Religion

guillaumeb

(42,649 posts)

103. Rabbi Nahmanides

Sat Jan 19, 2019, 08:05 PM

Jan 2019

Here is Nahmanides’ description of initial moments of the creation:
…At the briefest instant following creation all the matter of the universe was concentrated in a very small place, no larger than a grain of mustard… From the initial concentration of this intangible substance in its minute location, the substance expanded, expanding the universe as it did so. As the expansion progressed, a change in the substance occurred.

http://www.quantumtorah.com/big-bang/

So for a literalist, Rabbi Nahmanides had an interesting way of showing it.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

207 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Do the Quran and Bible Really Teach The Universe Was Created in 6 Days? [View all] guillaumeb Jan 2019 OP

That's one interpretation. trotsky Jan 2019 #1

But you get to define what an author "really meant"? guillaumeb Jan 2019 #2

Nope, I'm just saying that you don't either. trotsky Jan 2019 #3

Not only does Gil get to define it for them, he gets to define what you said Major Nikon Jan 2019 #16

Luckily his shtick has been exposed for everyone to see, long ago. trotsky Jan 2019 #165

Metaphorical or related readings lead to problems of their own. Bretton Garcia Jan 2019 #38

The earth is 4.5 billion years old. If God's six days don't add up John Fante Jan 2019 #4

And this article makes the point that the 6 days are a metaphor. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #6

No, the Bible is literally true - every word. bitterross Jan 2019 #29

Agreed. Some theists old that view, as do some non-theists here. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #31

Why don't you explain how to tell the difference Mariana Jan 2019 #46

So a verse by verse explanation? guillaumeb Jan 2019 #51

If it's so easy then do it Major Nikon Jan 2019 #56

If you feel that is a realistic request, that is your belief. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #58

No, that's your belief, Gil Major Nikon Jan 2019 #60

An explanation of the method you use, Gil. Mariana Jan 2019 #90

If it's completely ridiculous and makes no sense, then it's metaphorical Major Nikon Jan 2019 #171

The nice parts are literal, the nasty parts are not. marylandblue Jan 2019 #173

Some medieval theologian decided marylandblue Jan 2019 #48

More than one. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #52

Who said that, gil? Major Nikon Jan 2019 #59

Every amateur here says they think the story is non-literal marylandblue Jan 2019 #78

Exactly, most non-theists in this group believe the earth was created in 6 days Major Nikon Jan 2019 #55

What you claim is nonsensical. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #57

Well, since we are going for nuance here marylandblue Jan 2019 #85

The first argument postulating the big bang was made circa 1100AD. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #92

In 1100, that was not a scientific proposal marylandblue Jan 2019 #95

And you decided that this was not science? guillaumeb Jan 2019 #97

See number 98, but also marylandblue Jan 2019 #100

They are called fundamentalists, Gil Major Nikon Jan 2019 #61

And the point of this article is to present another view. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #63

You must have failed at math, Gil Major Nikon Jan 2019 #70

Your "logic" escapes me. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #73

You just got cold hard busted lying again, Gil. Deal with it. Major Nikon Jan 2019 #84

Damn, that's deplorable. n/t trotsky Jan 2019 #166

It gets even better Major Nikon Jan 2019 #172

You're still wrong because you're an evil uppity atheist who disagrees with him. trotsky Jan 2019 #181

Why can't we just sit back and accept our sermons like normal people? Major Nikon Jan 2019 #183

Come on Gil, he set up the whole equation for you Lordquinton Jan 2019 #89

Perhaps he doesn't have enough beads to divide that many Major Nikon Jan 2019 #101

He would need several million Lordquinton Jan 2019 #109

Foiled again... Major Nikon Jan 2019 #110

Curses! Lordquinton Jan 2019 #111

Perhaps you should start a new thread Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #117

The choir is in harmony. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #131

Insults again. trotsky Jan 2019 #170

Observation and analysis. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #176

Indeed. trotsky Jan 2019 #182

There is no "other view" when it comes to facts, gil. trotsky Jan 2019 #168

Jewish scholars have no trouble reconciling the Torah and the Big Bang Gothmog Jan 2019 #5

Thank you for the links. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #7

Who cares? nt TwistOneUp Jan 2019 #8

Why did you click on the post? guillaumeb Jan 2019 #9

The cosmology was laughable even in ancient Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #10

Another literalist? guillaumeb Jan 2019 #11

Nope. As I said biblical cosmology was Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #12

