Totally Different Ways of Thinking

Go into any university or public library and you will see thousands of books on vastly different subjects. From the Science section come books on astronomy, biology, or chemistry. In the Business section are books on accounting, management, and marketing. Over in the Religion section you will find translations of Egyptian, Babylonian, and Israelite cosmologies. These separate sections of the library show the separation of Science, Accounting, and Theology.

Science Books

Books from the Science section describe the very different principles of astronomy, biology, and chemistry. There is some, but little, overlap between them. However, they all use the methods of Science to ferret out their facts – their truths. 

Isaac Newton said he stood “on the shoulders of giants.” From that viewpoint, he looked and observed phenomena unseen by even most of the educated people of his time. Based on his point of observation, Newton described his theory of Gravitation – that all objects are pulled toward all other objects. A cannonball in flight is pulled toward the Earth, which has greater mass.

With the math developed by Newton, Edmund Halley worked out the orbit of the comet that bears his name. He predicted that it would return to the Sun and be seen from England at a particular time period. The reappearance of Halley’s comet at that time, supported Newton’s theory of Gravitation. Scientists and engineers used Newton’s math to precisely send man-made objects to and past other planets in the Solar System.

All these Science books use the same method to describe what is observed, create theories to explain the observed, and make experiments that support or refute those theories. The Theories of Relativity described by Einstein give a different explanation for Gravity. Experiments and further observations have supported those theories.

Business Books

Texts from this section explain how the marketplace works. Accounting books explain how to record exchanges of things of value in terms of money systems. Theories of accounting guide business people in efficient, legal methods of putting value on goods or services. 

A florist buys a cargo van to use for the delivery of flowers and other decorations to customers. Over the years of use, the van loses value due to wear and tear. Finally, the florist sells the van to buy a newer, more valuable vehicle. The florist uses the principles of accounting to describe the purchase, loss of value, and sale of the van. These include the purchase price, the depreciation of value, and the sale price. These principles of accounting have very little to do with the principles of Science.

Religion Books

Among these high-minded – abstract – tomes are translations of Egyptian, Babylonian, and Israelite cosmologies. The writers from these ancient cultures gave spiritual explanations for what little they could see of the world around them. Their viewpoint was before the scientific giants on which Newton stood. Those ancient writers saw very little of what we now know. They gave explanations for how the world came to be, for the place of people in the world, and for spiritual forces and their interactions with people and events of history.

Those ancient accounts of Creation have nothing to do with scientific principles of today. They have nothing to do with the principles of accounting and how to do business except how to do business in justice and righteousness. And the standards of justice and righteousness are determined – not by humans – but by the gods of the writers of those particular cultures. There is a definite separation of Science, Accounting, and Theology.

The Israelite book of Beginnings tells the stories of Yahweh creating the skies and the land (not the “heavens and the Earth”). These stories tell that Yahweh spoke and separated – ordered – the land, sky, and from the chaos waters. He also created animals, birds, and stars to inhabit the separate regions. Then He formed Humanity to rule over the land and sea and their inhabitants. Except for Yahweh Himself, Humanity had rulership over everything He created.

This explanation of how the world came to be has nothing to do with modern explanations from Science. People who belittle the Bible as false are comparing apples to bricks. The people who give evidence to support a scientific viewpoint of the Bible make the same comparison. Biblical stories explain Creation from the writers’ cultural perspective – not the one of modern Science. Again, a definite separation of Science, Accounting, and Theology.

Modern Viewpoint of the Bible Narrative

The Israelite Creation stories explain that Yahweh brought order out of chaos then formed Humanity as rulers, bringing about more order. Humanity rebelled against Yahweh’s reign over them and gave their rule to the Enemy of the Creator. This resulted in the return toward chaos and resulted in domination and slavery, greed and poverty, illness and death.

Through 

• Abraham and his descendents
• the nation of Israel and His laws
• and His Son – born a human,

Yahweh has worked to return Humanity to His openhanded reign. Some day there will exist a new Heaven and a new Earth, and a new Humanity to rule over them in justice and righteousness.

Questions

Can you read about and observe the wonders of the Universe and not stand in awe of the great Mind that created it?

Can you look at the wonders of the geology and biology on Earth and not praise the One Who made it all?