NationStates Jolt Archive

So has anyone seen that show on the history channel about scientific "proof" of the biblical Exodus? Its been on for the last few weeks, so there might have been a thread when it first came out, if so, I apolgize. I just want to see what everyone thinks about the claims of this show, ie that an earthquake and volcanic eruption helped produce the plagues of the exodus, and helped recede the reed sea(red sea), and also the claims about where the Mount Sinai was at. I personally think it was a very good show, with some formidable evidence to back it up. The best thing it does is use historical writtings and science to prove it, not faith. I really want to know what everyone else thinks.

So has anyone seen that show on the history channel about scientific "proof" of the biblical Exodus. Its been on for the last few weeks, so there might have been a thread when it first came out, if so, I apolgize. I just want to see what everyone thinks about the claims of this show, ie that an earthquake and volcanic eruption helped produce the plagues of the exodus, and helped recede the reed sea(red sea), and also the claims about where the Mount Sinai was at. I personally think it was a very good show, with some formidable evidence to back it up. The best thing it does is use historical writtings and science to prove it, not faith. I really want to know what everyone else thinks.

You know, I talked to a minister who mentioned something about that once. His theory was that God wasn't calling down plagues, but was telling Moses, 'this is where you need to be at this point,' etc.
You know

You know, I talked to a minister who mentioned something about that once. His theory was that God wasn't calling down plagues, but was telling Moses, 'this is where you need to be at this point,' etc.
You know

that has as much evidence as the "god called down the plagues" one....

that has as much evidence as the "god called down the plagues" one....

Yeah, but it's somewhat more believable, no?

Yeah, but it's somewhat more believable, no?

I think the believability problem is 'God', not the origins/existence of the plagues!

So has anyone seen that show on the history channel about scientific "proof" of the biblical Exodus? Its been on for the last few weeks, so there might have been a thread when it first came out, if so, I apolgize. I just want to see what everyone thinks about the claims of this show, ie that an earthquake and volcanic eruption helped produce the plagues of the exodus, and helped recede the reed sea(red sea), and also the claims about where the Mount Sinai was at. I personally think it was a very good show, with some formidable evidence to back it up. The best thing it does is use historical writtings and science to prove it, not faith. I really want to know what everyone else thinks.

It was interesting, but the fact is this: Religious types still wont listen.

I think the believability problem is 'God', not the origins/existence of the plagues!

The believablity problem of God being that he's an unprovable all powerful being, no?

Yeah, but it's somewhat more believable, no?

The very fact that it has "God" in it renders it no more believable than the tooth fairy.

Yeah, but it's somewhat more believable, no?

uh, if he was telling moses where to go wouldn't he be creating the plagues and the bridge/split in red sea anyway? or at the very least he would have some sort of prescient ability.....meh

everybody knows that only muad'dib and the god emperor have priescient ability....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exodus_Decoded

wiki gives a decent run down of it, if you haven't watched it.

uh, if he was telling moses where to go wouldn't he be creating the plagues and the bridge/split in red sea anyway? or at the very least he would have some sort of prescient ability.....meh

Or just be a highly intelligent being able to predict volcanic erruptions and the aftereffects.

The believablity problem of God being that he's an unprovable all powerful being, no?

Bingo :) When his very existence stretches credibility, saying one method is more believable than another is kind of moot.

I call it "clutching at straws", made all the more sad by the competition producing microwave ovens and sending instruments to detect gravitational waves to a Lagrange point.

If some contrived historical tie-in makes it "more believable", heh, that doesn't make it more likely to be real.

Bingo :) When his very existence stretches credibility, saying one method is more believable than another is kind of moot.

Well, check the post above yours.

So has anyone seen that show on the history channel about scientific "proof" of the biblical Exodus? Its been on for the last few weeks, so there might have been a thread when it first came out, if so, I apolgize. I just want to see what everyone thinks about the claims of this show, ie that an earthquake and volcanic eruption helped produce the plagues of the exodus, and helped recede the reed sea(red sea), and also the claims about where the Mount Sinai was at. I personally think it was a very good show, with some formidable evidence to back it up. The best thing it does is use historical writtings and science to prove it, not faith. I really want to know what everyone else thinks.

Finding historical equivalencies with the biblical stories is fine by me, most of them probably began as natural events, and grew in the telling.

As I havent seen it, I'd be interested to hear his explanation for how a limnic eruption (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnic_eruption) occured in the nile delta, and how reed/red translates into aramaic or whatever. The words still sound the same then? I'd be suprised.

Well, check the post above yours.

Or just be a highly intelligent being able to predict volcanic erruptions and the aftereffects.


What, you think God's an alien or timetraveller?

The credibility quotient is not increasing.

If there is genuine, tangible evidence pointing to some sort of localised natural disaster a few thousand years ago, that's fine - but folk tales grow in the telling; there's no reason to invoke a god, divine being, alien, or timetraveller at all.

What, you think God's an alien or timetraveller?

The credibility quotient is not increasing.

Okay. Hypothesis, an intelligent entity from another planet arrives at earth. Is that, or is that not more feasible than God?

Said being gets off on being worshipped by primitive people. Is that or is that not more feasible?

Said being, already assumed to have interstellar capabilities, is able to predict volcanic erruptions and the enviromental effects of such. More or less feasible?

Okay. Hypothesis, an intelligent entity from another planet arrives at earth. Is that, or is that not more feasible than God?

