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This is today's second Weblog posting. Our morning post collected stories from the weekend.

1. Evidence that bolsters a doubted biblical tale

An archaeological find in Jordan is making researchers—who seem terrified of proving the Bible historically accurate—very skittish. The New York Times reports on the ongoing controversy.

An international team of archaeologists has recorded radiocarbon dates that they say show the tribes of Edom may have indeed come together in a cohesive society as early as the 12th century B.C., certainly by the 10th. The evidence was found in the ruins of a large copper-processing center and fortress at Khirbat en-Nahas, in the lowlands of what was Edom and is now part of Jordan. …

The findings, Dr. Levy and Dr. Najjar added, lend credence to biblical accounts of the rivalry between Edom and the Israelites in what was then known as Judah. By extension, they said, this supported the tradition that Judah itself had by the time of David and Solomon, in the early 10th century, emerged as a kingdom with ambition and the means of fighting off the Edomites.

The discover runs counter to prevailing notions that the kingdoms of David and Solomon were little more than agricultural cooperatives.

Most criticism has come from advocates of a "low chronology" or "minimalist" school of early biblical history. They contend that in David's time Edom was a pastoral society, and Judah not much more advanced. In this view, ancient Israel did not develop into a true state until the eighth century B.C., a century and a half after David. …

Israel Finkelstein, an archaeologist at Tel Aviv University and a leading proponent of the low-chronology model, has said the new research does "not shed new light on the question of state formation in Edom." He argues that perhaps the copper operations were controlled by chieftains in Beersheba, to the west, and supplied material for urban centers west and north of Edom.

Right, any explanation makes sense except the Bible's.

2. Our persecution is none of your business

China is reacting to a House resolution on Monday that condemned the country for religious persecution. The resolution urged:

the Government of China to end its repression of religious organizations, recognize the ecclesiastical authority of religious leaders to provide spiritual leadership to their followers, and end the practice of only allowing religious worship through state-sanctioned patriotic religious associations; and [the House] insists that China refrain from additional ordinations of Catholic bishops until and unless their elevation is approved by the proper ecclesiastical authorities.

"The Chinese government protects the freedom of religious beliefs of citizens in accordance with the law," said Jiang Yu, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman. "After reform and opening up … we have made great progress in our human rights and people's livelihoods. This is obvious for all to see."

Last week, China arrested 28 in a raid on an "unauthorized" church.

3. The deal of the century

Who's smarter: the man who says his investment deal will earn massive returns, or the man who says if you give him money, God will repay you?

Greg Setser is learning the answer. "Federal prosecutors alleged that Setser, 49, and others ran a sham company that promised churches and religious investors the chance to make huge profits. Some 1,700 investors were duped," reports the Associated Press.

Prosecutors argued Setser had gained investments from influential leaders like Benny Hinn and used their testimony to persuade other investors.

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June (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50