Experts dismiss Ben Carson's belief pyramids used to store grain

[webfact]

Experts dismiss Carson's belief pyramids used to store grain
By JESSE J. HOLLAND and BILL BARROW

MIAMI (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Thursday stood by his belief that Egypt's great pyramids were built by the biblical figure Joseph to store grain, an assertion dismissed by experts who say it's accepted science they were tombs for pharaohs.

Video posted online Wednesday by Buzzfeed News shows Carson explaining his theory 17 years ago at a Michigan college affiliated with his Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In the video, Carson says: "My own personal theory is that Joseph built the pyramids in order to store grain." He was referring to the Old Testament story of Joseph predicting famine and advising the pharaoh to store surplus food.

Carson said that's more likely than the accepted archaeological conclusion that the massive structures were built as tombs for pharaohs.

At a book signing Thursday in Florida, Carson stood by his statement.

"Some people believe in the Bible like I do and don't find that to be silly at all, and believe that God created the Earth and don't find that to be silly at all," Carson said. "The secular progressives try to ridicule it every time it comes up and they're welcome to do that."

Neither Carson's church nor any other major Jewish or Christian sect shares his belief about the pyramids' origins. Jodi Magness, a specialist in biblical archaeology at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, said she knows of no scholar or archaeologist who questions that the pyramids were used as royal tombs.

"This is not an academic topic of debate," Magness said in an email. "The use of the pyramids as tombs is verified by both written (literary) sources and archaeological evidence."

The pyramids were built with narrow, secret passages intended to foil grave-robbers, making the structures unsuitable for grain storage, Magness said. And the design of the pyramids, with associated temples, "reflects the ancient Egyptian concept of the cosmos, according to which the king or pharaoh was at the center of a unified kingdom, serving as a god, a political ruler and a divine mediator."

Daniel Weber, a spokesman for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, said Carson's belief about the pyramids are "his own interpretation."

"Of course, we believe in the biblical account of Joseph and the famine," Weber said. "But I've never heard the idea that pyramids were storehouses of grain."

Carson acknowledged in his 1998 speech that "all the archaeologists" say the structures were built as tombs, but he argued that the "hermetically sealed" chambers found in the pyramids "would have to be that way" to store grain.

Carson speaks often about his faith and has written extensively about his beliefs in his books. His popularity among evangelical Christian voters has helped fuel his rise in the Republican primary.

He has garnered attention previously for stating that, despite his scientific training as a neurosurgeon, he rejects evolutionary biology.

Another top contender for the GOP nomination, businessman Donald Trump, has suggested that Carson's religious beliefs put him outside mainstream American Christianity. At one October rally in Florida, Trump called his own Presbyterian church "middle of the road" before adding, "I mean, Seventh-day Adventist, I don't know about."

In an interview with The Associated Press, conducted after Trump's remarks, Carson said he expects in politics to have his religious affiliation questioned, but he defended his faith and his church.

"There are a lot of people who have a close relationship with God, and you can generally tell who they are by the way they act, the way they treat other people," he told the AP. "The reason that there are like 4,000 denominations is that people have looked at this and said, 'Let's interpret it this way. Let's interpret it this way.'

"Sometimes they get caught up in that and forget about the real purpose of Christian faith," he concluded.

A first-time political candidate, Carson has a penchant for headline-grabbing statements beyond matters of faith. He has equated abortion and the Affordable Care Act to slavery, compared the zeal of Islamic State militants to that of American Revolution patriots and suggested that the Holocaust may not have occurred had European Jews been better armed against the Nazis.
___

Barrow reported from Atlanta. AP Religion Writer Rachel Zoll in New York contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-11-06

[ezzra]

Sad to see that the GOP can only produce crackpot and a bible interpreter with his own version

who's watching too many Cecil B. De Mille's movies as a presidential candidates....

[Ulysses G.]

I could care less which religious beliefs are closest to the truth. Ben Carson is a great man no matter which God he worships and very few politicians admit to being atheists.

[daoyai]

I could care less which religious beliefs are closest to the truth. Ben Carson is a great man no matter which God he worships and very few politicians admit to being atheists.

I am interested to know, why do you feel he is a "great man" ? I find him greatly entertaining and if the potus were only a ceremonial position he could be fun. Strange days indeed.

[tx22cb]

Maybe Thailand could use such "grain stores" ....

In the US, the reason there are so many small churches is that they are money generators for the "pastors".

[KevinCorr]

A great man does not utter so much crazy nonsense. There seems to be no limit to the wacky ideas spewing forth from him.

[Kerryd]

Having been inside 2 of the 3 "Great Pyramids" at Giza I'd have to say that only a complete moron would claim they were built for grain storage. Considering how huge the pyramids are and how small the chambers within them are, it would be like saying the USS Enterprise was built to be a fishing boat. Or the Brooklyn Bridge was built primarily for ants to cross the East River.

