Dumb questions about Colombia

utopiacowboy says on Dec 15, 2005, 13:35:

Everybody lives in their own little world largely ignorant about the other little worlds. I could go on and on about Colombians misperceptions about Americans. It's normal.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

silviat says on Dec 15, 2005, 15:25:

my father in law who is really sweet and well he just doesnt know anything about colombia, asked me if I we had pizzas there.

But utopiacowboy is right... Many colombian people would do really "out of it" questions to Seth.

Plus some of my colombian friends think this is money land and the bills grow in the trees... several of them plan on coming to the us in three months "work experience programs" and some of their expectations are to take back to colombia 10.000

so it goes both sides.

carter says on Dec 15, 2005, 15:27:

Im surprised how good Colombians world knowledge is compared to people from the states. There was a girl here from the states the other day who was shocked at how good my English was, I told her i was Australian.

she then asked a dozen stupid q´s about riding kangaroos etc. before getting back to wanting to know who had taught me English.

after she walked away my Colombian friends (not highly educated and living in a small town)asked if all gringos were that stupid. I had to laugh because I think I have been asked more stupid questions in the states ten fold than any of the other countries Ive visited. (and thats alot)

carter says on Dec 15, 2005, 15:28:

ohhh and for your gringos yes I use to ride one everyday to work

bufalo says on Dec 15, 2005, 20:16:

I get a lot of those stupid questions when I´m back in the states, however, here in colombia, I hear a lot of stupid stuff as well.

--I was watching a dinasour program on the discovery channel, and a girl walked in and asked me "ooh, what country is that?"

--People here sat that people in the states are so muscular because they put vitamins in the water supply.

--I constantly hear that all sorts of fruits contain enormous amounts of protein

I´m in Leticia now and have been told that there is a machine under water (made by gringos) that comes out at night and chops off the heads of the local indigenous people to study their brains, and

-- that there is a "pink dolphin city" under the river that has tended to drowned people and set them free (this was told in a school)

--I also see a lot of references to New York everywhere, the names of stores, t-shirts, hats, films, whatever, even the song "Un verano en Nueva York", yet almost every time I tell someone that I am from new York, they say they´ve never heard of the place.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

viajera75 says on Dec 16, 2005, 03:56:

I'm sorry those idiots made such a bad impression on Americans. It seems that happens way too often. I hate the fact that when I travel people always ask me a million obscure questions about politics, geography, current events, etc, just to test me and see if they can get me to prove the strereotype that all Americans are dumb. Trust me- most Americans are not idiots, it just so happens that the few who are end up saying a bunch of dumb stuff that everyone remembers and repeats to everyone else. But I cannot even begin to tell you how many European, Australian, Kiwi, Israeli, and sadly, fellow Americans I've met traveling who tell me they've been to South America and when I ask where, they say, "Mexico". Please just remember that there are smart people as well as dumbasses in every country in the world.

juanalejo says on Dec 16, 2005, 04:14:

Sad The sad part is considering the level of education the rich countries are supposed to have compared to the poor countries is not reflected by these type of questions. And the saddest part is seeing the people that I went to school to, (this is university students) would ask me questions that I would have assumed would be of a non educated person.

LOCO HOMBRE says on Dec 16, 2005, 07:01:

can't we all just get along... there are dumb asses in every part of the world...so we can take the good with the bad....if there is something to learn, learn it ...and if there is something to teach, teach it....then there might be less ignorance around you...

Lostgringo says on Dec 16, 2005, 10:02:

Stupid Comments I think that if we all take a good look at ourselves we have to admit that we ourselves have made some stupid comments to others and perhaps on this board. And, in a similar fashion many people are not 'street smart," and this leads to what some may call stupid questions. The one good thing is that at least you are having a dialogue with someone and that you can educated them. I don't think that you can isolate one country from and other and the same with individuals. We are all different. Moreover, I have seen some comments from very educated people that were just "off the wall," but that does not make them stupid.

Another problem is the educational system and economics. Many children are not afforded the opportunity to go to school and some who do, don't even have proper nutrition on a daily basis. And let's not forget about countries who teach mostly their own history and so on.

Is the United States a little guilty of having myopic vision when it comes to education? Certainly we cannot generalize regarding the U.S. as GIB positively points out. Same as we cannot say women are stupid as compared to men. This kind of stuff is old.

I wonder if the person asking all the silly questions thought to herself as she walked away, "man those were some dumn ass questions I asked....I am so embarrassed?"

I know that I have walked away a few times thinking exactly that lol.

Your Home Away from Home:http://www.welovebogota.com http://www.apartmentinbogota.com "Luxury apartment and rooms Cheap" Only 2 blocks from the American Embassy!

MaG says on Dec 16, 2005, 17:32:

chill out!!!! Hey i tryed to make clear in my post that i don't think all americans are stupid, but some of them can make questions that in my point of view are ... let's just say "weird".
Hey, is not my fault!
I've met really smart americans!! I even go to school here, i'm learning from americans!
I would seem to be as ignorant as the people that made this questions, if i think all americans are dumbs!
This only confirms that there are people that live in their own imaginary conception of their world, and don't know anything about the rest of the world and they are not interesting in knowing, they just trust in their thoughts and judgements and ask and confirm what they think is right or are convinced of!, is not my fault that when they do it, I get their comments or questions as "weirds".
and i guess some of the people are interested in knowing ,and those are probably the ones that make this questions!...
so, Dear Americans, don't take it personal, I'm very sorry if ofended any of u.
I was just trying to post something I thought was funny, I thought u were gonna laugh like i did!!
i hope u get this clear... Not everybody is interested or trying to bullshit about ur country! it would be disrespectful from me if I try to do it while i'm leaving in ur country and taking advantage of what ur country can offer to my life! instead of being around bullshitting about USA , i prefer to spent my time thinking about how wonderful is my country!!
Chill out!!!

**Life is much better when u can laugh of ur mistakes or urself**

peace!!

*MaG*

*MaG*

MaG says on Dec 16, 2005, 17:34:

little mistake up there "while i'm leaving in ur country " = wrong!!!
"while i'm living in ur country" =right!!

jejejej .. yeah my english sucks!!!

