Question

I am uncertain if you have seen this but here is a piece of scientific coincidence with an implication of God inspiring the Bible:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrdCru5Q6lQ   Your response?

Answer:

This certainly seems interesting, but I would not put too much weight on it. I would like to hear some geologists comment on whether this is a big a coincidence as this person implies. For example, it might be that virtually all minerals are anisotropic, in which case, the coincidence, if any, involves only the gems which are isotropic, which is three. If so, then the twelve which are anisotropic would not really be much of a coincidence at all, while the three that are isotropic would be a mild coincidence—like the chances that if we flip a coin it will be heads three times in a row. Not all that impressive. Also, if we thought carefully (and I would caution you that I have not, and, besides, I am not a geologist), we might discover that there are other precious gems which are not included which are anisotropic. This would mean that the person making this claim has been very selective in his choice of which gems to include in his list. So… if it were me, I would look at this claim with some caution and let some of the experts look at it to see if what is presented as an amazing coincidence is perhaps not quite as amazing as it seems at first and that—possibly—it is simply that: a coincidence.

A couple of other thoughts: this person is implying that light in heaven will be like laser light, and that it will have a certain polarization. What is his authority for this? He describes carefully polarized laser light “pure” light. How is scientifically “pure” light related to what it will be like in heaven? Is the light emanating from the “throne” of God coherent (ie like laser light)? It seems that a few assumptions are being made which are highly speculative. He is assuming that the description of heaven, with streets, literally of gold, and with columns, literally of these stones is to be taken as a literal description of heaven. Personally, I doubt this. He is also assuming that polarized, laser-like light will be emanating through these stones, producing the rainbow effect. What is the justification for this assumption?

I hate to be a spoil sport and to pour cold water on this cool talk on you tube, but my suggestion is that you keep this one in your “that is interesting” category for now and not put any faith in this particular phenomenon as evidence for the inspiration of the Bible. We have other, much more convincing and less speculative evidence to support belief in the inspiration of the Bible. I am not suggesting you completely dismiss it, but that you be cautious. The history of such things is that believers have often made themselves look silly by jumping on the bandwagon for the latest evidence, which later turns out to be weak support for the Bible at best.

John Oakes