22:21 in Christian numbering)
“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
Leviticus 19:33–34
“The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself…”
Deuteronomy 10:18–19
“He loves the stranger… therefore love the stranger.”
Deuteronomy 24:17
“You shall not subvert the rights of the stranger or the orphan…”
***
Deuteronomy 15:7–8
“You shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand against your poor brother… you shall surely open your hand to him.”
Deuteronomy 15:11
“You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your poor and your needy.”
Deuteronomy 14:28–29. 26:12
“At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce… and the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow shall come and eat and be satisfied.”
***
Exodus 22:21–23 (22:22–24)
“You shall not afflict any widow or orphan.”
Deuteronomy 10:18
“He executes justice for the orphan and the widow.”
Deuteronomy 14:29
Widows included among those supported by the tithe.
Deuteronomy 24:19–21
Gleanings of harvest reserved for “the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.”
Deuteronomy 27:19
“Cursed is one who subverts the justice due to the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.”
***
Deuteronomy 15:1–3
“At the end of every seven years you shall make a release… every creditor shall release what he has lent.”
Exodus 21:2
“If you acquire a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go free.”
Deuteronomy 15:12–15
Command to free slaves generously and with dignity.
Leviticus 25:8–13
Proclamation of liberty in the fiftieth year.
Leviticus 25:39–41
Indentured servants return to freedom in the Jubilee.
***
Public choice theory makes these verses a challenge not only to the ambition of biblical criticism to be a total critique, also a challenge to the atheist. If societal power is dictated (or strongly influenced) by those who can make the public decisions, what was the incentive in Ancient Israel (say 750 BCE and earlier) for these public choices? No one was trying to recruit the votes of the poor, widows, orphans, strangers, etc.
For a discussion of how these ideas affected Western Civilization,, see Justice for All: How the Jewish Bible Revolutionized Ethics (2017), Jeremiah Unterman; and In God's Image: How Western Civilization Was Shaped by a Rvolutionary Idea, Tomer Pesio
I was talking to you, not to ChatGPT. Whatever you made no argument really.