*MaG*

Panda says on Dec 17, 2005, 13:37:

been there! i was once asked by an english lady if colombia was somewhere in brazil. but why should she know? beautiful though Colombia is, it hasn't made anything remarkable to be recognized worldwide. however at least it hasn't invaded other country, killed its people and steal its goods(oil) whithout a UN approval.
there is nice people everywhere in the world, but most people in power in both colombia and the states are about the closest to evil it gets.

utopiacowboy says on Dec 17, 2005, 23:17:

My wife met President Uribe at his finca a couple of years ago. She thought he was a very nice man and he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

aztec says on Dec 18, 2005, 03:52:

We can top that, Panda "i was once asked by an english lady if colombia was somewhere in brazil."

My wife and I were asked by a young college graduate if Colombia was in Mexico. She also asked my wife if she spoke Mexican.

Her response? Yes she speaks several languages; Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Argentinean and Venezuelan!

rocinante says on Dec 18, 2005, 05:25:

I'm lucky I'm in New York City. Everyone knows Colombia is its own country (not part of Brazil) and where it is located. Mostly everyone here knows that Colombia's negatives are not every aspect of the country. They will make a joke about cocaine being the number one export, though. But they don't think Colombia is a bunch of little brown people in mud huts and maracas.

They do however think Colombia is dangerous and that the food is Nachos, Enchiladas, Chips and Salsa, Burritos, tacos. It seems that most Americans think that any country south of Texas eats Mexican food.

Back to my original thought. It seems that NYers would never ask if Australians ride Kangaroos - however we will make a Crocodile Dundee joke.

The bottom line is: If ignorant or uneducated people don't ask questions, they will remain ignorant and uneducated.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

dwmte says on Dec 18, 2005, 05:58:

i remember one of the islamic sayings which.... caught my attention many years ago when i was studying islam, as i lived in iran for about 13 yrs.

'he who knows not and knows not that he knows not, is a fool, shun him.'
'he who knows not and knows that he knows not, is a child, teach him.'
'he who knows and knows that he knows, is wise, follow him.'

we can easily teach those who have limited experience, knowledge and understanding of their world, much less the world. if we all try not to take offence at foolishness and ignorance, we can go a long way at curing many of our personal and collective evils.

i'm married to a paisa for years now and still when we are at my parents house--they're in their late 80s--my mother, or father will ask questions that seem totally inane. if not taken by laughter, i just try and clear the issue...beats thinking that my folks are just two more dumb asses.

hell, after working all over the middle east, africa and europe, i certainly must have asked a lot of weird questions over the years.

like the above posters said...lets work together to heal the world, not infect it further.....

dw

quindioman says on Dec 18, 2005, 09:32:

the Thais i bumped into in Samui kept on asking me where I was from...when I replied "from Colombia" they smiled, paused and then asked if I was Muslim! Bless them they didn't have a clue but to me intelligence ranks below the real character of the person....I would much rather spend my time with "dumb" people with a warm heart than a cynical "intelligent" person....arrogance is the most offputing trait in my book....nothing like a warm, genuine humble person....the Thais have bucketloads of these traits.

GringoinBucaramanga says on Dec 18, 2005, 11:32:

jj_jp at msn.com
would hope all of you would go back to the us and leave all these beautiful girls to me. And let me pay my $20.00 cable TV bill ( US $100.00).
And my $5 water bill, (US $65.00)
And my $1 taxi ride, (US $20.00).
And my $2 Fish and chips with a beer (US 12.00)
You will never see me in the US ,unless to get my fishing poll.
I love it and hope the TV in the US scares all of them from coming to Colombia.
John in Buca

jj_jp@msn.com

carter says on Dec 21, 2005, 07:52:

sorry GIB But from all my years of world travel I think the people in the US have been the most ignorant Ive met in regards to world issues.

I don´t mean to be bagging the US your education systems aims at educating students in other areas and you only have to look at what the countries achieved to see it obviously has many intelligent people.

My main point was to say how suprised I am about Colombians world knowledge. (Although they do still seem to think that Miami is the greatest place on earth, beats me)

utopiacowboy says on Dec 21, 2005, 08:04:

Do you remember which one? I've seen several of his movies but I don't remember this part. Sounds hilarious.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Dec 21, 2005, 09:07:

there are ignorant people people all over the world, but your average European sees and listens to more news from other parts of the world than your average gringo. The gringo media focuses very hard on the domestic issues and what happens in the rest of the world becomes only news if there's gringo involvement in it or if the death toll gets higher than 120.

I'm not saying, however, that we Europeans are more informed or you gringoes less. It's just that the information we receive is different (focused more on the rest of the world than on the US). I used to get really upset when I lived on the States because the international news section in the newspapers was so tiny.

Cheers,
Desi


Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone
else's life.

-Kobi Yamada

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

litost says on Dec 21, 2005, 09:15:

I've lived in big cities in the US, Colombia, and Europe. Sorry GIB, but it's just true. Let's not say ignorant because it's a pretty strong word, but definitely less informed. I think that the main reason is that the average gringo just DOES NOT CARE about learning and understanding the rest of the world. Just too complicated! Why bother when you have your new car, own house, flat screen 5000 dollar TV, MTV, ESPN, etc.? I think this happens to an extent in all countries with a large internal market, but the US is a pretty extreme case as far as apathy to the rest of the world is concerned.

utopiacowboy says on Dec 21, 2005, 09:49:

Good point, Tinto. They've got a lot more time on their hands to be informed while we're working our asses off. We average about 50 hours a week where I work and 60 or 70 hours a week is not unusual. I have over 10 weeks of unused vacation time.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

elmodefoque says on Dec 21, 2005, 09:54:

I don’t know where most of you guys live, but I don’t hear many ignorant questions coming from New York City folks. Sure, they’re concerned about safety in Colombia and are well informed about the drug trade and internal war but most don’t ask ridiculous question as described above. I gotta admit I work with very liberal, leftist, well read, well traveled, New York Times reading, Starbucks drinking , sushi eating, bicycle riding gringos who could make a lot more money in the private sector bur chose public television instead. Yeah, I would describe most of my colleagues as egg heads. Now, the million dollar question, what the fuck is a guy who grew up screwing burras doing working here? Only in NYC do you see stuff like that. One might also ask how does a black guy (head of MTA union) with a Jamaican or Haitian accent have the power to turn the greatest city into a third world mess. Once again, only in NYC.
Desi, check out the New York Times, the section with most pages (section A) is all international news. Republicans hate this paper. Other gringo papers with mucho international news are The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe, among others, I should know, I get them delivered to my desk every single morning.

