Christian Living

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According to Benny Shanon, professor of cognitive psychology at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, Moses was probably high on psycodelic drugs when he climbed Mount Sinai, where he simply hallucinated receiving the Ten Commandments. The burning bush, it seems, might have been a far out vision induced by a B.C. party drug called “ayahuasca. “ (1)

Though the good professor didn’t comment on the parting of the Red Sea, I’ll bet he thinks Moses smoked that one up, too.

I’m glad somebody got to the bottom of these miraculous events. I wonder—would further investigation reveal that Noah hallucinated the flood? Is it possible that those raging waters and smelly animals were products of a really bad ayahuasca trip, one that lasted 40 days and 40 nights?

Okay, I’ll stop. As someone born with the smart aleck gene, I need to know when to back off. But come on, Professor Shanon-- surely you jest.

I’m dumbfounded by what smart people will concoct to avoid believing God’s Word. It seems they’ll invent any idea to try to explain away the wonderful capabilities of the Almighty—or perhaps it’s HIM they don’t want to believe in, at least not as He reveals Himself in the Bible.

Of course, all the elite brains of this world don’t reject God. Many extremely intelligent, brilliant people accept Him fully, lovingly and with great awe. However, some don’t and they’re the ones who baffle me. Who do they think gave them their big ‘ol super-smarty brains to begin with?

They have different theories about that and are often unable—or unwilling—to accept the concept of faith. They want proof that the Bible is the real deal. They want evidence that God IS Who He says He is.

Well, alrighty then. Let’s give them some facts to chew on.(2)

*Written over a span of 1500 years, the Bible had 40-plus authors ranging from peasants to kings. From dank dungeons to grand palaces, it was written on three continents (Asia, Africa and Europe) in three languages (Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic). It was written during times of war and times of peace, its authors writing while in various emotional states, from despair to elation. Despite these variables, the Bible maintains unity without any contradiction in its veracity, authenticity and originality. With perfect harmony and continuity, it speaks on hundreds of controversial topics.

*Though the earliest complete copy of the Old Testament is dated around A.D. 900, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1948. These were Old Testament manuscripts dated 1,000 years earlier. (150 B.C.) When the two manuscripts were compared, they were astoundingly the same. As for the New Testament, there are over 24,000 partial or complete manuscript copies. The oldest fragment dates from A.D. 130, making the New Testament the most credible document in existence.

*Scores of archeological findings have confirmed in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible. A few examples are 1.) The Dibon Stone dated around 800 B.C. It records King Omri of Israel (1 Kings 16:15-28), a number of biblical places, and the name of the God of Israel. 2.) The Ebla Tablets (2400-2250 B.C.), discovered in Syria, not only show that writing existed nearly 1,000 years before Moses, but that laws, customs and events were recorded in writing at that time. 3.) Luke and Acts, written by Luke, are filled with literal dates, times, people, places, and events, yet not one has ever been found to be even the slightest bit inaccurate.

*Fulfilled Prophecy is undisputable. Hundreds of prophecies have been meticulously fulfilled—more than 300 alone by Christ at His first coming! Extensive prophecies pertaining to nations and cities have literally passed. Just a small sampling includes the rise and fall of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome (Daniel 2: 31-35) and the destruction of the city of Tyre (Ezekiel 26).

*Principles of modern science were recorded in the Bible long before experimentation confirmed them. A few examples are atmospheric circulation (Ecclesiastes 1:6), gravitational field (Job 26:7) and the earth’s roundness. (Isaiah 40:22)

Clearly, proof exists. What I’ve presented is just a sampling, but shouldn’t it trigger a thinking mind to…think? To see the evidence and still reject is the work of a rebellious heart, not an intelligent mind.

I’ll give Professor Shanon one good mark. He’s right that Moses was “on” something. So were all of the great people of the Bible. They were “on” a path to serve the One True God.

c. Donna G. Morton March 2008
1.) http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/israelreligionoffbeat
2.) Biblical authenticity information obtained from www.relationalconcepts.org, www.gnfcw.com and www.christiananswers.net

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