[wavefunction]

@nightspirit

Ben Carson is a Seventh-day Adventist and he does believe that the Pyramids of Giza were built by the Biblical Joseph to store grain. I'm sure he's also interested in gaining the support of Christian and Jewish voters but this is ultimately an example of one of his personal beliefs.

[ars]

> I'm sure he's also interested in gaining the support of Christian and Jewish voters

If anything that will loose him Jewish votes.

According to Jewish history Josef stored grain in the year 1532BCE, but the pyramids were mostly finished by 1759BCE, more than 200 years earlier.

If you are going to base a belief in the Bible, maybe actually know what it says first?

[coldtea]

>According to Jewish history Josef stored grain in the year 1532BCE, but the pyramids were mostly finished by 1759BCE, more than 200 years earlier. If you are going to base a belief in the Bible, maybe actually know what it says first?

Well, if you're going to base a belief in the Bible, why take an outside estimation (the 1759BCE number) into account at all?

[ars]

It's not an outside estimation, it's based on dates written in the bible. You don't get to believe in the bible and claim a significantly different date for this event.

Carson's position is simply illogical. Either he doesn't know the bible well, or he disagrees with the estimated dates for the construction of the pyramids.

I suspect it's the former, not the latter. He definitely doesn't get my vote.

[coldtea]

>It's not an outside estimation, it's based on dates written in the bible.

The 1759 BCE chronology is based on when archeology says the pyramids were finished. Which is very much an outside estimation -- someone who believes in the Bible can just sidestep it as an inaccurate estimation by archeologists.

In fact it's even worse: there are no dates given in the Bible regarding that story. The 1532BCE number is ALSO an external estimation, based on when historians think who the Pharaohs mentioned was and when he lived. Again, someone who believes in the Bible can just sidestep it as an inaccurate estimation by those historians.

>You don't get to believe in the bible and claim a significantly different date for this event.

You could very much do that too.

Even if there was a specific date mentioned in the Bible about the event and you wanted to reconcile that with a different date that archeology gives, you could just as well believe in the Bible as a collection of first person accounts written by various persons (from kings like Solomon and prophets like Isaiah to wealthy merchants and peasants) that naturally have small inaccuracies here and there.

Not everybody who believes in the Bible thinks it's the perfect account as written down by God himself accurate to any single word (the Eastern Orthodox church, for one, doesn't believe that at all).

>Carson's position is simply illogical. Either he doesn't know the bible well, or he disagrees with the estimated dates for the construction of the pyramids.

Actually there's nothing illogical about disagreeing with the estimated dates for the construction of the pyramids. Heck, archeologists themselves disagree all the time in this or that chronology.

If you think you have a better source of information (the bible in this case) it's perfectly rational to believe that over measly human estimations.

[Shivetya]

He will lose Jewish votes simply because he is running as a Republican more so than his odd takes on history surrounding the Christian Church. All politicians have eccentricities, as long as they are harmless I am more concerned about what they want to accomplish. That and their character are my two big areas of concern

[protomyth]

> Seventh-day Adventist and he does believe that the Pyramids of Giza were built by the Biblical Joseph to store grain.

This is not a belief of the church. We have enough FUD spread about various religions.

[lisper]

Actually we don't have nearly enough uncertainty and doubt.

http://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/humanity/creation/

"God has revealed in Scripture the authentic and historical account of His creative activity. He created the universe, and in a recent six-day creation the Lord made “the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” and rested on the seventh day."

[protomyth]

Yes, now get into a debate about the time it took those seven days. My original statement stands, and I expect just as much FUD this time as we had in the 60's.

[lisper]

Do you see the word "recent" in the church's official position? What do you think "recent" means?

But whether or not Ben Carson is a young-earth creationist he is without question a creationist, specifically a six-day creationist:

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/09/ben-carson-creat...

Personally, I don't much care about the particular flavor of Ben Carson's wing-nuttery. The fact that he's the leading contender for the Republican nomination is deeply disturbing. And the Republican leadership agrees with me, BTW:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/time-for-gop-panic-e...

[protomyth]

Look, I grew up in a mixed SDA/Catholic household and I'm a bit sick of this crap every time we talk about Mormons, SDA, or Catholics. Its spreading FUD, and of course the establishment Republicans are going to throw a damn fit since Jeb is their candidate.

[lisper]

There's a salient difference between 7DAs and Catholics: it is possible to be a Catholic without abandoning science and reason. That's not possible for a 7D-adventist. Biblical literalism is one of the defining characteristics of 7D-adventism. It's the reason for the "Seventh Day" part of the name. I think it is perfectly reasonable for people to be doubtful and uncertain, even fearful, of the prospect of having someone who rejects science as president.

BTW, another defining characteristic of 7D-adventism is their belief that Jesus is coming back Real Soon Now. In this, they have common cause with Daesh, who believe they are doing the work of God by helping to bring about the last days. Again, I think it is perfectly reasonable to harbor fear, uncertainty, and doubt over someone like that having their finger on the nuclear button.