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

Lucia Rojas says on Dec 21, 2005, 10:12:

So Elmo, you never answered my question. Do you write? I would buy the book in a second!!

Albatross says on Dec 21, 2005, 10:17:

Yo, Prince Is it really that difficult to write the word "you" ?

“Democracy - a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." - H.L. Mencken

elmodefoque says on Dec 21, 2005, 10:24:

tinto, we used to aired a program called "the journal editorial report" but they did not liked our style and moved to "fox news channel"

Lucia mi amor the only thing i write is fishing reports for a fishing web site. man, I wish i had the talent to write like my collegues.

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

morphus says on Dec 21, 2005, 13:39:

Colombians and the rest of the world watch a lot of American movies. thats how they learn about the U.S. Americans only watch American movies. thats why we are dumb...lol.

rocinante says on Dec 22, 2005, 16:18:

UC UC:"They've got a lot more time on their hands to be informed while we're working our asses off. We average about 50 hours a week where I work and 60 or 70 hours a week is not unusual. I have over 10 weeks of unused vacation time." And people wonder when someone expatriates - the reasons are more involved but as a start, the "work ethic" here is ridiculous. UC hits the nail on the head.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

ElPadrino1 says on Dec 22, 2005, 19:56:

LOL at some the questions Americans ASK here on PBH that have been answered 1000 times. Questions about taxi fares, Visas, Money Changing, restaurants and food, Hotels, Music&Dance, shipping services, Bus Safety, Places of interest to visit in Cali, , BQA, Bogoto ect. Do these people ever think of "DUH", performing a Simple search before they post their questions, usually a tourist type question? So easy do to a search first folks!

Some friends I know aslo think everyone in the USA/Europe is Flush with Cash. Many, not all, think we have a Money tree in our backyard or patio and all we do for $$$ is go and Shake the tree a few times and the dollars fall happily! And LOTS of them! I tell hese folks that after we work 40+ hours a week by some "Magic" the dollars appear on the mythical Green Tree and yes, a few shakes and the dollars appear. Amazing what happens after 40-70- hours of hard work! All kinds of things "Green" grow! jajaja. Same principle for that ATM we all have in the Garage! Work 40+ hours and all of a sudden that ATM smiles and gives the owner some Moola! haha

juanalejo says on Dec 23, 2005, 07:50:

Americans vs Europeans I agree with the comment by litost that Americans simply do not care about the rest of the world. Right now I have a whole bunch of family and friends over, both from the USA and Europe. While the Europeans want to go out and learn about our Christmas culture (novenas, natilla, choirs, musicals, etc) the only thing most of the Americans have been interested is in finding out where to watch the American Football finals, and connecting to internet to find scores all day long. Such a sad case.

utopiacowboy says on Dec 23, 2005, 08:01:

Religous practices must be a very unusual thing for Europeans considering how very few of them practice any kind of religion. It must be almost like an anthropological expedition for them to see these displays. Did you have to explain to them who Jesus was?

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

juanalejo says on Dec 23, 2005, 08:29:

UC Is it supposed to be a smart comment? But just to let you there are both Catholics and non Catholics in the visitors both in European and those from the USA. The big difference is that regardless of that, some want to learn about the Colombian culture during these festivities and the others want to learn about how to watch the superbowl in a foreign country.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Dec 23, 2005, 08:49:

practice vs. tradition I'm sure most Europeans are well-informed about who Jesus was. Our schools teach Christian tradition to all children, including non-Christians. We also teach non-Christian traditions to all children, including Christians. Not to practice any religion is a choice, not ignorance.

An example: We've been visiting churches with Christmas crechés or nativity scenes for the last couple of weeks. Since we have many muslim children we have also visited a creche called "Abraham's Children" and the librarian told the children both the Bible and the Koran versions of the story.

Christianity has a long tradition in Europe; in the south people are pretty devout Catholics, even this time and age and we people in the North even if we are not very religiously inclined, still follow most Christian traditions.

Cheers,
Desi


Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone
else's life.

-Kobi Yamada

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

Lucia Rojas says on Dec 23, 2005, 09:16:

Yes, I agree with litost and juanalejo, I have one american friend who claims to travel and everytime she gets anywhwere the first thing she does is find the Mac Donalds, she somehow decides that all the food she will try will probably make her sick and it's disgusting anyways...Local culture? well ofcourse that would be Fridays on parque de la 93. Jejeje she is adorable and I love her to death, but she makes me laugh. She couldn't be more gringa.

Just take a look at those american people on The Amazing Race. Most of them are really bad travellers and oh so scared of the people they see... And they are so surprised when they get anywhere it's like: "Oh! they don't live on trees?!"

Europeans on the other hand tend to know more about foreign cultures and they are interested in learning more.

Though both ( europeans and americans) are patronizing.

utopiacowboy says on Dec 23, 2005, 11:00:

Here are the facts taken from a Boston Globe article on religion in Europe:

"In Italy, where 97 percent of the population considers itself Catholic, church attendance has fallen to 30 percent, according to figures compiled by Famiglia Cristiana, a popular Catholic weekly magazine. In large cities such as Milan, the figure is no more than 15 percent, church officials say.

In France, where 76 percent of the population considers itself Catholic, only 12 percent say they go to church on Sunday, according to Georgetown University's Center for the Study of Global Christianity, and Vatican officials say the percentages attending Mass drop as low as 5 percent in cities, such as Paris.

In Ireland, where 90 percent of the population is nominally Catholic, less than 50 percent attend Mass even once a month, according to church officials' estimates. That figure is more dramatic given that 91 percent of the country attended Mass regularly just 30 years ago, according to a recent church study."

I doubt that Catholicism and Christianity will be anything more than a historical artifact in Europe in the future. One thing that the US shares with Latin America is a continuing adherence to Christianity.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

utopiacowboy says on Dec 23, 2005, 11:03:

BTW, I am quite surprised that you see any "Americans" socially, Juanalejo, considering your hatred for all things "American". Are your guests aware of just how much you loathe them?