My reply stands. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #13

But no need for the metaphor turd paint, right Gil? Major Nikon Jan 2019 #15

#5 guillaumeb Jan 2019 #19

You didn't answer the question Major Nikon Jan 2019 #20

It seems many athiests demand the Bible be interpreted literally gtar100 Jan 2019 #39

I do as well. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #42

I'd like to know how theists determine which parts they take literally Mariana Jan 2019 #47

You're not going to get a uniform answer. gtar100 Jan 2019 #115

Uh no. The point is that mashing modern physics Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #118

That turd is gonna need a lot more coats Major Nikon Jan 2019 #14

Are there any English translations that use a different word? MarvinGardens Jan 2019 #17

I have no idea. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #18

One of the dozens of inaccuracies edhopper Jan 2019 #21

The Genesis story is just that. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #22

so why try to say edhopper Jan 2019 #62

I have called it a creation story before this. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #64

Didn't you also post a thread edhopper Jan 2019 #65

Yes I posted about how I see Genesis as not incompatible with the big bang and evolution. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #67

Almost all origin stories edhopper Jan 2019 #88

It was intended to be a religious text. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #134

Except this whole exercise of yours edhopper Jan 2019 #137

My intention is to show that neither text guillaumeb Jan 2019 #138

Is it anything more edhopper Jan 2019 #139

Genesis is Bronze Age. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #140

Based on the edhopper Jan 2019 #141

Muslims accept the OT and NT as the revealed word of God. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #144

So edhopper Jan 2019 #145

Inspiration. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #148

Collective unconcious? edhopper Jan 2019 #149

Perhaps not a collective unconcious, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #150

But God edhopper Jan 2019 #151

Part of life is learning. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #153

Without any way of knowing edhopper Jan 2019 #158

Do we ever know if we made the best choice? eom guillaumeb Jan 2019 #160

we can try edhopper Jan 2019 #161

Free will is meaningless if we are controlled by another. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #174

Free will edhopper Jan 2019 #177

But we understand it to mean that, in theory, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #178

The whole God wants us to have Free Will edhopper Jan 2019 #179

What is "evil"? guillaumeb Jan 2019 #184

Another edhopper Jan 2019 #185

Contained in a sentence. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #186

I don't know but it is evil as fork for a Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #187

Covering up predation is evil. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #188

For example by hiding behind "sanctity of the confession " Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #189

The issue is that Seal of the Confessional. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #192

It is also unlikely to be changed by the RCC. MineralMan Jan 2019 #193

Evidence, or the evidence that I have read about, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #194

Mandatory reporting is not about identifying predators before they act marylandblue Jan 2019 #195

The confessing anonymously explains one fatal weakness of the idea. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #197

Nobody said it was a "solution," since a that implies "problem solved" marylandblue Jan 2019 #199

And if predatory priests know this, and they will, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #200

Criminals confess to stuff all the time, even in public settings. marylandblue Jan 2019 #201

Some criminals do. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #202

"SOME criminals do"... "MOST predators do not" marylandblue Jan 2019 #203

Well this subthread is quite far from the actual topic. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #204

It is indeed. trotsky Jan 2019 #191

"Inspiration" could be and has been used to justify any and all narratives marylandblue Jan 2019 #169

here's the problem... qazplm135 Jan 2019 #130

To your last point: guillaumeb Jan 2019 #133

either the text is divinely inspired or it's simply man inspired qazplm135 Jan 2019 #135

Let us assume that it is divinely inspired. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #136

I literally told you qazplm135 Jan 2019 #142

The Bible is not a science book. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #146

God probably knows accurate science qazplm135 Jan 2019 #152

But to recognize the existence of God is not to BE God. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #154

then we are agreed qazplm135 Jan 2019 #155

The Bible is a collection of stories. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #156

the book written done by a woman was what again? qazplm135 Jan 2019 #157

I re-used electrons from other replies. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #159

What, didn't you just say the exact opposite? Lordquinton Jan 2019 #162

To be a part of means simply that. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #175

So you are intentionally contradicting yourself? Lordquinton Jan 2019 #196

No, you are misframing. eom guillaumeb Jan 2019 #198

You can't be serious Lordquinton Jan 2019 #205

I have that thought constantly in this Group. eom guillaumeb Jan 2019 #206

Probably when you're reviewing your posts Lordquinton Jan 2019 #207

Genesis 1:3-5 MineralMan Jan 2019 #23

If you had read the article, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #24

