God is Dead (Redux)

Thanks to my opponent for their time. "As the primary argument for evolution is that we are slowly evolving and improving, this book demonstrates that there is no scientific evidence to corroborate that, rather, we are de-volving." False. This is the classic go-to creationist argument, and it is based upon a misunderstanding of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which says that entropy increases in a closed system as time goes forward. The evolution of creatures is not a closed system that lacks the input of energy; we are constantly bombarded with cosmic energy and changing environments which cause us to adapt to survive. According to the National Center for Science Education, referring to a debate between evolutionists and the pseudoscientific Institute for Creation Research: "The creationist argument given in the first paragraph contains a gaping flaw, and evolutionist debaters wasted no time in pointing it out: While the classical version of the second law does indeed state that the entropy of an isolated system cannot decrease, evolving systems are not isolated! One might expect that at this point the issue would be considered settled and everyone would pack up and go home. However, such an expectation would never be entertained by anyone familiar with the peculiar tenacity of creationists." "Not only is their the text of Genesis, but numerous other texts and cultural traditions around the world have accounts similar to Genesis ... Given that so many cultures agree on these accounts, and given the vast geological evidence that a worldwide flood did occur, it would be difficult to not take Genesis as an accurate account." So, because Genesis agrees with world mythology, this leads you to believe that Genesis is accurate? Not sure I follow your thinking there. I've found some scientific sources that say there was a global flood, I've found others that disagree. For the sake of argument, let's just assume that there was such a thing. Why does this mean a god was responsible? Ancient people didn't understand their world, so they ascribed thunder and earthquakes and diseases and eclipses to the will/wrath/mercy of the gods. Why should we assume different with a really big flood? But, for the sake of argument, let's assume it was a god or gods that caused it. Why Yahweh of the Bible? You yourself say that every world religion has a flood myth. Why couldn't it have been caused by Allah or Poseidon, or Neptune? You say you'd like some examples of historical inaccuracies or internal inconsistencies in the Bible. One article has a very handy list: A. River Gihon could not possibly flow from Mesopotamia and encompass Ethiopia (Gen 2:13) B. The name Babel does not come from the Hebrew word 'balbal' or 'confuse' but from the babylonian 'babili' or 'gate of God' which is a translation of the original Sumerian name Ka-dimirra. (Gen 11:9) C. Ur was not a Chaldean city until 1000 years after Abraham (Gen 11:28, 15:7) D. Abraham pursued enemies to 'Dan' (Gen 14:14). That name was not used geographically until after the conquest (Judge 18:29) E. Gen 36:31, telling of Jacob and Esau, lists kings of Edom "before there reigned any king over the children of Israel." This must have been written hundreds of years later, after Israel had kings. F. Joseph tells Pharaoh he comes from the "land of the Hebrews" (Gen 40:15). There was no such land until after the conquest under Joshua. G. The Egyptian princess names the baby she finds "Moses" because she "drew him out" of the water (Heb meshethi). Why would she make a pun in Hebrew (Ex 2:10)? H. No Egyptian record exists mentioning Moses or his devastation of Egypt. I. Moses refers to "Palestine" (Ex 15:14). No such name was in use then. J. Law of Moses is the "statutes of God and his laws" (Ex 18:26), but it closely mirrors the Code of Hammurabi, which was penned 1800 BC, hundreds of years before Moses. K. Priests are mentioned at Ex 19:22-24, but they are not provided for until Ex 28:1. L. Moses mentions Rabbath, where Og's bedstead is located (Deut3:11). Moses could not have any knowledge of Rabbath,which was not captured by the Hebrews until David's time,500 years later (2 Sam 12:26). M. Jericho and Ai (Josh 8) were both ancient ruins at the time of the conquest of Canaan, according to archaeologists. Jericho's walls were destroyed centuries before Joshua. N. Kings are referred to at Deut 17:17-19, before Israel had kings. O. The Wilderness is viewed as history at Num 15:32, showing that Numbers was written later. P. The Sabbath law was unknown when the man gathered sticks at Num 15:32-34. Q. Book of Joshua refers to Book of Jasher in the past, mentioned at 2 Sam 1:18, therefore Joshua must be post-David. R. Captivity is mentioned at Judg 18:30, making it post-Exile. S. David took Goliath's head to Jerusalem (1 Sam 17:54). But Jerusalem was not captured until 7 years after David became king (2 Sam 5). T. David paid 600 shekels of gold for the threshing floor (1 Chron21:22-25). But shekels of gold were not yet used in business transactions (this is the only use of the term in the OT). U. Psalm 18:6 mentions the temple, thus cannot be by David. V. Defeat of Sennacherib did not happen at Jerusalem, but at Pelusium, near Egypt, and Jews were not involved, contrary to 2 Kings 19. W. Ninevah was so large it took three days to cross, i.e. about 60 miles (Jonah 3:3-4). Yet it had only 120,000 inhabitants, making a population density of of about 42 people per square mile for a city. X. Daniel's account of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar is historically inaccurate; Nebuchadnezzar was never mad. Belshazzar, whom he says was king, was never king, but only regent. Belshazzar was not the son of Nebuchadnezzar, but of Nabo-nidus. Babylon was not conquered by Darius the Mede, but by Cyrus the Great, in 539 BC (Dan 5:31). Darius the Mede is unknown to history. Y. Chronology of the empires of the Medes and Persians is historically incorrect in Isa 13:17, 21:2, Jer 51:11, 28 Z. Esther (and all the characters in the Book of Esther except Ahasuerus [= Xerxes]) is unknown to history, even though it claims that its events are "written in the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia" (Est 10:2). The Book of Esther is not quoted by any pre-Christian writer, nor mentioned in NT, nor quoted by early Christian fathers. You asked for some ways the Bible was influenced by other religions. To cover a lot of ground with a few sentences, Christianity has plagiarized the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism, as well as Hinduism and various pagan religions. The idea of one god, one adversary, heaven, hell, angels, and demons comes from Zoroastrianism. The holy scriptures of Zoroastrianism, the Avesta, talks about how the supreme being created the the world and the first two humans in six days, and rested on the seventh. The names of these people were Adama and Evah, and it was written around 1000 BCE. Most people believe Genesis was written about 600 BCE. Jesus is basically a knockoff of several pagan god-men; most notably Bachus, Mithras, Buddha, and Osiris. Bachus was a roman god who was born of a virgin and traveled from town to town preaching peace and turning water into wine. Mithras was a sun god made mortal whose religion competed with early Christianity for power. He is quoted as saying: "He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation." Sound familiar? Buddha preached peace, walked on water, and healed the sick long before Christ was born. Osiris was an Egyptian god who was killed by a devil and was resurrected to become ruler of the gods. He was called "King of Kings", and the "good shepherd", and his symbol of eternal life (my profile picture) looks eerily like a cross. The idea of a holy trinity comes from many different religions, most notably Hinduism - Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva. I encourage everyone to look at the sources I provide. Thanks.