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Dec 23, 2005, 11:19:

UC, I don't disagree with your statistics at all; I know that the church attendance has dropped drastically in many European countries. What I was trying to say, instead, was that even if we are not churchgoers we still observe Christian traditions in many countries. Sweden may well be one of the least religious countries in Europe, however, our children are baptized in the church, church weddings and funerals are common and almost all the schools have a church ceremony included in the graduation programs.

What does this mean? That we are a bunch of hypocrites? Or that we feel so safe in our Christian culture and traditions that we don't feel the need to go to the church? Or that we like to keep our options open? I don't know.

Cheers,
Desi

Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone
else's life.

-Kobi Yamada

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

utopiacowboy says on Dec 23, 2005, 11:47:

Given a choice between the hollowed-out Christianity of Europe and the religous fanaticism of many Islamic countries (and fundamentalists in the US), I would choose the hollowed-out Christianity as less destructive. I would like to think that there is a middle ground and to a certain extent I think the Colombian attitude tends to be like this. My wife, though a devout Catholic, is also amazingly tolerant.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

morphus says on Dec 23, 2005, 14:06:

the Super Bowl is very important to Americans hence the question.

its a lot easier to learn about a culture by doing a little reading and research.

fugdis says on Dec 23, 2005, 15:59:

ignorance you dont have to go to church to be religious,anyway cowboy most of us europeans are devil worshippers that torture kittens and eat our own young

DonkeyDust says on Dec 23, 2005, 17:05:

You iether believe or you don't. No ones business but your own. Unless you push your beliefs on others and then your beliefs are everybodies business.

I don't know much about catholics except...(in my limited experience)... they don't seem to push there way of living in general onto anyone else.

I like that and that is one reason I gravitate to latina's who are catholic. Maybe that is stereo typing but it is a generalization.

Pushing ideas or ideologies on another goes against the grain of many nations and some do it much more than others. Of course it can be dangerous especially when it becomes peer pressure (Hitler etc) a simple stupid schoolyard tool.

Many countries use it as a political tool. Seen it before and we will see it again, it seems closely connected or 1 step away from fascism.

As far as the super bowl goes...I met a USA guy in Morroco who got there and went to the park and read everyday. He did almost nothing else for 2 weeks. What ever works for you but it is nice if you leave a good impression..

Just my opinion
Changes in Latitudes...attitudes.

Latitudes attitudes & platitudes.

litost says on Dec 23, 2005, 17:35:

I'm lost here... Why did this turn into a discussion about who's more or less religious? What does this have to do with the subject at hand, or with anything related to Colombia?

Mario says on Dec 23, 2005, 19:42:

Survive Catholic school for 12 years through the 60's and 70's and then see how Catholic you are. Watch your mother who devoted almost her entire life to the Catholic church be excommunicated after a divorce and be outed among her congregation as a divorcee and denied admittance, and then see how Catholic you are. It's just another cult like any other organized, idol-worshipping religion, invented by mankind to empower us with a belief system that ensures us that there's something to look forward to when we die, when in reality, there's as much of a 'heaven' destination as there was for the cockroach my daughter stomped on at 3 years old. It's a dead roach and that's that. The same goes for us when our time comes.

It's all manmade for peace of mind that there is a "hereafter". Reality check: you die and that's it. Your spirit lives on in the people who knew you. Nothing more - nothing less.

BTW - I'm not pushing my beliefs on anyone. This is only what I've come to believe in my 43 years among the living.

I will say that I believe Christ lived and had much to say, as did Martin Luther King, Jr. and many other prophets of living life clean. As a believer in what Christ had to say, I call myself a Christian. I also believe wholeheartedly in MLK and what he had to say, so I guess I am a Christian, but I'll never, ever be a Catholic again. And my wife knows how I feel and understands it, like UC's wife, she's tolerant.

Mario says on Dec 23, 2005, 19:45:

litost I respect your views, you're a part of the PBH intelligencia. As you know, these threads are prone to taking 'turns' in different directions and sometimes steer themselves. You just have to go for the ride sometimes because it can still get interesting. I prefer that over a 'dead' forum as we had about a week ago.... let it ride...

juanalejo says on Dec 23, 2005, 22:58:

UC No, I do not hate all things American, I dislike many things American as I dislike many things of many other countries including my own, and which for the most part are the same things most people I deal with tend to dislike about your country and my American friends for the most (not all) agree with me about the many downsides of their own country. But contrary to many on this site when they visit my country they are very respectful of my culture and our way of living, and that is why they get the same treatment from my side when I visit their country or talk about it. We tend to concentrate on the good of each others country and when we talk about the bad we respectfully listen to each others opinion to understand without much bias the other side of the coin. Unfortunatelly as a principle law of physics states that every action generates a reaction, as long as this site carries a highly critical view on everything Colombian the reaction will always be a highly critical view on everything American. Strange that there is no reaction towards all things French, British or Danish, maybe because those people have a more cultured approach to a site dedicated to a foreign country, especially one dedicated to a country close to the heart of somebody you supposedly love.

rocinante says on Dec 24, 2005, 06:23:

Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The most basic of human rights.

"I dislike many things American as I dislike many things of many other countries including my own"- Juanalejo

As US citizens we hear this type of disrepect from foreigners a great deal and the natural response is to defend.

But concerning this board, who is really disrespecting who?

Please realize that mostly all the male posters on this board, which is to say 80% are US citizens married to or getting married to or trying to marry a Colombian woman. This is a bold yet unspoken statement which says, “Yeah I love the US but I prefer other women outside of my country – I will go through a long troublesome marriage process with a poverty stricken woman thousands of miles away, from a culture I have never experienced, where no one even speaks my language etc.. because….�

A great deal of effort for US males considering Peggy Sue lives right down the block.

Yet these people will tell you how great the US is and give you a hard time if you dare say something negative about US foreign policy, hamburgers and SUVs. If the US is so great than what’s the problem with 50% of its people? Who cares about US foreign policy and SUVs when your immediate life has a policy that slaps your country hard in the face? Your basically saying shit sucks so bad in the US that I had to abandon my country’s women and jump through hoops in order fulfill one of the "unalienable rights" of mankind as outlined in the Declaration of Independence. But our footbal is great and we have Italian food to die for. Yeah!

