PBS and the Bible

PBS used some of my tax dollars to present “The Bible's Buried Secrets” this fall -- and in doing so attacks my deeply held religious beliefs. I have no recourse other than writing PBS and my congressional representatives – whose track records show that such correspondence changes nothing.

From the Orlando Sentinel: “The program puts the writing time at the Sixth Century B.C.“ “The number of authors ranges from the hundreds to the thousands, said Carol Meyers.”

The story includes quotes from Carol Meyers, a religion professor at Duke University: “But the film challenges long-held beliefs. Abraham, Sarah and their offspring probably didn't exist, Meyers said.” At least she isn’t identified as a professor of Christianity.

And, please note that “probably”.

Meyers also said “There's no archaeological evidence of the Exodus, either … It doesn't mean that there's no kernel of truth to it."

Archaeologist William Dever is quoted: "It's a waste of time to argue with fundamentalists," he said. "This film doesn't do it. It's designed for intelligent people who are willing to change their mind.”

There isn’t enough information there to tell whether Dever thinks fundamentalists are intelligent and just won’t change their mind, or if he believes the intelligence to do so is lacking. Keep in mind how some people view experts - An "ex" is a "has-been" and a "spurt" is "a drip under pressure".

My paternal grandmother told me about her parents, yet I can find no records indicating she had parents, especially the people she specifically described in her talks with me. Genealogy requires primary sources – handwritten names in family Bibles (I have that for my paternal grandfather); government census records listing family members (I have that for my maternal grandparents); birth, death, tax, land, school records – none of those are extant to connect my paternal grandmother to the parents she described.

By Dever and Meyers’ line of reasoning, must I reject my grandmother’s memories simply because she would only have been with her birth family in the 1890 census? Her older siblings are in the 1880 census, she married in 1899 so she’s with her husband, in the same county as her parents, in the 1900 census.

Genealogy allows for a preponderance of evidence. I personally believe that intelligent people will keep an open mind when studying God’s word, and that the Bible’s authors wrote what God has for us.

I also believe God is – and was – aware of this when Paul wrote: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (1 Timothy 4:1-2 KJV)

The Sentinel closes the article by asking if the readers would watch the PBS program. I prefer the question:

Will you read the Bible in a prayerful attitude, asking God to open your mind and heart to understanding?