[Physicist]

Have you ever heard of an approximation, or rough measurement? Have you ever heard of rounding to the nearest unit?

LOL! I just got done arguing this same thing on this thread.

The numbers in 1 Kings are quite clearly approximations. The point here is that, to a Biblical literalist, the Bible cannot contain approximations. Ten cubits means ten cubits, and thirty means thirty, not "about ten" or "about thirty".

I tried floating the explanation that the guy who measured the circumference had shorter arms than the guy who measured the diameter, but so far no literalist has bitten at it.

It's also fun to point out that the sign hung on Jesus's cross is worded in four different ways in the four Gospels.

[Diamond]

The point here is that, to a Biblical literalist, the Bible cannot contain approximations

It depends on what you mean by "literalist". See 950.

Cordially

[Junior]

The numbers in 1 Kings are quite clearly approximations. The point here is that, to a Biblical literalist, the Bible cannot contain approximations. Ten cubits means ten cubits, and thirty means thirty, not "about ten" or "about thirty".

Yeah. What you said.

[Diamond]

In that other thread you stated that in two places the Bible "gives the value of pi as being 3.0, to two significant digits." That is somewhat misleading. The Bible nowhere "gives the value of "pi"" or states the value of "pi", or gives any calculation or formula for "pi". Your statement here on this thread that the observations are approximations is accurate.

Cordially,

[scripter]

The point here is that, to a Biblical literalist, the Bible cannot contain approximations.

You seem like a pretty good guy, at least most of the time. :-) But to make a statement like that is ridiculous as you have lumped what all biblical literalists must believe into a very narrow definition. I know a lot of "literalist Christians" and not one holds to your definition. Many would call me a literalist and I don't hold to that definition, especially after years of studying the ancient cultural details.

Scooby Doo starts in 37 minutes and we promised the kids...