Posted on 07/23/2013 7:55:25 PM PDT by Kip Russell
Hm...I've seen that alleged before, but...
Taking out the oceans, the difference between the highest point on Earth (Mr. Everest) and the lowest (Mariana Trench) is about 13 miles...that's roughly one part in six hundred as compared to the Earth's diameter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_%28bearing%29
As I read the chart, the highest grade ball bearings (Grade 3), which have a diameter of up to 2 inches, have a maximum variation in diameter of 0.000003 inches...which is a heck of a lot smoother than the Earth, being a variation of only one part in 600,000!
Deep, real deep.
A little harsh, given that I didn’t attribute it to a character, but then again neither did www.goodreads.com, the first source my search for the quote revealed....
Hmmm. Good to know. Thanks!
Hey Kip, is you a scientist fella, or does ya just read about ‘em?
Not directed at you! I just recalled the situation when the author (Stirling) was being criticized for his "Draka" series of alternate history novels:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Domination
Some people thought the "Bad Guys" in the series were portrayed too sympathetically. He pointed out, "It's a dystopia, you twit", and also made the point virtually none of the great tyrants throughout history have ever actually considered themselves to be evil.
Ah! I though you wuz slammin’ editor-surveyor. I couldn’t let that happen for something I said.
I read a lot of layman-level science (and science fiction...), with a heavy emphasis on astronomy, and have some college background in physics and math, but I've never had a career in science.
Life doesn't always work out as one plans in one's youth.
One word disproves Astrology
Non-Geocentric
For Astrology to be true
1. The Earth would have to be flat
2. The center of the universe
3. All the stars the same distance away.
In reality none of those things are true
The fact that men who didn’t know what the universe was actually like proves nothing. They were smart, they may have been ahead of their time. They didn’t have the facts we have today
Not to mention that astronomical/astrological precession has altered all the “signs”.
Non-Geocentric
And then there's the fact that the obstetrician who delivers the baby exerts more gravitational force on it at the time of birth than the planet Pluto does...!
Somehow, I knew he was Indian just from the headline.
Look forward to the moment, it is just barely ahead. Take good care, Kip Russell.
One could use the same 3 points to argue the Bible is false.
Johnny Depp had a crow on his head....
Wrong kind of Indian...
lol
“One could use the same 3 points to argue the Bible is false.”
No actually you can’t
In the book of Genesis it states that the moon and stars are there to basically provide a calendar (Genesis 1:14). Stars are also called “The abode of Angels” they are not held up as items of worship or said to have either predictive power or influence over a person’s life. You do not have believe the Earth is the literal center of the universe to be a Christian. However, if it is not the center then Astrology can never be correct.
In ancient times, up through Copernicus it was acceptable to believe in the veracity of Astrology simply because it was thought to be a true explanation of the universe. Thus it was not sinful for the ancients to reference it. They simply didn’t and COULDN’T know better
There are other problems with the Bible. This is not one of them.
At Great Basin National Park, a house wren had a nest on top of our motel room’s porch light. 3 times, as I would unlock the door, it would fly down onto me, once even landing inside my shirt pocket. It WAS a laughing matter.
Been dive attacked by a pair of nighthawks, too; that was not so amusing: they went straight for the face at full throttle.
That IS NOT repeat NOT what I said.
I said the charges you leveled against astrology could also be leveled against the Bible.
You said in order for astrology to be true one would have to think the earth was flat.
Isaiah 11:12Unless you know of some four cornered sphere, the Bible says the earth is flat.
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.Revelation 7:1
And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
You said one would have to believe the earth is the center of the universe.
Visit any thread referencing even the possibility of life on other planets, and you're apt to find a dozen FReepers who insist that God created the entire rest of the universe bereft of life, that we are the center of His creation.
You said one would have to believe all the stars are equidistant from the earth. Find me a single Biblical reference that says they aren't.
IOW, the strawman reasons you give for astrology to be false could equally apply to the Bible.
What you've done is to use poor arguments against astrology that could be equally applied to the Bible.
You would be better served to use the Bible to argue against astrology.
You could have for example, referenced Deuteronomy 18:9-13 and Gal.5:19-20 to better effect.
Now don't go misquoting me, or deliberately misunderstanding me again. NOTHING, repeat NOTHING I am saying even remotely means that I think there is any actual basis for astrology, nor do I subscribe to it, nor to I believe that it has any predictive, explicative, or diagnostic value whatsoever.
EXCEPT if you know that someone else believes in astrology, you can use their horoscope to predict what they will do based on their belief in their horoscope! This is why Britain hired astrologers in WWII to predict Hitler's actions...
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