A Serious Question: The Babel Incident

Genesis 11

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

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Four questions this week:

1. Is a Bible literalist committed to believing that before this incident, there was literally only one language spoken by all people?

2. Is a Bible literalist committed to believing that variety of language is a result of this event. That is, but for this event or some later divine intervention, we would all speak the same language?

3. Is a Bible literalist committed to accepting that communication and imagination are sufficient ingredients for mankind's achievements?

4. Is a Bible literalist committed to acknowledging that God intentionally confounds Man on occasion?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles

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Four questions this week:

Four questions this week:

1. Is a Bible literalist committed to believing that before this incident, there was literally only one language spoken by all people?

2. Is a Bible literalist committed to believing that variety of language is a result of this e ...[text shortened]... . Is a Bible literalist committed to acknowledging that God intentionally confounds Man on occasion?

I would have thought that anyone claiming/admitting to be a Bible literalist would be forced to agree with points 1-4 by definition of their biblical literalism. Or have I missed something?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Genesis 11

[b]And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. ...[text shortened]... a Bible literalist committed to acknowledging that God intentionally confounds Man on occasion?[/b]

Clearly, God is either paranoid and a poor engineer, or the Bible is the least trustworthy source imaginable on matters of science, or the purpose of this story cannot become clear to the literalist.

yes yes no no

Originally posted by telerion

This tale has come to my mind on several occasions when I was 30,000+ ft. above the earth.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Genesis 11

[b]And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. ...[text shortened]... a Bible literalist committed to acknowledging that God intentionally confounds Man on occasion?[/b]