10/24/2008

The story of evolution

Check out this website.
It is great!
I know some people will be angry about this website, but what are you going to do?

10/23/2008

Are you a walking miracle?

The truth is that God has done many miracles!
Every single one of us is a gift from God.
We are all special and created in His image.
God loves us so much.
He has brought us through so much.
And he has done miracles in all of our lives.

I just want to praise God!
I just wish to let you and myself reflect on the goodness of God.
Take some time today and recall the miracles of God.

We have made so little of imagination

I am reading Spiritual Life : The Foundation For Preaching and Teaching for my class on Spiritual Formation.

The book has got me thinking a lot already. One topic addressed is that Christians recently, along with American society as a whole, has forgotten about mystery and imagination, in its quest for rationality and analytical thinking during the Enlightenment.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately depends on how you look at it), humans are not analytical and logical but we also are creatures of intuition and imagination. There is healthy balance that needs to be in place. We "see" deeper meaning of our experiences. We can look beyond the mere surface, we are complex and mysterious creatures.

The Enlightenment left people thinking that objective truth is the only way. During this time things like the arts and other more subjective mysteries were neglected.

Faith and prayer are some of the other things that have been forgotten and left behind in the last three centuries.

Also an interesting note is that our teaching and preaching style in these years has been greatly affected by the Enlightenment. Instead of looking at Scripture from a theological angle, us looking down into Scripture to study it - we can and should from time to time change our method. We can allow the Scripture to meditate on top of us. Instead of looking to study we can be more intuitive and let the Scriptures engage our hearts. We can be flooded with the mysteries
on our hearts all day, instead of trying to control the Scriptures with our own minds.

Thomas Merton, a monk, had a dream about a Protestant theologian, in summary, the dream suggested that he [the theologian] would be saved more by the music lover in him than the theologian in him.

10/22/2008

Where does reason come from?

Reason relies on faith. Reason requires faith. "Reason Alone!" A defense of reason by reason is circular argument and worthless.

When it comes down to it reason came from one of two places:

A. Preexisting intelligence by faith

B. mindless matter by faith

Why by faith?

Materialism as we have seen cannot contradicts all scientific observation. You cannot give what you haven't got. Yet Darwinists believe that dead, unintelligent matter has produced intelligent life.

It makes much more sense to believe that human minds were created by The Great Mind- God. Materialism is not sufficient. Cannot explain reason. Materialism is not reasonable.

Darwinism on trial...origin of life

First off I want to make it clear that Darwin himself did not introduce the Big Bang theory or any origin of life theory. In fact to study Darwinism's ideas about the beginnings of the universe we have to move beyond Darwin and beyond evolution.

This is an entirely different realm of study, the study of the origin of life.

Historical events cannot be repeated. We can't repeat the origin of the universe. Science can help us determine what might have happened but it does not deal with history and cannot tell us how it happened.

Science has not been able to turn dead into living. we cannot create or recreate life.

"More than 30 years of experimentation on the origin of life in the fields of chemical and molecular evolution have led to a better perception of the immensity of the problem of the origin of life on Earth rather than to its solution. At present all discussions on principal theories and experiments in the field either end in stalemate or in a confession of ignorance."

Klaus Dose, "The Origin of Life: More Questions Than Answers", Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, Vol 13. No.4, 1988, p.348

The cell is the most complex and most elegantly designed system man has ever witnessed since the advent of the electron microscope. Professor of Biology Michael Denton, in his book entitled Evolution: A Theory in Crisis explains this complexity with an example:
To grasp the reality of life as it has been revealed by molecular biology, we must magnify a cell a thousand million times until it is twenty kilometers in diameter and resembles a giant airship large enough to cover a great city like London or New York. What we would then see is an object of unparalelled complexity and adaptive design. On the surface of the cell we would see millions of openings like port holes of a vast space ship, opening and closing to allow a continual stream of materials to flow in and out. If we were to enter one of these openings we would find ourselves in a world of supreme technology and bewildering complexity... (a complexity) beyond our own creative capacities, a reality which is the very antithesis of chance, which excels in every sense anything produced by the intelligence of man..."
An alternative theory:
Panspermia - temporary fix. Sure it pushes off the question for a little while. But you still have to answer the question, where did the aliens come from?

