Dear Doctor, I do not understand how someone can beleive that God made everything form nothing and than say that the events in the Bible are myths. Here is some information on the subject: A story about James Bartley, who is said to have survived being swallowed by a sperm whale, appeared in the National Enquirer, July 10, 1979, and in the Quincy, Mass., Patriot-Ledger, Oct. 8, 1964. The story was extensively researched by Sidney G. Brown and Ray Gambell, who published their findings in the Mariners’ Mirror, Vol. 79, No. 1, February 1993, p. 87-88, and more extensively in Investigations on Cetacea, Vol. XXIV, 1993, p. 325-337.   I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have additional questions.   Sincerely, Laura Pereira, Librarian   New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA  02740 Tel. 508-997-0046, ext. 134 Fax 508-207-1064   I beleive it also happened in the days of sailing ships.

God bless you, Frank V/

Dear Framk,

It is true that anyone who believes that God created the world from nothing has no trouble that God could preserve Jonah in the belly of the whale. But the question is usually about the matter of fact of there being an actual Jonah who was swallowed by a whale. About that matter there are differences of opinion about whether the story recounts a matter of fact or is just a story. To me it is just a story although it is possible that it may be a fact. God could make it happen. But that is not the way he unusually operates. I think it is just a story with a point, not an actual fact. And I still believe that God created the world from nothing.

Dr. Geraghty

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