Bible v. Science OR biblical interpretation v. Science?

Question

Think through your answer first: Is there a contradiction between scientific discovery and the Bible? Or is the difference between various biblical interpretation & science? What are your thoughts?

Starchild-give me a reference on that.
Everyone else-as a Bible teacher, I use the greek & hebrew that is virtually the same as it was when it was written...according to the Dead Sea Scrolls & other ancient translations. It has been preserved through the generations. That debate is for another question.

Answer 1

Various biblical interpretation and science. All of the scientific contradictions are not with the bible but with the literal interpretation of the bible. I see no real conflict other than the imaginary one in the minds of creationists.

Answer 2

In the case of the belief that the Earth was flat, this was wrong biblical interpretation (taking the bible too literally). The bible always must be interpreted so it is always bible interpretation v. science. There is also sometimes and often a contradiction between the bible interpretation and interpretation of scientific facts, especially in the creation vs evolution debates. Remember scientific discovery is not neutral , it too is swayed by the beliefs ("theology" if you will) of the scientists and their interpretation. A good example is interpretation of the geological column. It's the one same piece of evidence, but some scientists say a large catastrophe (e.g. flood) caused it, and others say it was caused by millions of years. Of course, the bible supports the flood idea, (Noah's flood). But both ideas are plausible, so it comes down to the various interpretations of the sciences.

Answer 3

I think you've hit it !! Interpretation has screwed up the truth. "The Bible" has simplified to the point of convincing people that there is a difference in the two [unintentionally] there wasn't alot of science going on then. I have no problem filling in the blanks, and making sense of the two. To me Science often makes people believers in a higher power. It's all too miraculous to be a coincidence. People forget that the bible was written for the masses, many were, and are uneducated. Don't give more info then they can absorb, just answer questions as simply as possible, let them interpret it their own way so it makes sense to them. If all the work Einstien did convinced him of a higher power at work, how can the average lay person suggest he didn't know what he was talking about !!

Answer 4

When scientific matters are discussed in the bible, they agree with true science. Not with scientific theories such as evolution.

A lot of the conflict with Bible v. Science has to do with the Catholic Church accepting false teachings of others such as Aristotle and then teaching it as church doctrine. Many did not have a bible to know if what the church was teaching was correct or not.

When Galileo proved with a telescope that the sun was the center of the galaxy, he argued with the Church that his findings agreed with bible. Because of this he was brand a heretic and sentenced to life imprisonment. It wasn't until 1992 that the Catholic Church amended that they were wrong. So Galileo did not have a quarrel with the bible, but with the teachings of the church. He is quoted as having said "Both the Holy Scriptures and nature proceed from the Divine Word...Two truths can never contradict one another."

The bible has always said that the earth was round, that it hangs on nothing, heavens are governed by statutes or laws.

I always wonder why people thought the bible taught the earth was flat, now I know "the ends of the earth" haven't you ever used that express, it means they came from all over, not that the earth is flat and actually ends!!!! This applies to the "four corners of the earth also!!!

Some things mentioned are prophecy and not literal. Daniel is full of prophecies, I believe the tree that grew into the heavens is speaking of Nebuchadnezzar and it had to do with a dream and Daniels interpertation. Nebuchadnezzar was the tree and the tree was cut down, which he lost his kingdom. There's a lot more to it, but do to space.....

As far as Satan showing Jesus the Kingdoms of the earth, Satan is a spirit creature, not a man, he is the ruler over the earth, he offered Jesus all the kingsdoms of the earth to temp him. Not that he actually could literally see all the kingdoms of the earth from the top of a mountain.

Of course there are miracles in the bible, which defy science, because they are of super natural power.

Answer 5

If God were really the inspiration and author wouldn't he have been a lot more clear and scientific. In the end it really doesn't matter since the Bible is so unclear even if it were accurate that it doesn't provide us useful information. We find out through science the way we thought the Bible said isin't true and then to justify look at the bible as say oh, that is what it REALLY meant. Very unscientific.

Also, this was throwing the Bible a lot of credit. There are talking animals, virgins births, etc... that completely defy our understanding and have never been experienced since. Also, the Bible makes clear scientific errors in places referring to bats as a type of birds in Leviticus and saying rabbits chew cud. Apologists have come up with explanations that allow people who choose to see the Bible as inerrant continue but it seems very subjective to me. Obviously, they didn't interpret it that way until SCIENCE showed the way the world really works.

Answer 6

There seems to be no real conflict in science. Science is published as fact and most people believe it but it is not compulsory and many Christians choose not to believe it. Fine - that is their choice. Sadly it does not stop there. Far too many Christians seek to rubbish science and insist on pushing creationism. (Big difference here).

The Bible is basically the book of a belief system. Everyone is free to believe or not believe. Well not quite because the Christian believers do not tolerate anyone who does not agree with them!!

The contradiction is not one of correctness of science or the Bible but in the intolerance shown by Christians for the views and beliefs of other people!!!!

Answer 7

>> scientific discovery and the Bible?

Yes. There were dinosaurs (I'd even take a rough approximation of "lizards") before birds:

Genesis 1:20 And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."

Birds came after lizards in the fossil record.

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Genesis 7:18 The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet.

No geological evidence of that occurring. Anywhere. Not even on Mt Everest.

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Isaiah 11:12
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH. (KJV)

Revelation 7:1
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. (KJV)

Job 38:13
13 That it might take hold of the ENDS OF THE EARTH, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? (KJV)

Jeremiah 16:19
19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ENDS OF THE EARTH, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. (KJV)

Daniel 4:11
11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the ENDS OF ALL THE EARTH: (KJV)

Matthew 4:8
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (KJV)

The Earth is not flat. It's a sphere. It has no corners, it has no "ends".

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"The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. (From the NIV Bible, Ecclesiastes 1:5)"

The sun doesn't move - we do.

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I'll stop here - I could be doing this for days.

Answer 8

Its actually significant discovery is a wealthy seam of 24 carat idiocy in us of a of america. This seam of fundie lunacy is under no circumstances a ways lower than the exterior, so may be very profitably mined in numerous places without a lot attempt. The seam rises to the exterior in the bible belt the position good nuggets of idiocy may be stumbled on mendacity on the exterior. lengthy time period publicity to this mineral motives many consequences, among that are a dulled mind and an lack of ability to imagine rationally. the end results of formative years publicity may be catastrophic and everlasting.

Answer 9

What do you think when the Bible states that their are 4 legged insects (Leviticus) or that bats are birds?

The Bible seems to make some statements that are disprovable by science (and they are disproved).

How else could you interpret those statements?

Answer 10

It's a thought provoking question for sure, but in some aspects they certainly conflict. Ex. Evolution says we came from monkeys, the Bible says Adam was created from the dust of the earth and Eve from one on Adam's ribs (hence the name for the sandwich) while he was asleep. Some things in the Bible probably agree with what scientists would say happened, and others disagree. You can always trust the good book though, it's completely true! :)