[UPDATE 12/22/2015: Several readers have let me know that the Hebrew Voices site isn’t promoting Raelian cult or the Hebrew Roots movement — so that’s good news!].
If the source blog for this piece is promoting this idea (as opposed to reporting it), and if it’s mission statement (under About) = Hebrew Roots movement, then instead of baptizing ancient alien theory, we’re now seeing it circumcised. Here we go:
The Raëlians UFO Jews of Israel
This essay is an “episode” of “Hebrew Voices”; that much is clear. What isn’t clear is whether “Hebrew Voices” considers this nonsensical voice credible. I’ve not listened to the podcast, but I have read the post and the comments (what a feast they are …). Those items make me think the blog is promoting the Raelian idea. There’s nothing critical of the idea in terms of text. But if any of you Hebrew Rooters out there want to listen to potentially distance yourself from this stuff, please let me know. I have better things to do with my limited time. I already know a lot about ancient alien nonsense (obviously, I blog about it a lot) and know the Hebrew Bible and biblical theology pretty well. This is just ancient alien kookiness in a Judaic shawl. (In other words, it’s a contrivance).
So is the podcast promoting replacing the poorly evidenced history of Israel with the zero evidenced Raelian history?
I’m kind of afraid to listen as my brain can handle just so much and I’m already dealing with the GOP debate.
Evidently you aren’t familiar with the scholarly material on Israelite history — only the kind of history of Israel you hear in churches. There’s a lot more going on than the minimalist approach. But in any event, it’s nice to see you haven’t opted for the Raelians.
I saw Claude Vorilhon in an interview back in the 90s on British televison. I remember thinking he was a sandwich short of a picnic then. These guys who have special missions from some peace loving alien/interdimensional overlord always seem to revert to dressing like Spock in his Motion Picture phase, just to get that all important Intergalactic Mystic look correct that we all take so seriously. Deep down they all want to be Space Jesus.
“sandwich short of a picnic” – that’s a great line!
(*sigh*)
When directed to some looneytunes(.)com site I just go to the “store” to see how much the truth cost this week.
The Nehemiah truth is pricey viz a’viz Charmin™.
I daren’t click on no video neither. Looky-him.
I just knew he’d start screaming, “Hey Moe!, Hey Moe!”
Too close to Christmas…
Going with T.T. Cratchet on this one.
“God Bless us, every one.”
Very Best to you and yours this Christmas and all that follows.
M.
And you.
You have some of the most unique comments ever posted here!
You said that seraphim aren’t dragons ( comment section) http://michaelsheiser.com/PaleoBabble/2008/07/biblical-giants-and-dinosaur-bones/, but yet here you said http://docslide.us/documents/michael-s-heiser-serpentine-beings-in-the-hebrew-bible.html that they are serpentine creatures.
When I think of dragons I’m thinking of Smaug.
I think of Puff…..
I’ll take a stab at listening to the podcast on the train ride home from work, but just the fact that this is Nehemia Gordon’s blog raises concerns for me. I’m rather surprised that he’d interview a Raelian, however.
I’m not sure what to make of how he presents the material.
Mike, while my previous comment is still being held for approval, please let me tweak it to reflect that you did indeed use the qualifier ‘if’ twice in the intro to your post. Here are my revised comments which reflect that. Your point is correct, but applies to Kobi Drori (the interviewee) rather than to Nehemia Gordon (the interviewer):
Mike, I went ahead and listened to the interview and I’m also familiar with Nehemia Gordon. He is not part of the Hebrew Roots movement, he does not believe that Jesus is the Messiah. He is a Karaite Jew–Karaites follow only the written Torah, they reject the oral Torah and other rabbinic traditions. And he is definitely not an ancient alien advocate.
I’m personally not interested in the whole alien thing and would not have paid any attention to this (although I‘ve read both of your novels). I’m a Naked Bible guy who rarely clicks on articles from Paleobabble or UFO Religions. But I saw ‘Hebrew Roots’ in the title and wanted to see what it was.
But I went ahead and listened to the entire interview because I’ve seen some of Nehemia’s teachings and I couldn’t imagine that he believed in Raelians. He does not. He makes it clear that he disagrees with basically everything the guy had to say, but did so in a polite, non-confrontational manner. Nehemia made it clear that he believes that Yahweh is the eternal, uncreated, supernatural creator of the universe and that if alien life exists, Yahweh created it.
The Raelian gentlemen being interviewed (Kobi Drori) says some things that while completely false, are nonetheless interesting to readers familiar with your material. He says that Yahweh is the president of the team of scientists (elohim) that created mankind. He says that the serpent in the garden was not a literal serpent, but rather the name of the team of scientists (elohim) that created man i.e. they were called the Serpent Team. He says that there were seven such teams that worked on creation and that the Serpent Team’s base of operations was the Temple mount, and they created the best form of man. He says that these scientists (elohim) are the sons of God of Genesis 6 and that the descendants of their offspring are the Jews.
Nehemia rejected all of these claims. Drori cited several passages referencing what we would call the second Yahweh as evidence that Yahweh is really just a (greatly advanced) man. Nehemia said that Judaism understands those passages to be metaphorical, that Yahweh is only spirit.
P.S. I’ve been an avid follower of your work for several years and recently enjoyed The Unseen Realm as well as Learn to Use Biblical Greek and Hebrew with Logos 6. I look forward to hearing about your new plans and what we can do to expedite the release of new content!
P.P.S. I’m greatly enjoying the podcast series on Leviticus and am in agreement with those who think that it’s not necessary to apologize for teaching Leviticus, and that us Christians would do well to spend more time in the front half of the book if we want to understand the back half.
Posted this one and deleted the old one.
The Raelian stuff is just so old news to me. I forget that people may still be hearing it for the first time.
Good to hear he’s not in the Hebrew roots thing (cult?) or promoting the ancient aliens silliness – it honestly left me wondering. Thanks!