Posted on 04/11/2006 2:08:20 AM PDT by ekeni
he New Testament story describes Jesus walking on water in the Sea of Galilee but according to a study led by Florida State University Professor of Oceanography Doron Nof, it's more likely that he walked on an isolated patch of floating ice.
The study points to a rare combination of optimal water and atmospheric conditions for development of a unique, localized freezing phenomenon that Nof and his co-authors call "springs ice."
In what is now northern Israel, such ice could have formed on the cold freshwater surface of the Sea of Galilee -- known as Lake Kinneret by modern-day Israelis -- when already chilly temperatures briefly plummeted during one of the two protracted cold periods between 2,500 and 1,500 years ago.
A frozen patch floating on the surface of the small lake would have been difficult to distinguish from the unfrozen water surrounding it. The unfrozen water was comprised of the plumes resulting from salty springs situated along the lake's western shore in Tabgha -- an area where many archeological findings related to Jesus have been documented.
"As natural scientists, we simply explain that unique freezing processes probably happened in that region only a handful of times during the last 12,000 years," Nof said. "We leave to others the question of whether or not our research explains the biblical account."
It isn't the first time the FSU researcher has offered scientific explanations of watery miracles. As a recognized expert in the field of oceanography and limnology -- the study of freshwater, saline and brackish environments -- Nof made waves worldwide in 1992 with his oceanographic perspective on the parting of the Red Sea.
His latest research appears in the April 2006 Journal of Paleolimnology, a scientific publication that addresses the reconstruction of lake history.
Using paleoceanographic records of the Mediterranean Sea's surface temperatures along with analytical ice and statistical models, Nof and his colleagues focused on the dynamics of a small section of Lake Kinneret comprising about 10,000 square feet near the salty springs that empty into it. Their analysis supports the likelihood that a brief blast of frigid air descended over the lake and dropped to 25 F (-4 C) for at least two days, coinciding with the chill that had already settled in for a century or more and quite possibly encompassed the decades in which Jesus lived.
natural scientists idiots?
Now maybe some will understand why many don't believe anything these "scientists" say. i.e. evolution... gross speculation
LOL, I think you're on to something there.
There's an irreverent song called "Jesus was Way Cool." (if you don't enjoy south park - don't listen to the song).
Anyhow, the Ice flow theory sounds a lot cooler than I mean any two bit god can make matter do what he wants it to do. But only the son of the one true God can invent Surfing.
"......(Jesus apparently walked on a conveniently handy ice floe and not water)......."
It makes no difference whether he walked on ice or ????
The point is time has proven to me that l like him in my life and My World. Feel your time would best be spent on loving and believing his ways.
Glad though that you had a chance to get the animosity off your chest while studying this issue. Just about every issue re: Jesus has been turned over and over by non- believers. Jesus taught me to work at Loving others as myself. The world needs more reciprocal love (good thoughts about others) these days.
"......(Jesus apparently walked on a conveniently handy ice floe and not water)......."
It makes no difference whether he walked on ice or ????
The point is time has proven to me that l like him in my life and My World. Feel your time would best be spent on loving and believing his ways.
Glad though that you had a chance to get the animosity off your chest while studying this issue. Just about every issue re: Jesus has been turned over and over by non- believers. Jesus taught me to work at Loving others as myself. The world needs more reciprocal love (good thoughts about others) these days.
"......(Jesus apparently walked on a conveniently handy ice floe and not water)......."
It makes no difference whether he walked on ice or ????
The point is time has proven to me that l like him in my life and My World. Feel your time would best be spent on loving and believing his ways.
Glad though that you had a chance to get the animosity off your chest while studying this issue. Just about every issue re: Jesus has been turned over and over by non- believers. Jesus taught me to work at Loving others as myself. The world needs more reciprocal love (good thoughts about others) these days.
Me either, but I do get a little tired of scientists trying to explain away God.
I agree.
Man you have the makings of a real theologian -- and I don't even surf!
Note, it's not just surfing, but ICE surfing ... in one direction ... from one shore to another ... in sandals! Not to mention the robe thing and, of course, the halo. (Tune in next week for an explanation of how once in every bakillion years a person walks around with a circular flourescent bulb hoevring over his head.)
And He just happened to be there, and to want to go from one shore to the other on the one or two times in 12 gazillion trafillion years that there would have "naturally" been a convenient chunk o' ice for Him to surf on.
But no miracle was involved, nosirree! Of that we can be sho'!
DadGUM, the study of science is so liberating! I'm finalaly free of the dreadful burden of believing in a God who loves me so much He is willing to die for me, and whose love is so powerful that it can turn death to life and evil to good. Ah, the cool clear air of understanding that He commands not only wind and waves, but also ice .....
No wait, that doesn't make any sense. Oh yeah, NONE of this makes any sense.
By the way, why don't they give a demonstration?
It's only been 2,000 years, how come no one else has done this?
Wouldn't it be easier to assume that the story was made up than to believe a rare ice condition existed at this precise moment in time?
Dude don't change scripture.
I’ve seen this on several news programs and find a few things wrong with it.
1. The disciples left from the shore, the water was not yet frozen.
2. Jesus walked out to the boat “during the 4th watch of the night” – not enough time for the lake to freeze enough to walk on.
3. Not only did Peter step from the boat for his water walk, but after Jesus saved him they both stepped back into the boat. This would have required the boat to be alongside the ice sheet during a storm with high winds.
These men weren’t weekend sailors. They were professional commercial fishermen. No way they would have brought a sailing boat alongside a thick ice sheet during a storm.
Not necessarily idiots, just not familiar with the story.
it does matter if he walked on ice. this silly theory shows that the so called scientist never familiarized himself with even the barest of facts available in the three eyewitness accounts.
so much for so called scientists using scientific methods...(Uh, like studying all the data before determining findings....which of course, the skeptics never do--they only examine the data they like).
it takes more faith to buy into this little theory than the actual truth. jesus was just surfing in a very large storm on ice and big tough fishermen were afraid for and died for nothing except a guy that surfs. very clever theory. but college kids and people that don't know their bibles are fooled all the time by these lame attacks.
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