Comments on: Happy Birthday to Youniverse!!!

Happy Birthday to Youniverse!!!

Kattullus — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 02:15:32 -0800

James Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh, calculated that on this day in 4004 BC the Universe was created by God. His magnum opus, Annals of the World, has recently been republished. An overview of Ussher's methodology and an account of the man by Larry Pierce, who prepared the new edition with his wife Marion. Bishop Ussher also figured in the Scopes Monkey Trial. Some people dispute Ussher's adherence to what the Bible says.

But let's not listen to the partypoopers and instead wish the Universe a Happy Birthday!

By: misteraitch

misteraitch — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 03:03:21 -0800

It's too bad this new version has been 'translated into modern English:' 17th Century English prose is (usually, although I don't know about Ussher's) such a pleasure to read, even when it is completely wrong-headed, as here. It's cool that Oct. 23rd 4004BC was also apparently a Sunday.

By: [expletive deleted]

[expletive deleted] — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 03:20:22 -0800

Amen.

By: Grangousier

Grangousier — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 03:33:41 -0800

Which makes the Universe a Libra and almost on the cusp with Scorpio.

By: iain

iain — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 04:41:10 -0800

Hold on, I thought God took 6 days to make the universe, then had a wee rest on the seventh, and thus Sunday is the day of rest. But if the Oct 23rd 4004BC is a Sunday then the day of rest is really Saturday...

By: Alt F4

Alt F4 — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 04:43:38 -0800

I work for a children's publisher, and we have a history series that tells history, chronologically, in a narrative format. Volume 1 is early nomads to the fall of Rome. I was explaining this to a woman once, about how the series started around 5000 BC. She replied "5000 BC? Don't you know the universe was created in 4000 BC?" The mind reels.

By: [expletive deleted]

[expletive deleted] — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 05:01:40 -0800

if the Oct 23rd 4004BC is a Sunday then the day of rest is really Saturday... So they Jews get it right then?

By: [expletive deleted]

[expletive deleted] — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 05:02:05 -0800

the Jews, damnit

By: alexst

alexst — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 05:30:21 -0800

The start of the universe clearly means that to God, creating the Universe is more of a hobby than something he spends most of his time on. I guess that's why Christians go to Mass on Sundays, on the hope that God might be taking a look at us today. Jews have it right, God comes home from a long week at work, and on Saturday has a day off to lie around, and then on Sunday get's a bit bored (maybe it was raining) and decides to create the Universe. Like a model train set I suppose.

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 05:46:39 -0800

Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett address this very issue in Good Omens, including the conclusion that the Earth is a Libra. MetaFilter: the Jews, damnit

By: gubo

gubo — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 08:12:38 -0800

Happy 6000th birthday, universe!!!!

By: cleardawn

cleardawn — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 08:16:23 -0800

Happy 6009th Birthday, Universe! Have a good one!

By: gubo

gubo — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 08:18:59 -0800

goes out to buy coffee, then back to elementary school

By: cleardawn

cleardawn — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 08:21:04 -0800

gubo: that was weird. I didn't see your post - Guess I should have used the preview button.

By: cleardawn

cleardawn — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 08:45:41 -0800

Odds against two MeFi users deciding almost simultaneously to type an almost identical message: Very, very low. This implies that something akin to Jungian synchronicity could be at work here. Perhaps the Universe is trying to say something to us, like, OK guys, go ahead, wish Me a Happy Birthday, but please, try to get the age right. So: Happy 13,700,000,000th (plus or minus 200,000,000) birthday, Universe... Have a good one!

By: kablam

kablam — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 09:40:47 -0800

I'm surprised that some enthusiast hasn't re-done Ussher, kind of an updated version. You have to wonder how many individuals who just can't buy into the whole 4004 BC thing might bite if the new estimate was, say 250,000 years ago? While still utter hooey, it might be entertaining.

By: blue_beetle

blue_beetle — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 10:06:20 -0800

I think the universe is starting to show its age. Misplaced car keys, forgetfulness, random bowel problems. Time to put it out of its misery and get a new one.

By: iron chef morimoto

iron chef morimoto — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 10:11:36 -0800

From Answers in Genesis: Nowhere in your Bible does it say that the day was October 23. Because the Jews and many other ancient peoples started their year in the autumn, Ussher assumed there must be a good reason for it. He therefore concluded that God created the world in the autumn. After consulting astronomical tables he picked the first Sunday after the autumnal equinox. You know, I was skeptical at first, but how could you possibly disagree with logic like that?

By: edgeways

edgeways — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 11:14:42 -0800

And let us not forget those missing 11 days.

By: Aknaton

Aknaton — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 11:36:28 -0800

By: jonp72

jonp72 — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 20:02:06 -0800

2 Peter 3:8 makes this whole discussion moot anyway: But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Jehovah does not work with your piddly little human time scales. Booyah!

By: bevets

bevets — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 20:20:32 -0800

Bishop Usher employed the most accurate dating method known to man. Evolutionism is the tinfoil hat atheists wear to keep God out of their brainwaves.

By: flaterik

flaterik — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 20:41:52 -0800

bevets makes me giggle. the internet has truly succeeded at allowing us to bring the street corner into our living rooms.

By: krunk

krunk — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 20:58:55 -0800

I have the same birthday as the universe! Surely that gets me some sort of discount somewhere... free slice of cake maybe? (I also recall making this comment before... is this a double post?)

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 21:24:42 -0800

You have a good memory, krunk, you have mentioned this before. Googling for "Ussher" on Metafilter I also discovered that Metafilter: Going to the Dogs Since Day 1. But he hasn't been graced with his own post before. If you ever find yourself in Providence, RI I'll happily buy you a slice of cake :)

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 21:34:54 -0800

I'm inclined towards Geocentrism myself. [ but only when feeling egotistical ]