Refutation of all religions, part ten. Daniel!

Of all the gross Biblical errors the one’s in Daniel are those which the church apparently admitted to the longest. Even the Catholic Encyclopedia written in the beginning of the twentieth century acknowledges severe difficulties because of Belshazzar, who in the Bible is called the son of Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar had several sons, none of which were named Belshazzar. Belshazzar was the son of the Babylonian King Nabonidus; this fact is well documented, not only in Babylonian but also Greek documents.

The significance which the correct identification of Belshazzar affords us is also the correct Babylonian King. Nebuchadnezzar never at any time attempted to change the Gods of Babylon; he worshipped Marduk as had his ancestors.

Nabonidus (555-538 BCE) was another case; he was the Babylonian king, several kings after Nebuchadnezzar. Nabonidus was best known in ancient days for his attempt to usurp the reigning Babylonian God Marduk and reinstate the worship of the Moon God.

The Daniel story in the Bible is a direct borrowing from the Babylonian version, only the name of the Gods and heroes have been changed as was usual with the Biblical tales.

The madness caused Nabonidus, where he went eating grass, reported in Daniel was caused by Marduk. The God who had written on the wall that the day’s of the King was numbered was Marduk. Daniel, the Biblical hero was named third in the kingdom for Belshazzar was never King; he was second in Command, ruling the kingdom while his father was eating grass with the cattle.

All prophesies in Daniel are Babylonian, the Babylonians were cursing the statue Nabonidus had made to the Moon God for their God was Marduk. The different Kingdoms are also a Babylonian prophesies and the last Kingdom prophesied was the Kingdom of the Greeks under Alexander the Great.

That the Church still employ this material as if it was Israelite only indicates the level of morals and ethics found within the religious leadership.

Daniel is a further demonstration of how late the Israelites wrote their Biblical materials. Had the Israelites really been present in Babylon and expelled they would have known the difference between these two Kings.

Had there been any truth to Daniel it would not demonstrably have been full of errors.

The Bible was most assuredly composed by the Israelites about 350 BCE or later, there is absolutely nothing which indicates that it is otherwise.

In Daniel the wisdom of the God who made Nabonidus go mad is applauded, this being the case, the Israelites were then worshipping Marduk!

(Marduk is also found in the Biblical book Esther, there he is called Mordakai and his half sister, the Goddess Ishtar is the one called Esther).

Best RG