The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[Alex]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

A large portion of the Bible is simply historical....not much of a purpose for the Book of Numbers in my life today.

Not necessarily very reliable history but sure. But in the context of what I'm talking about, so what? Herodotus is in the same boat of being unreliable history and a lot of moralizing, but nobody is telling us that modern zoology must be a hoax or a cover-up because since Herodotus reports the existence of unicorns they must exist.

If you don't feel that there is scientific controversy over evolution. That it would not be appropriate to teach ID or creationism as valid alternative theory in science classes, then your view of the Bible isn't necessarily what I'm talking about. But if you think those things then there are still millions of fundamentalist literalists in this country who do. And they're the ones I'm worried about and the ones pushing the bill in Louisiana I was responding to.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Alex

Not necessarily very reliable history but sure.

I'm not sure what kind of research you've done into the historical accuracy of the Bible, but it's pretty solid. Of course, I'm speaking of events that took place at certain times, not the context. Whether or not the Israelites were in exile at a certain time of conquered at a certain time is pretty much in line with other non Biblical texts. It's a certainty that the Israelites were in Babylon during the time of the book of Daniel, but I guess I can see why it might not be taken on its face that Sadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo were tossed into the fiery furnace and lived.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I'm not sure what kind of research you've done into the historical accuracy of the Bible, but it's pretty solid.

I suppose it depends on your definition of solid. Yes, there are events in the bible that are known to have happened. And there are many more with no evidence outside of the bible that they happened, or happened in the way described.

But of course that is not particularly to the question of how the Earth was created. I'm guessing you'll find no scholarly research confirming the Bible's account of that.

I am not questioning whether there is reason to bring up the Bible in school settings. I've studied the Bible in school settings many times without issue. I am questioning the appropriateness of it being presented as scientifically valid competitor to what science has actually demonstrated about the world. However, if a history class were to say "we're tossing out the textbook since the history presented in the Bible is so rock solid" I suppose I'd have a problem with it.