It was an overcast Spring morning in rural Texas and Soldiers Bluff looked beckoning, "Come on down and fish," it seemed to say. Which is what I did, but the fish weren't having any of it, they were lying low and didn't want the juicy, tempting, delicious worms I was throwing in.
Still, there were a few fossils, rocky remains of ancient crustaceans embedded in the limestone and clay bluff above the lake. To be honest, there's fossils everywhere here, a tangled mix of roots, branches, shells, and who knows what else, the set in stone remains of ancient cataclysm. I always hope I'll spot something useful, like a T Rex tooth, but not today, just a couple of shells.
Now, some who read this lighthearted mind blog believe fossils like these are at most 6000 years old. If that's the case, what about structures like Gobekli Tepe, which date back to at least 9000 BC? Remarkably ancient and advanced to boot, all at a time when humans were supposed to be grubbing about for nuts, berries and the occasional bit of unfortunate wildlife.
Two things don't add up here. Firstly, the Word of God in Scripture isn't supposed to be read with a kind of boneheaded, blank-faced literalism. Read it for its truth, for sure, but know this involves poetry, symbol and metaphor as well as literal reckoning. Note, to think this doesn't make you a useless, pathetic, scornworthy, lib heretic.
Secondly, mankind is very old, with Homo Sapiens appearing earlier and earlier in the fossil record as new discoveries are found. All this in our own century, to say nothing of ignored and anomalous finds in the last two hundred years or so, and the witness of ancient records.
It would be odd, don't you think, if people as intelligent as us remained at the hunter gather stage for several hundreds of thousands of years. Which is exactly what orthodox archeo-anthropology teaches; finds like Gobekli, water erosion on the Sphinx, and on, challenge the narrative.
That in mind, I decided to challenge the piscine narrative of "no catching" by moving over to the other side of the dam. At first nothing, so I changed rigs in hope of having some sport with the Gar, who were gliding about the pool like deadly, prehistoric submarines.
Good call, LSP, but no Gar. Instead, a fierce Crappie followed by a ferocious Bass, and a large Bluegill. Result. Then it began to rain and it was time to head for home, mission accomplished.
Fish on,
LSP
17 comments:
The Bible says the world and the universe is 6000 years old. Being as you're THE LSP, I am glad that you weighed in on the narrative. The fish on your hook, on the other hand, is a recent arrival.
It turned out to be a good day at the water, LL, and I would've caught a decent lunch/dinner if it'd been necessary.
"One day with God is a thousand years."
Were the old Hebrews really so stupid as to think the eternal ground of our being measured His moments in 24 hour time cycles? Especially being timeless and all.
Sorry. It makes me cross and I think it's close to sacriligious.
*sacrilegious
Yes. And "ancient alien visitors" had nothing to do with any of it. Idiots all who believe that.
Unless they mean that Angels were involved. But somehow I don't think they mean that.
But Linda, more than a few believe the "ancient visitors" were demons. I don't, btw, but it's out there.
To not agree with you makes me a boneheaded, blank-faced literalist, it appears.
There is something relaxing about getting out in nature.
What lure were you using? Have you tried a Johnson™ Rattlin' Beetle Spin! Their awesome for bass, crappie, etc...
Ed, if anyone's boneheaded around here it's probably me... blank-faced? Often, especially at the sheer scale and temerity of the recent attempted Coup.
That aside, feel free to disagree.
I was just using worms, Brig. Must try that lure!
I must be one of the few males who hasn't the patience to fish for relaxation. In my youth fished for trout but for food, not fun.
Parson, I forgot about those people. They just scare me.
And I will make you fishers of men. You're in good company.
WSF, I mostly fish for action, tbh, but like getting out into the country to do it. It decompresses things, maybe.
Linda, they're all out there, driving cars.
I love fishing, Ed, I really do. Should probably set up a chapel by the dam, come to think of it (and Walmart...).
Look at the size of that hook, Cap'n Ahab! To land an 8" crappie? What is that anyway, a #2, something I would use to catch a 30 pound Chinook salmon.
Of course, you need a boat for that, but charters are perfectly justified here.
I know Fredd, it's a HUGE hook. I was going for Gar or maybe even a catfish, neither of which bit, and ended up catching a crappie, a bass and a perch. I figured "if it's working, why change it." But how did the perch even get it into its mouth? OK, it was a big perch, but still.
Now I want to go and catch Salmon. That probably means a Guide.
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