Category: Evolution
Subject: Evolution
Viewing the Planets
Several weeks ago I made a bit of a big thing with the grandkids, showing them Venus and Jupiter in the western sky. Sawyer and I actually went on the roof to use her telescope (didn’t work, too windy), but they got a kick out of seeing and identifying the planets.
A week from Tuesday, I have read, there will actually be five planets that will be viewable shortly after sunset in the western sky (at least if you have a flat horizon and are away from city lights, and maybe have binoculars). Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Uranus will all be visible. How do we know that? Well, because of the predictable nature of the planets orbits, combined with a healthy knowledge of physics and higher math. (That means I have no idea where they will be, but others have figured it out and told me). Continue reading “Viewing the Planets”
Fall 2022 Meeting with Kyle Campbell
Our Fall Meeting, 2022 with Kyle Campbell, November 5, 2002. A series of fundamental lessons answering fundamental questions.
The theme: “Can you show”
Lesson 1: Can You Show That There is a God? (Saturday)
Lesson 2: Can You Show that the Bible is the Word of God? (Sunday 9AM)
Lesson 3: Can You Show that Jesus Rose from the Dead? (Sunday 10AM)
Lesson 4: Can You Show What the Bible Says? (Sunday 11AM)
Lesson 5: Can You Show That the Bible Can be Understood? (Monday)
Lesson 6: Can You Show How We are Saved? (Tuesday)
Lesson 7: Can You Show What Worship Is? (Wednesday 10AM)
Lesson 8: Can You Show What the Church Does? (Wednesday PM)
Lesson 9: Can You Show That Chrisitans are Moral People (Thursday)
<<———><><———>>
Sermon: Can Evolution Be True?
The universe, the world, and all life in it has been created by the Almighty God of heaven. The theory of evolution can not account for design in the universe, and is not true.
Sermon Powerpoint View and Download:
<<———><><———>>
The Patternists: What Nature Teaches Us
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4).
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…” (Romans 1:20).
These two passages, and others like them reveal that the physical universe testifies of both the existence of God, and of certain attributes He possesses. Consider the truths we can discern from them.
Big Bang Theory Debunked
I just finished reading an article titled, “We now know the big bang theory is (probably) not how the universe began.” It was written by Ethan Siegle, who is a Ph.D. astrophysicist, and the author of the book “Starts with a Bang.” The article seeks to show that the idea of the universe having its origin with a big bang, expanding from a a state of “infinitesimal sizes and infinite densities and temperatures”, is not a valid explanation for the beginning of the universe.
The big bang theory has been used for decades as the explanation for the existence of the universe as we observe it today. It has had almost universal acceptance among naturalists, as it has been the most effective naturalistic explanation for things being the way they are.
Sermon: The Origin of Math
Speaker: Josh Jackson
This lesson is a defense of God’s existence, using Romans 1 & Job 38,40 as texts.
“Nor Does a Fool Understand This”
“O Lord, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep. A senseless man does not know, nor does a fool understand this” (Psalm 92:5-6).
You will notice that the Psalmist refers to those who question God as being foolish and senseless. The words may seem harsh, but similar, harsher things are said by the other side.
For example, one atheist I came across on the internet wrote the following:
“The fantasies and delusions are equally foolish whether it’s the belief and obedience to a psychotic voice in the head or an imaginary deity residing in some magical place no one can see. Religious beliefs should be placed in the same class as mental sickness or any other serious psychological disorder that degrades the quality of life and the individual’s ability to deal with reality.”
The warfare between right and wrong, good and evil, sin and righteousness, has always been and always will be. Two things come to mind as we consider this truth.
One, trust in your faith. It is rational, founded in the reality of Christ Jesus as our Savior. He did live, did die on the cross, and His resurrection was witnessed by many (cf. 1 Corinthians 15).
Two, never think for a second that the world (or the worldly) is your friend. The world is under the sway of the wicked one, who seeks to devour the child of God (cf. 1 Peter 5:8). This is why Paul wrote, “…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).
Click below to…
In the News: Consciousness & God
A common question in science and common theme of science fiction is the potential of robots to become sufficiently complex to become conscious. That is, have self-awareness. In a sense, it would mean that they are alive, would have self-will, and (as happens often in Sci-Fi novels and shows) perhaps would rise up in revolt against mankind (cf. Terminator, among others). Like I said, science fiction.
