Scientists explain the burning bushes in the Bible

[Janus]

http://www.nettavisen.no/servlets/page?section=1706&item=277123


Physician Dag Kristian Dysthe and three geologies, all Norwegian, expected to find lava underneath the smoking soil. Instead they found a burning layer of turf and the explanation for one of the mystery of the burning bushes in the Bible; the self-alighting bushes.

Now all we need is for a major sea to part its self.....

[Denise]

And this is something new?! Besides, I thought the bush was supposed to be consumed by fire but not actually be burned.

[Janus]

Its was the first I'd heard of this, I applogise if its been here before.

I would image 700 Degrees Celsiuse would cause a sizable blaze.

[Yahweh]

They didnt exactly explain how the bush could speak prophecies did they... possibly a toxic fume induced hallucination...

[Denise]

Originally posted by Janus
Its was the first I'd heard of this, I applogise if its been here before.

I would image 700 Degrees Celsiuse would cause a sizable blaze.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. Here is what I meant. When we would go camping we were always admonished to put out the campfire thoroughly. It is well known that a fire can burn even under the ground on the roots for quite a distance.

When I was with a group in the boundary waters we found a fire burning beneath the topsoil from a campfire that was not put out. It is a slow burn but can travel up bushes etc and start a huge blaze. Not talking feet down, but an inch or so.

[Janus]

Originally posted by Denise


Sorry for the misunderstanding. Here is what I meant. When we would go camping we were always admonished to put out the campfire thoroughly. It is well known that a fire can burn even under the ground on the roots for quite a distance.


Yes your right. They are similer phenomenon.

I think in this case the significant diffrences were the location (The Sahara), the fuel (turf insted of roots) and the intensitiy (I could be mistaken, but I supect that typical subsurface fires smulder along at a much lower tempreture).

[bjornart]

Ah, summer. When new has to be invented even if there are mulitple wars going on.

This was interesting scientific news months back, although it's popped up later as well:


Soil in the Timbuktu region sporadically seems to bake, fumes spew from glowing-hot holes in the ground and trees and scrub burn from the roots up. French colonial scientists first documented the phenomenon, blaming molten magma just beneath the surface the desert.
The explanation stuck, although never scientifically tested, and at odds with geological evidence. The region, on the fringes of the Sahara Desert, is seismically calm.
scientific stuff (http://www.nature.com/nsu/030630/030630-10.html)


So the point was, that unlike root and turf fires as Denise mentioned, this was believed to be volcanic, despite the geology. And it burned for years with temperatures, at times, reaching 1500 F.
I have no idea how the journalist got the scientists to say it explained the burning bush, but it's just plain silly.

[Marc]

It's easy to explain the burning bush.




They made the story up. See, no problem. :D

One problem with the volcano-smoking ground theory. The fist thing 'god' told Moses was to remove his sandals for he was uppon holy ground. If there was volcanic activity close enough to the surface to result in smoke and burning vegitation it would have probably been a very bad idea for him to go without footware.

http://members.cox.net/draft2/Smileys/bushburn.gif

[Ipecac]

Yeah, why try to explain a fictional event?


I can see the future headlines:

Scientists explain phenomenon of "singing bush" in The Three Amigos.

or

Scientists explain evolution of giant ape, King Kong

Any more?

[Denise]

Scientists explain the Jedi Mind trick.

Scientists proclaim to have found Oz.

LOL

[SFB]

Originally posted by Marc
It's easy to explain the burning bush.




They made the story up. See, no problem. :D





:D :D :D

I like that one.

[Sundog]

Originally posted by Yahweh
They didnt exactly explain how the bush could speak prophecies did they...

I have this image of Moses' friends hiding behind a tree, laughing hysterically...

[LCBOY]

Originally posted by Janus
http://www.nettavisen.no/servlets/page?section=1706&item=277123



Now all we need is for a major sea to part its self.....

This is quite a stretch for science. How can science expalin a supernatural event? It can't.

[Upchurch]

Originally posted by LCBOY


This is quite a stretch for science. How can science expalin a supernatural event? It can't. only if the "supernatural" event was, in fact, supernatural.

[LCBOY]

Originally posted by Upchurch
only if the "supernatural" event was, in fact, supernatural.

I agree.

[Blue Monk]

Originally posted by Denise
Scientists explain the Jedi Mind trick.

Scientists proclaim to have found Oz.

LOL

Scientists claim to understand women.

