News, but not the serious kind
Want some novelty science with that whoopee cushion?
Okay, enough is enough.
I appreciate science as much as the next person. I understand there are at least 5,000 feet in a mile. I totally get it that Fahrenheit and Celsius are different scales, and that for instance minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit is, um, let’s see, minus 40 degrees Celsius.
But here is a new scientific study saying Moses may not have parted the Red Sea. Scientists say a strong wind that blew through the night could have pushed the waters back in the way described in biblical writings and the Koran.
This isn’t going down well in certain circles. As one reader e-mailed us, “It is obvious that your agenda is to destroy faith in God…”
A researcher says the event can be understood through “fluid dynamics.”
Let me get this straight. You guys found a newspaper dated 1200 BC with “tonight’s weather” predicting very strong winds over the Red Sea?
And then what happened? The Israelites stood there watching their umbrellas turn inside-out and said, “This is some weather we’re having! Let’s all say Moses did it!”
Please understand, I’m not opposed to genuine scientific proof. But novelty shop speculation about what “could” have happened is another thing.
What next? Explaining the story of the loaves and fishes by suggesting there “could” have been an Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips franchise nearby with some leftovers to get rid of?
I think the irate reader I quoted above got it wrong. Stuff like this won’t destroy anybody’s faith in God. But it sure won’t help boost their faith in science…
Top: An illustration showing how a strong wind could push back waters from two ancient basins – a lagoon (left) and a river (right) – to create a temporary land bridge. REUTERS/Illustration by Nicolle Rager Fuller/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Right: Actor Val Kilmer portrays Moses in the stage musical “The Ten Commandments” in a 2004 file photo. REUTERS/Jim Ruymen