Actually, I did read the article, which was one person's MineralMan Jan 2019 #25

And I recognize that you are a Biblical literalist, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #27

Uh, no. I'm a Bible story-tellerist. MineralMan Jan 2019 #30

No, your own words reveal you as a literalist. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #32

Also Sprach Willy... MineralMan Jan 2019 #34

Ich spreche einige deutsch guillaumeb Jan 2019 #40

I speak very little German. I can be polite, ask directions, inquire as to MineralMan Jan 2019 #44

Speaking of politeness, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #45

Bill? Oy! Could never call you or refer to you as Bill. sprinkleeninow Jan 2019 #91

MM has his own way of showing things. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #96

Is Gill okay? I'm not sure what the 'u' does. marylandblue Jan 2019 #107

It is. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #113

Well, no; the article says nothing about that rather important 'evening and morning' construction muriel_volestrangler Jan 2019 #50

This: guillaumeb Jan 2019 #54

How did Augustine explain away the repeated 'evening and morning'? muriel_volestrangler Jan 2019 #75

From your source: guillaumeb Jan 2019 #77

Ha-ha! muriel_volestrangler Jan 2019 #83

I have always thought no one knows for sure just how long a biblical day is. appleannie1943 Jan 2019 #26

Literalists insist on a literal reading. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #28

Why would that be so? In our Solar system, MineralMan Jan 2019 #33

And, as the article points out, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #36

Campfire stories, Guy. MineralMan Jan 2019 #41

Comical is reading a demand for a strictly literal interpretation from guillaumeb Jan 2019 #43

Why did God need the Sun to tell time? marylandblue Jan 2019 #49

Diversion from the topic. eom guillaumeb Jan 2019 #53

No, it's a direct response to marylandblue Jan 2019 #66

Literalists see the "day" as a literal 24+ hour period. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #68

100% of atheists do not believe it ever happened. marylandblue Jan 2019 #69

One premise does not follow the other. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #71

Well that was a weirdly worded poll marylandblue Jan 2019 #72

Argue with the 8%. eom guillaumeb Jan 2019 #74

No point. I'm fine with the opinions of the 92%. marylandblue Jan 2019 #80

This percentage was proven false Lordquinton Jan 2019 #164

G-man was just being lazy Lordquinton Jan 2019 #163

That's not really true. VMA131Marine Jan 2019 #127

Yes. And the evening and the morning were still one day. MineralMan Jan 2019 #167

The big problem, then, is this PJMcK Jan 2019 #35

If you are asking for my view, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #37

You've suggested in the past that it's a metaphor for the Big Bang marylandblue Jan 2019 #86

See #5 guillaumeb Jan 2019 #93

If we start reading Genesis that way, it cease to be an actual metaphor marylandblue Jan 2019 #98

If one believes that the creation story is metaphor, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #99

Without the scientific method, there is no science marylandblue Jan 2019 #102

Rabbi Nahmanides guillaumeb Jan 2019 #103

Yes, because you don't understand how medieval Jewish literalism worked marylandblue Jan 2019 #104

This is speculation into the nature of existence. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #105

Not in as much specificity as traditional Judaism marylandblue Jan 2019 #108

Understood. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #114

Well, there's this. Turbineguy Jan 2019 #82

Because gravity and thermodynamics Turbineguy Jan 2019 #76

Newton invented gravity. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #79

Got it one! Turbineguy Jan 2019 #81

And why 6 days? If GOD is omnipotent Ferrets are Cool Jan 2019 #87

Metaphor. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #94

Fantasy. Ferrets are Cool Jan 2019 #106

Understood. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #112

So why are you so completely, dogmatically defensive Bretton Garcia Jan 2019 #116

This message was self-deleted by its author Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #125

Well obviously 6 days refers to Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #119

They obviously do. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #120

Definer! Major Nikon Jan 2019 #121

Understood. Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #122

So the Bible is mistranslated. And misleading. Bretton Garcia Jan 2019 #123

Numerous times. MineralMan Jan 2019 #124

Does it really matter? Really? YOHABLO Jan 2019 #126

Seems to matter in this group, it comes up a lot marylandblue Jan 2019 #129

2peter:38 rampartc Jan 2019 #128

Agreed. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #132

whoever wrote genesis rampartc Jan 2019 #143

True. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #147

Doubtful. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #180

So exactly what have you learned from Voltaire2 Jan 2019 #190