[Looking at history and why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.]

In a recent radio interview, since I am a scientist, I was asked if I really think the Bible is accurate or if it is just a story? That is an interesting question and talks much about the current culture.

First, the early parts of the Bible are about 3500-year-old history. That is the oldest, commonly available, and widely-read cross-cultural document in the history of mankind. Just that fact alone gives the tome more precedence, authority, and credibility than any other reference available.

The first segment or book is called “Genesis”, which simply means beginning. It covers almost half the time of recorded human history. Over two-thirds of the human population bases at least part of their history and religious tradition on this anthology. It is a primary source.

The author of that and the next four segments is Moshe. He was the adopted son of Princess Bithiah, the first born of her father, the Egyptian Pharoah. She gave him the name translated as Munius. His nanny, wet-nurse, and biological mother was Jochebed, who gave him the name Moshe, translated Moses. Princess Bithiah adopted the name Moshe.

As a royal heir-apparent, Moshe received the premier education in the libraries of Egypt, which was the scientific, cultural, military, and religious dominant society in the world at that time. His biological mother also trained him in the monotheistic Jewish cultural and religious history of the Hebrews. Likely Moshe was the most educated, cross-cultural, with leadership training human in the known world. No one has better credentials to write the early history of mankind.

As we discussed in the interview, Moshe’s account of the development of the universe is spot on with the NASA account. We documented in the book, Dad Where Did We Come From, 14 definable events or sequences in the process. Only one is in a flipped order. This immediately begs or prompts the question. How did Moshe have such accuracy in his writings, which 3500-years-later the pinnacle of scientific discovery would finally realize?

Before the beginning of the cosmos, nothing observable existed. We cannot discern what existed before existence. Let us start with the beginning affirmation of Moshe, translated into English from his Hebrew recording in the Complete Jewish Bible. “In the beginning (zero time), God created (from nothing) the heavens (space) and the Earth (matter).

The affirmation is at once perhaps one of the most well-known historical passages and one of the most controversial social science statements. The content is at once a religious reality and a scientific pronouncement.

What is the NASA comment. “The key idea behind inflationary theory is the notion that the universe underwent a period of accelerated expansion during the first 10^(-34) seconds.” That is a decimal point and 33 zeroes followed by a 1.  The time is less than one-hundredth of one-billionth of one-trillionth of one-trillionth of a second. That may not be instantaneous, but it is very close. The universe began instantly at a single point from a cause which is not understood. That certainly sounds like a belief system for the scientists.

Moshe put a name to the cause (God). That is the only difference. Full stop.

Back to the question. How did Moshe know this? He was on the front end of human history. He had access to all human knowledge at that time.

But wait, the religious would argue he was inspired by God. OK, there is still no conflict. Think about how you or anyone is creative.

All writers, artists, and builders get inspiration from some stimulus. For the writer of this column, it was a very insightful question from an intelligent, articulate, skilled interviewer, who knew how to follow up the answer to a question with a question.

How does one frame his writing? All creative works depend on education, experience, and world-view of the author. We would not expect a third-grader to write an insightful treatise on field theory in science, nor an atheist to write a dissertation affirm the acts of God.

Moshe’s background attributed the unknow facet of science to God. That is totally acceptable. In science, where there is no data, we can say, like NASA, we don’t know. The answer to lack of data will always depend on the world-view (philosophy). If we have a religious context, we can know the source. That is the reality of scientific inquiry.

One of my greatest cringe moments is when I hear someone opine that the Bible is not a science document. I immediately know they either do not understand the Bible, or do not understand science, or both.

Not having experience or knowledge is okay. That is the state of all of us in some areas. But it is disingenuous to sound off with inadequate information, when the information is available with research and effort. Full disclosure: the author is a historian with a PhD in science and a second PhD in theology.

Think about what is your world-view? What does that mean? How does that shape your perception of science, religion, and history? As a 3500-year history has well documented, maybe, just maybe, the Bible has all the info we need for every facet of life. Surprise? Have you read the book? To your good life.

Send us your histories, stories, and traditions including memories or twists. We would like to bring them along.