Said being gets off on being worshipped by primitive people. Is that or is that not more feasible?

Said being, already assumed to have interstellar capabilities, is able to predict volcanic erruptions and the enviromental effects of such. More or less feasible?

No! You need to allow for intelligent life developing on another planet; interstellar capabilities; finding another planet of intelligent (well...-ish...) beings; caring about it; being able to communicate at all; intervening in it; leaving no evidence at all of the intervention.

I apologise, maybe I was too harsh - maybe it is more feasible than the existense of God, in terms of rank order feasibility, but not noticably in terms of interval/ratio level!

So has anyone seen that show on the history channel about scientific "proof" of the biblical Exodus? Its been on for the last few weeks, so there might have been a thread when it first came out, if so, I apolgize. I just want to see what everyone thinks about the claims of this show, ie that an earthquake and volcanic eruption helped produce the plagues of the exodus, and helped recede the reed sea(red sea), and also the claims about where the Mount Sinai was at. I personally think it was a very good show, with some formidable evidence to back it up. The best thing it does is use historical writtings and science to prove it, not faith. I really want to know what everyone else thinks.

Sounds more like a scientific "spoof".

No! You need to allow for intelligent life developing on another planet; interstellar capabilities; finding another planet of intelligent (well...-ish...) beings;

I count that under the feasibility of an intelligent being arriving.

Caring about it; being able to communicate at all; intervening in it; leaving no evidence at all of the intervention.

Caring about it, not so much. Hypothetical being just gets off on being worshipped. There are weirder fetishes, I'm sure. Being able to communicate at all would come from intensive study of the humans, perhaps focusing on the Israelites, learning their language first for whatever reason (who needs a god more than people enslaved?), hence their being the chosen people. Once you have that, the intervening becomes much more likely. Lack of evidence results from their not taking an active role, but merely telling Moses where he needs to be.

Theres no evidence for mass enslavement of Jews in Egypt, widespread conflict with "Caananites" , or a large population in the Sinai for 40 years.

Having looked at it, I can't see how a limnic eruption on any scale at all could occur in the nile delta.

I count that under the feasibility of an intelligent being arriving.



Caring about it, not so much. Hypothetical being just gets off on being worshipped. There are weirder fetishes, I'm sure. Being able to communicate at all would come from intensive study of the humans, perhaps focusing on the Israelites, learning their language first for whatever reason (who needs a god more than people enslaved?), hence their being the chosen people. Once you have that, the intervening becomes much more likely. Lack of evidence results from their not taking an active role, but merely telling Moses where he needs to be.

But those are all the seperate stages, all of limited likelihood, all presenting problems, that need to be solved before you can begin to talk bout god as an alien. You can't forget about any of them, or short circut them, ask any science fiction writer. And 'caring' was a poor choice of word, sorry - I meant 'caring' in the sense of 'caring about this species enough to intervene for any reason', not caring in the sense of empathising/wanting to help due to altruism.

Broadly - very broadly - I suppose I agree with you - it _is_ more likely than there being a god. But it's so unlikely, and like god there's no evidence at all for it ever having happened, that it can't be presented as a theory explaining anything.

Cute story, in other words, but I think it's been done before in fiction :)

But those are all the seperate stages, all of limited likelihood, all presenting problems, that need to be solved before you can begin to talk bout god as an alien. You can't forget about any of them, or short circut them, ask any science fiction writer. And 'caring' was a poor choice of word, sorry - I meant 'caring' in the sense of 'caring about this species enough to intervene for any reason', not caring in the sense of empathising/wanting to help due to altruism.

Broadly - very broadly - I suppose I agree with you - it _is_ more likely than there being a god. But it's so unlikely, and like god there's no evidence at all for it ever having happened, that it can't be presented as a theory explaining anything.

Cute story, in other words, but I think it's been done before in fiction :)

Aliens posing as gods, I'm sure. Stargate springs immediately to mind. What about aliens posing as the Judeo-Christian god and talking to Moses?

Aliens posing as gods, I'm sure. Stargate springs immediately to mind. What about aliens posing as the Judeo-Christian god and talking to Moses?

What about it?

Are you trying to make a point, or do all your conversations meander happily? :) If you are going to make a point, please just do so; if this is a wandering dialogue in search of a purpose, please excuse me.

What about it?

Are you trying to make a point, or do all your conversations meander happily? :) If you are going to make a point, please just do so; if this is a wandering dialogue in search of a purpose, please excuse me.

I tend to meander. I am curious about a work of fiction along that outline, as I would like to read/view/listen to it.

I tend to meander. I am curious about a work of fiction along that outline, as I would like to read/view/listen to it.

Try:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Book-Enki-Prophecies-Extraterrestrial/dp/1591430372/sr=1-4/qid=1157668786/ref=sr_1_4/202-7511186-4702254?ie=UTF8&s=books

I dare say google/wiki/etc. can help you find out about extraterrestrial gods in science fiction :)

Try:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Book-Enki-Prophecies-Extraterrestrial/dp/1591430372/sr=1-4/qid=1157668786/ref=sr_1_4/202-7511186-4702254?ie=UTF8&s=books

I dare say google/wiki/etc. can help you find out about extraterrestrial gods in science fiction :)

Thank you kind sir and/or maam.

Thank you kind sir and/or maam.

What, you get royalties from the book/series? :p

Even if you don't, still very welcome :)