Religous Connections

by Kristina

The Solomon Society is a traditional values group that believe the Bible has a different value for Pi than the traditional value. Most people in the scientific and mathematic communities believes Pi to be a transcendental, infinite number, 3.14159. . . However Leonard Lee Lawson, a member of the Solomon Society claims that "The Bible very clearly says in 1Kings 7:23 that the alter font of Solomon's Temple was ten cubits across and thirty cubits in diameter, and that it was round in compass. The Bible does not say that the font was thirty something cubits. Plain reading says thirty-cubits. Period." Mr. Lawson claims that based on Biblical facts the value of pi is exactly three. This is one of the main beliefs of the Solomon Society.

In Huntsville, Alabama, Lawson and members of the Solomon Society lobbied the Alabama state Legislature to change the value of pi to three (3) exactly. There was much support during a letter writing campaign by members of the Solomon Society. Due to pressure from the Solomon Society, Governor Guy Hunt, signed Pi as "3" into law. Instead of 3.14, on Wednesday, February 27th, 2002.

Professionals in the mathematics community feel much like Kim Johansen, a mathematician at the University Of Alabama who say that pi is a universal constant and cannot arbitrarily be changed by lawmakers. She further explained that pi is defined in mathematics as 3.14159, plus as many more digits as you have time to calculate.

Many feel that pi is a number that cannot be changed, but in Alabama they were still able to change it. The value of Pi is still debated today.