What Controversy Over the Dead Sea Scrolls? San Diego Museum Doesn't Want Opposing Views

A little over a week ago I posted about the Dead Sea Scrolls coming to San Diego.

Two reasons why I posted were, I've always been fascinated by the scrolls and I know a few folks that visit regularly live in So Cal..

You might say it was a public service announcement.

Then, seven days later, I received a comment from 'Charles' making statements about and asking valid questions concerning the upcoming exhibit and the lectures involved with it.

Controversy? What controversy? It's just a bunch of old papers, right? Well! OK. Papyrus and animal hides. Slap 'em into cases with bullet proof glass (See National Treasure) and let people file by to look at 'em. What's the problem?

Well. It seems the people running the show are from the 'old school'. This group supports the Qumran-Essene theory of Scroll origins which basically stated is the town close to the caves where the scrolls were found (Khirbet Qumran) housed the people (Essenes) that wrote the scrolls.

In the 1980's and 90's this view was challenged.

Some say that many of the scrolls do not match up to Essene teachings.

As a result...

During the 1990s, another theory expressed "that the authors of the scrolls were "Essene-Like" or a splinter Essene group rather than simply Essenes as such. This modification of the Essene theory takes into account some significant differences between the world view expressed in some of the scrolls and the Essenes as described by the classical authors. Together, the two theories may be called the "Qumran-sectarian theory". (Wikipedia)

Other theories concerning the origins of the scrolls are:

• It was a Sadducee community in Qumram.
  
• The scrolls came from several libraries in Jerusalem and were hidden in 68-70 AD during the Roman Seige.
  
• The scrolls were part of the actual library of the Temple in Jerusalem
  
• A Christian connection (that prying1 sees as wishful thinking) that one scrap is from the book of Mark or that James the Just and Paul of Tarsus are described on scraps in some way.

Apparently the recommended reading list and stated lecturers do not touch upon the debates concerning the origins of the scrolls themselves. That is, the Qumran-Essene theory versus the newer theories. For years there was a clique of scholars that had control over the scrolls until they were forced to release them for others to study. It appears that the same clique is running the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibition at San Diego Natural History Museum as at the Seattle Exhibition last year and others in previous years.

For example the book, Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?: The Search for the Secret of Qumran by Dr. Norman Golb could easily be listed but it is not. Dr. Golb's and numerous other author's evidence contrary to the Qumran-Essene theory has not appeared at any 'official' showing of the scrolls.

prying1 sez: In the United States people love debate. Especially if pies are thrown at the end. Just kidding about the pies but I'm not kidding about the debate. The San Diego Museum and the Associations sponsoring the showing of the scrolls are seeking monetary gain (and rightly so - They need and deserve pay for the work being done concerning the scrolls. The scrolls don't preserve and translate themselves.) along with their desire to 'entertain' and 'teach the public'. If they were smart they would play on this controversy. I'm not saying that they should advertise it like a wrestling smackdown but it could be played up and have two opponents meet to present their views. Perhaps two panels to meet and confer in a public setting with or without tickets.

I'm certain it would selland increase interest in the showing. Looking at the lecture schedule it looks like there are plenty of nights available to toss this subject in.

I am in no way a scholar although I'm not stupid either. Seems to me the ones "holding on to the knowledge" are simply trying to make
themselves appear more important than they really are. To me that is
sad.

I thought that when they finally released the scrolls in the 90's that they might
have figured that out for themselves. Living in an ivory tower does
not make a person smarter than others or more right than another. - -
- - If they are afraid of debate they are simply afraid of being
proven wrong.

Truth is. (please note period at the end of that statement) I like to
use the word immutable as a qualifying word for 'truth'.

So if they are right or wrong they should learn the truth and move on.

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Spc. Jordan William HessWednesday Hero

This Weeks Hero Was Submitted by Beth

Spc. Jordan William Hess
27 years old from Marysville, Washington
Company C, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment
December 5, 2006


"Specialist Hess died of wounds received on a battlefield upon which no markers or memorials exist, yet his name will be etched upon the small part of each of our hearts that has hardened to stone by the realization of his passing. I will take Specialist Jordan Hess’ name to my own grave, in the hope that I can somehow preserve the honorable life that he led,” said Capt. Ian Lauer, commander of Company C.

Spc. Hess was a study in contrasts who loved a challenge. He had a warrior's spirit and was thrilled at the chance to serve his county, his parents said from their home in Marysville. He also was content to look for his muse in various forms of art, including glass-blowing, photography and poetry. It was this balance that people will remember most about the 26-year-old who was critically injured Nov. 11 in Ta'Meem, Iraq, when an IED detonated near his combat patrol.

A three-year veteran in the U.S. Army, Hess spent more than a year in Korea as well as time in Germany, always looking for an overseas assignment, Bill and Tammy Hess said. They knew their son was on his way to Kuwait the last time they spoke with him in October, and they suspected he had been deployed to Iraq as part of a tank unit when they didn’t hear from him for several weeks. After his injury, Hess was flown back to the United States and treated for several weeks at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. His parents, as well as his six brothers and one sister, were flown there to be with him.

"None of us wanted to see him hurt like that," Bill Hess said. "But one of the greatest blessings in my life was that we were able to say goodbye."

Hess was an avid wrestler from the time he was young, and news of his death circulated at Lake Stevens High School, where he attended until 1999. "He was a strong-willed, independent young man with a unique sense of humor," the Lake Stevens wrestling coaches said in a statement. "The Lake Stevens wrestling community today feels a strong sense of loss."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

~~~~~

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Some Blogging Without the Flogging

Ok - It has been a few days since I've posted. Been pretty busy and plus all the news is...

Let's just say, "Typical".

Well. I could comment on Hillary, Pelosi and Cindy Sheehan but then I'd be accused of attacking them and of being insecure in my masculinity when confronted by 'strong women'.

Heaven forbid that should happen.

I did hear that the U.N. voted to outlaw war but it didn't work out the way they wanted it to. Half a dozen third world nations have initiated hostilities against one another each seeking the U.N. commission of enforcing the law.

"There will be big bucks involved in this racket." said one un-named but reliable dictator. "Whoever is chosen to lead the U.N. army into places where there is chaos and confusion will get the spoils from sacking, plundering and pillaging. I want that loot!!!".

His sentiments were echoed by the toadies he had surrounding him.

I noticed that recently that my thinking hasn't been as sharp as it was in my younger years so I finally broke down and bought some of those memory pills through a spam email offer. I don't think they work very well though. I keep forgetting to take them.

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My boss and his wife said, "Hey! We didn't get ptomaine over the holidays. Let's take a vacation on a cruise ship." - - -

They made it back ok but still I have to wonder why anyone would want to take the chance....

I mean. Stuck out in the ocean and the only doc around is either another passenger that ate the shrimp too or the ship's doctor that lost his license because he was always too drunk to write prescription's legible enough for pharmacists to read...

Me. I'll stick to dry land. Unless I get to fish and those cruise ship decks are too high off the water for that.

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I got tagged the other day by Doug of Political Pistachio - Hopefully I can answer on Saturday when I get a bit of time.

~~~~~

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