[_ Old Earth _] The Parting of the Red Sea.

[Blazin Bones]

I'm just curious how our scientists will explain this. I think we'll find that in this case Science compliments God's hand.

 

[SyntaxVorlon]

There are scientific theories, one I know of was that it was not the red sea, but the reed sea, significantly shallower and more passable in say, a drought or high winds. But there is only one reason to believe the parting of the Red Sea actually happened, and that is an apocryphal one that claims in a different section that rain could cover the earth in water 150 feet above the top of the highest mountain and somehow not release 500 million megatons of energy that would result from the fall of that much water onto the earth.

 

[Blazin Bones]

Well, Vorlon, what about the discovery of many bodies at the bottom of the dead sea. Couldn't they be the Egyptians?

 

[paxigoth7]

What does the Dead Sea have to do with it one way or the other?

 

[keebs]

Greek mythology talks about a three headed dog guarding the gates of the underworld...how does science explain that? Just because a religious text claims something happened does not mean it actually happened...

 

[SyntaxVorlon]

Well, Vorlon, what about the discovery of many bodies at the bottom of the dead sea. Couldn't they be the Egyptians?

Perhaps, but that is beside the point. Even if you had artifacts found at the bottom of the red sea it just means something sank there. We find bits of sunken or lost stuff at the bottom of the oceans all the time.

 

[Blazin Bones]

Very well Vorlon, but is it not possible to find the weapons of an army on the bottom of the red sea as well? I ask because In this story i think science can prove the claims of the Bible.

It's important to realize that geology, archiology and every other science can be used in this forum for discussion. Not just chemistry and physics, but all sciences.

 

[keebs]

Very well Vorlon, but is it not possible to find the weapons of an army on the bottom of the red sea as well?

Wouldn't the weapons of an army constitute as artifacts?

 

[Blazin Bones]

Of course. Hence this would use the science of archiology to help in determining the truth about this biblical story. You could use the evidence found on the bottom or the red sea to peice together whether or not the parting actually occured.

 

[keebs]

Moses Miracles Explained By Scientists. Was Moses Miraculous?
By http://www.pravda.ru
Jan 23, 2004, 16:02

Moses' miracle with the parting waters described in the Bible can in fact be explained from the scientific standpoint.

Israelites could really cross the Suez canal from one shore to another, claim Russian scientists Naum Voltsinger and Alexei Androsov from the Institute of Oceanography located in St. Petersburg.

That was the exact place of the Biblical sea, which Moses had crossed in order to get to the promised land, informs the article entitled "Modeling of the hydrodynamic situation of the Great Outcome." The article was published in "Izvestia RAN". "Echo of the planet" magazine offers several excerpts from the article.

At a depth of 6-7 meters at the northern, narrow part of the Suez canal exists a transversal reef. It has been recently cut by a fairway, report hydrologists. In Biblical times, the reef situated much higher. As a result of numerous earthquakes> which have been taking place in the region in the course of thousands of years, the reef had suffered major deteriorations, inform he scientists.

Scientific calculations of the exact region of the Suez canal and the adjacent part of the Red Sea clearly indicate that during low-tide and wind blowing at 33m/sec, sea level right above the reef can decrease to 20-25 cm. Such phenomenon happens only above the reef. Beside it, sea level remains the same.

Scientists were able to determine that the sandbank (2-3m wide) remains exposed only for up to four hours. This time is enough to reach the opposite Eastern shore. There is an incredibly low probability of such occurrence. However, it does take place once in 50,000 years.

Perhaps, the event so vividly depicted in the Bible describes this precise natural wonder. Israelites had enough time to cross the canal, while their Egyptian followers with chariots were a bit late. Wheels of their chariots got stuck on both sides of the reef thus disabling them from moving forward, reports ITAR-TASS.

