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NONFICTION - A Plea for Discernment! Research concerns
and book issues expressed. Link to online version and search engine of Alexander
Hislop's book The Two Babylons: Proved To Be The Worship Of Nimrod And His
Wife. Notes, issues, reviews, online discussion of Hislop's The Two Babylons
&/or The Babylon Connection? by Ralph Woodrow. Buy a copy of the book(s)
online to read offline... - Previous Page
THE
TWO BABYLONS by Alexander Hislop--
The Two Babylons Book Resource Page -- updated: July 24,
2009 by Janice Moore
Discussion | Online
Edition | Search
Page | About
The Book | My Review |
My Notes From the Book | Other Writings by Hislop
ABOUT
THE TWO BABYLONS: About the book, The Two Babylons: The
Two Babylon's was written by the late Reverend Alexander Hislop in pamphlet form
in Edinburgh in 1853, greatly expanded 5 years later and has since appeared in
many editions in both Great Britain and the United States. Doubtless, his proximity
to Edinburgh, especially at that time in history opened many doors and avenues
of learning for him. He was a very intelligent, well educated and respected man.
He authored quite a few essays and books but he is best known as the author of
THE TWO BABYLONS. A book considered by many Christians to be a/the classic in
the study of Christian Apologetics.
RECOMMENDED READING!CONCERNING
THE BOOK: A Plea For Discernment- I Highly Recommend Reading The
Two Babylons. The Two Babylons has made an impression on my life, but I do
not consider it to be comparable to The Bible. One should always remember to use
discernment. There is only one Bible; all other books are just books. Though a
classic in the study of Christian Apologetics The Two Babylons is no different.
It is still just a book.
- Read More on this subject
below: Read My Book Review: Combined
review of Alexander Hislop's THE TWO BABYLONS, and Ralph Woodrow's THE BAYLON
CONNECTION?
| "To all my
brothers and sisters in Christ who feel that finding Babylonian origins for present-day
customs or practices is of great importance, my advice is to move cautiously in
this area, lest we major in minors. If there are things in our lives or churches
that are indeed pagan or displeasing to the Lord, they should be dealt with, of
course. But in attempting to defuse the confusion of Babylon, we must guard against
creating a new "Babylon" of our own making." (quoted from The Babylon Connection?
- page 32.) READ MORE . .
. | 2. PAGAN SYMBOLISM IN CHRISTIANITYPagan
Symbolism in Christianity? I have received numerous e-mails addressing the
issue of Pagan Symbolism in Christianity. Feeling it best for those "seekers"
who have come across my site to "search God's face" and make their own decisions;
I hesitated at first to addressed these issues. After much reflection on some
of the responses I received, putting my two cents in for what ever worth, seemed
more and more appropriate. So that is what I finally did and wrote the following:
Addressing The Issue And How To Handle the Questionable Origins of Ancient
Symbolism In Christianity Christmas-Easter:
Danger! When Christian Apologetics Evolve Into A Religion For
Further Reading: I recommend this essay Where
is Christ In Christmas? Rethinking a Pagan Holiday from a Judeo-Christian Perspective
by Christian Author, Helena Lehman:
| "Some may
say that it is wrong to try to hide Christmas’ pagan roots with Christian trappings.
They insist that for a Christian to celebrate Christmas in the traditional manner,
they must forsake Christ for a lie. I am not, however, convinced of this. For
I believe that the pagans once knew the true God and how to worship him. They,
like Abraham, were also descendants of the righteous man Noah and his godly family.
They all originally were of one religion, one race, and one language. That, however,
changed forever at the tower of Babel, when God confounded the languages of men
and made them incapable any longer of communicating freely and easily together.
This caused men to separate into distinct linguistic groups, which ultimately
led to the many languages, races and religions we have on the earth today. Though
many world religions are drastically different than Judeo-Christianity today,
some still retain a few symbols and beliefs which arestrikingly similar. It is
possible, therefore, that many of the symbols associated with pagan religions
had a Judeo-Christian meaning at the time of Noah, but these meanings were subsequently
lost or obscured." (quoted from Where
is Christ In Christmas? Rethinking a Pagan Holiday from a Judeo-Christian Perspective
by Helena McNeilly) | 3.
OUT OF CONTEXT! While surfing the internet, I have came across sites that
use Hislop's classic, The Two Babylons, as a foundation to support views advocating
anti-Semitism, racism, debunking of the Biblical doctrine of the triune nature
of God, etc. Such views are not supported by Hislop.