I'd want to see their data before a swallowed that one.

[ceo_esq]

Originally posted by Yahweh
They didnt exactly explain how the bush could speak prophecies did they... possibly a toxic fume induced hallucination... Plenty of species of shrub will do that when burned and inhaled.

[rwald]

Originally posted by Blue Monk
Scientists claim to understand women.

I'd want to see their data before a swallowed that one. What if the scientists in question are women?

[triadboy]

Originally posted by LCBOY

This is quite a stretch for science. How can science expalin a supernatural event? It can't.

How come all the supernatural events happened in that one span of years - from the beginning of the Old Testament (4004 BC) to the end of the New Testament (30 AD)?

Nothing supernatural ever happens anymore! We're getting screwed!

If only a big-ass God head would thrust itself through my ceiling and start yelling at me. Then I could quietly switch over to the Rapture-Now threads and start making fun of you guys.

[SFB]

Originally posted by LCBOY This is quite a stretch for science. How can science expalin a supernatural event? It can't.
_________________________

[QUOTE]Originally posted by triadboy
[B]

How come all the supernatural events happened in that one span of years - from the beginning of the Old Testament (4004 BC) to the end of the New Testament (30 AD)?

Nothing supernatural ever happens anymore! We're getting screwed!

If only a big-ass God head would thrust itself through my ceiling and start yelling at me. Then I could quietly switch over to the Rapture-Now threads and start making fun of you guys.

Yep, and other clearer heads are waiting for such an event too.

And it brings up some other thoughts: what a relief it is to sweep away spiritualism and religion, and rely on what we know through science (and history, and human nature, and other cultures' experiences, and different world views - they paint a different picture than Xtianity; to ignore it is plain stupidity). And wait for rational explanations for the unexplainable. (I guess I'm just preaching Occam here, but it was a relief, for me anyway, and I have fun reading this forum as it defends clear thinking).

So much influential and major CRAP so easily swept away. WOOOOOOSH, there it goes, flushed .......... All major religions, poof *.

LC, show me otherwise.

:)

And I'm as happy as De_Bunk!

[CapelDodger]

Around Baku on the Caspian hydrocarbons come to the surface in all sorts of form, including methane bubbling up through hot mid-lakes. As the methane bubbles push up and burst they create hollow tubes of hardened mud which can reach to over a metre. The tubes branch intermittently, forming a simple bush shape surrounded by burning methane - will o' the wisps. Looks damn freaky on film. Now this is not far from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor, the fount of all this religious guff.

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by Ipecac
Yeah, why try to explain a fictional event?


I can see the future headlines:

Scientists explain phenomenon of "singing bush" in The Three Amigos.

or

Scientists explain evolution of giant ape, King Kong

Any more?

Originally posted by Denise
Scientists explain the Jedi Mind trick.

Scientists proclaim to have found Oz.

LOL

Congratulations! You 2 have just written the next copy of The Weekly World News (http://www.weeklyworldnews.com)!

[UnrepentantSinner]

The biggest problem I have with this theory is:

Physician Dag Kristian Dysthe and three geologies, all Norwegian, expected to find lava underneath the smoking soil. Instead they found a burning layer of turf and the explanation for one of the mystery of the burning bushes in the Bible; the self-alighting bushes.

I'm not sure the Saini has a layer of turf beneath the soil. Any geologists out there who can give us some insight into Mid-Eastern topography?

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by UnrepentantSinner
The biggest problem I have with this theory is:



I'm not sure the Saini has a layer of turf beneath the soil. Any geologists out there who can give us some insight into Mid-Eastern topography?
Astroturf Perhaps?

(You never know with that stuff... also, I'm convinced astroturf has more carcinogens in it than asbestos.)

[CapelDodger]

Yahweh, are you everywhere? (I'm sure you still find that amusing.)

[Janus]

Originally posted by UnrepentantSinner
[B
I'm not sure the Saini has a layer of turf beneath the soil. Any geologists out there who can give us some insight into Mid-Eastern topography? [/B]

The link posted by bjornart appears to refer the same event, however it describes peat, not turf.

[sorgoth]

Heh, weekly world news... You know, I'd enjoy writing for that magazine if my pesky concience didn't get in the way, and tell me that some people believe that stuff...

[LW]

Originally posted by triadboy


How come all the supernatural events happened in that one span of years - from the beginning of the Old Testament (4004 BC) to the end of the New Testament (30 AD)?

