A New Explanation For The Red Sea Parting?

[john doe]

I ran across this article tonight, and thought it might be intersting to discuss. The article can be found HERE FROM THE TIMES--UK. In case it disappears, I have copied the entire article below.

The Sunday Times - World

The Sunday Times August 06, 2006

Volcanic eruption 'triggered biblical parting of Red Sea'

Tony Allen-Mills, New York

THE greatest story ever told has acquired a Hollywood twist. James Cameron, the director of Titanic, is the executive producer of a new documentary that claims to have uncovered fresh evidence confirming one of the most dramatic episodes in the Old Testament — the parting of the Red Sea and the Jewish exodus from Egypt.

In The Exodus Decoded, a 90-minute documentary that will be shown in America this month, Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici, the Canadian film producer, claim a volcanic eruption on the Greek archipelago of Santorini triggered a chain of natural catastrophes recorded in the Bible as the 10 plagues that God visited upon Egypt as punishment for enslaving the Jews.

Cameron believes the parting of the Red Sea may have been a tsunami that destroyed the pharaoh’s army as it pursued the escaping Jews. The documentary claims the episode occurred not at the Red Sea but at the smaller Sea of Reeds, a marshy area at the northern end of the Gulf of Suez. An underwater earthquake may have released poisonous gases that turned the waters red.

Jacobovici said “the common wisdom is there isn’t a single piece of archeological evidence backing up the biblical story of the exodus”. Jewish scholars have reluctantly concurred that an episode central to their faith — commemorated each year at Passover — may never have taken place.

Yet Cameron and Jacobovici claim to have unearthed more than a dozen archeological relics that suggest the exodus took place three centuries earlier than biblical scholars estimate. By reinterpreting artwork at museums in Luxor, Cairo, Athens and elsewhere, Jacobovici dates the exodus to around 1500BC.

That was about the time when some geologists believe the Santorini volcano, 400 miles north of Egypt, erupted in the eastern Mediterranean. Scientists and historians have long speculated that the 10 “plagues” suffered by Egypt might have been linked in a “domino theory” of natural causes.

The documentary’s website argues that a series of earthquakes may have “destabilised the entire Nile Delta system and resulted in part of the delta sliding off the African continental shelf”. This would have raised the level of land around the Sea of Reeds, believed to have been saltwater swamps around El Balah, the now extinct lake.

“In other words, the sea parted,” the website says. “Water would have cascaded from higher ground to lower ground . . . creating dry land on which the Israelites could cross. This event would also have caused an enormous ‘backsplash’ of water, a veritable tsunami. If the waves went a mere seven miles inland they would have engulfed the Egyptian army.”

The Exodus producers believe the waters were turned red by chemicals released by underwater tremors. Something similar happened to the lakes in Cameroon in 1986. If the waters were poisoned, amphibians would hop ashore, producing the biblical plague of frogs. When the frogs died, insects would have bred on their bodies leading to plagues of locusts, fleas and lice.

They in turn would have spread disease to humans, the plague of boils, and animals, the plague of dying livestock. They would also have threatened crops, forcing the Egyptians to store grain which might have then turned mouldy. Contaminated food might account for the plague of deaths among first-born Egyptian males. Weather conditions spawned by the eruption might also have caused the plagues of hailstorms and darkness.

“It’s individual pieces that start to form a compelling pattern,” said Cameron.

I think this would be an interesting way to explain the plagues and the Exodus, but I haven't spent any time studying to know if it is plausible for myself. What say you? Is this a possible explanation for those things happening? I think I may be interested in seeing the film just to see how they spin it.

[darkgarlic]

Listen, I spend lots of my time on Yahoo Awnsers, defending Mormons, and trying to convince them that we aren't that bad.

I've noticed one particular pattern, non-members are always trying to find ways to justify their sins and anti-mormon/religion beliefs. It's sad to watch, but it's true.

I think this is just another way Satan is trying to decieve the public. Just like thay said that Jesus could've been walking on a submerged ice sheet, not on water.

Don't lose faith over things like this, believe me, we've yet to see the worst.