 

[Blazin Bones]

Yes, but isn't it awesome how God put all these factor into play just as Moses struck the sea? Multiply the chances of such an occurance by the chances of it happening at the exact same time as Moses struck the water's and you have something only God could have set into motion. 8-)

 

[SyntaxVorlon]

Of course. Hence this would use the science of archiology to help in determining the truth about this biblical story. You could use the evidence found on the bottom or the red sea to peice together whether or not the parting actually occured.

Guess what, oddly enough people were doing things such as trade during the past 5000 years in that area, as well as fighting wars etc. It is just as likely that there was some major battle there and all that remains of some sunken wreck is the rusted armor and spears of some infantrymen. This more likely since you are looking for evidence from one incident in an area of large-scale human activity.

 

[Blazin Bones]

exactly why I said you could,not will. Although the weapons match the one used by the Egyptian Army, it could be several reasons as to how the weapons got there. I just choose to believe what God's word says to patch up the holes you don't have any science to prove.

 

[spiritfilled7]

Good point brutus.

 

[keebs]

I just choose to believe what God's word says to patch up the holes you don't have any science to prove.

Why believe in some big miracle that goes against most you-definitely-can't-argue-against laws (such as gravity) when it can easily be explained by common and known facts? Can you not here Occam sharpening his razor?

 

[Blazin Bones]

I just choose to believe what God's word says to patch up the holes you don't have any science to prove.

Why believe in some big miracle that goes against most you-definitely-can't-argue-against laws (such as gravity) when it can easily be explained by common and known facts? Can you not here Occam sharpening his razor?

I believe God because the Knowledge he has given man is how we understand what happened so long ago. Again, what are the chances of the red sea being parted multiplied by the exact moment moses touched the water. The Odd's are one that only God could have set forth.

 

[SyntaxVorlon]

I just choose to believe what God's word says to patch up the holes you don't have any science to prove.

Why believe in some big miracle that goes against most you-definitely-can't-argue-against laws (such as gravity) when it can easily be explained by common and known facts? Can you not here Occam sharpening his razor?

I believe God because the Knowledge he has given man is how we understand what happened so long ago. Again, what are the chances of the red sea being parted multiplied by the exact moment moses touched the water. The Odd's are one that only God could have set forth.

If it were the reed sea and it had a tendency to have a sand bar running through most of it, they could have forded it. All you have established is the miracle status of the things claimed to have happened in the bible, not that they happened.

 

[Blazin Bones]

Yes, but there is not the same amount of evidence to support the crossing of the Reed Sea, as there is to support a crossing of the Red Sea. Vorlon, you know as well as I do that unless some one is there to see the moment in history, it can not be proven. In this case the witnesses are the people of Israel. Eye witness accounts confirmed, go ahead and test the validity.

 

[ThinkerMan]

The apparent "evidence" for the ancient stories of the bible are often viewed as "proof of miracles" by Christians. Therein the problem lies.

Most non-christians (be they atheists or simply another religion) do not believe that every fact in the bible is an out-and-out lie. Many historical events, and people, are likely true.

Thus, at least some evidence supporting specific stories should be expected. We know at least some of the historical people mentioned did exist.

What seems more likely to me is a bit of historical "revisitism". A story of a well known war or battle is passed down, acheiving greater and greater "godly" intervention through miracles, etc.

For an analogy, think of Homer. Archeologists have discovered evidence that the battles and towns (like Troy) he described existed at some time.

Does that mean the gods intervened they was Homer said they did? Is the mythology true? No, it was simply a literary tool used to pass along the cultural stories.

If you claim that wagon wheels and spears in the Red Sea prove the miraculous claims of Exodus, then you must also accept that physical evidence of the Trojan war proves the miraculous deeds of the greek gods.

 

[B]

Well put ThinkerMan.
Surely it is blasphemous for a christian to look for 'proof' of miracles! They must be taken on faith. If god requires a sand bar of a reef to allow passage then he's not all powerful, is he? He could just magically peel back the oceans in any place and allow them to walk across. or he could have just magically instantaneously.