Re: Hell - completely off-topic

[Doug Craigen <dcc@CYBERSPC.MB.CA>]

> > Subject: Re: Hell
> >
> > This reminds me of a question I heard many years ago when I was
> > taking a course in Heat Transfer. "Which is hotter, Heaven or Hell?
>
> > The answer is Heaven, whose temperature is 798K (525C),
> > based upon the verse Isaiah 30:26 which reads:
> >
> >    Moreover the light of the Moon shall be as the light of
> >    the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as
> >    the light of seven days.
> >
> > and using the Stefan-Boltzmann fourth-power law for radiation:

I'm sure we're all aware of how many of these classical metaphysics
calculations have been questioned in recent years.  The old argument
about why there couldn't be a Santa was flawed on Quantum Mechanical
grounds, as shown at
http://www.physics.wisc.edu/~ups/humor/santayes.html
So it is reasonable to ask whether this piece is also flawed.  In this
case, however, the main grounds for dispute are literary rather than
physical.

First of all however, the bias of the author is obvious.  In the
argument "sevenfold", interpreted as 49, is rounded up to 50.  Were the
correct value used, the temperature would be reduced by 4 degrees to
794K.  Given that we are going to take the 4th root anyways, one wonders
why bother rounding up at all except to squeeze out every last degree
that one can.

The next question is what really is meant by "sevenfold"?  The hebrew
word used is "shibathathayim" - an adverbial form of "sheba" - meaning
seven (the word used later in the verse for seven days).  If the sun is
sevenfold its present power, then the temperature would be 300K*7^0.25 =
488K - or  215 C.  We should further note that if we are talking about
heaven, then with all the gold streets and buildings there will be much
more reflection than from the earth, resulting in a further lowering of
the temperature.

Also, the calculation of the upper limit on the temperature of hell is
based on the boiling point of brimstone *at atmospheric pressure*.
Remember that hell is in the depths of the earth!!!  Would anybody care
to correct this calculation?

Finally, if one was to actually open up their Bible and read the
surrounding verses to see what is being referred to (now this is getting
really radical) they would be unable to find any statement that this is
a reference to heaven.  In fact, the passage is about a time of
judgement and is a mixture of heavenly and hellish visions.  It doesn't
say which one verse 26 is, but if you lived in a desert what would you
call it to have the power of the sun increased seven times?  The
assumption that this is a reference to heaven is further undermined by
the following verses from the Revelation as well as from Isaiah himself:

    Rev. 21:23  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the
    moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and
    the Lamb is the light thereof.

    Isaiah 60:19,20 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither
    for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the LORD
    shall be unto thee and everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
    The sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw
    itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days
    of thy mourning shall be ended.

Have a heavenly Christmas everyone, and I'm certain that means a white
one!

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Doug Craigen          "Technology with purpose"
                       http://www.dctech.com