Data Over Dogma

Episode 88: Josiah the Cult Killer

Dec 9, 2024

Dive into the intriguing world of ancient cults and the surprising complexities of biblical history. Explore King Josiah's transformative reign, where he discovered a lost book that spurred massive reforms against idolatry. Uncover the debate over whether his actions were righteous or self-serving. Delve into archaeological insights that reveal ancient worship practices and the centralization of religion in Israel. The captivating narrative challenges views on early monotheism and emphasizes the rich tapestry of cultural influences in ancient Judah.

01:00:12

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Quick takeaways

The podcast highlights the complex legacy of King Josiah's reforms, raising questions about power centralization and the impact on diverse worship practices.

It discusses the role of propaganda in biblical texts, suggesting a historical narrative shaped to promote certain ideologies and political agendas post-exile.

Deep dives

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Intro

2min

Complexities of Josiah and Hezekiah's Reigns

16min

The Revelation of the Lost Book

2min

Adventurous Journeys and Surprising Science Insights

2min

King Josiah's Reforms: A Historical Turning Point

18min

Historical Reforms and Religious Centralization

6min

Ancient Worship and the Telmozah Temple

9min

Exploring the Historical Context of Biblical Texts

5min

When you think cults, chances are you're imagining a documentary series you streamed recently where a shockingly non-dynamic person has somehow managed to convince a group of reasonably intelligent followers that they are the smartest person in the world, and now controls their lives in terrifying ways. So when we talk about "cult centralization," you could be forgiven for not immediately understanding what we're talking about. But stick with us: this one gets really interesting!

On this week's show, we're talking ancient cultic practices. We've all heard about places like ancient Greece or Rome, where many gods were worshipped, each having a different set of skills and a different purview. So a weaver might pray to a different god than a farmer, because they needed different divine interventions, but everybody got along. You might think that this was very different from the way religion was practiced in biblical Judah, right? There's no way the people you read about in the Bible lived lives like the Greeks and Romans... right?

Well hold on to your standing stones, because this week we're talking cults, and the Judean king who put a stop to them. Was this the work of a righteous man, doing the right thing for his god, or a megalomaniac who wanted all the power and wealth for himself? Did he bring his people together in harmony, or did he divide his country and weaken them, leading to their defeat by the Babylonians?

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Hey! Don't forget to pre-order Dan McClellan's upcoming book The Bible Says So

https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGLTkpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQY4Ahs0Hi289IcnsQMh_0OAVf3oGefyUsWkLjhfB8OF8nio1fmroJbXxA_aem_v_4sISp8Zt43zsKfDjx1aA

This episode was sponsored by BetterHelp.

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