Mail Condemns Guantanamo Abuses

Originally Posted by Carrera

And I suppose Moses spoke Aramaic too?
Lim, you've quoted the Old Testament on numerous occasions to me before and now you apparently gloss over my text references. The references I provided make it pretty clear Jews at that period couldn't understand the Aramaic language and had to be addressed in their own tongue. The only Jews who understood Aramaic were an educated elite.
There is also more evidence apart from that, inscriptions, texts, excavations e.t.c.
The mainstream classics students, archeologists e.t.c state Aramaic was not spoken in Israel during the first Temple Period. They obviously know what they're talking about and have based these conclusions on reliable evidence. The trouble with all these alternative ideas is they come from dubious sources and are written by people who don't accept the history of Israel and wish to emphasise this idea the Palestinians were there first, which isn't true since the Canaanites (closely related to Jews) first inhabited Israel.

Originally Posted by limerickman

I made no reference to the OT : I simply stated that if your thesis about Hebrew was factual, how come Aramaic was used by the Jewish Patriarchs?
Seems to me that if Hebrew was in use as you claim - they would use Hebrew

Originally Posted by Carrera

The ancient word used with regard to the Patriarchs was "habiru" and many students think it's the word that "Hebrew" derived from. The Patriarchs were referred to in very ancient times as "Habiru".

Originally Posted by jhuskey

Point of order please.
When referring to most Americans please note that the majority know nothing of this forum and do not post here.
As to Carreras comments,generalizing that a person is less adept by being rural rather than urban is stereotyping and is way incorrect, and so far as Bush's popularity... it has little to do with Iraqs prisons and New Orleans and more to do with the economy as it relates to our life style and how much money is in our bank account and that most hate war in general and want out of Iraq.
Trust me I live here.
As far as knowledge of the world some of us do not believe the "biased media" always and believe that the world is in such a chaotic flux, with emotions and irrationality involved in the entire make-up, that we hesitate to draw ultimate conclusions and project ourselves as having the Holy Grail of answers and treatment for the world woes.
I will agree with Carreras philosophy, that by studying history we can grasp a better understanding of what is going on now,however do not limit yourself to one or two civilizations as they all have something to teach us.
Man unfortunately is slow to learn from mistake already made.

BTW: A Fiddle is the same instrument as a Violin played in a different manner. I have not the skills to play either.

This will conclude my first installment of my Thursday morning rant.
Next Ranter please.

Originally Posted by limerickman

......but were referred to by Aramaic names.
Even the Jewish historians have stated this.

I go back to my point - that if Hebrew was the designate language of the Holy Land, as you claim, why were the Jewish Patriarchs referred to in Aramaic?

Originally Posted by limerickman

......but were referred to by Aramaic names.
Even the Jewish historians have stated this.

I go back to my point - that if Hebrew was the designate language of the Holy Land, as you claim, why were the Jewish Patriarchs referred to in Aramaic?

Originally Posted by Carrera

As I said, little is known about the Patriarchs. The statement the Patriarchs were referred to in Aramaic sounds like another tall-story invented by Palestinian writers who publish psuedo-history on the internet. Scholars state they can't say anything for certain about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and this idea that they spoke Aramaic has no foundation.
All of this seems to be an attempt by Palestinians to try and trace their history back to ancient times, given the fact we all know Arabic wasn't spoken till millenia after the events we're discussing. .

Originally Posted by limerickman

I quoted the old testament in only one respect - and that was the absence of any reference to Israel in chapters 1-34 of Genesis.

I haven't quoted any other biblical references (and I only refer to Genesis to demonstrate that the Jewish texts themselves show that the Jews were not in the Holy land from "time in memorial")

As regards Moses - I have no idea what language he may have spoken.

Originally Posted by Carrera

But do you believe in the Bible or not? If the Bible stated that the common Jewish folk sitting on the wall couldn't understand Aramaic, are you saying the Bible is wrong?

Originally Posted by limerickman

JH - no insult was intended.

Originally Posted by limerickman

You've strayed back to the same old racist line.

The reference to the Jewish Patriarchs and Aramaic doesn't come from a Palestinian source.
It comes from a Jewish source.

Now - I am going to ask you again to retract that statement above.

If you don't - I will.

Originally Posted by limerickman

I have my doubts as to the validity of a lot of American views about what goes on in the rest of the world, Carerra.

Originally Posted by limerickman

I agree with Fred - they're ill equiped to discuss the Near/Middle East situation too.

Originally Posted by limerickman

I stated that your reliance upon your American friend may not be wise, given the lack of indpeth knowledge that most Americans appear to have about events and issues outside of their own country.

Originally Posted by limerickman

JH - no insult was intended.