The King's Calendar' is a computer generated mathematical synchronous chronological presentation of the history of Ancient Israel, as principally recorded in the Biblical books of Kings and Chronicles, and sets forth Apologetics for and the results of R.P.BenDedek's discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Books of the Bible, Josephus,the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.(What is the King's Calendar?)
Academic Criticism of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran.'
I have since I first set up this website, received criticism of it's Academic Content. Some of the critics even admit that they have not read a great deal of the freely available chapters and articles.
One in particular, at Paleojudaica Blogspotin commenting about Chapter One of the book, (which is about the Dead Sea Scrolls), maintained that I had failed to 'academically' argue my points by providing necessary primary and secondary sources, was unconvincing in arguement, and failed to obtain 'peer review'.
Such comments are what I would call "not seeing the forest for the trees".
The Secret of Qumran' is not about the Dead Sea Scrolls, or whether it was the Essenes who altered the ancient Israelite records.
The Secret of Qumran is about demonstrating that the current perception of Biblical Chronology is flawed, because no one understands the chronology.
One can argue all one likes about the absurdity of such a concept, but please pull your head out of the place where the sun don't shine, and take a look at the results.
Challenging Academia.
Whilst not necessarily agreeing with the results of the King's Calendar research, The Law Pundit Website considered the 'Secret of Qumran' Legal Arguments against certain Archaeological and Historical Opinions in relation to evidence of Biblical events, to be worthy of mention.
Below is an interesting law-related press release about the work of R.P. BenDedek, a theologian who has become fed up with the subjective and sloppy way in which archaeologists and historians have juggled evidence (or non-evidence) about the history of the Middle East to suit their personal predilections and to warp history. BenDedek tries to remedy the situation by applying the strict evidentiary standards of the law to archaeological inquiry, a process which we have previously named "evidentiary archaeology".
We have claimed similarly for many years now that mainstream Biblical chronology is flawed [links] and that many archaeological theories of mainstream scholarship about the history of the Middle East would be thrown out of court for lack of evidence.
Scientists who exhibit bias in their scientific work are violating a basic norm of the scientific community. They are injecting their opinions (values) rather than letting the facts speak for themselves. Science (from the Latin word for knowledge) is about getting things right, not setting them right.
Expertise (or the authority that rests on it) is not transferable from realm to realm.
On matters that require expertise, either become an expert yourself or consult someone who is.
To date, most criticism of The Secret of Qumran has been of a Christian fundamentalistic nature that condemns me to hell for daring to change the Infallible Word of God; or else it has come from those whose belief in their academic stature lifts them above the realm of the mere mortal who must base his opinions on actual argument. That is to say, that while they generally criticise, they actually never offer to disprove any point in particular that may be an assertion within the research and to which they appear to object.
Human Nature.
All too often people are so concerned with their 'opinions' on the principle of a matter, that they never take the time to actually examine the matter itself. (In relation to the King's Calendar, some have allowed "bias" to interfer with rational scientific methodology.)
A fitting analogy to describe my meaning, would be to say that while people love to look at 'nature' in the form of Television Documentaries, they have no desire to actually to get down and get dirty by exploring it.
My exhortation to you the reader is to :
Explore! Explore! Ecplore!
Don't sit in a comfy academic lounge chair and pontificate.
Explore it! Examine it! Get your hands dirty!
Used rational scientific methodology!
Choose truth over bias!
One Christian emailed me to state that while he believed the Bible to be the 'inerrant' word of God, he felt that the chronological details found in the Bible are not important and hold no interest.
Such a viewpoint is hypocritical and actually 'denies' the reliability of the Bible. It states that mundane history is accepted to be flawed, but that theological perceptions are 'inerrant'.
That is an insult to the very God concerning whom one states that the Bible is his 'inerrant word'.
Personally Speaking
I think that Christian fundamentalists commit idolatry by replacing the person who is called 'The Word of God', with a written account referred to by the same name. Living in China as I do and have done since 2003, I just have to ask: "Would such idolatrous people have survived in China without their precious book?"
The purpose of the KingsCalendar is to ........Demonstrate....... that the record is correct historically, and therefore, more reliable 'spiritually'.
R.P.BenDedek
Email: rpbendedek@kingscalendar.com
Definition: King's Calendar Chronological Research
The Premise: Between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE (but continuing down to at least 104 BCE), Sectarian redactors transcribed the legitimate 'solar year' chronological records of Israel and Judah, into an artificial form, with listed years as each comprised of 12 months of 4 weeks of 7 days, or 336 days per year, thus creating a 13th artificial year where 12 solar years existed.
When the Synchronous Chronological Data provided in the Books of Kings and Chronicles for the Divided Kingdom Period are measured in years of 336 days, the synchronisms actually align. [Refer to Appendix Five to see how it synchronises the Divided Kingdom Period]
General formula for Biblical Data conversion:
The formula for constructing the artificial calendar was:
'X' times 364 equals 'Y' days
'Y' days divided by 336 equals 'Z' artificial years.
Values are:
'X' = any given number of 'real/solar' years
364 = perceived days in the sectarian calendar
'Y' = number of days calculated
336 = number of days in an artificial year
'Z' = artificial years = 1.083'X' and represents the original number of the converted years plus 8%.
To reverse the process by hand:
'Z' years times 336 equals 'Y' divided by 364 equals the Number of 'X' years converted.
To see how effective this method is, SEE:Appendix 5:Diagrammatic Reconstruction of Israelite History from 936 to 586 BCE:
The Principle of Linear Causality
The King's Calendar is a very simple approach to Biblical Chronology. It substitutes a value of 336 days for every year listed in Scripture. As far as the Divided Kingdom is concerned, when you use this 336 day year value, the synchronisms actually work. To see how effective this method is, SEE:Appendix 5: Diagrammatic Reconstruction of Israelite History from 936 to 586 BCE
Because it is a mathematical system, the King's Calendar must abide by certain mathematical rules, the most important of which, is that if you change any date for any day, month, or year every other day, month, or year is effected and must also change. It's like a 'domino effect'. Chronological references cannot be 'forced' to fit, and nor can they simply be ignored or 'compressed' as is the usual case with historians and archaeologists.
If any King's Calendar chronological determination disagrees with anything in the history books, it must argue the case as to why the history books are wrong, or why the evidence for an assertion is untrustworthy. If the King's Calendar successfully defends its' position, then the history books cannot be treated as definitive, and if the King's Calendar is 'proven' wrong, then every other chronological reference it provides is also wrong.
Because of this, the King's Calendar Chronological Reconstruction of Israel's history is unique, in that its' methodology can be scientifically (mathematically) tested and demonstrated to be either true or false. Its' chronological predictions are able to be 'proved' or 'disproved'.
R.P.BenDedek is from Brisbane Australia and is the author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' at http://www.kingscalendar.com His academic articles set forth Apologetics for and results of his discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Bible, Josephus, the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.
He writes photographic 'Stories from China' and social editorial commentaries, both at KingsCalendar, and as a contributing newspaper columnist. He currently teaches Conversational English in China and in addition to his English Lessons at KingsCalendar, he has created specific sites for Students of English.
