Joshua Praying to God to Stop the Sun

Did the Sun Stop and Moon Split?

Me and Gemini Discuss These Religious Fables Scientifically

Are you familiar with the story of Joshua commanding the sun to stop in the sky?

Gemini:

Yes, I am familiar with the story of Joshua commanding the sun to stop in the sky. It appears in the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament of the Bible [Bible].

There are two main ways to interpret the story:

• Literally: The sun actually stopped moving in the sky, giving the Israelites more daylight to defeat their enemies.
• Figuratively: This event is a poetic way of describing a miraculous intervention by God on behalf of the Israelites.

Science tells us that the sun cannot literally stop in the sky. The story reflects the beliefs and understanding of the time period it was written in.

How many things are wrong with the story from a scientific perspective?

Gemini:

From a scientific perspective, several aspects of the story of Joshua and the sun are difficult to reconcile with our understanding of the universe:

• The Sun Doesn’t Move: The sun doesn’t…