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Science And The Bible

Original Post Has Been Edited by Raymond Sheen

I think that some of the perceived conflict with science and religion began with the Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras, who had a geocentric perspective on the universe. Inspired by the ancient Greeks Aristotle and Ptolemy. In fact Aristotle's geocentric concept would be the accepted philosophy even up to as late as the 16th century.

The scientist Thomas Aquinas had was greatly influenced by Aristotle and in his book Galileo's Mistake, Wade Rowland insisted "the hybridized Aristotle in the theology of Aquinas had become bedrock dogma of the Church of Rome."

Galileo's heliocentric position didn't quite agree with Aquinas' geocentric position, and Galileo, in typical fashion, had the nerve to suggest that his own position was in line with Scripture. That didn't fly with them, who thought they had the sole authority for interpreting Scripture. The Church didn't have much to stand on really, as far as interpretation goes - they were wrong in assuming that because the Bible says the sun rises or sets or the earth was on an unshakable foundation as literally supporting their geocentric position. (Ecclesiastes 1:5 / Psalm 104:5) Of course we use those terms today and don't mean to imply a literal foundation or geocentric philosophy.

The inquisition of Galileo in 1633 didn't bring the church to it's senses. He would stand condemned by the Catholic Church until 1992 when they would finally admit their error. So it could be said that the position of the modern day science minded skeptic of the Bible isn't really any more informed regarding the issue. They, oddly enough, use the same tactics as the Church and juxtaposition the same sort of logic in doing so. The Earth is flat according to the Bible, they say, because it says "the four corners of the Earth" or "the foundation of the earth" when the Bible said the Earth was round or spherical thousands of years before science came to that conclusion. (Isaiah 40:22 / Job 26:7)

The Bible is the inspired word of Jehovah God. Inspired when dictated but not inspired in translation, so the Bible is not the inerrant word of God, it is the imperfect translation of it.

It isn't surprising that the Bible and science, the imperfect observations of man, do not always agree, but they do agree a great deal more than one might think. It is quicker to give examples of where they disagree than where they agree.

They disagree in the flood and evolution.

In addition to the aforementioned geocentric issue, It is often thought, incorrectly, that the Bible says the earth was flat, that bats were birds, that insects have four legs, that prenatal influence was real, that pi was slightly off and that the universe was created in 144 hours or six days. None of this is true.
 
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And you know this to be true based on ... ?

Intense study of the Bible for nearly two decades.

[Edit]: I wouldn't say I know this though. I think the more I know the less I think, so I would say I think it to be so until I see evidence otherwise and then I think that other way. That hasn't happened yet. Can you show me?
 
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Jayhawker Soule

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Premium Member
No problem. From your perspective, when was the Bible dictated, by whom, to whom, and based on what evidence?
 

Caladan

Agnostic Pantheist
The Bible is not a biology text book or a science text book in general. therefore it will prove problematic to include it in scientific discussion in the first place.
we will have to bend the intentions of folklore, morality, near eastern allegory in order to include it in a scientific discussion.
however, if you have specific points inside the scripture that you think are relevant to a scientific discussion, even from a historical POV, please share them.
 

cablescavenger

Well-Known Member
The clash between science and religion began in the sixth century B.C.E. with the Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras, who's geocentric view of the universe influenced ancient Greeks like Aristotle and Ptolemy. Aristotle's geocentric concept endured for 2,000 years, primarily as a philosophy, even as late as the 16th century.

It was adopted by the church due to the scientist Thomas Aquinas (1225-74) who had great respect for Aristotle. In the book Galileo's Mistake, Wade Rowland wrote: "the hybridized Aristotle in the theology of Aquinas had become bedrock dogma of the Church of Rome."

Galileo's heliocentric concept flew in the face of Aquinas' geocentric philosophy, and Galileo had the nerve to suggest that his heliocentric concept was in harmony with Scripture. Thus the Inquisition in 1633. It was Galileo's figurative, and might I add, accurate, interpretation of Scripture against Aquinas' and the Catholic Church's literal and inaccurate interpretation. For being right Galileo stood condemned until 1992 when the Catholic Church officially admit to their error in their judgement of Galileo.

So the static between religion and science was caused by science, philosophy and religion wrongly opposed to science and the Bible.

A great deal of this type of baseless misunderstanding of the Bible from the side of the believer as well as the skeptic, along with a general lack of knowledge of the history of the relationship between science and religion still exists today in the science minded skeptic.

The Bible is the inspired word of Jehovah God. Inspired when dictated but not inspired in translation, so the Bible is not the inerrant word of God, it is the imperfect translation of it.

It isn't surprising that the Bible and science, the imperfect observations of man, do not always agree, but they do agree a great deal more than one might think. It is quicker to give examples of where they disagree than where they agree.

They disagree in the flood and evolution.

In addition to the aforementioned geocentric issue, It is often thought, incorrectly, that the Bible says the earth was flat, that bats were birds, that insects have four legs, that prenatal influence was real, that pi was slightly off and that the universe was created in 144 hours or six days. None of this is true.
Hi Raymond, can you quote your source please, this is already on the net.
 
Hi Raymond, can you quote your source please, this is already on the net.

I'm the source, but I'm not sure what you mean that it is already on the net.

ETAIt appeared in part on my old website, The Pathway Machine, though it has since been removed it can actually be accessed in it's cached form. It may have appeared in part on some other forums as well.
 
