From: utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!CAD:tektronix!teklabs!mikec
Newsgroups: net.religion
Title: Test of Truth
Article-I.D.: teklabs.1825
Posted: Mon Mar 14 18:40:05 1983
Received: Fri Mar 18 02:10:28 1983


  I propose that we carry out some fairly simple scientific
experiments to determine if the Bible is REALLY TRULY inerrant.

  1. According to the Apostle Paul (1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV)
       "Prove all things ; hold fast that which is good."

     Mark 16:17..18 (KJV) claims "the Lord" Jesus Christ said
       "... In my name ... They shall take up serpents ; and if
       they drink any deadly thing , it shall not hurt them ..."

     If the Bible is inerrant and the believer has sufficient
  "faith" then it naturally follows that a believer should be
   able to handle deadly snakes and drink poison without harm.
   I will supply the DEADLY SNAKE and the DEADLY POISON (out
   of my own pocket money). I will also set up an impartial
   committee (say half believers and half skeptics) to judge
   this extraordinary event. Before any true believers eagerly
   rush forward to be included in the 1760 foot sign-up sheet
   (the length of a standard size roll of toilet paper) I feel
   obligated to inform them of just a few past "experiments" that
   were less than successful. June 2,1952 Lanier County, Georga :
   an ever faithful woman named Parker died from snake bite while
   showing Biblical Truth in action. August 31,1955 (UPI) Stagg
   Lane, Tennessee : a woman (Yost) became the fifteenth member
   of a pious serpent sect to bite the dust (after being bitten
   by God's snake) since 1940. April 8,1973 Newport, Tennessee :
   two preachers by the name of Williams and Pack died from
   demonstrating their prodigious faith by drinking strychnine.
   October 21,1974 Wayne, West Virginia : one true believer named
   Richardson died from snake bite while showing how "the Lord
   was with him". This occurred two months after his father-in-
   law died demonstrating the same trick (the forever credulous
   are always such slow learners).

     Of course, if the subject should fail this test, several
   books could be written by any apologist explaining why God
   was preoccupied (a call of nature perhaps) or how little
   faith the deceased possed.


  2. Matthew 17:20 (KJV) informs us
     "And Jesus said ... If ye have faith as a grain of mustard
       seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to
       yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be
       impossible unto you."

     This test is even simpler than the preceding one. Ruling out
   trickery would be easy. Object : move a medium sized mountain
   (to be named prior to any attempts to mobilize) an agreed upon
   distance (at least "yonder" meters) during a specified time
   interval (thus eliminating any contribution due to continental
   drift and/or erosion).

     Note that such a demonstration (under the proper scientific
   controls) would certainly convince us skeptics that something
   supernatural was going on (IF the subject moves the mountain).


     All contestants should contact their favorite "Faith" healer
   to verify that their credulity is in tune before ordering any
   entry forms from me.


Micheal D. Cranford
Tektronix
Teklabs