>I recall somewhere in my distant memory that this story [Joshua's missing
>day] has previously made
>the rounds in evangelical circles, and after being given the hype that one
>would expect, was demonstrated to be patently untrue.
Your recollection is correct. This story has been making the rounds for
some time now. It seems to me that finding a missing day would require
astronomical records from Joshua's time or earlier, and these records would
have to give the positions of several astronomical bodies accurately enough
to make such a comparison. The versions I hear never explain how the
comparison was made or where the ancient records came from (I'm not saying
records of the required accuracy didn't exist in the ancient world. I know
the Babylonians had the capability to make some fairly accurate
astronomical predictions, and I presume some others did too. But without
any information about what records specifically were used, it's difficult
to understand why anyone would find such accounts persuasive)
(It also reminds me
>of the recurrent story of satanism in the Proctor and Gamble Company logo.)
And the petitions opposing Madalyn Murray O'Hair's petition to the FCC to
end religious broadcasting, and some others. Embarrassing.
Bill Hamilton
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William E. Hamilton, Jr, Ph.D. | Staff Research Engineer
Chassis and Vehicle Systems | General Motors R&D Center | Warren, MI
William_E._Hamilton@notes.gmr.com
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