Chandra Wickramasinghe:

‘The emergence of life from a primordial soup on the Earth is merely an article of faith that scientists are finding difficult to shed. There is no experimental evidence to support this at the present time.

‘Indeed all attempts to create life from non-life, starting from Pasteur, have been unsuccessful. Also recent geological evidence indicates that life was present on Earth over 3.6 billion years ago, at a time when the Earth was being pummeled by comet and meteorite impacts, and no primordial soup could have been expected to brew.

‘Not all microbes in interstellar space would survive of course, but the survival of even a minute fraction of microbes leaving one solar system and reaching the next site of planet formation would be enough for panspermia to be overwhelmingly more probable than starting life from scratch in a new location.

‘The odds against microbes surviving such a space journey pales into insignificance when compared with the insuperable odds against starting life anew in a warm little pond on the Earth.’7

"Our willingness to accept scientific claims that are against common
sense is the key to an understanding of the real struggle between
science and the supernatural. We take the side of science in spite of
the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its
failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and
life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for
unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a
commitment to materialism. It is not that the methods and institutions
of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the
phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a
priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of
investigation and a set of concepts that produce material
explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how
mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute,
for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door."
- Lewontin R.C., "Billions and Billions of Demons", Review of "The
Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark," by Carl Sagan,
New York Review, January 9, 1997

This is an amazing quote. Here is a solid admission that a lot of science is counter intuitive. And that Darwinits are assuming materialism a poi. Before even looking at the evidence.

Whether one accepts or rejects the design hypothesis…there is no avoiding the conclusion that the world looks as if it has been tailored for life; it appears to have been designed. All reality appears to be a vast, coherent, teleological whole with life and mankind as its purpose and goal.
(Michael Denton, Nature’s Destiny: How the Laws of Biology Reveal Purpose in the Universe, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1998, p 387, emp. in original)

The more statistically improbable a thing is, the less we can believe that it just happened by blind chance. Super-ficially the obvious alternative to chance is an intelli-gent Designer.
(Richard Dawkins, “The Necessity of Darwinism,” New Scientist, April 15,1982)

The complexity of living organisms is matched by the elegant efficiency of their apparent design. If anyone doesn’t agree that this amount of complex design cries out for an explanation, I give up!
(Richard Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker, W.W. Norton, New York, 1986, preface)

Poor Richard...if it looks like Design, then it probably is ...Design!

For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.
(Robert Jastrow, God and the Astronomers, W.W. Norton, New York, 1978, p. 116)



I cannot believe that our existence in this universe is a mere quirk of fate, an accident of history, an incidental blip in the great cosmic drama… Through conscious beings the universe has generated self-awareness. This can be no trivial detail, no minor by-product of mindless, purposeless forces. We are truly meant to be here.
(Paul Davies, The Mind of God, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1992, p h3232)



The Probability of a Protein Being Formed by Chance is Zero

There are 3 basic conditions for the formation of a useful protein:
1. All the amino acids in the protein chain are of the right type and in the right sequence.
2. All the amino acids in the chain are lef-handed.
3. All of these amino acids are united between them by forming a chemical bond called Peptide Bond.


In order for a protein to be formed by chance, all three basic conditions must exist simultaneously. The probability of the formation of a protien by chance is equal to the multiplication of the probabilities of the realisation of each of these conditions.

For instance, for an average molecule comprising of 500 amino acids:

1. The probability of the amino acids being in the right sequence:

There are 20 types of amino acids used in the composition of proteins. According to this:
- The probability of each amino acid being chosen correctly among these 20 types
= 1/20
- The probability of all of those 500 amino acids being chosen correctly
= 1/20500 = 1/10650 = 1 chance in 10650

2. The probability of the amino acids being lef-handed:

- The probability of only one amino acid being left-handed
= 1/2
- The probability of all those 500 amino acids being left-handed at the same time
= 1/2500 = 1/10150 = 1 chance in 10150

