Review by Vyara Michael -- Roadmap to the End of Days
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Vyara Michael
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Review by Vyara Michael -- Roadmap to the End of Days
[Following is a volunteer review of "Roadmap to the End of Days" by Daniel Friedmann.]
2 out of 4 stars
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It is usually a very difficult and slippery task to write a review on any book based on the Bible. Not only because we tend to approach its teachings very carefully, but also because in the mind of many believers it holds immutable truths and revelations and its wisdom is beyond reproach.
I am far from criticizing the Bible, although, undoubtedly it is the most contradictory and ambiguous book ever written and has been the most disputed text over the centuries. Whether we view it merely as a historiographical source or as a spiritual guide or as a moral code of behavior – in 21 century it definitely fails to answer in convincing and intelligent way any spiritual questions we might have and to guide us through the human challenges we face in our everyday life. There is a mounting evidence that the events described in the Bible either did not take place at all or were presented in rather distorted way, serving the predominant political and religious interests of the day. Nowadays many people express the opinion that the information in the Bible is quite misleading and more often than not – fabricated. The Old Testament resembles a list of events in certain historical order, which makes it easy for a scholar like Daniel Friedman to convert those biblical timelines into chronological ones.
And having said that, we should be well aware that any book based on the Bible is liable to presenting the same qualities – to be vague, tailored and unconvincing, but pretending to express truths concerning the whole humankind. What bothered me while reading the book was the impression that the author was trying to “adjust to fit” the events mainly from Jewish history and perspective on so - called “human history timeline” just to prove the “Divine Plan for the End of Days”. First of all, he did not present any evidence as to the actual occurrence of those (local) events, which he claimed to be of utmost importance to the mankind, such as archeological and geological discoveries or other proofs that the events in question actually occurred. How can he play freely with something that is not proved to have existed in the first place, even more to use it as an “evidence” of pattern and plan?
I cannot resist to quote the following statements:
“Tel Aviv University archaeologist Ze'ev Herzog wrote in the Haaretz newspaper:
This is what archaeologists have learned from their excavations in the Land of Israel: the Israelites were never in Egypt, did not wander in the desert, did not conquer the land in a military campaign and did not pass it on to the 12 tribes of Israel. Perhaps even harder to swallow is that the united monarchy of David and Solomon, which is described by the Bible as a regional power, was at most a small tribal kingdom. And it will come as an unpleasant shock to many that the God of Israel, YHWH, had a female consort and that the early Israelite religion adopted monotheism only in the waning period of the monarchy and not at Mount Sinai.[57][58]”
And:
“Professor Finkelstein, who is known as "the father of biblical archaeology", told the Jerusalem Post that Jewish archaeologists have found no historical or archaeological evidence to back the biblical narrative on the Exodus, the Jews' wandering in Sinai or Joshua's conquest of Canaan. On the alleged Temple of Solomon, Finkelstein said that there is no archaeological evidence to prove it really existed.[59] Professor Yoni Mizrahi, an independent archaeologist who has worked with the International Atomic Energy Agency, agreed with Israel Finkelstein.[59]”
Regretfully, all those historical occurrences play a central role to Friedman’s “proof” of God’s plan for us.
It is not only incomprehensible but rather irritating the way many events of gigantic magnitude in the human history (which have happened without doubt!) were selectively and conveniently forgotten in the book, replaced only with those concerning the Jewish history. If the significance of the history timeline and the alleged “pattern” of occurrences concern all humankind how come such events as: the Crusades; the Reformation; the Revolutions - American, French and Russian; the Industrial revolution; the development of the atomic bomb by Oppenheimer and the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the fall of Berlin wall and the collapse of communism; the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre; the first human on the Moon and the cosmic era, etc. have not found a place on the corresponding table of events, but events of a lesser dimension and local importance have?
Lost in the complicated and confusing “data” and “evidence “of certain pattern of repetitive historical events and periods, one may ask: Where is the other half of humanity with its unique history and civilization, social and religious development and achievements? If the God’s plan is so ubiquitous, how come almost half of the world follows and followed its own historical destiny without any heed as to the God’s plan? For example, what was/ is the role of the Buddhists, Confucians, Shinto and Taos, ancient cultures of Central America and Australia and what was/is their Roadmap to the End of Days, if any? Where are the crossing points with the God of Jews, if any?
If the period timeline and the pattern of events leading to so-called End of Days concern only the three Abrahamic religions, than the road mapping of the human history has only a limited importance. I cannot believe that the Chinese and the Indian civilizations, for example, have lesser contribution and significance to the humankind than those of the Israelites.
However, for people with stronger religious beliefs and modest expectations the book may make a nice pseudointellectual reading, something to talk about in the local reading club. My review score is 2 out of 4.
