I feel like this topic either has no point, or has devolved into something that is totally insipid.
In an effort to attempt to bring this thread around to -- either its end, or just a purpose at all, lets go back to the original post.
---
Premise: The Apostles are kind of like the Jews
Are Apostles like the Jews? Overall, no. Historically, no. Theologically, no. Socially, no.
Are the Jews kind of like the Apostles in that they are dispersed throughout the world? Yes, but it's wrong to say that there weren't other sorts of people dispersed throughout the world too, it depends on what period of time you're looking out. You can find Christians all over Eurasia, even in China, during the medieval period, but that alone isn't significant enough to mean Christians are like Apostles.
Are the Jews kind of like the Apostles in that they offer sacrifices? Yes, but then Apostles are also "kind of like" virtually every other religion in the world, past or present.
I am a student of Religion (not a theological student), and even though I know more about Buddhism and Daoism, I know enough about Judaism to tell you that human sacrifice was never widely, or even infrequently practiced in Judaism. What you seem to be arguing is that, even though no evidence exists to support your claim that human sacrifice might have existed in Judaism, that we should presume it does. That is, of course, a very specious argument. Even if human sacrifice existed, it doesn't make Apostles like Jews any more than it makes Apostles like Incans or Neolithic Chinese or whatever other groups you want to look at.
Premise: Midlanders are kind of like Christians.
Trivially true, since the Church in Berserk is obviously a fictionalized version of the Catholic church.
Premise: The Kushan are kind of like Muslims
I don't think we know enough about the Kushan to say this. I guess we're going by the obvious that they have an empire, which is an acceptable parallel but I don't know if it's worth drawing. I have a hard time seeing Ganishka "submitting" to anyone (Islam means submission [to God]).
Are we claiming that Ganishka is Mohammed? I guess that's presumably possible, but I can't see him as just an adherent to a faith, he is too power hungry to be a follower of anyone else. I'm not aware of any significant opposing figure like Griffith in the life of Mohammed.
Overall, I don't think it squares up, and I don't see the usefulness in making these very weak connections, since they don't seem to suggest to me any ways in which the story of Berserk may move.
In an effort to attempt to bring this thread around to -- either its end, or just a purpose at all, lets go back to the original post.
---
Premise: The Apostles are kind of like the Jews
Are Apostles like the Jews? Overall, no. Historically, no. Theologically, no. Socially, no.
Are the Jews kind of like the Apostles in that they are dispersed throughout the world? Yes, but it's wrong to say that there weren't other sorts of people dispersed throughout the world too, it depends on what period of time you're looking out. You can find Christians all over Eurasia, even in China, during the medieval period, but that alone isn't significant enough to mean Christians are like Apostles.
Are the Jews kind of like the Apostles in that they offer sacrifices? Yes, but then Apostles are also "kind of like" virtually every other religion in the world, past or present.
I am a student of Religion (not a theological student), and even though I know more about Buddhism and Daoism, I know enough about Judaism to tell you that human sacrifice was never widely, or even infrequently practiced in Judaism. What you seem to be arguing is that, even though no evidence exists to support your claim that human sacrifice might have existed in Judaism, that we should presume it does. That is, of course, a very specious argument. Even if human sacrifice existed, it doesn't make Apostles like Jews any more than it makes Apostles like Incans or Neolithic Chinese or whatever other groups you want to look at.
Premise: Midlanders are kind of like Christians.
Trivially true, since the Church in Berserk is obviously a fictionalized version of the Catholic church.
Premise: The Kushan are kind of like Muslims
I don't think we know enough about the Kushan to say this. I guess we're going by the obvious that they have an empire, which is an acceptable parallel but I don't know if it's worth drawing. I have a hard time seeing Ganishka "submitting" to anyone (Islam means submission [to God]).
Are we claiming that Ganishka is Mohammed? I guess that's presumably possible, but I can't see him as just an adherent to a faith, he is too power hungry to be a follower of anyone else. I'm not aware of any significant opposing figure like Griffith in the life of Mohammed.
Overall, I don't think it squares up, and I don't see the usefulness in making these very weak connections, since they don't seem to suggest to me any ways in which the story of Berserk may move.
