Re: "That was not true of the Jews in ancient times or in Talmudic times. The Jewish ethical spirit and behavior was advanced compared to the cultures in which they emerged and lived. So how do you compare the "culturally retarded" taliban of our day to the Talmudic Jews of their time and place, or the ancient Biblical Jews in their own time in place who were more advanced than the surrounding cultures?"
And as always you completely misread and lacked comprehension of my exact words.
Sorry, but your always trying to disagree with what I wrote by saying I'm comparing the worst traits of the Taliban to ancient Jews is not a valid argument and is absolutely NOT what I wrote and stated.
If you think ancient Jews lived in Beverly Hills instead of mud brick houses with dirt floors, if you think ancient Jews all wore robes of Priestly Royalty in the streets, if you think ancient Jews didn't look more like Taliban today than the Jews of modern times, then you clearly misunderstand the ancient world and its times.
There was no science other than that being explored by pagan philosophers of that time. Jews stoned adulterers, whores, witches, non-virgins, and punished each other for any infractions of Torah Law. They wore beards and headdresses, and walked barefoot or in sandals. They kept slaves and they wore earrings and other adornments. More often than not they practiced astrology, and frequently many fell into worshipping Baal and other foreign gods. They had no indoor plumbing or electricity, and they weren't all good saintly holy Yeshivah students who davened day and night and were the very height of all that we today consider civilized. They were anything and everything just like all other normal people of their times. They were shepherds, robbers, priests, corrupted priests, murdering priests, corrupt Kings, good Kings, rebels, prophets, murderers of prophets, wine makers, olive growers, wheat growers, whores, traders, middle men, money changers, carpenters, tent-makers, camel riders, archers, and I can assure you that a large number of them were not always holy men of goodness purity and light. And if you don't believe me, then READ TORAH and all the rest of the scriptures start to finish as a complete study and learn for yourself. The very idea that just because ancient Judea and Israel were composed of Jews makes them totally civilized and practicing holiness is a laughable joke unless you're living in some kind of dream world based on Cecile B. DeMille movies -- You know the ones -- where a big ray of light shines down on Charlton Heston and the angelic chorus made up of all Mormon Tabernacle Choir women break out singing "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH AAAAAHHHHH!"
to signify the angels of good holiness! Yeah! That's how Jewish Life was in the ancient days -- all were pure holy Torah Scholars who despised sin!