4. QUESTIONABLE ARGUMENTS? In writing THE TWO BABYLONS, Hislop in his passion
and zeal for the subject and position he was advocating at times erred as all
humans do by trying too hard to be convincing. Hislop writes as a man unquestionably
convinced in every point he brings up and seems to expect his reader to do likewise.
I hesitate way short of being unquestionably convinced of all of his conclusive
arguments. Neither do I advocate a complete dismissal of The Two Babylons in entirety
based on a number of however's. However's: - Hislop was
well educated
- A formal education of any kind in that era emphasized a
good working knowledge of classical literature
- His proximity to Edinburgh,
especially at that time in history opened many doors and avenues of learning for
him
- His knowledge of classic literature, philosophy ... like many of even
the "average" well educated of his time in many ways far surpassed modern
students of today.
- Hislop first handed out The Two Babylons in
pamphlet form in Edinburgh in 1853, His subject would have been "well known"
to his intended audience
- He studied his subject extensively.
- His
notes are extensive.
Hislop obviously spent much more time than
most modern writer's and researchers today would on his subject. He studied
his subject extensively. His notes are extensive. Doubtless, his proximity to
Edinburgh especially at that time in history when a formal education emphasized
a good working knowledge of classical literature, opened many doors and avenues
of learning for him. His knowledge of classic literature, philosophy, greek mythology
... like many of even the "average" well educated of his time in many
ways far surpassed modern students of today. Lastly, Hislop first handed out The
Two Babylons in pamphlet form in Edinburgh in 1853, His subject would have
been "well known" to his intended audience. Conclusions: -
I do not question his ability to write on his subject as some have.
- I
do question some of the hard and fast conclusions he makes.
He
writes quite a bit on certain doctrines and traditional practices of the Roman
Catholic Church and other Christian and Pseudo-Christian Religions not being Biblical.
Some points I agree on. But then the word religion by it's very definiton
is not Biblical in that religion is man's attempt to reach God and save himself.
Salvation comes only by God himself saving man. Salvation is by Grace not by deeds.
God Himself provided The Way to Salvation and it is not by the workings of mankind.
Remember the selfishness of Cain and his inability to understand. Remember
you can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons; just as easily as you
can do all the wrong things for all the right reasons. I basically
agree with Hislop on many things in the broadest scope of his arguments in
regards to the Roman Catholic Church and various other Christian Religions and
Pseudo-Christian Religions. But ... Though I Am Impressed. Even so,
the book has impressed me not so much by Hislop's declamations against the Roman
Catholic Church, though this was the purpose of his writing THE TWO BABYLONS.
What impressed me so much is that here was one of the first books that I had come
across examining how the ancients had KNOWN of God’s promise of “the seed of a
woman.” They had known of the earliest sections of the Bible and the implications.
They had known! God's Promise Of
"The Seed Of a Woman." Just as the Bible indicates even in the beginning,
but I did not fully realize it until the fact was pointed out to me and underscored
via reading THE TWO BABLONS, our ancient ancestors had known of the promise of
"the seed of a woman." They may have not fully understood, but they
knew. Our Most Ancient Ancestors
Had Known! Read
More ...
In July 1999, an email
was sent to me which brought up some points, many of which I feel deserve to be
heard.
* NOTE:
Publishing the following does not mean that I personally agree with all that was
stated in this message. The fact is I don't feel that I have the expertise
to comment on some of the following issues either way. Note; permission has been
granted for me, via e-mail, to quote the following:
Anonymous writer: Hi.
I have just been to your page at: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/6849/TwoBabylons.html
Hislop did publish a few other things, of an ecclesiastical nature. If you
wish, I could get the titles for you. As for TTB itself, I think Hislop uses
some dangerous types of argument. The Jehovah's Witnesses are fond of it, apparently
- and why not? His reasoning could be used to "show" that the doctrine of the
Trinity is false. Even though that was not his intention. As for his main
contention - that Catholicism is really Babylonian religion "revamped" - I think
it does not stand up. Apart from anything else, he focuses on the deified Nimrod
and deified Semiramis - but says nothing about all the other Mesopotamian deities.
