Academic Articles Psychology, Religion, Bible Dates and Archaeology:
KingsCalendar Academic Newsletter
Archaeology and the Bible No. 1
Religious Compartmentalisation
February 7th 2004
In this newsletter, I want to say something about the naivete of some people who hold to an evangelically fundamentalist religious viewpoint.
Religious Compartmentalisation:
In the matters of Religion and Science, the west has undergone a tremendous upheaval during the last one hundred years or so, and if the rise of various religious fundamentalisms is any indication, despite our reliance upon science, as human creatures, we seem to need an inherent 'Reliance' on the 'scientifically dubious' Divine Power.
Many folk wonder why it is that their children have turned from their religious traditions to new or exotic forms of religious observance, and it is not at all unreasonable to suggest that this is because our materialistic, logical, and science driven society, has robbed us of the inner emotional stability which comes through 'trusting in a higher power'.
As far as Christianity in all its forms is concerned, fundamentalism has as its catchcry, 'God says!', or 'The Bible says!' or other such foundations of authority. This willingness to 'Rely on God', often flies in the face of the 'scientifically' demonstrable. But we don't worry about that because 'Faith is all we need'.
Now on the matter of 'Faith' versus 'Science', I personally prefer 'faith'. I have seen enough 'dubious' scientific results and pressures on society which were ultimately overthrown, never to blindly trust in science, or any person irrespective of their qualifications.
But in the matter of the historical content of the Bible, it is in fact a very difficult thing to ignore the evidence of archaeology and history, which demonstrates that the chronology of the Bible is incorrect, and of course, this is what 'The King's Calendar:The Secret of Qumran' is all about; demonstrating that while it appears to be erroneous, it is in fact quite reliable.
But what facinates me, is that many 'fundamentalists', while publicly preaching the Bible to be the Word of God, will, when confronted by the anomolous situation between the chronological facts of history and the chronological record of the Bible, maintain that biblical chronology is not important, saying "we don't feel that the historical information is important".
To put it in the Australian vernacular: 'What a Crock!'
End of Days Sale: The king's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran, which has been available to academics at an academic price for 6 years now, has run its course. Before the Merchant Banking contract expires in November 2010, this book is being made available [From August 20th] to 'lay readers' at the all time low price of US$10. This offer only lasts until November 2010. 'PURCHASE NOW'.
If the Bible was inspired and ordained by God, how dare anyone who holds to this position then maintain that God couldn't get the factual details recorded correctly. It is a blatant contradiction to that persons 'foundational faith', and in terms of psychology, is explained as 'compartmentalisation'.
Now while we have this type of person maintaining that the Bible is actually the Word of God whilst ignoring the facts of history, we also have others who while maintaining that the Bible is inspired of God, have so sold out to 'academia', that they just accept as gospel everything that they are told, and have given up even bothering to find the answer to this chronological problem, or worse, have allowed themselves to be convinced that God does not exist at all.
When I first put the results of my research on the internet, I fully expected to become known as a 'crackpot'. In a telephonic conversation (c 1996) with Professor D.J. Wiseman of the British Academy he kindly pointed out that my task would be difficult, for over two dozen 'crackpots' each year claim to have solved the problem.
I expected to be called a crackpot, or to be ignored, but I never expected that the religious communities would have so completely sold out to academia, or so completely retreated from reality, as to tell me that it doesn't matter that the historical details of the Bible are wrong.
As an example of how the religious communities have blindly accepted academic opinion, allow me to draw your attention to the Battle of Qarqar in 853 BCE.
The date for this battle is apparently fixed beyond question, and I certainly would not gainsay it. However this event and this date severely interferes with Biblical Chronology. The 'King's Calendar' indicates that King Ahab of Israel, died in 863 BCE, a decade prior to the Battle of Qarqar (853 BCE), in which, according to the Kurkh Stele of Shalmaneser III, Ahab participated.
So it appears that there is archaeological evidence that the 'King's Calendar' chronology is wrong at this point in history, but, when you look at all the archaeological evidences and in particular, to the 'Two' records of this Battle, it becomes obvious that the academics have pulled the wool over our eyes, just so that they might manipulate 'their' versions of Biblical History.
Chapter Seven: The Battle of Qarqar: 853 BCE which is currently only available to Academics who request a password to study it argues soundly against the 'false evidence' and 'unscientific opinions' offered by academics in their pursuit to alter the History of Israel as recorded by the people of History at that time.
But it is not necessary for you to study this chapter to see what effect the 'popular academic' opinion has. By comparing Appendix 5 with the Scriptural references in Appendix Thirteen, you can see for yourself that to put Ahab at the Battle of Qarqar (and the Bible makes no mention of this Great Event) is to seriously change so much that the bible records about Israel and Judah at this point in History.
The Academics admit that the information in the 'Kurkh Stela' is erroneous and exaggerated, and that despite it's claim that Ahab alone (irrespective of all the other kings in Syro-Ehraimitic alliance) had more chariots than the enemy, that not only was such not possible, but had such been the case, he could hardly have been the lacky of the Sryian King. Not only this, but when the two records of this event are compared, in one, Ahab is not even mentioned.
The real reason why they ignore the true evidence and prefer the obvious fraud, is that it enables them to build their own neat little history of Israel.
Unfortunately as I have already said, too many 'fervent' religious people, either suffer a form of religious 'denial', or else 'sell out their faith'.
What a pity that so few people in the world are able to submit their own faith to real honest to goodness scrutiny.
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.
