# Science Is a Wonderful thing because of its mathematics, the bible has been proven!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 10, 2000, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898 "2000-08-10T22:20:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/1 "2000-08-10T22:20:18Z")
The Bible mentions things called “numbers”: 3, 7, 40, etc. Furthermore, it name actions, or “operations”, that can be performed on these “numbers”: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Modern mathematics confirms the existence of not only these “numbers”, but also the “operations” that govern the manipulation of these “numbers”. With science validating the claims of the Bible, is it not clear that it must be true? ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/2 "2000-08-10T22:23:43Z")
No, no. Numbers are axiomatic and thus not proofable in the real world. So this really disproves the Bible. Guess we’re all going to hell then 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/3 "2000-08-10T22:23:58Z")
And I hear that the Bible has these things called “words”, which were recently discovered by theoretical linguists 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/4 "2000-08-10T22:38:52Z")
But I heard that one was the loneliest number, didn’t I??? oh, but if you need PROOF that the Bible is real, then what do you need Faith for? Ok, you need Faith to play on the CW stations, but for what else??? my head is hurting now, I think I’ll go lay down… ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/5 "2000-08-10T22:52:36Z")
I know the Bible is real because it keeps following me from hotel room to hotel room. It’s spooky as all hell!! ---
**Author:** ![GKittridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e274bd/32.png) [@GKittridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GKittridge)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/6 "2000-08-10T22:59:59Z")
But can you prove that my high school math book was real? ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/7 "2000-08-10T23:44:06Z")
Not only does the Bible have “numbers,” it also has “Deuteronomy” and a bunch of other books as well. \ ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/8 "2000-08-10T23:50:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*Not only does the Bible have “numbers,” it also has “Deuteronomy” and a bunch of other books as well. \ \*\* Which clearly predicts the existance of deuterium. And this whole “Trinity” thing–a thinly veiled reference to tritium. See? ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/9 "2000-08-11T00:22:48Z")
…not to mention Leviticus which obviously is a cleverly concealed how-to levitation manual. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/10 "2000-08-11T00:55:55Z")
Then there’s Genesis, which predicted the rise of the console gaming industry. Or the Psalms, which prefigured the rise of mobile computing. Palm Pilots, no less. And then there’s the people who claim that reading these books (Bible [NT and OT], Torah, Koran, etc.) according to a ‘formula’ can predict the future. For example, reading every fifth word on every other page will give you the names of the next fifteen presidents in order (to invent an example). How ‘bout _that_ kind o’ crazy! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/11 "2000-08-11T01:00:32Z")
and Exodus, which clearly predicts that a man named “Odus” will bve divorced. Lesson: never name your son Odus ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/12 "2000-08-11T06:54:25Z")
Too all you Republicans: the census is biblically based. In fact, the entire book of Numbers dealt with an exact count of people and livestock of every tribe before they went out and invade Canaan. Oh by the way, I used a Bible code on the verse that prohibits men from wearing women’s clothing, and women from wearing men’s clothes, and came up with “Dennis Rodman marries self.” ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/13 "2000-08-11T09:17:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jmullaney \* > \*\*I know the Bible is real because it keeps following me from hotel room to hotel room. It’s spooky as all hell!! \*\* it only does that because it is lonely. If you stop and read it all, cover to cover, it will never do that again. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/14 "2000-08-11T13:27:05Z")
I’ve heard some interesting attempts to get me to read that Bible, but that takes the cake ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/15 "2000-08-11T14:16:14Z")
Yo really ought to read it, Myrr, it contains ever so many interesting and useful things. For instance, Psalm 147 tells us that God doesn’t get any pleasure from the strength of a horse, but He does get pleasure from making people fear Him. Remind me to recognize Him next time I see a guy in a fright mask at the racetrack. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/16 "2000-08-11T15:52:30Z")
Well, I have to disagree with the OP. The Bible has proven that Pi is equal to 3 and mathematics tells me differently. * * * Yer pal, Satan [sub]I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR: Four months, two days, 13 hours, 52 minutes and 13 seconds. 4983 cigarettes not smoked, saving $622.89. Life saved: 2 weeks, 3 days, 7 hours, 15 minutes.[/sub] ATHENA HAD AN EROTIC DREAM ABOUT ME! ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/17 "2000-08-11T16:35:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Satan \* > \*\*The Bible has proven that Pi is equal to 3 and mathematics tells me differently. > \*\* I hear this frequently & I’m curious to see the actual text. Where do I find it? (before someone makes the joke…“duh, in the Bible”) ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/18 "2000-08-11T17:17:52Z")
Quote, to save me typing… > [@](#): > > And as desert, here comes a Biblical “math miracle”: > > 1 Kings 7: > > 23 He [Solomon] made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, > measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. > It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. > > So, seemingly the Bible tells us that the circumference [30] = 3 x diameter > [10] and “obviously” the this is not true, so that the Bible is not from > God or so some people like to reason, since pi is not equal to three? > Well, apart from the fact that 3 is less than 5% inaccuracy compared to > the real value of PI = 3.1415… and an acceptable approximation, there > is actually something fascinating in this verse: > > > [@](#): > > > > Here is, probably, a very old mnemonic > > (Book of Kings ch. 7, verse 23): > > > > King Solomon builds a pool with the PI=3, but the word > > “circumference” (Kava in Hebrew) is written with an extra letter. > > > > As all letters are also numbers in Hebrew, we can take the ratio > > of unusual form to the regular (kuf, vuv, hey vs. kuf, vuv) > > > > ( 111 / 106 ) = ( 3.14159 / 3 ) > > > > Simcha Streltsov, _Former_ Adar Rabbi of S.C.Soviet ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/19 "2000-08-11T17:20:53Z")
BTW, I think that Rabbi was tweaking his numbers to make his numerology come out right. I get: 3.141509433962264150943396226413 So, 3.141509 not 3.14159 ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898/20 "2000-08-11T17:25:52Z")
Sigh. And something else that occurred to me after reading the scornful tone of the person I quoted. Sure, it’s within 5% accuracy, but why did they mention the circumference anyway, unless it was felt it was important? The bath was obviously a hemisphere, with a diameter of 10 cubits and height of 5 cubits. We could easily have derived the circumference from the diameter. So it seems that either they were into emphasizing inaccurate redundancies, or they (or God) had no knowledge of the ratios of a circle (or sphere). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-is-a-wonderful-thing-because-of-its-mathematics-the-bible-has-been-proven/28898.md?page=2)