Because this thread is in relation to Islam I oriented this towards the Qur’an. But rest assured the same hold for ANYTHING Christian as well.
The truth is there is no possible way that a person could listen to ants communicate. Ants “communicate/speak” using chemicals. But that’s neither here nor there. You can just say God made whats-his-face “understand” the chemicals or god did this or god did that.
I can be and am impressed by ancient people’s knowledge.
- I am impressed by the cataract surgery that the Romans/Greeks performed. It’s done exactly the same way today only a pump is used instead of sucking.
- Measuring the Earths circumference using shadows is truly novel and I am amazed even now.
- Measuring the planetary rotations of the first five plants and being able to predict their future placement was absolutely astounding. Nothing came close to that little number in complexity for over 2000 years. THAT is amazing.
- Only now are some ancient mortar recipes being discovered. And some of these have been found to be FAR better than what we ARE using TODAY. That’s amazing - yes?
These and many other marvels are just a few of the amazing discoveries the ancients made and I think we are amazed – and that’s not even considering literature, theater, art, sculptor, politics, etcetera.
BUT, and this is the sticking point, THESE were NEVER EVER claimed to be godly inspired. They have authors (HUMAN) and these are the people we credit with these marvels. They are SECULAR discoveries. These above are just expletory occasions of human ingenuity, cleverness, and genius. They have application in the real world as well as precisely explain nature thus allowing us to build on that knowledge and therefore (to me) have astonishing value. These are the things that make me love to read history.
Stating that a blood clot or a leach-like-thing is a KEY step in the process of human development isn’t amazing to me. Why? Because it has no application, doesn’t add value and if anything can be misleading. This small little verse doesn’t seem to add much of anything to the knowledge of human development and frankly seems to be a plagiarism of the world famous ancient 2nd century A.D., physician Galen’s work as he described the placenta and fetal membranes in his book
"On The Formation of the Foetus." And this is supposed to be God inspired? I think Galen did better.
Setting that entirely aside. If there were a god we would expect that when god gives man a little “inside information” he doesn’t prattle on about a blood clot or leach. He says something profound about genetics. And he lays down some principles of human/animal development. Or he could easily describe atoms. Not in some hanky-panky manner but in a few short a
very specific no if-ands-or-buts with absolutely
no need for further interpretation manner. Why do I go so far here? Because I have even had my religious friend here claim such and such DOES explain atoms, DOES explain the big-bang DOES explain this or that. ALBEIT AD HOC! To prove my point I say: One can only wonder why no one thought to write a treaty on the topic? Or use this information for benefit to make further discoveries. Why couldn’t a clever god had left some inspired passage that would qualify as a “godly revelation” and yet be used to greatly benefit man. Such as the simple concept of atoms.
The truth is that the
truly great leaps forward were ALWAYS in EVERY INSTANCE made by
secular discoveries - many of which were by not-particularly-religious men.
So when given two theories:
1) Such and such is God inspired.
OR
2) Such and such was not God inspired but just the work of men.
Sensibly we must come to the logical conclude of choice: #2.
Why? Well because there is NOTHING in ANY religious text that makes the cut. That is:
truly great leaps forward that are found in religious texts. Why would God – creator of the universe – leave these mere scraps of pitifully partial half-baked relatively useless information? I just don’t think so. So the simpler solution is to conclude these works are the writings of men. Albeit in some cases very clever men, genius even. In other not so much (I refer to the clot/leach). Nevertheless, men all the same. To not come to such a conclusion it to delude ones self. And you must ask: am I being biased? I state again - there are no meaningful and useful
miraculous revelations in ANY religious books. And when I say miraculous I mean information of or relating to an order of existence beyond the visible observable universe and that especially must have been insight that was gained in a manner that one can logically conclude transcends the laws of nature ie: better than just plain old human imagination and ingenuity.
It just isn’t there. ANYWHERE. If it were there then - someone would have used it. I don’t know of anyone quoting a religious text and saying: See here it says god created the universe in a way that appears to be like the Big Bang. Instead (and what we do see) its AFTER some genius secular discovery is made –
THEN and ONLY then does someone religious say: See here it says god created the universe in a way that appears to be like the Big Bang.
Rather pathetic isn’t it?
I’ll say again: And this is supposed to be God inspired? I think Galen did better. Is it sinking in yet?
I don’t expect to change a religious persons mind. And I’m absolutely sure that it would be easier to change a person’s language.
Near impossible. The religious mind that is reading these words are already discounting and discrediting them. Coming up with solutions and alternative explanations. Assessing and reaffirming previous beliefs. “”The [insert religious text here] IS a miraculous work of god and these are god-inspired scientific revelations. Who cares if they didn’t lead to any further advancement? Who cares if we
have to be ad hoc? That doesn’t mean they’re not god inspired!! I mean this wasn’t supposed to be a scientific text anyhow!! Just a few bits of this-and-that to show man that there is God and these are HIS revelations. Hell – we should be luck we even got that. Who does this Michael character think he is? Better than God! Just another typical scientist trying to usurp God. I hope that Michael just rots in Hell! Oh, what am I saying? – the poor lost soul. I’ll pray for him. Oh that feels better. I love you God and I now know even more than ever that you love me too. God – you there god? Hello?? Hello?? “Yes I am here! Oh – Good thought I’d lost yah for a second””
Okilay-Doakilay
Although I have said nothing expletory in this short essay, offered nothing new, nevertheless – these ideas are an affront to the religious belief and as such must be inherently wrong. However, to the scientifically trained mind and those on this board that have a rational way of thinking – they will see the simple truth here.