Welcome to Understanding the World
In
this issue we include two abstracts, one on the historicity of Adam an Eve and one on the escalating conflict in Syria. Both were recently
posted on the blog Life in the Universe. We also include some recent news articles.
Adam and Eve: were they the first humans? - Willie Mc Loud
In this essay I discuss various views about Adam and Eve. I also present my own view which explore the wider ancient context in which the story originated. Questions asked are: Does the Biblical narrative say that Adam and Eve were the very first humans on earth or is there reason to believe otherwise? Can we view the story as historical? How should we understand the creation of Adam and Eve? Did God really created Adam out of dust and Eve out of one of his ribs? And how does the story relate to the ancient Sumerian story of Adapa which corresponds with it? This essay is the second in the series on the Book of Genesis. (Key words: adam (mankind), Adam and Eve, Adapa, Genesis 2, Genesis series: part 2, mitochondrial Eve and Y chromosomal Adam, Ninti, origins). To read the article: Adam and Eve: were they the first humans?
War-clouds darken over the Middle East - Willie Mc Loud
The Syrian conflict has escalated over the last month. Everything seems to suggest that it will escalate even further when the West starts providing the rebels with more advanced weapons. But will it evolve further into a regional war? To answer this question I discuss the strategic interests of the major players, including the US, Israel, France, Iran and Russia. (Key words: Al-Nusra Front, Free Syrian Army, Hezbollah, Iran, Iranian War, Israel, Middle Eastern War, news desk, Syrian conflict). To read the article: War-clouds darken over the Middle East
Adam and Eve: were they the first humans? - Willie Mc Loud
In this essay I discuss various views about Adam and Eve. I also present my own view which explore the wider ancient context in which the story originated. Questions asked are: Does the Biblical narrative say that Adam and Eve were the very first humans on earth or is there reason to believe otherwise? Can we view the story as historical? How should we understand the creation of Adam and Eve? Did God really created Adam out of dust and Eve out of one of his ribs? And how does the story relate to the ancient Sumerian story of Adapa which corresponds with it? This essay is the second in the series on the Book of Genesis. (Key words: adam (mankind), Adam and Eve, Adapa, Genesis 2, Genesis series: part 2, mitochondrial Eve and Y chromosomal Adam, Ninti, origins). To read the article: Adam and Eve: were they the first humans?
War-clouds darken over the Middle East - Willie Mc Loud
The Syrian conflict has escalated over the last month. Everything seems to suggest that it will escalate even further when the West starts providing the rebels with more advanced weapons. But will it evolve further into a regional war? To answer this question I discuss the strategic interests of the major players, including the US, Israel, France, Iran and Russia. (Key words: Al-Nusra Front, Free Syrian Army, Hezbollah, Iran, Iranian War, Israel, Middle Eastern War, news desk, Syrian conflict). To read the article: War-clouds darken over the Middle East
In the news
(The opinions expressed in these articles are not our own but those of the different authors. We include these articles because the topics are relevant to issues under discussion in our e-letters and may be of interest to some readers).
- The fall from power of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt reflects their loss of support. Does it mean that Islamism is incompatible with democracy? The future of Islamism: Where does Islamism go from here?
- A well-preserved section of the Roman road from Jaffa to Jerusalem discovered. Section of 1800-year-old road discovered in Jerusalem.
- Discovering the tunnels and caves under Jerusalem in which the Jews hid during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70AD. Archaeologists excavate Jerusalem cave and tunnel network
(The opinions expressed in these articles are not our own but those of the different authors. We include these articles because the topics are relevant to issues under discussion in our e-letters and may be of interest to some readers).
- The fall from power of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt reflects their loss of support. Does it mean that Islamism is incompatible with democracy? The future of Islamism: Where does Islamism go from here?
- A well-preserved section of the Roman road from Jaffa to Jerusalem discovered. Section of 1800-year-old road discovered in Jerusalem.
- Discovering the tunnels and caves under Jerusalem in which the Jews hid during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70AD. Archaeologists excavate Jerusalem cave and tunnel network
"Our findings provide a window into what Native American societies were like beginning more than 6,000 years ago,"
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-professor-prehistoric-art-cosmological-belief.html#jCp
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-professor-prehistoric-art-cosmological-belief.html#jCp
"Our findings provide a window into what Native American societies were like beginning more than 6,000 years ago,"
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-professor-prehistoric-art-cosmological-belief.html#jCp
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-professor-prehistoric-art-cosmological-belief.html#jCp
"Our findings provide a window into what Native American societies were like beginning more than 6,000 years ago,"
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-professor-prehistoric-art-cosmological-belief.html#jCp
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-professor-prehistoric-art-cosmological-belief.html#jCp
"Our findings provide a window into what Native American societies were like beginning more than 6,000 years ago,"
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-professor-prehistoric-art-cosmological-belief.html#jCp
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-professor-prehistoric-art-cosmological-belief.html#jCp
- Native Americans living 6000 years ago believed that the cosmos includes an upper (heavens), middle (natural world) and lower (underworld) division. Prehistoric rock art maps cosmological belief.
Readers are welcome to bring interesting articles to our attention for possible placement in Understanding the World.
Previous issues of Understanding the World
Readers are welcome to bring interesting articles to our attention for possible placement in Understanding the World.
Previous issues of Understanding the World
Abraham en sy God - koop 'n boek!!
Willie Mc Loud se nuwe boek getiteld Op soek na Abraham en sy God - 'n studie oor die historisiteit van die Genesis-verhale
(Griffel, 2012) het onlangs verskyn. Die volledige inhoudsopgawe word
vir die eerste maal hier gepos asook 'n uittreksel van 'n resensie wat
in TEO verskyn het. Die stimulerende lekkerlees trant van die boek maak
dit ideale leesstof vir 'n vakansie. Dit is 'n goeie geskenk vir
familie en vriende wat in die betroubaarheid van die Bybel
belangstel.(Sleutelwoorde: Abraham, Adam, antieke wêreldbeskouing,
argeologie, Bybelse inspirasie, El-Elyon, El-Sjaddai, Enmerkar, Etana,
Genesis, goderaad, Henog, Nimrod, Satan, Sumerië, taleverwarring, toring
van Babel).
Om meer te lees klik op Abraham en sy God - koop 'n boek!!
Om meer te lees klik op Abraham en sy God - koop 'n boek!!
If you find Understanding the World interesting, forward it to a friend.
Understanding the world
is a monthly e-letter with abstracts of, and links to, informative
articles on a variety of interrelated issues including origins, science,
philosophy, faith, archaeology, international affairs (especially the
Middle East and the European Union) and eschatology (study of the last
events).
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