There is no doubt that the Bible is the foundation of our Western laws, philosophy and morality. The very name comes from the Greek βιβλος, meaning “The Book”. The Bible is a compendium of very ancient knowledge. This knowledge has been guiding the human race since the earliest writing and telling of myths.
For example, The Ten Commandements are based on a list of rules that were formulated millenia before Moses. They are anticipated in the Egyptian Hall of Judgment, where the soul was weighed in the balance at life’s end [1].
Noah and the Flood is almost word-for-word the retelling of an earlier Babylonian myth. The Egyptian God Horus’ birth was heralded by the morning star Sirius. He was baptized by Anup the Baptizer who was later decapitated. Horus had no history between the ages of twelve and thirty. He walked on water, cast out demons, healed the sick. Horus was crucified between two thieves, buried in a tomb, and resurrected. Sound familiar? There are hundreds more points of similarity in Horus’ life with the Bible.
This is not to detract from the Bible’s authority, but rather to reinforce it by emphasizing how it deals with myths and ideas that span human history.
It’s great stuff: don’t kill, don’t swear, don’t steal, respect your parents, take a break once a week, don’t lie, don’t be diddling other people’s spouses, etc. However, we need to ask whether there are not also paradoxes.
What are we to make of Genesis 1:26–28: “And God said: Let us make man (...) and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth (...) So God created male and female, and God said Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it: and have dominion (...) over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
As a result of following this advice, you have the essence of all the problems of humanity: there are too many humans, who have treated the World like their personal property, to do with as they please. Since Man is unwise, this did not work out well.
Sure, thousands of years ago this was a good attitude to have. We were a tiny band of frail hairless apes, fighting for our survival. We needed to kick ass in order not to disappear. We needed a story that would encourage and justify propagation.
It seems to have worked out too well. The Earth’s resources are about right for 2 billion people. Yet here we are, six billion with no end in sight. Yes, you can argue that it should have been done in moderation, that things would be OK if we had used a little sense. Doesn’t work that way.
How is the “subduing the Earth” bit working out, what with the Global Warming and catastrophic Climate Change? How do you subdue the Earth when it decides to cut off our oil supply?
I don’t have an answer. I’m just asking: is it possible to reappraise some of the precepts that have influenced our culture since Day One? Or is our civilization designed for failure? The answer may be just around the corner.