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The scriptural
data collection (scriptural creation) process appears flawed
when compared to repeatable scientific data collection. Yet,
those of us with faith know, better than scientists
know results from their data, the great value in the
scriptures.17
This fact is shown by the number of religious martyrs. People who will put their lives on the line because of their beliefs know. Think of the martyrdom of Stephen.1.33 Think of the promise in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”1.34 With the focus modern society has on sexuality, few are pure in heart. Yet contemplate the power of Stephen having seen God. With no doubt, there is temperance, and a drive to find the straight gate and the way leading to life.1.35 This is a different dimension of data collection than pursued by the scientific community.
The most common types of scientific data collection are tied to spatial data, temporal data, and attributes. My experience is tied to geological and geophysical data. The spatial component of these data can be summarized as text, points, lines, areas, and volumes. The temporal components are animations, vectors, ribbons, flows, time-lapse volumes, velocity volumes, and acceleration volumes. If data are collected without bias, and displayed in cells, the cells form patterns. The data do not have to be totally accurate to be useful. However, databases need concurrency, or in other words they need to have internal agreement. Data management can not be political. The purpose of data collection is the derivation of information, knowledge, and wisdom, each of which enables better decision making.1.36 The fact spatial and temporal coordinates are often not recorded with the data attributes creates inconsistencies. With the explosion of the Internet there are unlimited amounts of text available to be placed in databases being built to be processed by advanced pattern finding algorithms. The spatial location of text can be at a point, along a line, or enclosed by an area.
The scriptures are text. Sometimes
we tie this text to historical events and places. The Holy Bible
describes specific people, places, times, things, processes,
prophecies, etc.. However, it has been nearly impossible for
scientists to collect data which collaborates these events and
places. It is only recently Edom was discovered. There is
ongoing debate as to which Pharaoh was involved with Joseph
and which was involved with Moses. Was Job a living, breathing,
human being? Where did he live? When did he live? There are
many things yet to be discovered about the spatial and temporal
context of scriptural text.
Many types of data are considered
points in space. Consider astronomical and
geological data: stars, planets, moons, weather station
locations, geologic outcrop locations, horizon tops on a well
path, perforation locations along a well bore, etc.
In sedimentary geology we collect a lot of
data attributes at these points, and these attributes are
the data. These attributes include color,
lithology, petrography, micro-fossils or paleo or age data,
grain size, porosity, permeability, fluid types, etc.
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paradoxes