The Tower of Babel

[Pygoscelis]

Anybody have an explanation for this bible story?

On my reading of it you've got a bunch of people who live together and speak the same language and start building a tower in hope of reaching God.
God is afraid people will actually reach him (apparenly he lived not too far off the ground in those days?) and is afraid of people cooperating and generally getting along because of what else they may accomplish. So he confuses them all by making them suddenly speak different languages.

Clearly there is a disconnect with how languages actually evolved historically, but I doubt many people take this story literally. It is probably supposed to be a morality tale or something.

But what is the message supposed to be conveyed with it? God wants us to stay in conflict and not cooperate with each other? That can't be it.

Somebody help me out here.

[Abdul Fattah]

There is one reference to Babel in the qur'an in surath Baqara. Apearently Babel was also the place that the two Angels, Harut and Marut were sent down to teach mankind magic. There is no mention in that verse about the tower though. There is another story in the Qur'an about the pharaoh during Moses (peace be upon him) his time building a similar tower. But the tower of Babel was supposedly in Mesopotania, and before Abraham according to the bible if I'm not mistaken.

[Trumble]

But what is the message supposed to be conveyed with it? God wants us to stay in conflict and not cooperate with each other? That can't be it.

I think the point is that trying to reach heaven and God by building the tower was a big no-no. Hence God created a multitude of languages where there had been only one before as a punishment, and to prevent the co-operation that would let it happen again. The God of Genesis is a rather different one from that of the NT, and Islam come to that... much more anthropomorphic and subject to fits of rage, jealousy and such.

It's a fable of course, presumably to 'explain' the reason why there were so many languages even in the ancient world?

[Abdul Fattah]

In Christians defense, I don't think the Bible says that God destroyed the tower "out of fear that people would get to him"

Oh some other verse in the Qur'an that might be relevant:
Mankind was one single nation, and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and warnings; and with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between people in matters wherein they differed; but the People of the Book, after the clear Signs came to them, did not differ among themselves, except through selfish contumacy. Allah by His Grace Guided the believers to the Truth, concerning that wherein they differed. For Allah guided whom He will to a path that is straight. (2:213)

If thy Lord had so willed, He could have made mankind one people: but they will not cease to dispute. (Qur'an 11:118)

O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (Qur'an 49:13)

Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.

When you create an account, you can participate in the discussions and share your thoughts. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and make new friends.
Sign Up

[thirdwatch512]

The OP raises a good question.

Now, there are 2 different views on the OT...
- the Mystical View
- The Literal

I used to hold the literal view. But, now I hold a more mystical view.

What do I mean by mystical?

I mean that I do not take all stories as literal, as some of them are just made in my opinion to teach people a lesson.

So what was the Tower of Babel? Well, it was(in my opinion) merely a story teaching us a lesson about trying to mess with God!

[snakelegs]

maybe it was to illustrate the evil of arrogance?

[Trumble]

In Christians defense, I don't think the Bible says that God destroyed the tower "out of fear that people would get to him"

No, as Snakelegs suggests the point is that it was arrogant to try.

[Pygoscelis]

Genesis 11:4-7 NIV

4 Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth." 5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. 6 The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."

Here is the text in question.

Seems clear to me that God was concerned over what humankind may accomplish. Apparently he doesn't want us to realize our full potential?

[Isambard]

For those unfamiliar with the OT, God is one nasty spiteful deity. He's a cosmic bully who like to torture people for his own amusement as admits to being jealous, wrathful, and promoting evil.

The Islamic variant is nicer, but I still find the latter much more interesting :Dlol

[glo]

maybe it was to illustrate the evil of arrogance?

I agree

To my understanding the story of the Tower of Babel is telling about the human desire to 'become like God', therefore rendering God unnecessary. In some ways it echoes the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.

For believers it is also a reminder that we can never be like God, and that the right way for us is to acknowledge God's superiority and to humble ourselves to him.

Just my penny's worth ... :)

Peace

[Pygoscelis]

maybe it was to illustrate the evil of arrogance?

Whose do you mean? Ours or God's? Was God threatened by us somehow?

Nowhere in the story does it say man tried to be like God or be equal to God. It just said they came together and built a great city with a tower they hoped to reach God.

Is it wrong to try to reach God?

[guyabano]

For those unfamiliar with the OT, God is one nasty spiteful deity. He's a cosmic bully who like to torture people for his own amusement as admits to being jealous, wrathful, and promoting evil.

Isn't that 'Murphys' Part? :D

[Malaikah]

I mean that I do not take all stories as literal, as some of them are just made in my opinion to teach people a lesson.

So what was the Tower of Babel? Well, it was(in my opinion) merely a story teaching us a lesson about trying to mess with God!

Wouldn't it be a sin to lie about God?:? (and then put it in a Holy Book!)

[IbnAbdulHakim]

^ sis i might be slow today but i dont see the "intended" lie here? :hiding:

[Malaikah]

:sl:

I might have misunderstood- but thirdwatch512 said that this story in question (which, from what I understood from this thread, contains details of God's actions) is in the bible but is understood by some to be a story with a moral, not a real event that happened.

A story saying that God did so and so is a lie against God, isn't it? :? Because the story explicitly says that God says so and so.

I don't like this story much... perhaps it is the translation, but it makes God seem intimidated.

[Pygoscelis]

It does indeed.

Another odd thing about it, and about God in most of the old testament bible is the reference to "we". Who are these others God is constantly refering to? Did there used to be more than one God?

[Malaikah]

I don't know about the bible, but in the Quran when God refers to Himself as We, it is either the royal we, i.e. referring to oneself in the plural as a form of respect, or a We that means the angels were given a role in the task being mentioned.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

:sl:

I might have misunderstood- but thirdwatch512 said that this story in question (which, from what I understood from this thread, contains details of God's actions) is in the bible but is understood by some to be a story with a moral, not a real event that happened.

A story saying that God did so and so is a lie against God, isn't it? :? Because the story explicitly says that God says so and so.

I don't like this story much... perhaps it is the translation, but it makes God seem intimidated.

aah i understand, you thought it to be a fabricated story intending to teach a lesson, but then it goes against our beliefs that God would fabricate stories :)

[ranma1/2]

aah i understand, you thought it to be a fabricated story intending to teach a lesson, but then it goes against our beliefs that God would fabricate stories :)

So you take the quran 100% literally then?

hadiths?

Or are there story aspects? Allegory?

Sunsetting in water, talking ants and such..

[IbnAbdulHakim]

So you take the quran 100% literally then?

hadiths?

Or are there story aspects? Allegory?

Sunsetting in water, talking ants and such..

we believe it to be literal unless stated otherwise :), ie "the likeness of or the parable of" you'll find statements like this many times in the Quran and hadith i think, if im mistaken someone will correct me inshaAllah.