Just a Detail

The bible says Mary's husband Joseph was and Jesus was trained as a carpenter.

How many depictions of and photos of the region show any trees?

I saw a documentary saying that there was a translation error. Joseph and Jesus were stone masons.

Do any depictions or photographs of the area show any rocks?

The gospels were written some time after the events to best recollection of many.

The story of Joseph of Arimathea in Glastonbury England was written in a similar way.

Are they both valid? Invalid?

C123

I just saw this. Interesting subject for off topic. With a book written so long ago and translated through different languages over the years, there is every reason to be believe there are errors. Several of my family members are serious students of the Bible. I will ask them about their feelings on it.

Okay...looked into this some. Yes, there were trees in ancient Israel. At some point in ancient history, irrigation came to Israel (Post Christ) that contributed greatly to the increase in forestry. It is entirely plausible that Joseph was a carpenter. However, it is entirely plausible that there is error in interpretation and the recording of the Bible.

When you put it that way,

A friend reminded me that Jesus live in the middle of the bronze age.
Bronze is Tim and Copper.
Joseph of A and other merchants like him would have been essential for normal life at the time.

There were reports of Joseph and Jesus starting an early church in the Glastonbury/Somerset area.

Glastonbury has a "Ancient" Theme Park in the the town.

The Abbey of Joseph of A and King Arthur's Grave.

"I kid you not" Jack Parr.

C123

I'm not sure if you realize that you are talking to someone who is well studied in the Bible but left the faith and became an agnostic in their late 20's. If you want to have a genuine discussion about the subject of the Bible and Christianity, as a whole, we can do that. I only ask that you have the respect to the faith (Of which I no longer partake in and, for what I believe is good reason) to know more about what you are talking about than trying to trash it with little to back it up. If this is to be a serious theological conversation, it would be a good one. If you are looking to throw out tongue and cheek, dollar store posts, like the ones you flooded my private message box with, I'm not interested.

The truth of the bible is in some cases suspect due to erroneous linguistic interpretations by experts who not a good as they claim or biased in favour of a result.

I know for a fact that Cornwall/Somerset had tin mines. So tin merchants are a reasonable assumption. The fact that Joseph of A was a rich tin merchant could be disputed, however on what basis?

The story of of Joseph in Cornwall is a story that persists.
The rest of the story can neither be proved or denied except that it is part of the same narrative.

The source of the genealogy of Joseph of A is noted.

I am stating facts. If the stories are not admissible due their oral nature then neither is the bible for the same reason.

C123

My thoughts, which is speculation, personal experience and in depth involvement in Bible studies from about age 14 to 24 are as such. I give them as much credibility as the average person. I'm certainly not claiming to be an expert here.

It feels like the Old Testament is hand book to survival for superstitious and simple people. "Don't eat pork. God doesn't want you to." Really? Perhaps, pork had parasites at that time that were deadly but, the people sending the message had to enter in a scare tactic to protect village people. "God doesn't want you to be gay. It is a horrific sin." Perhaps, populating the earth was critical at time when there were not a lot of people and little medical care. Was it Lot's wife who turned into a pillar of salt when she didn't listen to God's message? Would a reasonable God do that to someone? The men who were trying to protect the ark of the covenant died because they instinctively touched it when it was falling. Would a reasonable God really strike them dead? Yet, King David, could do just about anything and God always forgave him and loved him with great bias. It reminds me of the movie, The Village, in which scare tactics were used to "Protect" and entertain.

Skip to the New Testament, and it is gets different. Everyone suddenly has compassion and common sense. There is also a tremendous amount of insight into social issues we are seeing today. Revelations is mind blowing. So much of what was predicted there has happened and is continuing to. There are great lessons in the New Testament. I totally loved Apostle Paul. I do not believe I would have been the business woman that I came to be without his advice, although it had nothing to do with technology sales or femdom. Some things that are amazingly charming are lost in what is being taught. The stories about Peter and his relationship with Jesus and the other disciples is something that never makes it to Biblical movies. He was the Charlie Brown of the group. The story about him trying to walk on water is hilarious. Jesus was trying to teach him a lesson in a light hearted way. Can you imagine the other disciples laughing as Peter came trudging out of the water, laughing himself, like, "Okay. Now I get it." The New Testament was and still is dear to me. It seems the religious zealots fighting against gay marriage and filled with judgement, just don't get it. Jesus mention gay marriage exactly zero times. Grace, love and resisting the judgement of others were mentioned numerous times.

So, these are my personal feelings. I'm not demanding they are correct. To your original point, I agree there is room for error and misunderstanding in a book written so long ago and passed through so many hands. It is also impossible to read a chapter without taking a little history lesson. Who was the author? Who was he addressing? What was going on at the time? "Ladies don't talk in church," has many people believing that women shouldn't be in leadership roles. In fact, there was a problem with a group or women disrupting services by whispering to each other...in the same way that some people do in movie cinemas.

Anyway, my thoughts. I certainly don't claim to certain I am right.

2 points

First the Bronze Age ended more than a millennium before Jesus was born.

Second as for trees there are the famous cedars of Lebanon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedars_of_God