ThePainefulTruth

That's not explaining your statement that this isn't about archaeology. Yes, there is a lot of mythology and outright lies in the Bible, but there is also a good amount that has been historically verified. That argument throws the baby out with the bathwater.

I asked "What happened at Sodom".

That's an interesting link. I hadn't heard of it. Something very much like that was probably what happened at this probable location for Sodom. It sounds like a meteor has to be very big not to explode before it hits the ground, and they say as much.

skepticalbip

That was Adam's problem. You asked "what happened at Sodom" rather than "what could explain the finds at this ancient city". Your question makes the unfounded assumption that the ruins are the remains of a city called Sodom.

skepticalbip

First, you need to stop referring to this as Sodom. There is no evidence that there was actually a city named Sodom (though there may have been) and, even if there were, there is no evidence that the ruins being explored was it.

Now to impactors. Comets, asteroids, and meteors all come in different forms. The makeup of any particular impacter determines what happens once it hits our atmosphere. A small or large nickle-iron meteor will not expode in the atmosphere. The outer surface will heat and burn off layers leaving an ion trail but can (and do) certainly hit the Earth's surface. Condrite meteors will typically break up in the atmosphere and the parts vaporize before reaching the Earth though parts of larger condrites certainly can and do make it to the ground. Impactors that are a loose agglomerate of material will break up quickly, large ones will create an appreciable fireball. Icy impactors will also explode, larger ones will create very large fireballs. - The Shoemaker-Levy comet impacting Jupiter (described in the video) would have been an icy impactor since it was a cometary core.

ThePainefulTruth

I only discussed about a third or less of what the article said. It does present the summation of extensive evidence that it is biblical Sodom. Many other biblical towns have been located. It isn't that unusual, or even unlikely. What's rubbing everybody wrong is the biblical story (myth) associated with it. There are biblical myths associated with Jerusalem but that doesn't mean there wasn't a biblical Jerusalem, or that some history of Jerusalem is included in the Bible, or other smaller towns existed with their equivalent modern town with a different name. They laughed at there being a real Troy until Schliemann found it. If you doubt the veracity of the article, please get a copy and read it.

I will if you tell me why I should. No, it isn't proven, but it's as good as. It was part of whatever event that was.

Read the article. There is a lot of evidence that it is, or at least one of the Cities of the Plain that were destroyed and are now being dug up.

I know, I agree, what's your point?

skepticalbip

Never mind... I see you have already made up your mind and accept any of the hand waving shit in the article that supports what you already believe.

Apparently the reason Adam was so curt (which I didn't understand) was that he had prior experiences with your "reasoning" and already knew where this was going.

aupmanyav

Why would a reputable (scientific-minded) archaeologist not discuss a Tunguska like event for Sodom? Adherence can come after sufficient proof.

aupmanyav

Evidence may lead to the conclusion that Sodom was wiped out by a meteor but that is no evidence of a God punishing Sodom for any misdoing. It is like saying 'Universe exists, therefore, God ..

aupmanyav

That is a valid question just like one may ask what happened at Mohenjodaro or was Krishna's Dwarika engulfed by sea? But jumping to a conclusion that God did it is not scientific.

GenesisNemesis

But why would they die for a lie?

Archimedes

He's not suggesting that God did it.

He's suggesting that the Biblical authors knew of a natural disaster at Sodom (it was struck by a meteorite) and attributed it to God as punishment for the sins of the Sodomites.