Some Fundies tell you that to be a 'true Christian' you have to believe in every word of the Bible with a literal interpretation. But even the Fundies don't do this. There are just some things in the Bible that reflect the myths and beliefs of biblical times and not the devine words of God. These myths range from mythical creatures like unicorns to myths about the universe like a flat Earth. However, if you are a Fundie and you do believe in everything listed on this page please inform me.
| Introduction | A Geocentric Universe |
| A Stationary Earth | A Flat Earth |
| Cosmic Pillars | Four Legged Insects |
| Unicorns | Cockatrices |
| Satyrs |
During biblical times people had the notion that the Earth was the center of the Solar system or Universe. In fact, this belief of the structure of the cosmos had prevailed for centuries. It took a few heratics and 'witches' to claim otherwise some centuries later.
Habukkuk 3:11, "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear."
With the vast knowledge of astronomy during Biblical times the Hebrews felt that the Earth was stationary and did not move. This went along with their concept of a geocentric solar system/ universe.
Psalms 96:10, "Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously."
Psalms 104:5, "Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever."
During biblical times the Earth was apparently flat. Most likely disk shaped, like a pancake or plate.
In that verse Isaiah says that God scattered the people of Earth by turning it upside down, that would only be possible of the Earth was flat and gravity didn't exist.
Daniel 4:11, "The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:"
This too would only be possible on a flat Earth. No height would show the 'end' of the Earth unless the Earth were flat.
Isaiah 40:22 "It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:"
Many people claim that verse describes a round Earth. "circle of the Earth" However, the rest of that verse seems to describe the 'circle of the earth' as being a flat disk with a sky over it.
Pillars as Support for the Cosmos
These verses give the biblical explanation of what holds the Earth and Heaven up -- pillars.
1 Samuel 2:8, "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them."
No one is really sure what the deal with these verses are. God is giving some more regulations on what people can and can not eat. Here he says that you can not eat four legged insects. This rule would be impossible to break because there are no four legged insects unless there were at that time. (Some people have told me that these verses are not talking about insects, they are refering to birds. Birds have two legs so a four legged bird also does not exist.)
"But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you."
Unicorns, those magical horses with the one golden horn make several appearances in the Bible.
Numbers 24:8, "God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows."
Isaiah 34:7, "And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness."
Job 39:9-10 "Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?"
A cockatrice is "a legendary serpent with a deadly glance said to be hatched by a reptile from a cock's egg on a dunghill." And, like the unicorn, the Bible mentions these mythical creatures several times too.
Isaiah 14:29 "Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent."
Isaiah 59:5 "They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper."
Satyrs are mythical beasts that are said to have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a goat. And the satyr joins us with the unicorn and the cockatrice with noteable mention in the Bible.
Isaiah 34:14 "The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest."
