by the light of the silvery moon {hot spots & cold


places



All
sectarian texts
found in the Judean Desert
exhibit a series of core religious and social beliefs,
which define the sect and distinguish it from the rest of the Jewish people.

The classic formulation of this worldview is found in the Manual of Discipline.

The sectarian view is ultimately based on e doctrine of dualism, which divides the world
into two warring factions: the facton of light and the faction of darkness.

According to the Qumran authors, every divine act is guided by this duality.

The faction of light is led by the angel Michael, the Prince of Light,
while the faction of darkness is headed by Beilial,
the Prince of Depravity.

Thus
the entire
world is divided,
with each faction including both humans and angels. The sons of liight who
are governed by the authority of light, are, in fact,
the members of the Qumran community.

The sons of darkness
on the other hand, are the people
of evil, consisting of anyone
who opposes the sect
and its teachings.

The doctrine
of the bifurcated world
and its warring factions is related to the sectarian belief in presdestination:
"Before they existed HE established their entire disign. And when they have come into being,
at their appointed time, they will execute all their works accoring to his glorious design,
withou altering anything"!

"Before creating them YOU know all their deeds for ever and ever ...
Without YOU nothing is done, and nothing
is known without you will"!

Thus, the division into two hostile groups
was determined prior to the creation of the world.
"G d" futhermore decided who would be counted among the righteous, who among the wicked:
"For YOU created the just and the wicked"!

And yet, this division is only temporary:
"G d in the mysteries of his knowledge and in the wisdom of his glory,
has determined the end to the existence of injustice and on the appointed time of the visitation
he will obliterate it for ever"!

The scrolls
preserve many eschatological visions
concerning the destruction of the wicked, fantastic descriptions
of reversals in the natural order of the world, an eruption of the forces of evil from hell, and a violent war
between the forces of good and evil both on earth and in the heavens.
Only the good will be spared the otherwise total destruction ~
where "the good" refers, quite naturally,
to the members of the sect
themselves.

These
key doctrines
are found throughout the Qumran writings.
That said, a close examination of the individual texts reveals differences in the doctrines and beliefs expressed in each. What is the nature of these differences. Is there a descernable conceptual evolution,
or perhaps there were different aspects to their teachings? The following survey
will attempt to answer
this question.

Anyway,
by now almost anyone
can compare ancient Assyrian, Babylonian,
Cretan, Egyptian, Filistinian, Arabian, Heathen, Persian, Greek & Roman
ideas & practices about life & death, Idols & "G d", cruelties & blessings, mysteries & salvations:
according to peoples genetic, popular/populist, social & sectarian influences from here & there,
we seem to become what we are, were, will be & maybe can be
because of 'good & bad', 'perfect & handicapped', sicker
and healthier, gifted & damaged in body & mind ~
obviously there were people around like us eager
for explanations, possibilities, cures &
crushes, cradles & crosses
full of promises,
predictions &
"prizes"
...
engel

After all:
is myDiary so much
different from what "they"
were trying to find out then & there?
Our answers might differ, but
many of our questions
are still the
same it
seems
...
blozen
27 dec 2009 - bewerkt op 27 dec 2009 - meld ongepast verhaal
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Asih, man, 80 jaar
   
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