" BTW, I am quite surprised that you see any "Americans" socially, Juanalejo, considering your hatred for all things "American". Are your guests aware of just how much you loathe them?�-UC

UC you are somewhat lucky because you think my posts are amusing – you said so yourself. But I am luckier because your posts make me think.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

greg says on Dec 24, 2005, 07:49:

Since we are on religion It always amazes me when i am in some dirt poor neighborhood, most recently in the Phillipines, where many of the people have no refrigeration, no water or sewer, and there in the middle of it all is a large beautiful catholic church that must have cost a fortune to build.

morphus says on Dec 24, 2005, 07:53:

why would anybody say anything negative about hamburgers in the U.S.? we have the best hamburgers in the world. people are always complaining about Mcdonalds opening up in their country, yet they keep eating it. theres no way that Americans could be forcing Colombians and Europeans to eat Mcdonalds.

morphus says on Dec 24, 2005, 07:59:

religion is a waste. it would be nice to blow up all churches, synagogues and mosques around the world.

Mario says on Dec 24, 2005, 08:08:

As much as I've distanced myself From organized religion, I still will acknowledge the fact that people everywhere should have the right to pursue their beliefs, build their shrines and places of worship as they choose, without fear of persecution. Some people need to grow the hell up.

iwaloga says on Dec 24, 2005, 08:16:

I am interested in your business I need someone who sponsor me in any field of
business which I will be very loyal to work with,
But consider first that I am an honest Nigerian.
I never mind if you can offer me the job of a cocaine
trafficker, exporter and importer, i will be very happy
to do it with all my heart.

I need someone who sponsor me in any field of business which I will be very loyal to work with, But consider first that I am an honest Nigerian.

iwaloga says on Dec 24, 2005, 08:17:

I need someone who sponsor me in any field of
business which I will be very loyal to work with,
But consider first that I am an honest Nigerian.

I need someone who sponsor me in any field of business which I will be very loyal to work with, But consider first that I am an honest Nigerian.

iwaloga says on Dec 24, 2005, 08:19:

I am interested in your business I need someone who sponsor me in any field of
business which I will be very loyal to work with,
But consider first that I am an honest Nigerian.

I need someone who sponsor me in any field of business which I will be very loyal to work with, But consider first that I am an honest Nigerian.

utopiacowboy says on Dec 24, 2005, 12:02:

You make some good points, Juanalejo. However I laughed when I read that you included the French as people who display respect for other cultures. The French have nothing but contempt and loathing for anything and everything that is not French. I say this as a Quebecois who loves la langue française, la plus belle langue du monde.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

Save the Wildcats says on Dec 24, 2005, 14:27:

Continuing on a tangent.... the US media... I think in general, the US is extremely narrow-minded and not very interested in what's going on in the rest of the world. However, I don't think that can be attributed directly to material possessions like new cars, houses and $5000 TVs. There are people here in the US that don't have many material possessions at all and they aren't interested in what's going on outside of the US, so we can't attribute their apathy to socioeconomic smugness. On the other hand, there are people in Manizales that don't even have running water that were very concerned about their US friends after Hurricane Rita and knew more details about that hurricane than some of the US neighbors would ever want to know!

I love my country; I'm not bashing it, but every time I go out of the country one of my favorite things to see is that other countries are reporting news from ALL around the world. That, and the smaller portions served in restaurants. We are slowly killing ourselves with food here in the US.

UC, I have to agree with you on the French! I hate to generalize, but while we're at it, you seem to be 100% correct on that.

Hi Litost, good to see you!

Kim

bekhiet says on Dec 24, 2005, 15:53:

medillion Greetings to all!
I am a female traveling to Medillion on business next month. Am concerned about safety issues. My spanish is not good, and I am very american looking (blonde hair and all). What is the best way to get around in the city and what do I need to avoid.

Thanks!

quindioman says on Dec 24, 2005, 23:51:

that's the best spelling I've ssen of medallo...they'll be calling it medallin next lol.....morphus I really hope you were trying to be funny but even then it wasn't very funny at all.

Lucia Rojas says on Dec 25, 2005, 08:55:

Bekhiet, maybe you will get better answers for this queston on a different thread. Most of the answers to your question are already out there, people have asked this question many times.

morphus says on Dec 26, 2005, 05:45:

bekhiet, i met a couple of blonde hair Americanas in Medellin on business. they did'nt have any problems. the best way for you to get around would be by taxi if you are on a short stay. the metro is good too but since taxis are so cheap you won't need it. as for safety, if you take taxis everywhere and stay in Poblado you should'nt have any problems at all.

cam0940 says on Dec 26, 2005, 08:30:

For me it is understandable how people who grew up Catholic develop disdain for the religion. Of course, Catholicism is a perversion of Chrisitianity: they are not one and the same. In fact, all denominations of Christianity are perversions. That is, taking Catholicism as an example, man has decided that he would add a separate book of practices, rituals, and costumes for whatever perverted reason, that never appeared in the Bible in the first place. The concept of a priest is not Bible. You confess to no other man. You call no other man Father. The Pharisees were publicly ridiculed by Jesus for their ornate "costumes" which served no other purpose than to make them appear to be "holier" than the general population. We could go on for pages, but the bottom line is that Catholicism is a huge break from what the Bible actually says. The fact that it has survived for so long is a testament to how little the Bible is read. If you read the Bible, you wouldn't be Catholic. That's just a fact. What is a Pope? Someone who is without sin? The Bible clearly says that all men are sinful. So Catholics have decided that they were going to, through ritual, make a man infallible. There is no basis for this.

Interestingly, if you look at Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, none of them deny the existence of Jesus. None of them deny his miracles. The Jews actually believe in the Old Testament. However, they believe that the power behind Jesus' miracles came from the Devil (which they also believe in). Muslims have a God, Devil, and afterlife as well. Muslims also believe in Jesus' miracles. All three trace their roots to Abraham. Interestingly, the Bible also says that in time, man will divide what the Bible says into sects (or denominations) and the body would weaken because of this. Man is too proud, too egocentric, and full of doubt to stick together. There's always someone to say "Well, how about if we do it this way?", and then you have division, and pretty soon you have hundreds of different branches of what was originally one belief. So here we are talking about Catholicism, which was is simply one of those branches, a branch that didn't even start until some 1300 or 1400 years after Jesus was dead. It's full of all kinds of things that the Bible explicitly says are wrong.

