Israeli eggheads in pinhead bible publishing breakthrough
Dunstan Vavasour
And before anybody asks "Why?" ... #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 13:12 GMT

... because they can.
Senor Beavis
In other news... #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 13:16 GMT

...boffins are spending vast quantities of time, effort and cash to develop a space-age new substance which allows light rays to pass through a solid wall allowing people to see what lies beyond the wall.
Alan Gregson
Title #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 13:21 GMT

"This will permit people "to read the entire Bible with the naked eye," he told AFP."
I have a bible that's it's possible to read with the naked eye. Someone had better tell these Israeli geeks that they've been printing them since the 15th Century.
Michael Branagan
Eye of the Needle #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 13:40 GMT
I was wondering when the "eye" of a needle was invented. I known nothing about the subject of weaving, but putting a hole (eye) in a needle has to be a really good trick, especially at the quoted time period (and Jesus said ...) of over 2000 years ago.
Ian Osborne
"they've been printing them since the 15th Century" #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 13:40 GMT
...and writing them since the Fourth.
Laurent_Z
@Michael Branagan #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 13:56 GMT
Relics where found from the whooly mammoth and giant bear period.
"Eye" of the needle where a hole burned or punctured through a bone splinter, allowing the sewing of fur pelts using....animal nerves as threads.
So, depending on your personnal flavor of timeline, anywhere from 6000 to 250000 years ago 8)
kevin
not the original text? #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 13:56 GMT
i thought the original text was that it was easier for a camel to PASS through the eye of a needle, with all the eye-watering sphincter-straining that that that would entail.
I'll fetch Mr.Nazereth's coat.
David Wiernicki
I prefer the alternative: #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 13:57 GMT
"It is easier to pass a needle through the eye of a camel than for..."
Which, come to think of it, would still be fairly difficult.
Edward Rose
Delicious #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 14:18 GMT
What a brilliant choice for demonstrating the advancements of science, especially in the field of Semiconductor fabrication for making devices which 'perform miracles'.
I wonder if it is blasphemous? Lets stone them anyway. Are there any ladies here?
James Anderson
First eye in needle #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 14:20 GMT

@Michael Branagan
Its genuine Old Stone Age tech.
Oldest is about 17,000 years old and made of bone.
It was the latest high tech in Silicate valley.
Matt
Poor camel #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 14:20 GMT
@ David W
Brilliant! Haven't laughed so much since, well probably the last BOFH.
Anonymous Coward
"animal nerves as threads" #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 15:10 GMT
Animal sinew (tendons, or fibres derived from same), surely. Nerves aren't structural, or easy to dissect.
Anonymous Coward
Splendid! #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 15:10 GMT

The new Darwinism; as these geeks spend so much time in they lab they sure won't be doing the horizontal mambo, which means this will hopefully be the last foray into completely pointless exercises like this.
Get out more guys, drink some, have larf,....
Anonymous Coward
Camels, Needles and the rich #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 15:10 GMT
Jesus meant exactly what was said. Rich people do not get into heaven. Smarm and worm it how you like, but there is no evidence he meant anything other than what he is supposed to have said : ) No allegory, you, rich boy, are going to hell. Have fun !
If anyone wants to point me in the direction of some factoid that purports to show that there were two gates into some city, and the camels went through one called the needle or some such crap ! Let me just say, HA ! and Bollocks ! This was a very popular excuse in certain Private schools, which just goes to show that theres an echo chamber in everyones life.
No hat or coat required !
Anonymous Coward
@Michael Branagan #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 15:13 GMT
Add many thousands years on that bud, what you think that needles were not used in the stone age ? Au contraire.
More importantly is when scissors where invented. Now that is a clever idea. Along with the bow.
P. Lee
Eye of a Needle #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 15:13 GMT
... I think was a particularly small gate into the city, meant for people rather than camels.
It would make more sense. Why involve a camel when the rich man himself would come to rather a sticky end getting through the eye of a literal needle?
Anonymous Coward
Spoiler alert !!! #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 15:13 GMT

err..you guys do actually know the "eye of the needle" probably refers to a gate into old Jerusalem and not an actual needle.
frank denton
Camel - eye of needle - can be done #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 15:25 GMT
I remember reading about a wealthy American man who kept a camel and had a giant sculpture of a needle on his lawn. Every now and then he would ride the camel through the eye of the needle (just to 'show em' I suppose). I assume that the needle was laying along the ground to make it easier for the camel.
This is the sort of thing you can do for fun if you're rich. There is no documented evidence of him entering the kingdom of God though.
Mark
Camel #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 15:57 GMT
I remember hearing that "Camel" may have been a mistranslation and it was very similar to a word that meant " massive rope" (like we have "hawser" for a rope thick enough to moor ships).
Dan Collett
@ All those who are asking about the needle..... #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 16:34 GMT

Go look it up on wikipedia :-)
David Wiernicki
Forget a Camel #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 16:36 GMT

...how hard is it to pass a Marlboro through the eye of a needle? Or maybe a Pall Mall?
You know what they say - I'd walk a mile for a Camel, but I'd prefer a woman.
Snert Lee
Alternate Needles #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 17:21 GMT
Perhaps such as the Space Needle in Seattle.
lglethal
Its to convert #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 22:09 GMT

those heathen bacteria...
"and the lord said unto the ameoba "Take one of every bacterium and let them split into 2...""
J
7 x 7? #
Posted Wednesday 19th December 2007 23:06 GMT

Not only people have been reading it with the naked eye for long, they have also come up with formats much more practical than 7 x 7 m posters! (try to read THAT in the tube) You know, they cut in little pieces, bind them together... Marvel of tech, can fit in a pocket! Now, what was the name again... Ah, it was Bundle Of Ocularizable Knowledge, or some acronym thereof.
Graham Marsden
@Dan Collett #
Posted Thursday 20th December 2007 00:04 GMT

Alternatively, instead of looking on Wikipedia, watch QI because they debunked the "Narrow Gate" and "Camels Rope" myths a few weeks ago.
Andy Worth
Why? #
Posted Thursday 20th December 2007 10:01 GMT
Well you see, I understand that they print the bible on a chip "because they can", but why then print it onto a 7m by 7m poster? Doesn't that really defeat the object?
In my opinion, it could only be akin to removing your cock from your trousers and slapping it in everyones face who passes by.
Michael Hoffmann
No rooms for the angels? #
Posted Thursday 20th December 2007 10:01 GMT

Where are those angels supposed to dance now, if they converted the needle? Wouldn't that be somewhat blasphemous for them to boogie down on holy scripture?
Coat, check, halo, check, wings, check...
Anonymous Coward
Crazy spending #
Posted Thursday 20th December 2007 13:53 GMT

I love how religious types throughout the ages try to please their benevolent God(s) with their good works. And when they have large piles of cash at their disposal they choose to spend it helping their fellow man by making tiny Bibles or shiny objects that look nice on their robes...
He helps those who helps themselves. Plus, it's more fun to do this!
Anon, cos I don't want to piss off any fickle and religiously zealous future would-be employers...
Anonymous John
It's a mis-transation #
Posted Thursday 20th December 2007 16:31 GMT

"it'is easier for a rich man to enter a camel than it is for him to pass heaven through the eye of a needle"
"it's easier for a rich man to enter a camel if he stands on a box."
"it'is easier for a rich man to enter a camel than it is for a poor man to poke himself in the eye with a needle”.
Or something like that.