11-02-2004, 09:48 PM
What I meant on the Syrian heritage behind Islam besides all the Chrisitan transmission of the Classics, so much of the Islamic religion has its roots in the Syriac Chrisitianity and Judaism of its time. Things like the chanting and liturgics (like the low bow where the person is bent over) that most think of as uniquely Moslem.
Ancient Jews and Christians bowed as we do. Some still do. But we did not "borrow" the practice from them. Our directives were from the same God.
Islamic art using all the filigree and geometric patterns was a Syrian invention.
Maybe. If so, we refined it to perfection.
Even some of the doctrines found in the Koran, like that Yeshua didnot really die on the Cross can be traced to Syriac Gnostic Gospels like the Gospel of Thomas etc.
The truth is scattered like glass in the canonical books including those that unfortunately were not allowed status. But please don't suggest Muhammad knew Syriac (either orally or be pen) to have plagurized. Save yourself the absurdity.
so I don't know. I just see Mohammed as being the "Joseph Smith", of his day (As far as taking all the religious influences of his day and culture and formulating his own religion out of it).
Blind Orientialist imitation. Justify your position.
Ancient Jews and Christians bowed as we do. Some still do. But we did not "borrow" the practice from them. Our directives were from the same God.
Islamic art using all the filigree and geometric patterns was a Syrian invention.
Maybe. If so, we refined it to perfection.
Even some of the doctrines found in the Koran, like that Yeshua didnot really die on the Cross can be traced to Syriac Gnostic Gospels like the Gospel of Thomas etc.
The truth is scattered like glass in the canonical books including those that unfortunately were not allowed status. But please don't suggest Muhammad knew Syriac (either orally or be pen) to have plagurized. Save yourself the absurdity.
so I don't know. I just see Mohammed as being the "Joseph Smith", of his day (As far as taking all the religious influences of his day and culture and formulating his own religion out of it).
Blind Orientialist imitation. Justify your position.
???Do not give up, for that is ignorance and not according to the rules of this art... Like the lover, you cannot hope to achieve success without infinite perseverance.???