Re: [asa] Finger on Sodom and Gomorah?

Bernie,

I certainly don't disagree with your view that science has any need to explain a miracle. In fact, I was trying not to suggest any natural explanation is required for events that are addressed in scripture as miraculous.

However, plausibility will greatly assist a given faith compared with another faith. The more the natural pieces fit, the more believable an event might be seen. One of the great advantages the Bible has over other religions is the amount of specific detail that can be tested by science and historical records. The reason atheists have fabricated spoof examples of faith, such as the "Flying Spaghetti Monster" and "We Were All Created Last Thursday", is because they are not testable; no can not prove them false. Yet their contrivances are also not plausible, either, especially in their own cynical eyes.

The Bible doesn't say God sent an asteroid or comet to serve His will on the Sodomites, but it is interesting at least that there may be evidence that, like most of life as we observe, He could have used a natural event. IMO, this slightly improves the plausibility. The Bible doesn't just say they all died, it says it rained "brimstone and fire" from heaven; a apparent method selected by God that may, or may not, be understandable in some scientific terms.

Consider all the fuss about The Flood. Was it not a miracle, too? There is a great deal of good reason to address the scientific arguments about it. Scientific scrutiny greatly affects plausibility in this case, depending on which scriptural interpretation one is using. To a much lesser extent, it can apply to Sodom and Gomorrah.

George Cooper

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Dehler, Bernie
  To: asa@calvin.edu
  Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 2:38 PM
  Subject: RE: [asa] Finger on Sodom and Gomorah?

  I'm not sure if you need science to explain a miracle, such as God sending fire from heaven onto Sodom. Does Moses parting the sea have to be explained by science, or Jesus changing water into wine, or Jesus multiplying loaves and fishes? If not, then why does fire from heaven need a scientific explanation? It seems to me to be a waste of time (and time is precious) when trying to speculate how these miracles could have come about through natural processes. when there are much bigger fish to fry.

  What are the bigger fish? Well, if you are trying to reach an unbeliever for Christ, see what they are interested in to help them (such as evolution vs. creation, etc.). At some point, a belief in the supernatural is required for the Christian faith. Once you have the supernatural, then miracles aren't a problem, unless they conflict with history or scientific evidence (such as a literal worldwide flood being contradicted by evidence in nature). There are some major difficulties with a literal reading of the bible with science, and for that, we need to have answers. and I think we have a way to go on that.

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  From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On Behalf Of George Cooper
  Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 8:42 AM
  To: asa@calvin.edu
  Subject: [asa] Finger on Sodom and Gomorah?

  I am always interested in scientific findings that may offer some insight to Biblical stories.

  Sandia supercomputers now show that the Tunguska explosion over Siberia may have created a blast in column (finger-like) form.

  http://www.sandia.gov/news/resources/releases/2007/asteroid.html

  Perhaps one relatively small rock was all God used on a narrow region of two bad towns. Not compelling, necessarily, but interesting.

  George Cooper

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Received on Wed Dec 19 17:32:09 2007