From: joe@sfbooks.com 
  
 In article , Jon Ericson 
  wrote: 
  
 > In any case, Christianity didn't invent the concept of an adversary of 
 > God. 
  
 Ah, ummm, the word you want is "Zoroastrianism", methinks.  See if 
 you wish the third volume of Mary Boyce's , 
 where there is much detail about Zoroastrian influence on Second 
 Isaiah among other writers. 
  
 There are earlier Mesopotamian myths that show various deities 
 defeating various opponents, but I'm pretty sure the Zoroastrians 
 hold the patent on the idea of a single, consistent, more than one 
 battle, enemy.  I know of nothing similar in any other part of the 
 world, that early. 
  
 -- JLB 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)