The question Why do religious people believe? was answered by a certain Janet Morrison with whom I subsequently interacted on the Quora site. She has been a long time interlocutor of mine and so I’ll be featuring some of our discussions: see here for them all.
She noted
Why do religious people believe Israel which was called Canaan always belonged to the Israelites, when Genesis 17:8 tells us, Abraham who was the founding father of the nation of Israel was a “foreigner”?
When Abraham went to Canaan there was no record of him encountering giant Nephilim. But when Israel returned to the land of Canaan from 400 years in Egypt, they did not find Canaanites. Instead they found the land was filled with Nephilim giants called the Anakim.
The word Philistine was the origin of the word Palestine. When the Philistines inhabited Gaza they built five cities. Gaza, Gath, Ashdod, Ekron, and Ashkelon. The Assyrians and Babylonians conquered the Phillistines and carried off survivors to be assimilated. There is no recor of a Phillistine settlement after 500 BC.
The Romans conquered the area from Syria all the way to Egypt and they called that extended area Syria -Palaestinia.
I, Ken Ammi, replied
You asserted, “when Israel returned to the land of Canaan from 400 years in Egypt, they did not find Canaanites…”
Num 13:25-29, “they returned from spying out the land…They brought back word…the people who dwell in the land…Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”
Now, do we believe in thus saith Janet or what God inspired to be preserved in His Word?
Janet Morrison
Yes. The Anakim had taken over Canaan so the Canaanites were now Nephilim. Numbers 13.
Ken Ammi
You flatly contradicted God’s Word: please repent.
Now, here’s an accurate re-write of what you wrote as an excuse, “Yes. The Anakim had taken over Canaan” which is actually very myopic, “so the Canaanites were now Nephilim. Numbers 13” verse 33 which is just an unreliable sentence from an unreliable evil report by 10 unreliable guys whom God rebuked.
In what other areas of your life and doctrine do you 100% fully rely on unreliable people whom God rebuked?
Janet Morrison
So you know more than the soues that went there?
Ken Ammi
I’m going to imagine that “soues” is a typo for “spies” and I’ll say that of course I know more than the 10 whom God rebuked but on whom you rely as if they were infallible since that’s the conclusion from the 2 reliable, God blessed, ones (Joshua and Caleb) plus Moses, God, and the rest of the whole entire Bible. It’s just that you decided to side with the losing side—you have the same spirit on this issue, as those who spend an additional four decades in the wilderness and weren’t allowed into the promised land. Please repent.
Janet Morrison
The bible never said the spurs lied. Just that they didn’t have faith to take on the giant Nephilim. If they were not Nephilim, then why would God command their extinction?
Ken Ammi
True, “The bible never said the spurs [spies] lied.”
False, “Just that they didn’t have faith.”
We weren’t told either thing.
You’re inferring, “they didn’t have faith” (so, you rely on the faithless).
I infer they lied.
You rightly infer they were faithless due to the immediate and greater context: the three statements about that situation.
I rightly infer they were liars due to the immediate and greater context: the whole entire Bible which makes their statement illogical, ill-bio-logical, and ill-theo-logical. Recall that you rely on one single unreliable sentence from an unreliable evil report by unreliable faithless guys whom God rebuked.
I’m fascinated that you as, “If they were not Nephilim, then why would God command their extinction?” since it proves that you’re unfamiliar with the relevant data.
God told us many times why He commanded such things: why haven’t you read those?
For now I’ll give you a hint: He never said one single word about Nephilim whatsoever—not a word.
Janet Morrison
Israel met giants and God told them to wipe them out.
Ken Ammi
Since we’ve discussed this DOZENS of time, you know very well by now, or should, that your sentence is literally meaningless until you answer: What’s the usage of the vague, generic, subjective, multi-usage and modern English word “giants” in English Bibles? What’s your usage? Do those two usages agree?
That brought the discussion to an end as no more replies were forthcoming.
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