orion Re: myths, etc.

[Stephen Goranson <goranson@acpub.duke.edu>]

D. Washburn wrote "So consensus makes truth." But I didn't write that. My
point is that there is an influential but false myth, a myth that the
"Essene identification" was "foisted" in the late 1940s and '50s by some
unified, in-group cabal. Rather, a diverse group reached this conclusion,
based on evidence which has only grown since then. Others, e.g., Zeitlin,
disagreed, and there never has been full "consensus." N. Golb's assertion
that the order of the discoveries caused the Essene identification is
non-falsifiable; we can't test it, but it adds to myth.  Pliny did not
write about Essenes in hills near En Gedi (see, e.g., Bob Kraft's 15 July
post). Why try to force theEssenes of Pliny's source away from Qumran?
Thanks for pointing to my misspelling of "visceral."
	I. Hutchesson proved my point by referring to some other aspects of
the "Essene hypothesis," aspects he previously denied existed.
	To Y. Ben-David: I did not question that the groups all revered
written torah but *oral torah*.
Stephen Goranson       goranson@duke.edu

---

• Prev by Date: Re: orion Jack's "as seems to be the case"
• Next by Date: orion Sussmann on ALL THREE SECTS REVERED HALAKHA
• Prev by thread: orion Re: Orion Palms/Water
• Next by thread: Re: orion Re: myths, etc.
• Index(es):
  • Date
  • Thread