3. The probability of the amino acids being combined with a "peptide bond":

Amino acids can combine with each other with different kinds of chemical bonds. In order for a useful protein to be formed, all the amino acids in the chain must have been combined with a special chemical bond called a "peptide bond". It is calculated that the probability of the amino acids being combined not with another chemical bond but by a peptide bond is 50%. In relation to this:
- The probability of two amino acids being combined with a "peptide bond"
= 1/2
- The probability of 500 amino acids all combining with peptide bonds
= 1/2499 = 1/10150 = 1 chance in 10150

Total Probability = 1/10650 X 1/10150 X 1/10150
= 1/10950
= 1 chance in 10950

So to summarise - The probability of an average protein molecule made up of 500 amino acids being arranged in the correct quantity and sequence in addition to the probability of all of the amino acids it contains being only left-handed and being combined with only peptide bonds is "1" over 10950.

The above is only a written probability. Practically, such a possibility has "0" chance at realisation. In mathematics, a probability smaller than 1/1050 is statistically considered to have a "0" probability of realisation. A probability of "1/10950" is far beyond the limits of this definition.




7 - Britt, R., Panspermia Q and A: leading proponent Chandra Wickramasinghe, <http://www.space.com/searchforlife/chandra_sidebar_001027.html>, 27 October 2000. Return to text.

10/21/2008

Darwinism on trial , the heart of the problem...

the worldview philosophy behind Darwinism is materialism or naturalism. Science is dominated by philosophy. For example think about the word, 'chance.' It is just a word. It is not a cause. It is actually nothing. It has no power in itself/ on its own. You see, science is a slave to philosophy.

Good science is based on good philosophy.
Science cannot be done without philosophy. There is no way around it. Philosophical assumptions are utilized in the search for causes. They cannot prove the tools of science by running scientific tests. These assumptions are are not the results of the testing. They are already assumed to be true in order to run the tests in the first place!

These philosophical assumptions can drastically change the conclusions of experiments. This one is easy to understand. Every true scientists knows that when you come into an experiment assuming something/desiring to see something than you are biased. You are not open minded enough to even consider evidence that might not be what you are looking for and this is a bad thing. Assumptions can lead to bad science. Be open minded to both intelligent and natural causes and go to where the evidence leads.

Finally science does not speak. It does not say a word, but scientists do. When assumptions are in the way, scientist interpret the evidence in the way that they want to see it. In the way that their worldview and philosophy is leading them. Again, here be open minded and let the evidence lead you.

What is the worldview of a Darwinist (materialism and naturalism)?

Naturalism implies that "nature is all there is and all basic truths are truths of nature." (1)
The philosophy of materialism holds that the only thing that can be truly proven to exist is matter, and is considered a form of physicalism. Fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions; therefore, matter is the only substance. (2)

Where does Naturalism go wrong?

Think about these five things that cannot be proven by science alone and matter alone:
1. mathematics and logic
2. metaphysical truths
3. ethical judgments
4. ascetic judgments
5. science itself.


Where does Materialism go wrong?

1. specified complexity cannot be explained materially.

2. human thoughts and theories are more than just materials. Chemicals are involved in the human thought process, but they cannot explain all human thoughts.
The theory of materialism isn't made of molecules.

3. If life were nothing more than materials, then we would be able to take all the materials of life and make a living being. We would have all the resources available to make life. Both a living body and a dead body are made up of the same chemicals, what is the difference? What accounts for consciousness?

4. If materialism was true, then everyone in all of human history who has ever had a a spiritual experience has been completely mistaken. Some of the world's most rational, scientific, logical, and critical mind who have ever lived have been greatly mistaken or crazy. This seems highly unlikely. Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Kepler, Newton, Pascal, and Jesus Christ ( to name a few!)

5. If materialism is true then reason itself is impossible. For if mental processes are nothing but chemical reactions in the brain, then there is no reason to believe anything is true. (Including the theory of materialism.) Chemicals cannot evaluate whether something is true or not. Chemicals do not reason, they react.

The irony is that even when Darwinists get something right, their worldview prevents us and them from believing themselves, because reason itself is impossible in a world ruled by chemicals.

When Darwinists assert that they rely on reason alone there is a problem already, because this statement cannot be justified by their own worldview.

Reason relies on faith. Reason requires faith. "Reason Alone!" A defense of reason by reason is circular argument and worthless.