Mario, if Catholics were Christians, there is almost nothing your mother could do that could warrant excommunication. A divorce is not one of them. Nonsense. First of all, it's not the congregation's job to judge, that's between her and God. Second, even if the divorce was wrong (and there are examples in the Bible where divorce is NOT sin), the first people to forgive her should have been the brothers and sisters in the church. But even if the divorce was a sin, the Bible says that their is no "heirarchy" of sin, in other words, getting a divorce is no worse than telling a lie. Or better, no worse than the leader of the congregation teaching the people wrong. There can be no denying that if a priest is screwing little boys, having the people call him "Father" when even Jesus wasn't called Father, and having people confess to him when he has no power to cleanse sin, and after all that the Catholic church says the priest is OK, then there is clearly something wrong with a structure that ostracizes a woman for getting divorced.

Jesus saved a prostitute from stoning. But the Catholic church ostracizes a woman from the congregation for a divorce? This is not Christianity.

I don't want to preach, I'm just saying. Catholicism is one of man's biggest crimes and it's leading millions away from what the Bible actually says. And then people who don't know the Bible attack Christianity because of what they see and disagree with in Catholicism. And it was all predicted 2000 years ago, before Catholicism ever showed up. Interesting isn't it? Incidentally, the Bible is the best preserved historical document man has, in terms of original text and meaning. Let's for argument's sake say that it is not perfectly preserved. It is one of a handful of geographically, culturally, and historically accurate documents we have. Even if you aren't a believer, it's chock full of accurate history that makes it harder to just say it's complete nonsense.

quindioman says on Dec 26, 2005, 08:39:

fine points you raise Cam....it is a shame that more people don't actually read the Bible and deduce for themselves that there's a lot wrong with Catholicism....however I also believe that a lot of Catholics are very sincere in their love for God, they just don't bother with the history....I very much admire Mother Theresa and hope that she's not burning in some infinite fire like some sects of Christianiaty would have us believe.

cam0940 says on Dec 26, 2005, 08:56:

Thank you quindioman. Just to be technically accurate before someone jumps on the fact, Catholicism as we know it today dates back to about 1300 or 1400. Actually it began in a revival in 684 A.D., and during those days many people didn't have complete sets of the books of the Bible. So, it's conceivable that a group, working with what they had, thought ok let's live righteous, and filled in the blanks with what they thought God wanted. These days we have the benefit of looking at a substantially complete set, and therefore it's easy for us to see the glaring perversions of Catholicism. But since too few people want to read, they just go along with the perversion that became the Catholic Church.

Mario says on Dec 26, 2005, 08:58:

Remember This was circa 1973, and this particular congregation was run by a Polish priest and Polish nuns (in a very Polish neighborhood) in the Dioscese of the Sacred Heart. Ruthless is what they were. From the punishment my two older brothers and I received as well as countless others, to the treatment my mother received after all she had done for them - I don't think it would've been the same in this day and age at all. The liberated woman still hadn't come of age at the time. After all of that, she faced the various bank officers who repeatedly turned her down for a $13.5 home loan because she was a single (divorced) female parent of three. The house was finally purchased and renovated by all of us working our asses off, and then paid in full at the time of her death 5 years later.

The last offense was the big man in the black suit at the funeral home telling me "look at it this way. she'd have been an invalid the rest of her life had she lived", with the Catholic Asshole priest standing right there.

"Never give in, never give in - except to your convictions of honor and duty". - Churchill

(who happened to wear a habit and posed as a nun in my first grade class - I swear the bitch was the spitting image of the guy).

iwaloga says on Dec 26, 2005, 11:16:

I need someone who will sponsor me in any field of
business which I will be very loyal to work for no matter the situation or the nature of the job I am ready to place. asfar I am been paid for the job given to me to carry outBut consider first that I am an honest and trustwardy person who donot entertain cheating. I hope to have somone who is interested in me. my email is usonlinepromo at usa.com

I need someone who sponsor me in any field of business which I will be very loyal to work with, But consider first that I am an honest Nigerian.

ElPadrino1 says on Dec 26, 2005, 11:46:

Nigeria, Check your Pay Pal Account Paypaled $5000 to you. Enjoy your Xmas! And new Year!

quindioman says on Dec 26, 2005, 14:01:

cam out of curiosity....don't the Indian scriptures like the Vedas, Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads outdate the Bible? I just wondered since I imagine they would have been around before the Bible came on the scene.

cam0940 says on Dec 26, 2005, 18:19:

The Vedas is the oldest of the Indian scriptures in text form, dating to about 1500 B.C. The Talmud, which is the Oral Law (basically the book of Leviticus in the Bible) is far, far older than any of the Indian scriptures, and was even in written form at least 2000 years prior. The NEW TESTAMENT obviously wasn't written till after Jesus was born, which was after the Indian scriptures were written. That was a good question, but the Old Testament, the Torah, and Qu'ran start way before the Indian scriptures.

carter says on Dec 27, 2005, 09:28:

GIB - Thanks for proving my point No I have never been to Island but have visited Ireland on occasions and use to live on a big Island called Australia.

And please don´t start on this culturally diverse USA crap Im from Melbourne, have lived in Toronto and London and spent time in US cities including NY, LA and San Fransico.

I know which cities are more multi cultural and which ones have the greatest understanding of the cultures which exist in it and which expect others to assimilate.

I will say though that the US has a greater understanding of Latino culture than Australia

Mario says on Dec 27, 2005, 09:44:

It's strange really, the U.S. is the most culturally diverse country IMHO - BUT the sad part of it is that the individual cultures that exist don't seem to give a flip about the other, what they're doing or what really interesting things they have to offer, and stick to themselves for the most part.

utopiacowboy says on Dec 27, 2005, 10:15:

Well, down here, Mario, everyone knows quite a bit about Mexican culture whether they want to or not. With a majority of the population being Mexican-American, it's a fact of life. For the most part I'd say everybody gets along pretty good.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

Mario says on Dec 27, 2005, 10:19:

Agreed And the 21 years I lived in Philly I saw a lot of West European cultures imbibed into the neighborhood fabric, but it was a patchwork quilt of sorts...

MrOutis says on Dec 27, 2005, 12:50:

(sic) "That was a good question, but the Old Testament, the Torah, and Qu'ran start way before the Indian scriptures."

