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Sunday, January 9, 2011

Another Awful Amnon Yitzchak Moment

In the clip below, so aptly put together by NuBemet, Amnon Yitzchak is asked a question by a 17 year old kid. The kiruv clown shows his true face: a smug, condescending idiot.

The question was a simple one: All scientists believe that the world is older than about 5770 years old, so doesn't this contradict the Torah?

Amnon's answer is basically that everyone agrees at least that the world is at least 5770 years old, whereas there are doubts about the scientific estimates made, so why not stick with what we know for sure?

This, of course, is an extremely weak argument and at best a play of words. It also makes me wonder why he doesn't use Gerald Schroeder's more sophisticated arguments like the one he published on Aish haTorah's website. I guess he is afraid his viewers won't understand them or he doesn't understand them himself (likely option for someone with such a track record of lousy answers).

Even more interesting is his premise that the Torah says that the world is 5700+ years old. Where does it say that in the Torah? It is brought in Seder Olam Rabbah, but it is not an article of faith anywhere whatsoever.

If Amnon manages to convert tens of thousands of people to his primitive, fundamentalist beliefs, what does this say about his followers?

7 comments:

  1. It says that people are desperately seeking meaning in their lives. It also says that human beings generally are hierarchical. Most will defer to those who present themselves as authorities.

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  2. Skeptical: True words. Being managed is easier than to manage.

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  3. Well, if you can accept that, according to Tehillim 1,000 years in human time=one day on G-d claendar, yes, the world could conceivably be about 5,770 years old--in G-d years!

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  4. The Rav is right in that it is not worth dwelling on this question. We know Hashem this world is Hashem's creation, and the why when and how is really not important. Science cannot answer these questions anyhow. Every few years science completely changes its interpretation anyway. 5 days ago they decided the moon is much younger that previously thought. http://news.discovery.com/space/moon-younger-lunar-rocks-110818.html

    Amnon Yitzchak could very well be proven right by science in 50 year when methods change once again! Its pointless to use this as a basis for believing or not.

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  5. We know Hashem this world is Hashem's creation is just a convenient assumption, a belief.

    You seem to be throwing science under the bus saying that "Every few years science completely changes its interpretation anyway...". Hello?! You live on this planet?

    As far as I know, the laws for gravity, chaos theory, theory of relativity, etc. haven't changed much for a long, long time!

    Your example of the moon being younger: call this a total change in theory? Instead of the estimated 4.4 billion years old, the moon seems to be 4.36 years old. This is only 1% younger than previously thought. This has nothing to do with theories and it just shows that the estimates that can be made currently are pretty accurate.

    Got any other real examples? Until then, I hope you enjoy your fantasies.

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  6. if you read the bible you will understand that when GOD created the planet it doesn't say he just made the planet it say it was a mas and GOD made order in it when he separated the ocean from the land.and then GOD made Adam and Eve and at the time they lived for a thousand years each and so did every buddy ells at the time. but the bottom line is you are not Jewish and that is why your brain don't get it. i know there is a GOD. i don't believe i know... so please go clime a tree you monkey.

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    1. Anonymous: I have read the Torah and am Jewish. Do you yourself know what you are talking about? What part of what I said are you attacking and what is really your argument?

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