If Christianity is false it cannot be saved by theology, if it is true it cannot be destroyed by science. (E.Y. Mullins)
Thinking about the musings from Day 51: So…Which One Is The Best Book? – Part 2.…
I would submit to you that after reviewing the basic facts regarding the holy books of the belief systems of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, one can conclude that the Old Testament, New Testament and the Quran are in fact not the same holy book. So if that is the case then…
Which book?
The most logical conclusion, it appears, is within our grasp….
What if there was a way that we could use science to help us determine which holy book is the most reliable?
I would submit to you that if we can use science in order to help us to determine which one is the best book, then we can move on to achieve our ultimate goal: to find a belief system and a holy book that we can believe in now and…
For eternity.
So how exactly am I going to use science to help us come to a logical conclusion regarding which one is the most reliable holy book?
As a social studies teacher, I must admit that depending on science is not easy.
As I have discussed in prior writings, my full-time career for over 26 years now, has been as a teacher in the public school system. Most recently, the majority of the last 16 plus years have been teaching sophomores in high school Advanced Placement World History.
I would submit to you that this is important context for you to know about me for the simple fact that I am going to explain to you exactly what I tell them when I teach world history.
Sometimes I need to borrow a little science to help me.
The math and science portion of my brain is very mushy and there is not a lot of activity going on over on there. Due to the fact that my brain is mushy and lacking activity, whenever I need to use science and math to prove historical points, I always make sure to tell them to:
“Keep the math and science simple.”
It is amazing to me the amount of science that one can find in in Old Testament, New Testament and Quran. However, is it all the same science?
It is up to you to decide what holy book is the most reliable based on the scientific evidence that they present.
What follows next are 6 scientific topics that are covered in these holy books. I highlighted in silver the portions of the verses for you to compare….
1) How many days did it take for God to create the universe?
1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day…31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:1,5,31 KJV)
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (Genesis 2:2-3 KJV)
Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He covers the night with the day, [another night] chasing it rapidly; and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars, subjected by His command. Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds. (Quran 7:54)
Say, “Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds.” (Quran 41:9)
2) How many days did it take for God to create the mountains?
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called the Seas: and God saw that it was good. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day. (Genesis 1:9-10, 13 KJV)
And He placed on the earth firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures’] sustenance in four days without distinction – for [the information] of those who ask. (Quran 41:10)
3) Sometimes a day that we think of is not the same as a day that God thinks it is. What is that ratio of days?
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8 KJV)
And they urge you to hasten the punishment. But Allah will never fail in His promise. And indeed, a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of those which you count. (Quran 22:47)
The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years. (Quran 70:4)
4) How was the first human, Adam, created?
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7 KJV)
[So mention] when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I am going to create a human being from clay. So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.” (Quran 38:71-72)
He said, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.” (Quran 38:76)
Then he was a clinging clot, and [ Allah ] created [his form] and proportioned [him]. (Quran 75:38)
Created man from a clinging substance. (Quran 96:2)
5) What happened on Mt. Sinai and with Moses after the interaction between God and Moses?
16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 20 And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. 21 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish. 25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them. (Exodus 19: 16-21, 25 KJV)
And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, “My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You.” [ Allah ] said, “You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me.” But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, “Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers.” (Quran 7:143)
6) What shape is planet Earth?
19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. (Genesis 7:19 KJV)
10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. (Job 26:10 KJV)
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: (Proverbs 8:27 KJV)
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: (Isaiah 40:22 KJV)
[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him]. (Quran 2:22)
And the earth – We have spread it and cast therein firmly set mountains and caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing. (Quran 15:19)
[It is He] who has made for you the earth as a bed [spread out] and inserted therein for you roadways and sent down from the sky, rain and produced thereby categories of various plants. (Quran 20:53)
The number of days to create the universe…the number of days to create the mountains…the ratio of a day…the creation of Adam…God, Moses and Mt. Sinai…and the shape of the Earth.
So, which holy book of which belief system can we consider the most reliable?
Maybe the more important question you should be asking right now is:
Why are there no verses to compare from the New Testament?
Sometimes, we need to go backwards before we can go forwards.
Do not feel discouraged if you can conclude the holy bible is the most reliable holy book, yet you do not know what to do with this new information. Do not feel discouraged if you are still trying to understand what to do with all of this evidence that you may or may not have ever been exposed to in your busy life. Instead, embrace the idea that as you gather the facts, there does appear to be a belief system that rises above the rest and a holy book that at least on the surface, seems to confirm it.
4 For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. (Psalm 33:4 KJV)
Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?
Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 52: These Books…Can This Be Settled…Once And For All?.
If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.
Please feel free to go back to where all of this began: