Christian Bale is an actor. He plays the Hebrew prophet, Moses, in the new Biblical epic, “Exodus: Gods and Kings." According to an article on AOL, Bale was unfamiliar with the great prophet before he was cast to play the legendary figure.
So Bale read up on Moses. I’m not sure what he read, but from this research he claims to have gotten into Moses’ head and has concluded that the old prophet was “likely schizophrenic and […] one of the most barbaric individuals that I ever read about in my life … [he] fought greatly against God, against his calling. He was a very troubled, tumultuous man and mercurial.”
Oh boy. Sometimes it might be best to keep one’s mouth shut. (I still have a problem doing that!). There are folks out there who dislike what Bale said about Moses. On the other hand, there are some who agree with him.
I think it’s hilarious. Moses is a myth! There was no historical Moses! There was no great Hebrew tribulation in Egypt and there was no Exodus. The Biblical stories are ancient legends crafted to give the Hebrew people of the latter part of the first millennium BCE, some historical reference points, and to explain where certain traditions came from and whence they arose.
Biblical archaeologists and historians have found no outside evidence for any of the stories about Moses. He is not mentioned in the Egyptian records and the Egyptians kept quite good records. Not one speck of evidence has ever been uncovered in the Sinai desert that would indicate 600,000 Hebrews spent 40 years wandering around in the sandy wastes. There should be enough bones and pottery shards to fill several oil tankers. But nothing. Nada!
Furthermore, the Egyptians had police stations at various location stretching from Egypt to Canaan, and it’s highly unlikely that such a motley mob of folks as described in the Bible would go by unnoticed!
It's funny and rather pathetic that in this day and age we get a fracas going because an actor belittles the mythical man he portrayed in a movie, which gets people on both sides of the historical/religious fence arguing about whether Bale is right or wrong.
All of which goes to reinforce my belief that it is best if Hollywood leaves the Biblical stories alone. Who needs such stupid arguments? Furthermore, if I see one more “parting” of the Red Sea (actually, Sea of Reeds), I’m going to toss my cookies in the Sinai!
