Assyrian Defense of the Tower of Babel
Bet-Nahrain, an affiliate of Assyrian National Congress (ANC), has an interesting understanding of the myth of the Tower of Babel. Apparently, some Assyrians feel this Biblical myth was aimed at them.
Ann-Margaret “Maggie” Yonan writes,
Till this day Babylon implies a degenerate and corrupt civilization that was destroyed by God. How could a degenerate and corrupt society produce such a magnificent culture and civilization? Assyria was known as God’s handwork, but our enemies resented the magnificent culture we had created through our literature, sculpture and science and called for Babylon’s destruction. The Jews wrote that Assyria built the Tower of Babel to fight with God when in fact we built the tower of observation to study the stars and to perfect the science of Astronomy.
What’s amazing is not that this group published an essay about this perceived Biblical slight like it was yesterday, but expects everyone else sees it the same way. Like everyone thinks this is an attack specifically on the Assyrian people. As if when we meet an Assyrian (not a Syrian, but an Assyrian), we are thinking, “Oh, one of those idiots who thinks he can build a tower up to God. What a dumbass!”
You got to love Near-Eastern people. We just don’t let things go, and it’s always about us.
6 comments
Wasn’t Yossarian the last Assyrian, anyway?
Maybe you would understand if the metaphor for evil was Tower of Israel. Pretty simple.
myth? if they are defending themselves against it MAYBE its true?
danny,
interesting. Well, perhaps there is no reason to say it wasn’t based on an observation tower of sorts…or something..but never the less, none of us generally look to blame the Assyrians specifically.
Still, your questions stands..maybe it’s true. Maybe this story at that time was in part taking a swipe at the Assyrians.
but if I remember the story correctly (which I don’t know if I do because I can’t remember the last time I read it) doesn’t the story give off the impression that it was the whole world that was invovled not a specific group of people? maybe I’m wrong
Assyrian Empire invaded Israel in 8th century. BCE . That is root of justifiable Biblical hostility.
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