Someone call a funeral home in Cali on my behalf, for I´m about to die laughing.

quindioman says on Dec 27, 2005, 12:53:

Mr outis maybe you could enlighten us...?

cali373 says on Dec 27, 2005, 13:33:

I have gotten the "Do u have computers and ATM's there??", oh and of course cocaine comments. Ignorance exists in all parts of the world and definitely in Colombia and the U.S.

Smile if you are a thinker!

cali373 says on Dec 27, 2005, 13:36:

Well I am American and I have Well I am American and Colombian and I have a stupid question. "Don't Americans get tired of eating Hamburgers and hotdogs everyday?"

Smile if you are a thinker!

cam0940 says on Dec 27, 2005, 14:07:

Don't worry quindioman, Mr. Outis cannot prove that the Vedas was written before any of the Old Testament scriptures, because it wasn't. The Vedas was written around 1500 B.C.; prior to that it was passed down orally. Bible writers were writing prior to Sodom and Gomorrah, which has been placed around 2400 B.C.

Archaeologists have searched the Dead Sea region for many years in search of Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 14:3 gives their location as the Valley of Siddim known as the Salt Sea, another name for the Dead Sea. On the east side six wadies, or river valleys, flow into the Dead Sea. Along five of these wadies, ancient cities were discovered. The northern most is named Bab edh-Drha. In 1924, renowned archaeologist Dr. William Albright excavated at this site, searching for Sodom and Gomorrah. He discovered it to be a heavily fortified city. Although he connected this city with one of the biblical "Cities of the Plains," he could not find conclusive evidence to justify this assumption.

More digging was done in 1965, 1967, and 1973. The archaeologists discovered a 23-inch thick wall around the city, along with numerous houses and a large temple. Outside the city were huge grave sites where thousands of skeletons were unearthed. This revealed that the city had been well populated during the early Bronze Age, about the time Abraham would have lived.

Most intriguing was evidence that a massive fire had destroyed the city. It lay buried under a coating of ash several feet thick. A cemetery one kilometer outside the city contained charred remains of roofs, posts, and bricks turned red from heat.

Dr. Bryant Wood, in describing these charnel houses, stated that a fire began on the roofs of these buildings. Eventually the burning roof collapsed into the interior and spread inside the building. This was the case in every house they excavated. Such a massive fiery destruction would match the biblical account that the city was destroyed by fire that rained down from heaven. Wood states, "The evidence would suggest that this site of Bab edh-Drha is the biblical city of Sodom."

Five cities of the plain are mentioned in Genesis 14: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zoar, and Zeboiim. Remnants of these other four cities are also found along the Dead Sea. Following a southward path from Bab edh-Drha there is the city called Numeria. Continuing south is the city called es-Safi. Further south are the ancient cities of Feifa and Khanazir. Studies at these cities revealed that they had been abandoned at the same time about 2450–2350 B.C. Many archaeologists believe if Bab ed-Drha is Sodom, Numeria is Gomorrah, and es-Safi is Zoar.

What fascinated the archaeologists is that these cities were covered in the same ash as Bab ed-Drha. Numeria, believed to be Gomorrah, had seven feet of ash in some places. In every one of the destroyed cities ash deposits made the soil a spongy charcoal, making it impossible to rebuild. According to the Bible, four of the five cities were destroyed, leaving Lot to flee to Zoar. Zoar was not destroyed by fire, but was abandoned during this period.

Although archaeologists are still disputing these findings, this is one discovery we will be hearing more about in years to come.

The Walls of Jericho
According to the Bible, the conquest of Jericho occurred in approximately 1440 B.C. The miraculous nature of the conquest has caused some scholars to dismiss the story as folklore. Does archaeology support the biblical account? Over the past century four prominent archaeologists have excavated the site: Carl Watzinger from 1907-1909, John Garstang in the 1930's, Kathleen Kenyon from 1952-1958, and currently Bryant Wood. The result of their work has been remarkable.

First, they discovered that Jericho had an impressive system of fortifications. Surrounding the city was a retaining wall fifteen feet high. At its top was an eight-foot brick wall strengthened from behind by an earthen rampart. Domestic structures were found behind this first wall. Another brick wall enclosed the rest of the city. The domestic structures found between the two walls is consistent with Joshua's description of Rahab's quarters (Josh. 2:15). Archeologists also found that in one part of the city, large piles of bricks were found at the base of both the inner and outer walls, indicating a sudden collapse of the fortifications. Scholars feel that an earthquake, which may also explain the damming of the Jordan in the biblical account, caused this collapse. The collapsed bricks formed a ramp by which an invader might easily enter the city (Josh. 6:20).

Of this amazing discovery Garstang states, "As to the main fact, then, there remains no doubt: the walls fell outwards so completely, the attackers would be able to clamber up and over the ruins of the city." This is remarkable because when attacked city walls fall inward, not outward.

A thick layer of soot indicates that the city was destroyed by fire as described in Joshua 6:24. Kenyon describes it this way. "The destruction was complete. Walls and floors were blackened or reddened by fire and every room was filled with fallen bricks." Archaeologists also discovered large amounts of grain at the site. This is again consistent with the biblical account that the city was captured quickly. If it had fallen as a result of a siege, the grain would have been used up. According to Joshua 6:17, the Israelites were forbidden to plunder the city, but had to destroy it totally.

Although the archaeologists agreed Jericho was violently destroyed, they disagreed on the date of the conquest. Garstang held to the biblical date of 1400 B.C. while Watzinger and Kenyon believed the destruction occurred in 1550 B.C. In other words, if the later date is accurate, Joshua arrived at a previously destroyed Jericho. This earlier date would pose a serious challenge to the historicity of the Old Testament.

Dr. Bryant Wood, who is currently excavating the site, found that Kenyon's early date was based on faulty assumptions about pottery found at the site. His later date is also based on the discovery of Egyptian amulets in the tombs northwest of Jericho. Inscribed under these amulets were the names of Egyptian Pharaohs dating from 1500-1386 B.C., showing that the cemetery was in use up to the end of the late Bronze Age (1550-1400 B.C.). Finally, a piece of charcoal found in the debris was carbon-14 dated to be 1410 B.C. The evidence leads Wood to this conclusion. "The pottery, stratigraphic considerations, scarab data and a carbon-14 date all point to a destruction of the city around the end of the Late Bronze Age, about 1400 BCE."

