Comments on: San Diego museum excludes dissenting scholars from Dead Sea Scrolls lecture series http://www.bloggernews.net/14024 High-quality English language analysis and editorial writing on the news. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:59:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Charles http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-14090 Charles Mon, 16 Apr 2007 08:21:55 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-14090 An editorial by University of Chicago professor Norman Golb, critical of the current series of Dead Sea Scrolls exhibits, has now appeared in The Forward. Golb is one of the world’s leading authorities on ancient Judaism; his article on Scroll origins is one of the two on the topic that are included in the Cambridge Ancient History. http://www.forward.com/articles/take-claims-about-dead-sea-scrolls-with-a-grain-of/ An editorial by University of Chicago professor Norman Golb, critical of the current series of Dead Sea Scrolls exhibits, has now appeared in The Forward. Golb is one of the world’s leading authorities on ancient Judaism; his article on Scroll origins is one of the two on the topic that are included in the Cambridge Ancient History.

http://www.forward.com/articles/take-claims-about-dead-sea-scrolls-with-a-grain-of/

]]> By: prying1 http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1226 prying1 Mon, 22 Jan 2007 16:15:33 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1226 I find it hard to believe in the "Smoking Gun" theory that the scrolls have writings that the established church does not want us to know about. Sorry zzsimonb. I think if there were items that would destroy any religion they would be splashed across the MSM headlines. From what I've read and researched it looks to me that it is just book sales. The old school books won't sell when the new school books are presented. That and pride. Who wants to be proven wrong. If they can keep the debate out of the museum they can keep their pride. I find it hard to believe in the “Smoking Gun” theory that the scrolls have writings that the established church does not want us to know about. Sorry zzsimonb. I think if there were items that would destroy any religion they would be splashed across the MSM headlines.

From what I’ve read and researched it looks to me that it is just book sales. The old school books won’t sell when the new school books are presented.

That and pride. Who wants to be proven wrong. If they can keep the debate out of the museum they can keep their pride.

]]> By: Charles http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1220 Charles Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:32:16 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1220 Lack of independent research is absolutely the core of the problem. My understanding is that the Scrolls have now all been published in the Oxford series, as a result of the monopoly scandal of around 15 years ago, when Norman Golb's letter to the London Times (attacking Oxford's announced plan to open its scroll photograph collection only to certain selected scholars) led to the Huntington Library's decision to release all of its photographs of the Scrolls to scholars at large. Golb, incidentally, appears to be one of the few truly independent scholars around. The problem is that the Oxford edition accompanies each scroll with a contorted commentary that aims to convince the reader that there is no contradiction between any individual scroll and the Qumran-sectarian theory. They are simply silent, however, about the fact that (as we now know) there are over 500 scribal hands among the scrolls -- a number of scribes that is difficult to reconcile with the idea of a small sect living in the desert. There are around a dozen openly dissenting scholars who, of course, are never allowed to participate in Scrolls conferences, and many dozens of "neutral" scholars who clearly know what is going on but are not willing to state their opinion in public out of fear of professional consequences (such as not being invited to participate, not getting tenure, etc.). Lack of independent research is absolutely the core of the problem.
My understanding is that the Scrolls have now all been published in the Oxford series, as a result of the monopoly scandal of around 15 years ago, when Norman Golb’s letter to the London Times (attacking Oxford’s announced plan to open its scroll photograph collection only to certain selected scholars) led to the Huntington Library’s decision to release all of its photographs of the Scrolls to scholars at large. Golb, incidentally, appears to be one of the few truly independent scholars around.
The problem is that the Oxford edition accompanies each scroll with a contorted commentary that aims to convince the reader that there is no contradiction between any individual scroll and the Qumran-sectarian theory. They are simply silent, however, about the fact that (as we now know) there are over 500 scribal hands among the scrolls — a number of scribes that is difficult to reconcile with the idea of a small sect living in the desert.
There are around a dozen openly dissenting scholars who, of course, are never allowed to participate in Scrolls conferences, and many dozens of “neutral” scholars who clearly know what is going on but are not willing to state their opinion in public out of fear of professional consequences (such as not being invited to participate, not getting tenure, etc.).

]]> By: zzsimonb http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1218 zzsimonb Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:00:17 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1218 Charles, the internet is the great 'leveler', if you have a valid argument, you have an audience. I suspect (based on my readings) that there is much more to be discovered in the scrolls. Information that has yet to be shared. Alas the scrolls have been under a 'lockdown' since they were discovered in Quram. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that only a few have actually been shared with us mere mortals. My position, and I maintain this position with any discovery of merit, is that it should be shared with eveyone. The other problem I have with the scrolls is the lack of independent research. The scrolls are written in at least three languages, Aramaic is certainly one that has passed into antiquity. As a result Aramaic is hard to translate, there are many ways that a phrase can be interpretted. Charles, the internet is the great ‘leveler’, if you have a valid argument, you have an audience.

I suspect (based on my readings) that there is much more to be discovered in the scrolls. Information
that has yet to be shared.

Alas the scrolls have been under a ‘lockdown’ since they were discovered in Quram.

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that only a few have actually been shared with us mere mortals.

My position, and I maintain this position with any discovery of merit, is that it should be shared with eveyone.

The other problem I have with the scrolls is the lack of independent research. The scrolls are written in at least three languages, Aramaic is certainly one that has passed into antiquity. As a result Aramaic is hard to translate, there are many ways that a phrase can be interpretted.

]]> By: Charles http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1216 Charles Sun, 21 Jan 2007 22:25:05 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1216 I think the smoking gun is simply that the clique of scholars who built their academic reputations on the old "sectarian" theory, are afraid that if they relinquish control over the way the Scrolls are presented (whether in books, museums or otherwise), then scholars at large will see that the theory is based on a series of interpretive blunders, just as the proponents of the "Jerusalem" theory have been arguing. What is really unacceptable is that major institutions like the Natural History Museum should naively allow themselves to be used as pawns in this struggle. Anybody who has a contact with the press, should pass this information on... I think the smoking gun is simply that the clique of scholars who built their academic reputations on the old “sectarian” theory, are afraid that if they relinquish control over the way the Scrolls are presented (whether in books, museums or otherwise), then scholars at large will see that the theory is based on a series of interpretive blunders, just as the proponents of the “Jerusalem” theory have been arguing. What is really unacceptable is that major institutions like the Natural History Museum should naively allow themselves to be used as pawns in this struggle. Anybody who has a contact with the press, should pass this information on…

]]> By: zzsimonb http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1215 zzsimonb Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:47:12 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/14024#comment-1215 You make some good points. The Dead Sea Scrolls have been the subject of many contentious situations. The Scrolls represent one of the greatest historical finds of the 20th century, yet very few acedemics have been granted access to them. I have often wondered if there is some 'smoking gun' within them that the established church would rather not let us in on. You make some good points. The Dead Sea Scrolls have been the subject of many contentious situations. The Scrolls represent one of the greatest historical finds of the 20th century, yet very few acedemics have been granted access to them. I have often wondered if there is some ’smoking gun’ within them that the established church would rather not let us in on.

]]>