@Liar you are that rare and wonderful thing, an 'idealist' - and an optimist - I like you! and you have also done your research on some major geological events which affected the Middle East (and the whole world).
I might add to that, that the story of the flood is omnipresent in most religions around the world and ties in with geological events round about 6000 years ago, when an asteroid hit North America (present-day Badlands show the scars) and which caused catastrophic floods - as well as melting of the ice-caps brought floods of catastrophic proportions into many areas, including the Middle East. I'll get my time-line sorted and post again (have a worker in the house atm who needs my attention
).
There is also a lot one could add to your history of the Middle East. Also: there were older civilisations before the Israelites' taking of the Holy Land and they brought ideas with them from the Egyptians as well as adapted some religious concepts from the Sumerian religion. The idea of the trinity in Christianity is not a new concept, the Egyptians already had a trinity in Isis and Osiris and Horus (the falcon god - equates to the Holy spirit in Christianity) - at least they had a male and a female main god, unlike the Christians who were determined to get rid of the ancient fertility goddesses and grafted an immaculate conception on Mary . . .
Seems we cannot live without tales told by men in fancy hats and dresses.
Go well
Taurisk