The scariest part is how many people will believe him, despite the mountains of evidence proving otherwise. I had a discussion with a "believer" not long ago and when I countered her obviously incorrect statements with facts she claimed that "my problem" was that I relied on truth and evidence when I should be relying on faith !

[Jingthing]

A massively flawed candidate.

An embarrassment to the republican party.

Keep it up!

Ben Carson’s striking ignorance

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/11/05/ben-carsons-striking-ignorance/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-d%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

[reptile91602]

Having been inside 2 of the 3 "Great Pyramids" at Giza I'd have to say that only a complete moron would claim they were built for grain storage. Considering how huge the pyramids are and how small the chambers within them are, it would be like saying the USS Enterprise was built to be a fishing boat. Or the Brooklyn Bridge was built primarily for ants to cross the East River.

The scariest part is how many people will believe him, despite the mountains of evidence proving otherwise. I had a discussion with a "believer" not long ago and when I countered her obviously incorrect statements with facts she claimed that "my problem" was that I relied on truth and evidence when I should be relying on faith !

I am quite sure that the Obama administration went into the pyramids a few years ago and put all of those chambers in there to fool the public. I am with Carson . They were obviously grain storage units just like the future generations will belived that the Trump tower was as well.

[godden]

He needs a check up from the neck up.

[maderaroja]

In addition to Ben Carson, I have found that many people in the U.S. know of their history based on what they learned from Walt Disney and Hollywood, rather than what actually occurred.

[pitrevie]

If I had been one of his patients I would be a very worried person now.

[chingching]

wikipedia: Carson believes his hand–eye coordination and three-dimensional reasoning made him a gifted surgeon.^[17] After medical school, he became a neurosurgery resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital, with an interest in pediatrics.^[17] As a surgeon, Carson specialized in traumatic brain injuries, brain and spinal cord tumors, achondroplasia, neurological and congenital disorders, craniosynostosis, epilepsy, and trigeminal neuralgia.^[18] He was a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics, and director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.^[18] In 1984, at age 33, he became the youngest major division director in the hospital's history. He was also a co-director of the Johns Hopkins Craniofacial Center.

Carson figured in the revival of the hemispherectomy, a drastic surgical procedure in which part or all of one hemisphere of the brain is removed to control severe pediatric epilepsy. He refined the procedure in the 1980s, encouraged by John M. Freeman,^[19] and performed it many times.^[20][21]

In 1987, Carson successfully separated conjoined twins, the Binder twins, who had been joined at the back of the head (craniopagus twins). The 70-member surgical team, led by Carson, worked for 22 hours. Both twins survived.^[22][23][24] He is also an author of many articles in peer-reviewed journals.^[25] In March 2013, Carson announced he would retire as a surgeon, saying "I'd much rather quit when I'm at the top of my game".^[26] His retirement became official on July 1, 2013.^[27]

How does he reconcile his literal interpretation of the Bible with separating conjoined twins. Isn't there something about The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away. He doesn't believe in abortion because God meant for it to happen. Very scary individual, Obviously very smart but how does he ignore all the scientific evidence that the world is older than 6,000 years.

[zaphod reborn]

The fact that Republicans believe in numerous unscientific myths is not a revelation. What does a 17-year old speech about ancient history have to do with whether Carson will run the country into the ground anyway?

[Ulysses G.]

The scariest part is how many people will believe him, despite the mountains of evidence proving otherwise.

What is "scary" about it? What difference does it make really? Religious people believe in things that I don't. Usually it is meaningless in he real world and has no effect on me.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[RuamRudy]

The scariest part is how many people will believe him, despite the mountains of evidence proving otherwise.

What is "scary" about it? What difference does it make really? Religious people believe in things that I don't. Usually it is meaningless in he real world and has no effect on me.

Dubya believed that God told him to invade Iraq. If ever there was a reason why religion and politics should not be mixed, it is with that slow-witted war criminal.

[DefaultName]

The man is vying to be leader of the free world, his beliefs affect all of us.

[inzman]

The guy is a highly educated man that believes in ghosts and mythology. This whack job wants to be president, like Sarah plain before him, people seem to gravitate towards wackos. The republicans are doomed.

[JoePai]

He should be on medication, not trying to run for President !

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

I could care less which religious beliefs are closest to the truth. Ben Carson is a great man no matter which God he worships and very few politicians admit to being atheists.

I don't know what you are basing his greatness on. I don't know of any great men in modern times, that believe whatever they want to believe even though the FACTS and the SCIENCE clearly show that they are wrong.

The US constitution clearly says that there should be a separation of church and state and this loonie is a classic example of why your fore fathers wrote that into the constitution!!!

The guy is a doctor, a man of science, yet he only sees what he wants to see.

That appears to be something the two of you have in common.

You will be so sad when your GOP loses yet another election because they allow morons like this to represent them.

No way should a buffoon like this be on any stage unless it is a comedy club.

[Ulic]

I could care less which religious beliefs are closest to the truth. Ben Carson is a great man no matter which God he worships and very few politicians admit to being atheists.

That is part of the problem in the US. Being an atheist is even worse than being a Muslim.

An atheist is totally unelectable while religious crackpots lead the polls. It is had to believe

that someone as educated as the Dr. Ben Carson believes this. Reminds me of the expression

"Don't bother me with the facts, I've made up my mind."

[Ulysses G.]

The US constitution clearly says that there should be a separation of church and state and this loonie is a classic example of why your fore fathers wrote that into the constitution!!!

No it doesn't say that. You and your ilk don't know what you are talking about.

[Ulic]

The scariest part is how many people will believe him, despite the mountains of evidence proving otherwise.

What is "scary" about it? What difference does it make really? Religious people believe in things that I don't. Usually it is meaningless in he real world and has no effect on me.

I just don't want him to help bring on the rapture. With his finger on the trigger and God in his

ear, he really may bring it on. When people hear voices most doctors would diagnose

schizophrenia, for George (who says God spoke to him twice) and Dr. Carson it is divine.

By the way I know George lied. I asked God and he told me he never spoke to George.

[Ulysses G.]

That was not God talking to you.

[fvw53]

...if Ben Carson reads every word in the Bible as the word of God than I conclude that Moses inspired the modern tactics of Boko Haram and ISIS

QUOTE

NUMBERS 31:7-18

7 They attacked Midian as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men. 8 All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

9 Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder. 10 They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived. 11 After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals, 12 they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho. 13 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. 14 But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains[a] who had returned from the battle.

15 “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded. 16 “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord’s people. 17 So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man. 18 Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.

UNQUOTE

[elgordo38]

A great man does not utter so much crazy nonsense. There seems to be no limit to the wacky ideas spewing forth from him.

Lets not give him all the credit. His wacky right wing mates on the GOP stage a lot of times upstage him. I agree with another poster. Carson for a little humor by all means president hmmm NO!! But by the same token he alone of all the GOP candidates is not the only one suffering from foot in mouth disease. This whole presidential debate thingee is excellent fodder for SNL and not much else. My hats off to Rubio it looks like Singer the hedge fund manager has backed up the armored truck to his front door. Another candidate bought and paid for how sad.

[elgordo38]

Having been inside 2 of the 3 "Great Pyramids" at Giza I'd have to say that only a complete moron would claim they were built for grain storage. Considering how huge the pyramids are and how small the chambers within them are, it would be like saying the USS Enterprise was built to be a fishing boat. Or the Brooklyn Bridge was built primarily for ants to cross the East River.

The scariest part is how many people will believe him, despite the mountains of evidence proving otherwise. I had a discussion with a "believer" not long ago and when I countered her obviously incorrect statements with facts she claimed that "my problem" was that I relied on truth and evidence when I should be relying on faith !

Oh Lord grant me the faith to not say what I am thinking. Well here goes anyway. I just watched George Carlin (rest in peace George your earthly battle is over) do a skit on religion. If you have an open mind it is worth watching. There is another one about pork chops that is entertaining as well. With George you had an easy time separating comedy from reality again you would need an open mind.

[chuckd]

I could care less which religious beliefs are closest to the truth. Ben Carson is a great man no matter which God he worships and very few politicians admit to being atheists.

I don't know what you are basing his greatness on. I don't know of any great men in modern times, that believe whatever they want to believe even though the FACTS and the SCIENCE clearly show that they are wrong.

The US constitution clearly says that there should be a separation of church and state and this loonie is a classic example of why your fore fathers wrote that into the constitution!!!

The guy is a doctor, a man of science, yet he only sees what he wants to see.

That appears to be something the two of you have in common.

You will be so sad when your GOP loses yet another election because they allow morons like this to represent them.

No way should a buffoon like this be on any stage unless it is a comedy club.

"The US constitution clearly says that there should be a separation of church and state and this loonie is a classic example of why your fore fathers wrote that into the constitution!!!"

I'm forced to call you yet again on this untrue statement of yours. Separation of church and state is nowhere mentioned in the Constitution.

If you can find it, then please post it. If not, please stop making this totally false statement.

[mikebike]

What is "scary" about it? What difference does it make really? Religious people believe in things that I don't. Usually it is meaningless in he real world and has no effect on me.

The 'scary' part is one should want the head of state to have a grip on the facts needed to govern. I am not referring to his religious beliefs. If he 'believes' his fantasy-based pyramid theory over vetted science he is a loose cannon who shouldn't lead a small village, much less a country.

[Cats4ever]

I could care less which religious beliefs are closest to the truth. Ben Carson is a great man no matter which God he worships and very few politicians admit to being atheists.

In the states they don't. A few more elsewhere.