Thus, current archeological evidence supports the Bible's account of when and how Jericho fell.

House of David
One of the most beloved characters in the Bible is King David. Scripture says that he was a man after God's own heart. He is revered as the greatest of all Israelite kings and the messianic covenant is established through his lineage. Despite his key role in Israel's history, until recently no evidence outside the Bible attested to his existence. For this reason critics questioned the existence of a King David.

In the summer of 1993, an archaeologist made what has been labeled as a phenomenal and stunning discovery. Dr. Avraham Biran and his team were excavating a site labeled Tell Dan, located in northern Galilee at the foot of Mt. Hermon. Evidence indicates that this is the site of the Old Testament land of Dan.

The team had discovered an impressive royal plaza. As they were clearing the debris, they discovered in the ruins the remains of a black basalt stele, or stone slab, containing Aramaic inscriptions. The stele contained thirteen lines of writing but none of the sentences were complete. Some of the lines contained only three letters while the widest contained fourteen. The letters that remained were clearly engraved and easy to read. Two of the lines included the phrases "The King of Israel" and "House of David."

This is the first reference to King David found outside of the Bible. This discovery has caused many critics to reconsider their view of the historicity of the Davidic kingdom. Pottery found in the vicinity, along with the construction and style of writing, lead Dr. Biran to argue that the stele was erected in the first quarter of the ninth century B.C., about a century after the death of King David.

The translation team discovered that the inscription told of warfare between the Israelites and the Arameans, which the Bible refers to during this period. In this find, a ruler of the Arameans probably Hazael is victorious over Israel and Judah. The stele was erected to celebrate the defeat of the two kings. In 1994 two more pieces were found with inscriptions which refer to Jehoram, the son of Ahab, ruler over Israel, and Ahaziah, who was the ruler over the "House of David" or Judah. These names and facts correspond to the account given in chapters 8 and 9 of 2 Kings. Dr. Hershel Shanks of Biblical Archaeological Review states, "The stele brings to life the biblical text in a very dramatic way. It also gives us more confidence in the historical reality of the biblical text."

The find has confirmed a number of facts. First, the use of the term "House of David" implies that there was a Davidic dynasty that ruled Israel. We can conclude, then, that a historic King David existed. Second, the kingdoms of Judah and Israel were prominent political entities as the Bible describes. Critics long viewed the two nations as simply insignificant states.

Dr. Bryant Wood summarizes the importance of this find this way. "In our day, most scholars, archaeologist and biblical scholars would take a very critical view of the historical accuracy of many of the accounts in the Bible. . . . Many scholars have said there never was a David or a Solomon, and now we have a stele that actually mentions David."

Although many archeologists remain skeptical of the biblical record, the evidence for the historical accuracy of the Bible continues to build.

Notes


See Are the Biblical Documents Reliable? available on the Web at www.probe.org/docs/bib-docu.html
Randall Price, The Stones Cry Out (Eugene, OR.: Harvest House Publishers, 1997), 46.
Nelson Glueck, Rivers in the Desert, (New York: Farrar, Strous and Cudahy, 1959), 136.
Fred Wright, Highlights of Archaeology in the Bible Lands, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1955), 94-95.
Price, 118.
John Garstang, The Foundations of Bible History; Joshua, Judges (London: Constable, 1931), 146.
Kathleen Kenyon and Thomas Holland, Excavations at Jericho Vol. 3: The Architecture and Stratigraphy of the Tell, (London: BSA), 370.
Bryant Wood, "Did the Israelites Conquer Jericho?" Biblical Archaeological Review, March/April, 1990, 57.
John Wilford, "Archaeologists say Evidence of House of David Found." Dallas Morning News, 6 August 1993, 1A
Price, 173.
Bibliography


Biblical Archaeological Review, March/April 1994, "David Found at Dan," 26-39.
Bryce, Trevor. The Kingdom of the Hittites. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998.
Freedman, Noel and Geoghegan, Jeffrey. "House of David Is There!" Biblical Archaeological Review. March/April,1995, 78-79.
Garstang, John. The Foundations of Bible History; Joshua, Judges. London: Constable, 1931.
_______. The Land of the Hittites. London: Constable and Company, 1910.
Geisler, Norman. When Skeptics Ask. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1989.
Glueck, Nelson. Rivers in the Desert. New York: Farrar, Strous and Cudahy, 1959.
Hoerth, Alfred. Archaeology and the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1998.
Kenyon, Kathleen and Holland, Thomas. Excavations at Jericho Vol. 3: The Architecture and Stratigraphy of the Tell. London: BSA 370.
_______. Digging Up Jericho. New York: Fredrick Praeger Publisher, 1957.
Lemonick, Michael. "Score One for the Bible." Time Magazine, 5 March 1990, 59.
_______. "Are the Bible Stories True?" Time Magazine, December 18, 1995, 62-70.
McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict. San Bernadino: Here's Life Publishers, 1979.
_______. More Evidence That Demands a Verdict. San Bernadino: Here's Life Publishers, 1975.
Merril, Eugene. "The Very Stones Cry Out: A New Witness to an Ancient Record." Gospel Herald at the Sunday School Times. Fall 1995, 54-55, 59.
Millard, Alan. Nelson's Illustrated Wonders and Discoveries of the Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997.
Price, Randall. The Stones Cry Out. Eugene, OR.: Harvest House Publishers, 1997.
Wilford, John. "Archaeologists say Evidence of House of David Found." Dallas Morning News, 6 August 1993, 1A and 11A.
Wood, Bryant. "Did the Israelites Conquer Jericho?" Biblical Archaeological Review, Vol. 16:2, 1990.
Wright, Fred. Highlights of Archaeology in the Bible Lands. Chicago: Moody Press, 1955.
Yamauchi, Edwin, The Stones and the Scriptures. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1972.

cam0940 says on Dec 27, 2005, 14:16:

I know that was long, but again, the point is that David was writing Psalms before the Vedas was written, Mr. Outis. Sodom and Gomorrah, 1000 years before. And as we trace the lineage of Abraham in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, we're way earlier than the Indian scriptures. So if you're going to call a funeral home, it just might be from shock that you're.... incorrect.