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Re: orion-list A Theory of Qumran Theories...



I think David Suter's implication that I want people to write "historical
fiction" is
just a tad much.  I could write in defense forever, but I can see too
many
wince with this thought.  Prof. Suter, I can take a joke as well as
anyone, but I
don't want  people to think I am looking for historical fiction.

For example, I hardly think Gmirken's work on the War Scrolls falls in
the
category of historical fiction.  And yet how many writers can offer up a
coherent itemization of deductions, culled from primary sources, that
amounts
to proposing a whole story (and I don't mean a fictional one) behind the
DSS community.  While endless discussions about radiocarbon dating
**does**
have its place, it hardly compares with creating a whole paradigm that
harmonizes
with primary sources and does **not** conflict with radiocarbon dating.

I'm still waiting to hear how Greg's "I-won't-budge-stand-on-63-BCE"
would
even have any bearing on the Gmirken thesis that the War Scroll was
written
in the 160's BCE.

But more importantly, when someone's scenario gets thrashed a little, it
would
be nice if a "replacement" scenario would be offered up for scrutiny.

George Brooks
Tampa, FL

P.S.  My apologies to those academics who **are** willing to put together
coherent scenarios or theories of history.  I certainly did not intend to
impugn
your efforts....
For private reply, e-mail to George Brooks <george.x.brooks@juno.com>
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