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Skwim

Veteran Member
In addition to the aforementioned geocentric issue, It is often thought, incorrectly, that the Bible says the earth was flat, that bats were birds, that insects have four legs, that prenatal influence was real, that pi was slightly off and that the universe was created in 144 hours or six days. None of this is true.
Have no idea why you say these are not in the Bible because they are certainly in the Bibles I have, yet I'm posting them for others to see what you're denying.


Bats are birds
Leviticus 11:13-19
13"And these you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten; they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, 14the kite, the falcon of any kind, 15every raven of any kind, 16the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind, 17the little owl, the cormorant, the short-eared owl, 18the barn owl, the tawny owl, the carrion vulture, 19the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

Insects with four legs
Leviticus 11:20-23
20"All winged insects that go on all fours are detestable to you. 21Yet among the winged insects that go on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to hop on the ground. 22Of them you may eat: the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, and the grasshopper of any kind. 23But all other winged insects that have four feet are detestable to you.

π is 3.0000
1 kings 7;23-26
23 Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.
With π =c/d and using the given dimensions of c =30 and d = 10, we get π = 3.0000 (30/10 = 3.0000)
with a cubit taken as 18 inches, the discrepancy in circumference is 2 feet, and the discrepancy in diameter of about a foot.
if the Diameter (10) is correct then the circumference must be 31.41 and if the circumference is correct we get a diameter of 9.5


Earth created in six days
Genesis 1:1-28
First day: Light is created ("Let there be light!")[Gen 1:3]—the first divine command. The light is divided from the darkness, and "day" and "night" are named.
Second day: God makes a firmament ("Let a firmament be...!")[Gen 1:6–7]—the second command—to divide the waters above from the waters below. The firmament is named "skies".
Third day: God commands the waters below to be gathered together in one place, and dry land to appear (the third command).[Gen 1:9–10] "earth" and "sea" are named. God commands the earth to bring forth grass, plants, and fruit-bearing trees (the fourth command).
Fourth day: God puts lights in the firmament (the fifth command)[Gen 1:14–15] to separate light from darkness and to mark days, seasons and years. Two great lights are made to appear (most likely the Sun and Moon, but not named), and the stars.
Fifth day: God commands the sea to "teem with living creatures", and birds to fly across the heavens (sixth command)[Gen 1:20–21] He creates birds and sea creatures, and commands them to be fruitful and multiply.
Sixth day: God commands the land to bring forth living creatures (seventh command);[Gen 1:24–25] He makes wild beasts, livestock and reptiles. He then creates humanity in His "image" and "likeness" (eighth command).[Gen 1:26–28] They are told to "be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it." The totality of creation is described by God as "very good."
Seventh day: God, having completed the heavens and the earth, rested from His work, and blesses and sanctifies the seventh day.
(source: Wikipedia)
"Day," = Hebrew, "yowm." as used in Genesis 1

Definitions of "yowm"
day, time, year

a) day (as opposed to night)

b) day (24 hour period)

1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 )
(Source: Strong's Bible Concordance )
 
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cablescavenger

Well-Known Member
I'm the source, but I'm not sure what you mean that it is already on the net.

ETAIt appeared in part on my old website, The Pathway Machine, though it has since been removed it can actually be accessed in it's cached form. It may have appeared in part on some other forums as well.
Cheers. It wasn't clear whether you were using your words or had cut and paste from another site.
 

Jayhawker Soule

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Premium Member
Just from Genesis 5:1-29; 7:6 we can see ...
Raymond, you pathetic laundry list was insulting and nonresponsive. Now, let's try this again:
Again, Raymond, in your opinion, when was the Bible dictated, by whom, to whom, and based on what evidence?
If you're not willing to answer or incapable of doing so, I'll understand. But please do not repeat this nonsense of trying to mask evasion behind a worthless data dump.
 
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Indeed they do.

So, do you put your faith in the admittedly humanly flawed writings of dessert nomads from over 2500 years ago?

Or in modern geology and biology?

Hands down, without a doubt the former over the latter. As Sir Isaac Newton said: "I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatsoever."
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
So, do you put your faith in the admittedly humanly flawed writings of dessert nomads from over 2500 years ago? Or in modern geology and biology?
Hands down, without a doubt the former over the latter.
Well, at least you're being honest. Pathetically foolish, but honest.

So you decided to drop by to argue that what the bible says is right because it says so in the bible. As you wish, but the typical paper plate has more intellectual depth.
 
Raymond, you pathetic laundry list was insulting and nonresponsive. Now, let's try this again:If you're not willing to answer or incapable of doing so, I'll understand. But please do not repeat this nonsense of trying to mask evasion behind a worthless data dump.

[Laughs] I thought you might like that!

The Bible was dictated by Jehovah God to Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Gad, Nathan, Jeremiah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Mordecai, David, Asaph, the sons of Korah, Heman, Ethan, Solomon, Augur, Lemuel, Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James and Peter. [EDIT] I forgot Jude.

Do you really want me to "dump" the remaining data on you regarding the evidence? I could do that, but what would be the point? The evidence is mine. Get your own.
 
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Well, at least you're being honest. Pathetically foolish, but honest.

Oh really now? The Bible has been so far ahead of science it is, in my opinion, pathetic that anyone would subscribe to the noble and yet humble speculation of man, especially a two hundred year old dead metaphysical experimentation commonly referred to as the theoretical "evolution."

So you decided to drop by to argue that what the bible says is right because it says so in the bible. As you wish, but the typical paper plate has more intellectual depth.

Well, I didn't come here so someone could argue that what science says is right because science says so. That would be crazy.
 
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