There is a theory out there about how the brain works, called Quantum Brain Dynamics (it’s a real theory). It states that our brains not only give us the ability to hear, see, taste, feel, etc., — our brains also use quantum mechanics to create consciousness in us.
Fellowship and the “Days” of Genesis
It is interesting, and rather disheartening to note that brethren can quickly become complacent with regard to false doctrine. Typically, when a false doctrine is introduced, it is dealt with by those who uphold the truth, sides are taken, and the issue fades. Unfortunately, those who hold to the error are seldom fully expelled from fellowship with God’s people. This was the case with Israel, which failed as a nation to eradicate idolatry. As such, the worship of foreign gods was a constant sin of the nation throughout its history. It seems that we have not learned from history. In this generation, God’s people continue to fellowship those who bring error into the camp. As Paul wrote, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
In the News: Faith vs. Fact?
I recently read at the Washington Post online, a review of the book, Faith vs. Fact (Why Science and Religion are Incompatible) by Jerry A. Coyne. The review itself was written by Jeffrey Schloss, a biologist at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. The book apparently consists of a series of logical arguments designed to pit religion against science, with the author’s assertion that ultimately, religion’s methods “are useless for understanding reality.”
The review is largely complimentary of the book, but Schloss argues that Coyne falls short in some areas in his treatment of the topic. Consider the following quote by Schloss from the article:
“The preface [of Coyne’s book, SC] begins with a quote from Neil deGrasse Tyson: ‘The good thing about science is that it’s true, whether or not you believe in it.’ But this is simply wrong. Facts are true whether or not one believes in them. Science is an impressively reliable but fallible means for ascertaining facts. Indeed, facts are true whether or not science itself believes in them.”
In the News: Drunken Robots
Last month, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) held its annual Robotics challenge. The main competition was a testing of android like robots in skills such as walking across uneven surfaces, opening doors, turning knobs, and flipping switches.
There is a youtube video that is making the rounds, showing the robots failing miserably at the assigned tasks. Type in this URL: http://tinyurl.com/p563vz6 to see the video.
Now, to be fair, some of the robots probably did a good job, but it is interesting to note just how difficult it is to get these kinds of robots to perform successfully the simplest of tasks. This, despite amazing technological advances that have been made.
Anti-Supernaturalism
In this short article we wish to deal with a presupposition commonly made in our day. It has been stated (in Josh McDowell’s, The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict) as anti-supernaturalism.
The bias can be expressed in several ways. The most common is the belief that there is no God. If God does not exist, all that remains is a natural explanation for the existence both of the universe, and life on earth. Another belief is that while there may be a god, this god has no interest or involvement in the affairs of men. His existence is unproven and unprovable, and therefore we are still left with naturalism as an explanation for everything.
Whatadinosaur!
Those in our Apologetics class on Wednesday night saw the placemat brother Hatch brought from Whataburger. You may have heard my response, “Here we have it, definitive evidence that man and dinosaurs inhabited the earth at the same time!” A T-Rex devouring a Whataburger, when the Whataburger restaurants were not established until 1950!
For those not in the class, here is a short recap of our study about dinosaurs. First, the creation account, if accepted as historical narrative, requires a relatively young earth, and the co-existence of men and dinosaurs. It may be that most dinosaurs (reptiles) became extinct because of the flood and possible climate changes that followed, but the creation week of Genesis 1 accounts for all life that has existed upon earth.
Evolutionists dismiss evidence that men and dinosaurs walked the earth together, but evidence (both direct and indirect in nature) does exist. A few examples:
In the News: Robots With Morals?
The question of morality has always been an interesting one as it pertains to technology. In fact, it is a common theme of science fiction, as writers consider what will happen as robots and computers develop more autonomy. Way back in 1942, Isaac Asimov famously produced the Three Laws of Robotics, to govern the behavior of autonomous robots. They are:
- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
In the News: Are We A Persecuted People?
Are Christians a persecuted people?
The answer to this question is an obvious and unequivocal, “Yes.” It is the lot of every Christian to suffer persecution of one type or another as a consequence of the profession of faith. It happens, and it is not uncommon. Fortunately, in our country we have enjoyed a long history of religious tolerance. Such tolerance is, in fact, a bedrock of our nation. We have long escaped state sponsored persecution and oppression. The persecution we have witnessed and experienced as Christians in America has been rather mild. For this reason we hesitate to even categorize it as such, fearing that we will be perceived as less than valiant.
