Changes

Temples were everywhere.  But the people also built stepped mountains known as ziggurats, with a temple on top, and the Bible tells how they tried to build one higher and higher.  A massive ziggurat at Ur that is described in Genesis 11:1-9 as the Tower of Babel led to hundreds of different languages (a division which may have also led to different ethnic groups) in the world.  As we shall learn in this course, language is a central part of a society that has much to do with its success or failure.  Societies with useful and powerful languages prospered; those with difficult-to-use and weak languages failed.

Temples were everywhere.  But the people also built stepped mountains known as ziggurats, with a temple on top, and the Bible tells how they tried to build one higher and higher.  A massive ziggurat at Ur that is described in Genesis 11:1-9 as the Tower of Babel led to hundreds of different languages (a division which may have also led to different ethnic groups) in the world.  As we shall learn in this course, language is a central part of a society that has much to do with its success or failure.  Societies with useful and powerful languages prospered; those with difficult-to-use and weak languages failed.

Genesis Chapter 10 places the roots of modern mankind in Noah and his three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.  The term "Semitic" means "pertaining to the descendants of Shem," and includes Assyrians, Chaldeans, Aramaeans, Sabaeans, and Hebrews (now known as Jews). Semitic languages include Hebrew, Aramaic and Arabic.  Semitic religions include Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  One of Noah's descendants was Abram, who later changed his name to Abraham to reflect his covenant with God.

Genesis Chapter 10 places the roots of modern mankind in Noah and his three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.  The term "Semitic" means "pertaining to the descendants of Shem," and includes Assyrians, Chaldeans, Aramaeans, Sabaeans, and Hebrews. Semitic languages include Hebrew, Aramaic and Arabic.  Semitic religions include Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  One of Noah's descendants was Abram, who later changed his name to Abraham to reflect his covenant with God.

Both the Bible and many independent sources describe a Great Flood (or "Deluge"), which historians date at about 3300 or 3000 B.C.  Very little of any history, including writings and civilization, has survived from before that time.  The biblical account of the Flood is at Genesis 5-8, describing an ark having reasonable dimensions similar to modern ocean steamships.  A non-biblical Sumerian (from Sumer in Mesopotamia) account of the Flood was found in the last hundred years, and that account was apparently written about 1600 B.C.  Even better, a cuneiform tablet from Babylon was found dating from 3000 B.C., which also described a massive flood in great detail.  There are many other ancient accounts of a massive flood found in most other cultures around the world.  Fossils and limestone (the result of ocean sediment) are found today on mountaintops and land worldwide at all altitudes.  Independent accounts of a great flood can be found in ancient works of China, India, Britain (Druid) and American Indians, all having striking similar details.<ref>See, e.g., http://www.searchgodsword.org/enc/isb/view.cgi?number=T2631</ref>  Recently two scientists at Columbia University published a widely praised book, entitled "Noah's Flood," which proved that the Flood did occur.  This book concludes that the biblical Flood "is surely a true story of the permanent destruction of a land and its people ...."<ref>Ryan & Pitman, "Noah's Flood" (Simon & Schuster, NY: 1998), p. 251.</ref>  Yet no public school textbook ever mentions a massive flood.

Both the Bible and many independent sources describe a Great Flood (or "Deluge"), which historians date at about 3300 or 3000 B.C.  Very little of any history, including writings and civilization, has survived from before that time.  The biblical account of the Flood is at Genesis 5-8, describing an ark having reasonable dimensions similar to modern ocean steamships.  A non-biblical Sumerian (from Sumer in Mesopotamia) account of the Flood was found in the last hundred years, and that account was apparently written about 1600 B.C.  Even better, a cuneiform tablet from Babylon was found dating from 3000 B.C., which also described a massive flood in great detail.  There are many other ancient accounts of a massive flood found in most other cultures around the world.  Fossils and limestone (the result of ocean sediment) are found today on mountaintops and land worldwide at all altitudes.  Independent accounts of a great flood can be found in ancient works of China, India, Britain (Druid) and American Indians, all having striking similar details.<ref>See, e.g., http://www.searchgodsword.org/enc/isb/view.cgi?number=T2631</ref>  Recently two scientists at Columbia University published a widely praised book, entitled "Noah's Flood," which proved that the Flood did occur.  This book concludes that the biblical Flood "is surely a true story of the permanent destruction of a land and its people ...."<ref>Ryan & Pitman, "Noah's Flood" (Simon & Schuster, NY: 1998), p. 251.</ref>  Yet no public school textbook ever mentions a massive flood.