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The Atlantic magzine has an article this month about a new interpretation of Job.
[theatlantic.com]
Edward L. Greenstein is professor emeritus of Bible studies at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University and he has interpreted certain passages of Job resulting in a very untraditional take on this biblical story. Rather than being repentent when God reprands Job for cursing his birth and questioning his condition, Greenstein interprets the passages as Job being essentially defiant to the end. "This newly revealed Job, writes Greenstein, “is expressing defiance, not capitulation … If God is all about power and not morality and justice, Job will not condone it through acceptance.”"

Early on while reading through this article, I wondered if Job's questioning God allowing Job to lose everything would indicate that God lost the bet with the devil. Greenfield's reinterpretation of passages from Job would lend evidence that God did lose the bet.

RussRAB 8 Aug 24
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As If I want to spend my time reading the part of the babble that started me on the road to atheism, at about age 8.....

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I wasn't too impressed with the screenplay for the remake of The day the Earth stood still either. Michael Rennie did klatu much better.

Klaatu was the "destroyer/robot, I think.....

@AnneWimsey - I believe Klaatu was played by Keanu Reeves in the most recent version. He was the alien advocate who could control the robot.

@RussRAB guess i need to rewatch it......I want the original, though!

@AnneWimsey - The original was a good show too. Watch whichever one you like best.

@AnneWimsey in the 1952 version Klaatu, Mr Carpenter was played by Michael Rennie Carpenter whose clothes he happens to steal at the naval base after being shot shortly after his arrival, Gort was the name of the robot. And it was Patricia Neal who says, Gort Klaatu barada nikto.

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And here, in a nutshell, is the problem with ancient texts.

1of5 Level 8 Aug 24, 2019
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But it is only a story. Evangelicals take it as real and they get angry when you say god and the devil had a bet. What I always wanted to know was did Job get his original wife and children back at the end or are they different persons? If the originals, were they resurrected, and if so did they have to die again later? If they are truly resurrected why is Jesus called "the first fruits of the dead?" A look at the OT seems to show 9 people or so that were resurrected and the Evangelicals avoid these questions. If you admit that Job is only a story all of this can be avoided.

I never intended to suggest that Job was anything more than a story. Its translation and interpretation would matter to those who take it as more even if its just considered a parable-like story.

@RussRAB Evangelicals of any type take it as gospel truth the same way they do the creation story.

Nope, he got all new family members, the first ones were killed off...but apparently the new ones were an upgrade, nowhere does it mention he missed them once the new ones showed up.

@DenoPenno - No argument from me. It is in part why I asked thd quextion. Seems to me, the devil won the bet, even wifhout Greenstein's translation and interpretation. Job did question God afterall.

@AnneWimsey The upgrade must have made it hard to miss them when they are no more than cattle.

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