Depends on who you ask. You know, the Catholic church has somewhere around 10000 saints and beatified persons. The one major qualification for the title is performing miracles after death (only martyrs are exempted from this requirement). So, at least the Catholic church seems to think that supernatural miracles have happened (and still happen, as evidenced by the Mother Theresa debacle) after 30 AD.

[triadboy]

Originally posted by LW

So, at least the Catholic church seems to think that supernatural miracles have happened...

Now days, if the Pope has a bowel movement, it's a miracle. And if he does it in the woods - a lot of strange arguments will be concluded.

[Crossbow]

The Bible goes on to say that when Moses explained to Burning Bush to Phararo (sic?), he was not impressed because the Egyptian magicians could do the same trick.

So just because there is a contemporary explanation, does not mean that now one should be doubtful of the story. It just means that one should have always been doubtful of the super-natural aspect of the account.

[triadboy]

Originally posted by triadboy

And if he does it in the woods...

I'm sorry, this will barely make sense to people in the US and be completely unintelligible to people from other lands.

There is a saying - to agree with an obvious point - "Does a wild bear sh*t in the woods?" There is also: "Is the Pope Catholic?" I've purposely twisted these up for years and said, "Does the Pope sh*t in the woods?"

I used it here not thinking it wouldn't make sense to anyone but me. Sorry.

[The Grave]

Scientists explain the Jedi Mind trick.

Scientists proclaim to have found Oz.

LOL


Their team keep beating us at rugby!

[Tanstaafl]

I'm sorry, this will barely make sense to people in the US and be completely unintelligible to people from other lands.

There is a saying - to agree with an obvious point - "Does a wild bear ***** in the woods?" There is also: "Is the Pope Catholic?" I've purposely twisted these up for years and said, "Does the Pope ***** in the woods?"

I used it here not thinking it wouldn't make sense to anyone but me. Sorry.


Made perfect sense to me, and got a good laugh out of me.

I had thought I was the only one who asked "Does the Pope s*** in the woods?".

[UnrepentantSinner]

Their team keep beating us at rugby!

You do realize that Denise hasn't posted here in over a year.

[slingblade]

Burning bush? A little Monostat takes care of that, no prob.















:D

[MelBrooksfan]

Why was this dug up after nearly 4 years?!

[Miss Anthrope]

:D :D :D

I like that one.

Yes, it's my prevailing theory, too!

[Miss Anthrope]

Why was this dug up after nearly 4 years?!

I've had threads magically necromance themselves onto the new posts list on occasion, perhaps this happened again to whoever responded?

[slingblade]

I'm sorry, this will barely make sense to people in the US and be completely unintelligible to people from other lands.

There is a saying - to agree with an obvious point - "Does a wild bear ***** in the woods?" There is also: "Is the Pope Catholic?" I've purposely twisted these up for years and said, "Does the Pope ***** in the woods?"

I used it here not thinking it wouldn't make sense to anyone but me. Sorry.

I realize the post is 4 years old, but...dude.

Plenty of Americans not only ask if the Pope s**** in the woods, but also if bears are Catholic. I first heard it in high school, and that was 34 years ago. Puh-leeze. ;)

[l0rca]

Wow, this is retarded. Why does science need to answer this? Here's the real answer, in all its unerring glory: it never happened.

[Beerina]

This is quite a stretch for science. How can science expalin a supernatural event? It can't.

More than a few people have pointed this out over the years.

- Religious people point to a plausible scientific explanation and say, "See? It could actually have happened!"

- Someone else points out that, if there's a scientific explanation, that that shoots down God as existing, not supports him.

- Religious guy goes to see what's on TV.

[Lonewulf]

Today, scientists explain the leprechauns as mentioned in Irish folklore.

[Darth Rotor]

Scientists proclaim to have found Oz.

It's about a thousand miles or so west of New Zealand.

DR

[UnrepentantSinner]

More than a few people have pointed this out over the years.

- Religious people point to a plausible scientific explanation and say, "See? It could actually have happened!"

- Someone else points out that, if there's a scientific explanation, that that shoots down God as existing, not supports him.

- Religious guy goes to see what's on TV.

:ironymeter:

And it needs to be pointed out that a scientific explanation for something does not shoot down God existing but only shows that a particular even has a plausible naturalistic explanation and in no way effects whether God or any deities exist or not.

[Jon.]

Why was this dug up after nearly 4 years?!

Polaris dug it up to make a lame rugby joke. :rolleyes: