Totally random example of how apologists misuse science

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Hagoth
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Totally random example of how apologists misuse science

Post by Hagoth » Wed Jun 15, 2022 9:10 am

What if an apologist for the Mayan religion put on his Mormon apologist cap:

In the late 20th century archaeological researchers began using stable carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and strontium isotope ratios to learn incredible amounts of detail about ancient human remains, including what they ate, where they were born, and where they traveled over the course of their life.

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios tells us what people ate. From a bone or tissue sample you can determine whether a person's diet was, for instance, mainly wheat, corn, game, or seafood.

In the early 21st century an isotope study turned this technology on a study of living Americans. The press proclaimed the results in a simple message: Americans are made of corn!

The creation story of the Popol Vuh states very clearly that the gods made humans out of corn. How could the inspired writers of this ancient scripture possibly have known that people were, and still are, made of corn?

The Popol Vuh is true!
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

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moksha
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Re: Totally random example of how apologists misuse science

Post by moksha » Thu Jun 16, 2022 1:21 am

When everything is made up, the best you can hope for are coincidental similarities. Given the love of Mormons for C.S. Lewis, you would imagine BYU might hire an archeologist specializing in Narnia artifacts. Those additions could double the size of the Book of Mormon collection.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha

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Angel
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Re: Totally random example of how apologists misuse science

Post by Angel » Sun Jul 03, 2022 4:31 pm

I've ran around in Belize, Guatemala, Peru. I've also ran around in Israel and Egypt.

South America's ancient religion was bloody - human sacrifices, animal gods. People drank to the earth, sky, and water. They used drugs - had a special experience with Mayan guide in ATM cave - he had left his faith as I had mine, wasn't afraid of going into caves his parents felt would curse him, was very honest about everything - this is where they did drugs and had hallucinations etc.

Recently watched an Amazon documentary on Mayans, so sad Christians destroyed their books, their history. They pretty much have language figured out again, know the names of leaders. Nothing matched what was in BOM.
“You have learned something...That always feels at first as if you have lost something.” George Bernard Shaw
When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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moksha
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Re: Totally random example of how apologists misuse science

Post by moksha » Sun Jul 03, 2022 8:55 pm

Angel wrote:
Sun Jul 03, 2022 4:31 pm
Recently watched an Amazon documentary on Mayans, so sad Christians destroyed their books, their history. They pretty much have language figured out again, know the names of leaders. Nothing matched what was in BOM.
That is because the Mayans actually existed.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha

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Hagoth
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Re: Totally random example of how apologists misuse science

Post by Hagoth » Sat Jul 09, 2022 12:07 pm

Angel wrote:
Sun Jul 03, 2022 4:31 pm
...They used drugs... where they did drugs and had hallucinations etc.
ALL ancient religions used drugs. All of them. Right up until the Catholic hierarchy built a powerful priest class and disallowed personal direct spiritual experience for commoners. Then anyone practicing the older versions of religion were labeled heretics and witches and unmercifully and brutally stamped out.

Religion without psychedelics is a recent development.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

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