Scientific Foreknowledge of the Bible… Weh? (Part 1)

I thought religion is not affected by science Mr Mickhey Pasco?

Anyway, the claim that the Bible has this foreknowledge on scientific discoveries is not new. The reason for this, well… it makes the claim of divine authorship credible. But, these are really all about interpretations. Christians (and their apologists) will twist and turn any scripture to make it scientific as possible.

Now here are Mickhey Pasco’s claims and the facts regarding these claims.

1. The Earth is a sphere.

The claim here is that Isaiah 40:22 says that the Earth is a sphere.  

WRONG

Did Isaiah say the Earth was a Sphere? 

“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:”

Oh! It just says “circle of the Earth.” 

Christians insist that the “circle” here means a sphere.  This is, of course, nonsense because the word sphere derives from the ancient Greek word for a globe, ball or spherical shape and the word hadn't reached the English language by the time the KJV was written. The original Hebrew of Isaiah 40:22 uses חוּג, which translates as "circle.” (chug; SEE: Job 22:14, Prov 8:27, Isa 40:22) not a sphere or spherical. The Hebrew word chug used here cannot be translated as a sphere (which is rendered by a different word), but must again be interpreted as a solid vault overarching the earth.

Sphere is דּוּדּוּר used for the 3d circular things, but the word can also be used for describing the object one plays soccer or basketball . Ut was used in Isaiah 22:18.

2. Innumerable Stars.

Mr. Pasco concluded that Jeremiah 33:22 says that the stars are innumerable. He also claims that science only believes that there are 1100 stars.

FACTS: The ancient Summerian already believed that the stars are innumerable. They have already made a catalogue of the stars since 1200 BCE. Already have this pre-dated Jeremiah’s claim for 570 years.

3. Air has weight.

Claim: Job 28:25 predicted that air has weight.

Fact: Job 28:25 says "To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure." This is poetic. According to the Pulpit Commentary,  Job 28:25 means “God by his wisdom gives to winds their exactly fitting degree of force and violence, so that they perform the work in the world which they were intended to perform, and which would not be performed, were they either of a less or of a greater intensity.” 

That doesn't sound scientific. 

4. Each Stars are different

Claim: 1 Corinthians 15:41 

“The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.”

Facts: The Sun is a star and the verse doesn't say stars are different from each other. Also,  splendor is not synonymous with size and intensity. Since splendor is not scientifically measurable, that statement by the bible is unprovable.

5. Light moves

Claim: Job 38:19-20

Job 38:19-20New International Version (NIV)19 “What is the way to the abode of light?    And where does darkness reside?20 Can you take them to their places?    Do you know the paths to their dwellings?

Facts: Notice Mr. Pasco conveniently forget to mention that light is also mentioned as dwelling, or staying in one place. Also, he ignores the fact that the Bible treats darkness like it actually exists, when really it's the absence of light. Also, it's Job, which, once again, is a very poetic part of the Bible.

6. Earth free floats in space (classic!)

Claim: Job 26:7

New International Version (NIV)

7 He spreads out the northern skies over empty space;

    he suspends the earth over nothing.

Facts: Earth is not suspended in nothing. Gravity is not nothing.  

7. Wind blows in a cyclone

Claim: Ecclesiastes 1:6

The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.

Facts: Ecclesiastes 1:6 is a pretty much poetics. First of all, Ecclesiastes is all about how nothing matters and nothing changes. So it poetically refers to the wind as not really changing no matter what it does, or where it blows.