I have always enjoyed watching Biblical and historic documentaries on the History International, History, and Arts and Entertainment Channels, but I tend to be unhappy with the politics of it when it comes to giving Africa its place in the Bible and Palestine.  Apart from not giving Africa its genuine recognition in terms of individuals, kingdoms, and events, African Kingdoms and accomplishments is always missing when showing the timeline of the world in reference to the subject matter.  I watched the Ancient Almanac program on History International this morning and the topic was about the Philistines being the main enemy of Israel for two centuries up to the time of King David.   It was very exciting and educative, except for the intentional distortion of the origins of the Philistines.

According to the moderator and Walter Zanger, it was obvious that the Philistines where not Semitic by origin, and that they came from the lost land of Atlantis, which was by ancient Greece.  Zanger claimed that some volcanic eruption that took place in Bulgaria must have driven the Philistines to settle in Egypt before settling in Palestine, which was after conquering the Canaanites around 1200 BCE.  Zanger also admitted that the Bible did mention that the Philistine where mentioned during the time of Abraham about 500 years earlier (1700 BCE), but he dismissed it as inaccurate or figuratively speaking.   If the contents of the Bible are inaccurate or figurative in his perception, then Zanger should not reference the Bible at all, instead of referring to it only when it favors his opinions.

When will many European Biblical and history scholars give up the imaginary idea of Atlantis?  It never existed.  It is a creation of European pride to steal or diminish the accomplishment of Africa.  When an event or an accomplishment is beyond European understanding or is older than the Greek or Roman civilization, they give the credit to the mythical Atlantis that never existed and will never be found.  It was even said that the people of Atlantis built the Pyramids and that the original Egyptians (Africans) were not that sophisticated in some other documentaries.  How come the African Pharaohs and their treasures are buried in the Pyramids and not the citizens of Atlantis?  Why are the African Pyramids and the Pharaohs still standing to this day on planet earth, but no one can find the land, accomplishments, and people of Atlantis. 

I will like to educate Walter Zanger and the History International Channel about the true origins of the Philistines and why they were also mentioned in the time of Abraham.  This explanation is not mystical like Atlantis; it is right in the Bible.  In Genesis 11: 1-9, in clearly states that after the great flood that mankind moves eastward from Africa towards Palestine, not northward towards Greece, in reference to the Garden of Eden and Nod in Genesis 2:10-14, 4:16.  According to the book titled "The Political and Spiritual Purpose of the Holy Land," Eden was in Ethiopia (Cush / Kush) and Nod was in Egypt (Mizraim)  using direct geographical reference from the Bible.  According to Genesis 10: 6-18 (with emphasis on verse 14) the Philistine are a direct descendant of Egypt (Mizraim), who in turn is a descendant of Ham (Africans).  Also in Genesis 10: 6-18, Egypt (Mizraim), Put (Libya), Canaan (Palestine), and Ethiopia (Cush / Kush) are brothers - the sons of Ham.  Genesis 12:10, clearly shows that Abraham settled in Egypt for a while before he settled in Canaan.  The Canaanites according to Genesis 10 are also descendants of Ham.  So Biblically and historically, the philistines were Africans.

It is true that the Semites (Jews and Arabs) now occupy the Holy Land, but you have no right to talk about God, the Bible, Israel, or Palestine without giving the dew respect to the origin of humans and the descendants of Ham - the Africans.  They took care of baby Jesus when the Jewish King Herod wanted him killed, they took care of Joseph and the house hold of Israel in the time of famine, they raised and educated Moses in a time of a bad Pharaoh, they housed the dead sea scrolls that were lost for centuries, and they currently house the Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia (Cush / Kush) .  As the Biblical descendant of Ham, I demand an apology for the neglect and the intentional disrespect.  I will really appreciate it if Zanger and the History International Channel make a correction to their Philistine documentary and include more Africans who are experts in ancient African and Biblical history when they do their Biblical documentaries from now on for the sake of accuracy and credibility. 

July 2, 2008

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Thanks for responding.  I must admit that I am highly disappointed with the fact that you are neither not scholarly or man enough to back up your claims.  Like I said earlier, the show was “Ancient Almanac” on the History International Channel and the actual topic, I believe was “Philistine: Israel’s Arch-Enemy”.  In it, every scholar was talking about the Philistines and their Biblical relationship with Israel.  It was a show that was dedicated to Israel and the Philistine, and you did talk about Atlantis, Greece, the Philistine moving to Canaan from Greece, and not taking the Philistines story with Abraham seriously. 

The fact that you claim that we should ignore the ancient writings of Genesis in the Bible, but accept the Jewish writings of Ezekiel and Zephaniah in the same Bible proves my point of European scholarly bias against African history and accomplishments.   Just because Genesis in the Bible is older than European, Greek, and Roman history does not means that it should be neglected because Europeans cannot control, manipulate, or claim it.  This is an act of cowardice and bias that must be eradicated from Historical and Biblical studies.  You say that no scholar takes Genesis seriously because there is no timeline, it was written centuries after the fact, and that it only gives names of descendants.  Which scholars are you referring to?  I can tell you that they are not African Scholars of History and Biblical studies and maybe you do not even consider them to be scholars anyway.  If we should not believe Genesis because it was written after the facts, then we should not believe in Jesus because his story was not written until about a century after he died.  If we should ignore Genesis 10 because it did not give a timeline but just lists of descendants,   then why should be believe Genesis 11 that says Abraham is a Semite without a date?  If Genesis says that Abraham was a Semite and we believe, then we should also believe Genesis when it says that the Children of Ham are Egypt (Mizraim), Libya (Put), Canaan (Palestine), and Ethiopia (Cush / Kush). 

You also wanted to know if the Greeks were Blacks, so I will let the African scholars educate you on that fact at http://edofolks.com/html/pub117.htm .  Were the original Americans (300 years ago and more) Native Indians or Europeans descendants?  The answer to this question may help you understand the story of the Black or original Greeks, and the use of laws and genocide.  You also said that the lists of Genesis 10 and the descendants of Ham are meaningless.  Are the African Pharaohs, Pyramids, Joseph, Moses, the Concept of the one true God, and the Egyptian civilization meaningless in World history classes?  Are the Garden of Eden, Queen Sheba, and the Arc of the Covenant, all of Ethiopia, meaningless in Hebrew culture and history?  Are the Canaanite wife of Judah, ancestor of Jesus, David, and Solomon – Genesis 38, and the Canaanite land that holds Jerusalem, which the Jews and Palestinians are fighting over till this day meaningless?  According to my book titled “The Political and Spiritual Purpose of the Holy Land”, I was able to prove that most of the children of Israel married daughters of Ham.  Even Joseph Married Egyptian royalty - Genesis 41:50.  By the time of Ezekiel in Ezekiel 16:1-3, the Jews or Israelites were no longer considered Semites by God Almighty.  God clearly calls Jews descendants of Amorites and Hittites, who are descendants of Canaan; this is because by this time, the Jews or Israelites were now basically Canaanites.  Only Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are known to have married Semites, after that everyone became a Canaanite with an identity. Foreigners who have lived in America for over 10 generations, married Americans, and never went back are basically now Americans by blood, marriage, and culture.  

You also reference Ezekiel 25:16 and Zephaniah 2:5, and claimed that they prove that the Philistines came from Crete.  The former verse, in the New International Version of the Bible, says that God was going to destroy the Philistines up to the coastline.  There is no mention of Crete.  Does Egypt and Palestine not have a coastline?  The later verse says basically the same thing but used the word “sea”.  Isn’t the Mediterranean Sea by Egypt and Palestine?  So the Bible is consistent to this day after thousands of years.  You are the one that is not consistent.  In fact, in the same Zephaniah 2:5, God says that Canaan is the land of the Philistines. So from where did you see Crete, Greece, and the volcano of Bulgaria that drove them from imaginary Atlantis to where God Almighty and the unscholarly Genesis say they have always been?  Let me tell you, Europe has its place in world history but should never be put before Africa when it comes to the study and understanding of the Biblical and Jewish God.  God does not exist on earth from a Biblical perspective without its interaction with Africa or the descendants of Ham.   Even the Greek and Roman History that Europe is so proud about do not exist without African Egypt and the Nubian kingdom of Ethiopia.  Anything short of this is politics and not the study of God, peace, fairness, or justice. 

It is your kind of scholarly mindset that leads to the war in Palestine.  You need to speak the truth of God at all times as a scholar or a professional with responsibility to share knowledge.  You may not make all the money, but you will live at peace with your Semitic neighbors.  There is a difference between a European converted Jew and an original Jew of Canaan, who by God’s standard is no longer a Semite like Abraham.  Please take care of Canaan (Palestine) and Jerusalem.  Just because you live there now does not mean that there should be no peace there.    Speak the truth, share abundantly, and make the peace.  God bless.

Ehi Aimiuwu, Author
The Political and Spiritual Purpose of the Holy Land