Michael,
I take your point about the Bible being for the 'rude and unlearned'.
However, presumably they believe what they read! This cannot be said of
the sophisticated and learned, as I think you must agree. I believe that
it is to such as these that the numerical phenomena are directed. And
while you may not personally be readily conversant with these constants
(which are principally of interest to mathematicians, scientists and
engineers), I believe you are capable of responding positively to the
extreme unlikelihood of such famous entities appearing in Gen.1:1 and
John 1:1.
My hope is that you have not rendered yourself unteachable in respect of
the scriptures. The letters and words of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek
originals really do have an uncontrived numerical dimension - though I
doubt that this would be stressed in any Bible college; possibly, not
even mentioned! As I see it, these numbers which underpin the text were
as much planned by God as the words themselves; the evidence of that
fact is apparent in the numerical phenomena associated with the Bible's
first verse. Significantly, by so doing, the Creator has provided the
Bible with self-authenticating powers - apparent only to those who will
allow reason to be their guide!
May I suggest that no Christian should throw his intellect overboard
when confronted with self-evident truths that appear to threaten his
beliefs.
By the way, I happen to be Welsh.
Regards,
Vernon
M.B.Roberts wrote:
>
> Is this pi in the sky?
>
> More seriously this quasimathematical eisegesis makes mockery of the Divine
> word of God. As Calvin wrote Moses wrote for the "rude and unlearned" in
> other words thick idiots like me. I can understand that " in the beginning
> God made the heavens and the earth" but I am simply too thick to even begin
> to understand all this about pi and e.
> I also have to preach to the Welsh so I have to be simple but they are no
> thicker than the English or Americans.
>
> Michael
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John W Burgeson" <burgytwo@juno.com>
> To: <vernon.jenkins@virgin.net>; <asa@calvin.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 9:49 PM
> Subject: Re: Watershed
>
> > >> the Hebrew words of Genesis 1:1 deliver a value for the fundamental
> > constant
> > 'pi' correct to 5 significant figures (underestimating the true value by
> > a mere 0.0012%). Precisely the same procedure applied to the Greek of
> > John 1:1 yields an estimate of Euler's number, 'e', also correct to 5
> > significant figures (overestimating the true value by 0.0011%)>>
> >
> > So God is an imperfect mathematician? He underestimates pi and
> > overestimates e?
> >
> > Sorry.
> >
> > John Burgeson (Burgy)
> >
> > www.burgy.50megs.com
> > (science/theology, quantum mechanics, baseball, ethics,
> > humor, cars, God's intervention into natural causation, etc.)
> >
> >
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