Continued...
Response to SCIENTIFIC ALLUSIONS IN SCRIPTURE
This article provides a series of Biblical passages that are claimed to support scientific processes.
The hydrological cycle described in Ecclesiastes 1:7; Isaiah 55:10:
The first passage makes no mention of evaporation, nor of rain, and the second is describing the watering of the earth to provide for plants. The first passage is only a partial description, and the second indicates how plants benefit from rain. And in any case, it doesn't take a god to tell people that rain fills up lakes and causes rivers to run faster.
Evaporation as described in Psalms 135:7; Jeremiah 10:13
It is quite easy to see steam rising from water in the sun, I've seen it myself. The people who lived thousands of years ago would have been able to observe this as well.
Condensation Nuclei as described in Proverbs 8:26
This passage makes no mention to rain, it is merely saying that dust can be blown high in the sky. No reference is made to the dust providing a nucleus for the formation of raindrops.
Condensation as described in Job 26:8; 37:11, 16
These passages merely state that rain comes from clouds, which is obvious for all to see, that clouds get thinner after rain, andwhich again is obvious for all to see. The final passages mentions the balancing of the clouds, a phrase which has no meaning that I can see, and certainly no meaning towards condensation (although the passages seem to describe precipitation more...).
Precipitation as described in Job 36:26-28
This passage says only, "God makes rain", and gives no scientific knowledge about rain at all.
Run-off as described in Job 28:10
Again, this passage is a variation of "God did it" and gives us no scientific knoweldge at all about the principles at work.
Oceanic Reservoir as described in Psalms 33:7
This is simply saying that the sea has a lot of water in it. We hardly need a God to tell us that.
Snow as described in Job 38:22; Psalms 147:16
This passage merely indicates the author was aware of the existence of snow. It does not describe any scientific principle.
Hydrologic Balance as described in Job 28:24-26
Apart from a mention of the existence of rain and thunder (again, this only indicates the author was aware of them) the only reference to water in these passages is in Job 28:25, where it makes mention of "weighing the waters by measure", a vague reference if ever there was one. We can't assume that it refers to a "balance" just because there is weighing involved. Weighing is not a part of every kind of balance.
Springs in the Sea as described in Job 38:16
This passage does not give us any specific information to indicate that it is anything other than an explanation of where all the water in the sea came from. If it mentioned something specific to a hydrothermal vent, perhaps, but it doesn't.
Principle of Isostasy as described in Isaiah 40:12; Psalm 104:5-9
First a definition, from the
Wiki article:
Isostasy is a term used in Geology to refer to the state of gravitational equilibrium between the Earth's lithosphere and asthenosphere such that the tectonic plates "float" at an elevation which depends on their thickness and density. Even if the passage does refer to isostasy (it seems to be a refernece to measuring out the correct size so the mountains weren't created to large or too small), the passage tells us nothing about the scientific principle.
Shape of the earth as described in Isaiah 40:22; Job 26:10; Psalm 103:12
The first passage refers to the earth as a DISC, not a sphere, so it is incorrect there. The second passage makes no mention of the shape of the earth, and the third mentions only east and west, with nothing about the shape of the earth.
Rotation of the earth as described in Job 38:12,14
This mentions only day and night, with no mention of the cause.
Gravity as described in Job 26:7; 38:6
The first passage doesn't mention anything about gravity, neither does the second.
Erosion as described in Job 14:18,19
It is easily observed that rivers and streams can wear down rocks and carry stones along. We don't need a god to tell us that.
Glacial Period as described in Job 38:29,30
These passages merely describe the existence of ice in the form of frost. It does not make any mention of rivers of ice.
Uniformitarianism as described in II Peter 3:4
Uniformitarianism refers to the belief that the Universe has existed as it is now for an infinite time and will continue to exist for ever. This is not only opposed by both the Bible itself in the first chapter of Genesis and modern cosmology, but does not fit with what is mentioned in the passage as it clearly mentions a creation.
Dinosaurs as described in Job 40,41
From the comment in
Skeptic's Annotated Bible:
Bible believers have identified the behemoth as a hippopotamus, dinosaur, wildebeest, or crocodile. But my favorite is the way these verses are translated by Stephen Mitchell: "Look now: the Beast that I made: he eats grass like a bull. Look: the power in his thighs, the pulsing sinews of his belly. His penis stiffens like a pine; his testicles bulge with vigor."
Size of the universe as described in Job 11:7-9; 22:12, Isaiah 55:9
The passages from Job merely say the universe is bigger than the earth. Well duh. The passages in Isaiah say only that the sky is higher than the earth. Again, duh.
Number of stars as described in Jeremiah 31:37, Genesis 22:17; Jeremiah 33:22
The passage is asking if "heaven above can be measured", it does not mention the number of stars except for providing a very poetic statement that there are lots of stars. This is obvious. The other passages also state that there are lots of stars.
Uniqueness of each star as described in I Corinthians 15:41
Jeremiah 31:35,36
One can easily see that stars have different colours just be looking up. Back thousands of years ago, this would have been even more easily seen, due to the lack of air pollution.
There were formatting errors in the document linked, and none of the passages listed seem to apply to the precision of orbits.
Circulation of Atmosphere as described in Ecclesiastes 1:6
That's hardly a detailed description, and sounds like someone who has only local knowledge wrote it. it does not mention the numerous cells in each hemisphere, nor that the process is revered in the southern hemisphere. And no mention is made of the doldrums.
Protective Effect of Atmosphere as described in Isaiah 40:22
The passages could just as easily refer to the sky as appearing to cover the earth. No mention is made of the protective quality (a curtain is hardly a form of protection), nor is any mention made of what it protects us from.
Oceanic Origin of Rain as described in Ecclesiastes 1:7
The passage makes no clear reference to rain at all, just that water goes back to the source of the river from the ocean.