******
Roadmap to the End of Days
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Vyara Michael's review? Post a comment saying so!
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
It is usually a very difficult and slippery task to write a review on any book based on the Bible. Not only because we tend to approach its teachings very carefully, but also because in the mind of many believers it holds immutable truths and revelations and its wisdom is beyond reproach.
I am far from criticizing the Bible, although, undoubtedly it is the most contradictory and ambiguous book ever written and has been the most disputed text over the centuries. Whether we view it merely as a historiographical source or as a spiritual guide or as a moral code of behavior – in 21 century it definitely fails to answer in convincing and intelligent way any spiritual questions we might have and to guide us through the human challenges we face in our everyday life. There is a mounting evidence that the events described in the Bible either did not take place at all or were presented in rather distorted way, serving the predominant political and religious interests of the day. Nowadays many people express the opinion that the information in the Bible is quite misleading and more often than not – fabricated. The Old Testament resembles a list of events in certain historical order, which makes it easy for a scholar like Daniel Friedman to convert those biblical timelines into chronological ones.
And having said that, we should be well aware that any book based on the Bible is liable to presenting the same qualities – to be vague, tailored and unconvincing, but pretending to express truths concerning the whole humankind. What bothered me while reading the book was the impression that the author was trying to “adjust to fit” the events mainly from Jewish history and perspective on so - called “human history timeline” just to prove the “Divine Plan for the End of Days”. First of all, he did not present any evidence as to the actual occurrence of those (local) events, which he claimed to be of utmost importance to the mankind, such as archeological and geological discoveries or other proofs that the events in question actually occurred. How can he play freely with something that is not proved to have existed in the first place, even more to use it as an “evidence” of pattern and plan?
I cannot resist to quote the following statements:
“Tel Aviv University archaeologist Ze'ev Herzog wrote in the Haaretz newspaper:
This is what archaeologists have learned from their excavations in the Land of Israel: the Israelites were never in Egypt, did not wander in the desert, did not conquer the land in a military campaign and did not pass it on to the 12 tribes of Israel. Perhaps even harder to swallow is that the united monarchy of David and Solomon, which is described by the Bible as a regional power, was at most a small tribal kingdom. And it will come as an unpleasant shock to many that the God of Israel, YHWH, had a female consort and that the early Israelite religion adopted monotheism only in the waning period of the monarchy and not at Mount Sinai.[57][58]”
And:
“Professor Finkelstein, who is known as "the father of biblical archaeology", told the Jerusalem Post that Jewish archaeologists have found no historical or archaeological evidence to back the biblical narrative on the Exodus, the Jews' wandering in Sinai or Joshua's conquest of Canaan. On the alleged Temple of Solomon, Finkelstein said that there is no archaeological evidence to prove it really existed.[59] Professor Yoni Mizrahi, an independent archaeologist who has worked with the International Atomic Energy Agency, agreed with Israel Finkelstein.[59]”
Regretfully, all those historical occurrences play a central role to Friedman’s “proof” of God’s plan for us.
It is not only incomprehensible but rather irritating the way many events of gigantic magnitude in the human history (which have happened without doubt!) were selectively and conveniently forgotten in the book, replaced only with those concerning the Jewish history. If the significance of the history timeline and the alleged “pattern” of occurrences concern all humankind how come such events as: the Crusades; the Reformation; the Revolutions - American, French and Russian; the Industrial revolution; the development of the atomic bomb by Oppenheimer and the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the fall of Berlin wall and the collapse of communism; the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre; the first human on the Moon and the cosmic era, etc. have not found a place on the corresponding table of events, but events of a lesser dimension and local importance have?
Lost in the complicated and confusing “data” and “evidence “of certain pattern of repetitive historical events and periods, one may ask: Where is the other half of humanity with its unique history and civilization, social and religious development and achievements? If the God’s plan is so ubiquitous, how come almost half of the world follows and followed its own historical destiny without any heed as to the God’s plan? For example, what was/ is the role of the Buddhists, Confucians, Shinto and Taos, ancient cultures of Central America and Australia and what was/is their Roadmap to the End of Days, if any? Where are the crossing points with the God of Jews, if any?
If the period timeline and the pattern of events leading to so-called End of Days concern only the three Abrahamic religions, than the road mapping of the human history has only a limited importance. I cannot believe that the Chinese and the Indian civilizations, for example, have lesser contribution and significance to the humankind than those of the Israelites.
However, for people with stronger religious beliefs and modest expectations the book may make a nice pseudointellectual reading, something to talk about in the local reading club. My review score is 2 out of 4.
******
Roadmap to the End of Days
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Vyara Michael's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Gates to Tangier by Mois Benarroch
