Does Dark Matter give merit to the Bible?

[wolfclan96]

“So, the other day I was watching a show about how the universe works on the science channel. They showed experiments where they tried to create a mock universe in a test lab using gravity. It ALWAYS failed. That is when they started talking about Dark Matter. Being the science geek that I am, I started paying close attention to this. As they explained, there is something ELSE other than gravity that is holding the universe together. It cannot be seen or measured, however, it IS there. They do not know what it is so they named it Dark Matter. Here's a definition:
Dark matter is a hypothetical kind of matter which cannot be seen with telescopes but accounts for most of the matter in the Universe. The existence and properties of dark matter are inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter, radiation and the large-scale structure of the cosmos. It has not been detected directly, making it one of the greatest mysteries in modern astrophysics.
So I kind of giggled when the show talked on and on about this "mysterious dark matter" that holds the universe together. Doesn't the bible talk about this?
Hebrews 11:3
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Interesting… VERY INTERESTING”

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A friend of myn posted this to me on FB as one of his arguments in favor of Christianity. Frankly, I find the whole concept of trying to creat a mock universe with conventional physics and logic stupid. Because we dont know how things were "before" the big bang or before existance itself and I feel even if we did we would have to recreate the conditions necessary to do such a thing successfully.

then again...im no physicist.

In previouse comments he tried pulling the whole,
"One needs only look at the wonders of the universe to know god exists."

Whats your thoughts on the matter?

[Chas]

There is nothing that gives merit to the Bible.

[Minimalist]

Here's dark matter for the bible....

[wolfclan96]

There is nothing that gives merit to the Bible.

I wasnt saying there was but appearantly my friend is very convinced this gives the bible some form of validity.

[Alex K]

It might be detectable in other ways. That's why there are experiments like CDMS, Dama/Libra, Xenon, ADMX, etc... , as well as searches for dark matter anihilation in galactic centers and dwarf galaxies, as well as searches for missing energy at the LHC. If something is found there, will your friend throw the bible in the trash because it's wrong and not divinely inspired? Didn't think so...

[Whateverist]

As to the OP, no.

[Smaug]

wolfclan96

Your friend's quote itself contains an outright contradiction: first it is stated that "something ELSE other than gravity that is holding the universe together" then "The existence and properties of dark matter are inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter". Of course it could be said that it is gravitational attraction of visible massive matter which is meant under the term "gravity" in the first phrase but even so it's a sign of poor expertise.

[robvalue]

No. People will see whatever they want to see in the text if they have already decided it's a magical book.

Notice how no one ever comes up with an amazing scientific hypothesis from the bible that is way outside our understanding, and is later confirmed. We only "realize" the bible told us about it in retrospect.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

The Bible contains something like three quarters of a million words. Given the scope and pace of the increase of scientific knowledge, some collections of words in the Bible are bound to coincide with what we now know or theorize about the universe.

This does not, however, validate the Bible - 'coincide' and 'coincidence' mean the same thing. By way of example, Robert E. Howard once wrote a short story which featured an Irish fisherman called Sean who was a local champion at bare-knuckled fighting. One of my brothers is called Sean - he's an avid fisherman and boxed semi-professionally in his younger days. Are we to conclude from this that Howard was somehow predicting the details of my family's life? Let's not be daft. 'Sean' is one of the most common names in Ireland, and it's a rare Irishman who doesn't like to wet a hook or punch people recreationally.

Tell your little friend that even a busted clock is right twice a day.

Boru

[Alex K]

wolfclan96

Your friend's quote itself contains an outright contradiction: first it is stated that "something ELSE other than gravity that is holding the universe together" then "The existence and properties of dark matter are inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter". Of course it could be said that it is gravitational attraction of visible massive matter which is meant under the term "gravity" in the first phrase but even so it's a sign of poor expertise.

No, yes, you're absolutely right. If you start reinterpreting words like that, you can conclude anything you want. It's not something other than gravity, it's still gravity.