Last week, the topic of the C.I.C. Sermonette of the Week was about the Bible’s accuracy when it happens to touch on scientific matters. Cited were verses where the Bible describes the water cycle, the earth’s spherical shape, and its suspension “upon nothing,” not on the backs of elephants, as many contemporaries believed. It is a book that was centuries ahead of its time in countless areas that science eventually discovered. One more example: it was the 1860s before Joseph Lister championed antiseptic medical procedures that dramatically reduced infections and cross-contamination. Before his research, a surgeon might perform an autopsy and then immediately deliver a baby or perform surgery without washing his hands or changing his gown or scrubs between procedures.
By comparison, the ancient nation of Israel was given (by the hand of God, according to the Bible) a set of laws and regulations that included extensive instructions on cleanliness, on washing after touching a dead animal, on quarantines of people with infections, and even about bathroom hygiene. It’s easy enough to knock the Bible; people do it every day. But does it strike you as odd that an ancient people was observing hygienic practices centuries before Christ, thousands of years before science discovered the same principles? It’s certainly food for thought.
We closed last week with a reference to the apparent dichotomy between the Bible and many of its most ardent supporters. If you’ve noticed this, it’s not your imagination. Some of the most heinous acts in human history have been perpetrated in the name of religion, and “Christianity” is often the worst (but by no means the only) offender. The Crusades come to mind, certainly not Christianity’s finest moment. More recently, the attacks of September 11 were certainly driven by religious fervor. On a less serious note, slimy televangelists claim to be speaking for God, and then bilk their flocks out of millions of dollars.
That kind of behavior can easily lead to less than kind thoughts about the Bible. However, the Bible should be judged on its own merits, not on the poor examples of people who misrepresent and disobey its message. Many people view it as a mysterious and confusing book that can be used to support and justify any set of beliefs, even if they’re contradictory.
The truth, however, is that the Bible is quite clear on its teachings. It cannot be used to prove by one party that two plus two is four, and by the next party that two plus two equals five. If you’re wondering whether evolution is true or the Bible’s account of creation is (along with the other principles it teaches), at least do something that a surprisingly small number of people do: read the Bible. Investigate what it has to say. Give it a fair shot. You might be surprised to discover why it is the world’s most widely published book. And you might help unseat its dubious distinction as one of the world’s least-read books.
NEW HERE?
WANT TO READ MORE? JUST CLICK BELOW WHERE IT SAYS
“Categories: Church of the Infinite Chasm”