Board index ‹ Bible

[Dude]

And with not true I mean things that we are theoretically able to find out and prove as false.

[jimwalton]

I have come across nothing in the Bible that has been proven to be untrue. I am not aware of any archaeological discovery that has shown any part of the Bible to be false. I am not aware of any historical information that proves any part of the Bible to be untrue. The science that is in the Bible is old world science, and we know now that that perspective is no longer accurate. But that's also true with our science, if we move forward a few years. It was accurate to the day, and the authority of the Biblical message was not in the level of science, but in what the Bible was teaching us, such as God's sovereignty or power. I have never been shown anything in the Bible that is able to be proven as false. If you think you know of something, I'd be glad to discuss it with you.

[Dude]

I see. That's fair. And I would not be able to prove the Bible wrong with anything. So I must unfortunately disappoint you.
But just for my intrigue: let's say we go back in time using a time machine and trace back all humans, do you think we would find Adam and Eve? As in: Do you think they actually once existed in this world?

[jimwalton]

I'm convinced they actually existed in the world as historical people, but the Bible does not insist that they were the first hominids. They were the first humans to whom God revealed himself, ensouled them, and recognize them as both spiritually capable and morally culpable.

Do you have been disappointed me at all. Let's say we go back in time using a Time Machine and trace back all humans, I think we would find a genetic convergence at a couple, possibly in around 6,000 BC, that could be Adam & Eve. Then we could keep going back if we wished to watch the evolutionary development of the hominid line that led to that couple.

Dr. Swamidass has done such a genetic study and possibly found such a couple. It fits both the scientific data and the Biblical picture.

So why have you disappointed me? I guess we should keep talking, because it seems obvious that you have some biblical understandings that aren't necessarily accurate.

[Music Maven]

> I have come across nothing in the Bible that has been proven to be untrue. I am not aware of any archaeological discovery that has shown any part of the Bible to be false. I am not aware of any historical information that proves any part of the Bible to be untrue.

I claim that there is a teapot orbiting the sun between Earth and Mars. I have found no evidence to prove this to be untrue. I am not aware of any discovery that has shown this claim to be false. I'm not aware of any historical information that proves this claim to be untrue.

How can you be so sure your claim is true? Is an absence of evidence disproving it enough?

[jimwalton]

Absence of evidence doesn't prove anything. When we look at the biblical account, we have many documents and artifacts of positive evidence that verify the biblical story. It also turns out that no evidence has ever been uncovered that disproves the biblical story. In this case we have positive evidence of substantiation and a lack of negative evidence for refutation. Therefore, with the evidence in hand, I can say that there is, as far as I know, nothing in the Bible that is not true.

No case is made on negative evidence, but if you have positive evidence that disproves the Bible, I would be happy to discuss it with you.

> I claim that there is a teapot orbiting the sun between Earth and Mars. I have found no evidence to prove this to be untrue.

In such a case, the burden of proof would be on your shoulders to prove your claim. The fact that you have found no evidence to prove it untrue is meaningless. What you must substantiate is the evidence that supports your claim that there is a teapot orbiting the sun between Earth and Mars.

Since your silly example is based on unsubstantiatable negative criteria, it's logically unsubstantiatable as well. But if you want to talk about the positive corroborations of the biblical record, there are hundreds of items that can be on the list. But there are zero items to substantiate a teapot orbiting the sun between Earth and Mars. That's the difference.

What the OP asked is, "Is there anything in the Bible that is not true?" I addressed the question from the same negative vantage point as his query.

[Dude]

Thanks for the answer. Clear. And I said I was going to disappoint you because I have no way of proving anything in the Bible as false.

[Music Maven]

> What the OP asked is, "Is there anything in the Bible that is not true?" I addressed the question from the same negative vantage point as his query.

I understand now.

> Absence of evidence doesn't prove anything.

Glad we're on the same page.