Effects of a Volcano

[AzA]

the Book of Exodus seems to verify--from a safe distance--the explosion of Thera (aka Santorini) in the Aegean, producing all the plagues and the parting of the Reed/Red Sea, as well as several of the miracles after, the origin of the Philistines, the destruction of the Minoan Civilization, etc.

but you have to put yourself into the mind of a Bronze Age person, and try to see things as he or she would see it.

over the past forty years, more and more research has been done about the Thera eruption. it would appear that there was also a lot of tectonic activity in the eastern Mediterranean at the time, which may account for some of the 'miracles' after the Hebrews left Egypt.

there've been several studies or papers over the past few years.

for me, it's only a matter of time before someone gets the balls to officially tie it all together. dunno if it'll happen in what time i have left. but i am positive that proof exists throughout the eastern Mediterranean, waiting to be found.

Has anyone studied into this before?
(StormyOne, I thought you especially might have come across something.)

Of special interest to me is the fact that there is much less distance between Thera and Egypt than between Iceland and London, but a little ash over Iceland this summer completely halted air traffic for two weeks across Europe.

A little background on Thera: "The island is the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history: the Minoan eruption (sometimes called the Thera eruption), which occurred some 3,600 years ago at the height of the Minoan civilization. The eruption left a large caldera surrounded by volcanic ash deposits hundreds of feet deep and may have led indirectly to the collapse of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, 110 km (68 mi) to the south, through the creation of a gigantic tsunami."

Thoughts?

----------

*Special thread request that respondents resist the urge to criticize unbelievers and academics.*

 

[StormyOne]

I have not heard of this..... but I will be exploring this evening...

 

[AzA]

Ok. Will listen out for you.

 

[sentipente]

He just loves this.

 

[StormyOne]

Here is a brief article that sums up the theory.... though I will admit the explanation for the last plague is kinda weak....

Biblical plagues really happened say scientists - Telegraph

 

[StormyOne]

Here is another article.... makes you think, hmmmmmm.....
Unusual Historicals: Disasters: The Plagues of Egypt

 

[AzA]

Stormy, I don't buy the "food" explanation at all either. One of the links you offered suggested deliberate appeasement sacrifices -- and that's plausible given the customs of contemporary cultures, both Egyptian and Canaanite (remember how Abraham was ready to go on Moriah, and child sacrifice/murder keeps recurring through Israelite history, usually at times of major social breakdown).

Anyway, the other day I was reading about the Hyksos. There were a couple of coups and regime changes that might easily have precipitated mass murder and the Angel of Death.

Another interesting thing is that the Thera explanation matches with an early date for the Exodus (1600s/1500s BC) but not with a late date (1300s/1200s BC). In other words, if the Thera explanation holds, the Pharaoh involved would not have been Ramesses (sorry Yul Brynner), but Ahmose. Would be cool to read some more.

 

[Avonia]

One of the links you offered suggested deliberate appeasement sacrifices -- and that's plausible given the customs of contemporary cultures, both Egyptian and Canaanite (remember how Abraham was ready to go on Moriah, and child sacrifice/murder keeps recurring through Israelite history, usually at times of major social breakdown).

Assigning tragedy to a god is a coping mechanism - it's a product of our desire to make sense out of things when we feel helpless and out of control.

But aside from that first tier utility, it's not an especially good way to express choice about creating a new circumstance.

But it's certainly understandable when there are fewer degrees of freedom.

 

[AzA]

Assigning tragedy to a god is a coping mechanism - it's a product of our desire to make sense out of things when we feel helpless and out of control.

Well, if you think about it this way, the people credited God when things *did* go their way. When things went their way, God was blessing them. When things didn't go their way, God was punishing them.

They might have been inconsistent about other things, but at least they were consistent about that.

 

[StormyOne]

Well, if you think about it this way, the people credited God when things *did* go their way. When things went their way, God was blessing them. When things didn't go their way, God was punishing them.

They might have been inconsistent about other things, but at least they were consistent about that.

Whereas now its "God is blessing" or "The devil is busy" preventing us from being blessed.....

 

[AzA]

Whereas now its "God is blessing" or "The devil is busy" preventing us from being blessed.....

For some, but not for all.
I think there's a personal responsibility thread that we have our wider culture to thank for.