Perhaps he lived just too early to be able to take account of them - he died in
1863;the "Babylonian Flood" narrative was discovered in 1872. If Catholicism,
thousands of miles and 2000 years distant from post-Flood Mesopotamia, is "Babylonian",
because of all those similarities he finds, why not look at Israel, which was
nearer by far, in both time and space, to Babylon? Israel and Babylon had covenants,
flood-narratives, wisdom literature, and a whole environment in common, after
all. And if you want an Egypt-Israel correlation, Psalm 104 has resemblances to
the "hymn of Akhenaten". The list goes on. If Israel is not pagan - we're talking
about the things that were not denounced by (say) the prophets - even with so
many influences from her neighbours, why should Catholicism be judged pagan?
Another weakness, beyond Hislop's ability to correct, is his using too small a
base of knowledge. He was in no position to make use of what is now known of (say)
the Hittites, the Canaanites, and a number of other ancient civilisations. He
does not, I think, make use of any of what was known of the various languages.
Everything is "Chaldee". My last complaint is that Nimrod is not known to
any of the King-lists of the Mesopotamian Kingdoms. (I want to check up this "early
Semiramis" idea of Hislop's). And one could go on. Perhaps I should apologise
for being so destructive? Please do accept my good wishes. And please tell
me - if you like - whether you would like some info. on Hislop's other publications.
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The following
by Alexander Hislop can be read online THE
RED REPUBLIC; OR, SCARLET COLOURED BEAST OF THE APOCALYPSE The following
information was provided by an online friend, who gathered the info from an Opac
Author Search for Hislop A [source - University of Edinburgh Library] : Main
Author: Hislop, Alexander, 1807-1865. Title: Christ's crown and
covenant or national covenanting essentially connected with national revival /
by the Rev. Alexander Hislop, Author of "Two Babylons", &c. Primary Material:
Book Subject(s): Covenant theology. Publisher: Edinburgh
: Andrew Elliot , 1860. Description: iv, 54, [2] p ; 16 cm. Call
Number: E.a.24/1-3 Location: New College Library [Special Collections]
Main Author: Hislop, Alexander, 1807-1865. Title:
Infant baptism, according to the Word of God and confession of faith : being a
review, in five letters, of the new theory of Professor Lumsden, as advocated
in his treatise entitled "Infant baptism: its nature and objects" / by the Rev.
Alex. Hislop. Primary Material: Book Subject(s): Lumsden,
James, 1810-1875. Infant baptism: its nature and objects. Infant baptism.
Publisher: Edinburgh : William Whyte & Co ... [etc.], 1856. Description:
Revised and enlarged. 36 p ; 20 cm. Call Number: A.a.6.134/13
Location: New College Library [Special Collections]
Main Author: Hislop, Alexander, 1807-1865. Title: Truth
and peace / by the Rev. A. Hislop; in reply to a pamphlet, entitled "Charity and
mutual forbearance" by "Irenicus". Primary Material: Book Subject(s):
Irenicus. Charity and mutual forebearance. Publisher: Arbroath :
Sold by all booksellers, 1858. Description: 34 p ; 16 cm. Call
Number: E.a.24/2 Location: New College Library [Special Collections]
>> He also wrote "The Red Republic", in 1846, I think << |
(Note: I would like to expand this section.
If anyone knows any further information, especially about the author, the late
Reverend Alexander Hislop & other works of his,
please contact me)
MY NOTES FROM THE BOOK:
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Worldly Treasures: Babylon Demystified NC Artist: Janice Moore
Original Art Media: Pencil Drawing
CLICK
HERE! AND BUY! this Fine Art drawing of Semiramis on posters, framed prints,
t-shirts, cups, greeting cards, journals, calendars... gifts & clothing.
Read The Fictional Story TRUTH ABOUT DOVES:
THE STORY OF NIMROD'S WIFE * Author same as Artist |
Book
Review Author: Mike Gascoigne Quote From Summary:
"Before the time of Darwin and Huxley, most history books started off with
a brief statement about creation and the flood, and how the three sons of Noah
went to different parts of the world, Shem to Asia, Ham to Africa and Japheth
to Europe. Then they would continue the history from that point onwards. A considerable
amount of information was available, from non-Biblical sources, and much of it
is still available today, although it sometimes requires the retrieval of obscure
material from second-hand bookshops and library archives.: " |
~ Introducing ~ NEW! Language Of God
Book Series by author Helena Lehman
Book 1 - Language of God in the Universe Book
2 - Language of God in Humanity Book 3 - Language of God in History Book
4 - Language of God in Prophecy |  Impossible
Impossible
Theology: The Christian Evolutionist Dilemma "
If there were millions of years of evolution, before the creation of Adam and
Eve, what does the Bible mean when it says they would die as a consequence of
eating the forbidden fruit? " |
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