Archaeology, Bible, Politics and the Media

Drawing on their decades of experience on archaeological digs in Israel, Duke University Professors Carol and Eric Meyers take questions from online viewers about the charged combination of archaeology, the Bible, politics and the news media, during an "Office Hours" conversation September 1, 2011. Learn more at www.dukeofficeh....

[@againstjebelallawz]

30:10 -They are mentioned in the Bible. There's no need for scare quotes here. I suspect Eric Meyers is referring to the Biblical doctrine of Israeli expansionism, but I still don't see the need for scare quotes. Eric might be referring to the whole "King's Garden" scandal (indeed, I suspect he probably is).

[@THERAPTURECOMES]

So what are the opinions of these Duke Professors on Dr. Don Patton?

[@againstjebelallawz]

24:52 -But is it Judah? That question is hard to answer. 'House' could mean something besides 'dynasty' (though I am not as of yet suggesting it does). 25:12 - I could count on one hand those scholars who have ever suggested the Tel Dan stela may be a forgery.

[@againstjebelallawz]

24:20 -I actually do doubt whether Jerusalem was even an Iron I city-state before Shoshenq I's invasion of Benjamin. Shoshenq I mentions Gibeon. He does not mention Jerusalem.

[@againstjebelallawz]

10:00 Is that "Joe" Zias, originating from the part of the country in which I reside? If so, his question is inaccurate; criticism of liars for Jesus was far more difficult before the Internet than today.

[@againstjebelallawz]

31:25 -"Holy land" again.

[@againstjebelallawz]

6:31 -"Holy" land again.

[@againstjebelallawz]

25:27 -Bullshit. We don't know the "House of David" in the Tel Dan stele is the biblical House of David. It's a possible, perhaps even plausible hypothesis, but it has not been proven beyond all reasonable doubt.

[@againstjebelallawz]

26:02 -"Some" High Chronology people. Not all. Israel Finkelstein, scourge of fuzzy thinking (except on the subject of the good of religion and when speaking in public) is also 'pro-Israeli' in a sense and rejects accusations of being 'post-Zionist'.

[@againstjebelallawz]

20:20 -What's wrong with teaching children that the Bible contains gruesomeness?

[@againstjebelallawz]

0:16 -Damn! First mistake. Jesus didn't define the Roman era. Using such terminology only encourages the cultural dominance of religion.

[@againstjebelallawz]

2:35 -Sepphoris isn't "near the Sea of Galilee"! Bethsaida is. Capernaum is. Even Gamla is. Sepphoris just isn't.

[@againstjebelallawz]

22:03 -What nonsense! The main stream is far more respectable and responsible than any other stream, but it is hardly "very responsible". Humans are, by nature, very irresponsible.

[@againstjebelallawz]

0:55 -Second mistake. There's nothing holy about Western Palestine (or Canaan or Cisjordan, or however you wish to put it).

[@againstjebelallawz]

Almost certainly that he's a speaker of nonsense (and not a doctor).

[@againstjebelallawz]

17:02 -Occidentalis?