Vernon,
I failed to see the connection between A4 and the opening words of the
Hebrew Bible because I don't have a copy of the Hebrew Bible and never
studied Hebrew in high school or college. Therefore, these subtleties
escape me.
As I may have mentioned, here in the "colonies," we have not progressed
beyond the 8/5" x 11" paper and the only exposure I have to A4 paper is
through the IAEA and my European and Asian scientific counterparts. So,
although I am familiar with the general shape of A4 paper, it's "raison
d'etre" was strange to me until you and others educated me. For that, I am
thankful!
My reference to "circular arguments" was not so much your starting with a
presumption and then trying to prove it, but more how non-believers of
skeptics would view your arguments. That's why I mentioned the central
thrust of the Bible: the good news of God sending his son to die for us. I
still fail to see how your approach could be used to spread the good news.
Even if you are correct (maybe I should say, "considering that your approach
is correct), how do you use it to spread the gospel? I can't imagine some
skeptic, some agnostic, a Jew, Muslim, or Hindu saying, "Wow, Vernon, now
that you have opened my eyes to the relationship between A4 paper and Gen
1:1, I accept Jesus Christ as my saviour and Lord!"
Hope this helps to explain my reservations.
Shalom!
Chuck
> Chuck:
>
> Thanks for your gracious response!
>
> I fail to see how you can have missed the connection between A4 (210mm x
> 297mm) and the opening words of the Hebrew Bible. While it is
> inappropriate that I rehearse the whole of 'Exceptional Measures', let
> me just point out the following:
>
> (1) the A-series is based on the regular subdivision of a square metre
> of paper (beginning with A0 - a rectangle of size 841mm x 1189mm - its
> sides in the ratio 1:square root of 2); the series, A1, A2, and so on,
> is developed by successive halving - thus preserving this ratio;
>
> (2) the standard requires that the dimensions of all members of the
> series are presented to the nearest mm.
>
> Thus, placing an A4 sheet lengthwise along the edge of a metre rule so
> that its top RH corner lines up with the 1000mm mark, the LH edge will
> be found to register 703mm (ie 1000 - 297); a second sheet placed
> crosswise - its LH edge aligned with the LH edge of the first - will
> register 913 at its RH edge (ie 703 + 210). The latter is the gematrial
> value of the Bible's first word (meaning, "In the beginning"); the
> former, the sum of the gematrial values of words 6 and 7, ie 407 + 296
> (meaning, "and the earth." The values of all 8 of the Bible's opening
> words are realized in similar fashion.
>
> Referring to 'circular argument' you talk about my beginning with the
> presumption that there is a mathematical framework, and then setting out
> to prove it. But the information provided by the writer of The Book of
> Revelation suggests that such is the already the case (eg Rv.13:18); I
> have dealt with this at length in the page "666 - and All That!" Through
> it we are led to consider the remarkable properties of the Bible's first
> verse! I therefore reject the suggestion of 'circularity' in my methods.
>
> Chuck, I heartily believe, as you do, that the only matter of real
> importance to us all is "the good news that God gave his son to die for
> our sins." While I can't claim my findings to be the 'best way' of
> proclaiming this, I believe they have a significant part to play in
> clarifying - for all who will listen - the matter of God's sovereignty
> and of the dependability of his word!
>
> Shalom!
>
> Vernon
>
> http://homepage.virgin.net/vernon.jenkins/index.htm
>
> http://www.compulink.co.uk/~indexer/miracla1.htm
>
>
>
>
> Vandergraaf, Chuck wrote:
> >
> > Vernon,
> >
> > I don't have the NIV footnotes handy, so I will take your word for it
> that
> > "times" means "two times."
> >
> > My comment about the A4 size paper was made with my tongue firmly
> planted in
> > my cheek. I simply wanted to extrapolate what might happen if "we" were
> all
> > "forced" to use A$ paper rather than the NA standard 8.5" x 11" paper.
> To
> > some, this might be another example of "world government" or "the mark
> of
> > the beast." I don't see any connection between the metric dimension of
> A4
> > paper (210 x 297 mm) and Gen 1:1. Yes, I know that 297/210 = 1.41,
> which is
> > the square root of 2. So what? I would think that the "golden ratio"
> is
> > esthetically more pleasing than the dimensions of A4 paper.
> >
> > As to my reference to a "circular argument," what I wanted to convey,
> > Vernon, is that you start with the premise that there is some
> mathematical
> > framework in the Scriptures and then set out to show it. At times, your
> > quest looks like "grasping at straws" and I'm not so sure that the
> Almighty
> > had this in mind when the Bible was written. But, I've been wrong
> before.
> >
> > The upshot of all of this is whether your approach is the best way to
> > proclaim the good news that God gave his son to die for our sins. That's
> not
> > for me to decide but you may want to give it some thought.
> >
> > Shalom!
> >
> > Chuck
> >
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Jan 06 2000 - 20:34:56 EST