[Guest ApostleKnight]

There's no reason for anyone--including LDS--to have a knee-jerk reaction of distaste at this new theory. I see nothing wrong with it. God certainly could have set in motion the events described by this new theory. I don't believe He just snaps His fingers and produces locusts ex nihilo. I'm not saying this new idea is the truth, but I find it intriguing.

I don't think the producers of the documentary mean to destroy faith with their ideas, but merely give a scientific backdrop for scriptural occurences. Whether they're right or wrong is beyond me at present, but I see no reason to discard their evidence and speculations out of hand.

[john doe]

Hmmmmm. I always have been of the mind that God can't break the laws of physics any more than man can. I believe that science is a friend to the religious man, not his enemy. If a person finds evidence of a natural event at a certain point in time that may have produced or contributed to an event noted in scripture, it doesn't shake my testimony of that event having been caused by God. What's wrong with saying that an earthquake may have caused conditions to occur that may have caused that plagues? God still would have known about them. He still could have triggered them, or at least known of their impending occurance.

I think that many things in the scriptures might be explained scientifically. It doesn't shake my testimony. For example, the darkness that occured after Christ's death as recorded in the BoM might possibly have been caused by a volcanic eruption. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah has been explained scientifically. Scientists have tried to explain the destruction of the walls of Jericho. It doesn't mean those things didn't happen. It means that God used natural, earthly means to brings those things about.

The sign at the entrance to BYU says something to the effect of The Glory of God is Intelligence. I believe that means we should always be learning, not just of spiritual things, but also of the world around us. And that He wants us to learn about the world created for our use.

[begood2]

Johndoe,

Thank you for sharing the article on a possible natural explanation for the parting of the Red Sea. I also agree with you...just because there is a possible natural explanation for the occurrence, doesn't mean my faith has been shaken. I can see God knowing and using the laws of nature to accomplish his desired task.

PS: I would also like to see the movie when it comes out. :)

[Dr T]

Hi john doe,

If you don't think God is beyond physical laws, how would you explain walking on water? A burning bush not consuming? Reserecting people from the dead? etc.

Thanks

[john doe]

Hi john doe,

If you don't think God is beyond physical laws, how would you explain walking on water? A burning bush not consuming? Reserecting people from the dead? etc.

Thanks

I don't. Yet. But that doesn't mean we will never know how those things could have been possible. I still believe in miracles, too. As an LDS person, I don't understand how the priesthood works, but I can tell you that I have proclaimed blessings in the name of God and Christ, and those things have come to pass, true modern-day miracles. I don't physically know how those things came to pass, but they did. But I'll bet God knows how they occured, because it was His power that caused them to happen.

BTW, I wrote that God can't break the laws of physics, not that He is beyond physical laws. I may have put that poorly, but that is my current belief. In my mind, God doesn't cause impossible things to occur, just things that we don't understand or know about yet. Here we are, 6,000 years into this thing (if the strict creationists are correct) or more, yet we humans still use only about 10% of our brains so far. We haven't even begun to understand the things of God yet. I can't even imagine what 50% brain power would be like.

[Guest ApostleKnight]

Dr. T, I think there are obviously laws of physics/creation we don't understand. Heck, scientists can't even agree on which string theory is the best, and we think we're equipped to say Jesus wasn't employing laws of physics to walk on water?

I believe God and Jesus operate according to laws, and miracles have foundations in laws even if we're ignorant of them.

[Dr T]

I've often heard, "we only use 10% of our brains." I've done a lot of reading and I've never been able to find any confimation of that. I'm starting to think that it is just an urban legand. Has anyone read any support for that idea?

Thanks

[john doe]

I've often heard, "we only use 10% of our brains." I've done a lot of reading and I've never been able to find any confimation of that. I'm starting to think that it is just an urban legand. Has anyone read any support for that idea?

Thanks

It may be an urban legend, I merely used it for illustrative purposes. If it concerns you that much, I suggest you start a new topic on the subject. Now, !

Do you think this documentary may be on to something? Or do you believe miracles will never be explained?