When Naturalism/Materialism fail, so does Darwinism. More posts to come...


1. "Naturalism", in The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Macmillan, 1996 Supplement, 372-373.
2. Wikipedia the term "Materialism"

Main reference: I don't have enough faith to be an atheist by Norman Geisler

Grave clothes or Grace clothes

In life as a Christian we can wear either grave clothing or grace clothing.

This was a great illustration my pastor used during a sermon.

It comes down to our two options as a Christian:

obedience in Christ or disobedience in Christ.

When we are living for God and being obedient we are in God's grace and receive his blessings.

When we are living for ourselves and not in obedience with God, we are wearing grave clothing. We are as good as dead!

10/20/2008

Simple illustration

Johnny came downstairs from his bedroom to get some cereal for breakfast. On the table were some Alpha-bit (his favorite cereal) letters on the table spelling out the following message: "TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE - MOM"

Remembering a recent biology lesson Johnny had learned about in school, he did not attribute the message on the table to be from his mother. There was no sense to jump to conclusions. After all, life itself is merely a product of mindless, random, natural laws. The wind could have knocked over the box and those particular letters could have spelled out. Or maybe teh cat knocked the box over! Johnny did not want to do chores, he was on summer break. He was going to the beach to see Mary.

Scott liked Mary as well. Johnny had rushed to the beach to see Mary as soon as he finished breakfast. When Johnny got to the beach he saw Scott and Mary holding hands. He ran to meet them but when he looked down on the sand he saw another message, " Mary loves Scott" inside of a heart. For a second Johnny's heart sank but then quickly he recalled his biology class again and remembered that this was probably just a natural law at work. There was no reason to accept a conclusion he did not like! Perhaps the crabs or the waves shaped the unusual, mindless, random pattern in the sand. He would just have to ignore the hand holding evidence. That was meaningless.

Later that day, Johnny noticed the clouds were shaped in such a way as to seem to say, "Drink Coke." Swirling wind patterns? Johnny thought to himself.

Johnny could no longer take it anymore. He could no longer play the game of denial. "Drink Coke" was a sure sign of intelligence. It was not a random, nor a thing of natural forces. Even though Johnny had not seen an airplane, he realized that there was a skywriter who wrote the message. Besides he really wanted to believe it, because it was a hot day. Leaving him parched and thirsty for Coke.


This has been a paraphrasing of an illustration in the book, "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist" by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek.

Is secular humanism to blame for our nation's breach into a post-Christian society?

First what is secular humanism?

Secular humanism is a humanist philosophy that upholds reason, ethics and justice, and specifically rejects the supernatural and the spiritual as the basis of moral reflection and decision-making. Like other types of humanism, secular humanism is a life stance focusing on the way human beings can lead good and happy lives.

How is it contributing to our society in a bad way?

Yes. In a number of ways! I will briefly go over a few. Here is a great chart!
Humanists usually do not believe that God even exists. Humanists believe mankind is the highest entity. (“Man is the measure of all things.”)
Humanism see man as basically good. Thinks that people should feel good about themselves regardless of their behavior. Tries to deal with guilt by positive self-talk.
Rejects the idea of a “sin nature.” Believes that whatever I want to do is ok, as long as it “doesn’t hurt anyone else.” (But is often shortsighted in deciding what may hurt someone else!) Tendency to rationalize that all behavior that I wish to do is acceptable.
Humanists believe some things are right for some people and some situations that may be “wrong” for other people and other situations. There is no absolute right and wrong. Everything depends on the situation.

Do you see how all of this can lead to post-modernism!

What does post-Christian mean? Are we there?

a post-Christian world is one where Christianity is no longer the dominant civil religion, but one that has, gradually over extended periods of time, assumed values, culture, and worldviews that are not necessarily Christian (and further may not necessarily reflect any world religion's standpoint).

America is leaning that way. I do believe.

Here is a good article discussing the differences in Christianity and Secular humanism and some great links.

10/19/2008

Reflections

I have been noticing that I get a lot of comments from many in opposition of the things I post about. I am okay with this.

I will say that I am not a real expert on most of the things I post about. I do not claim to be an expert. This blog is very informal and a fun way for me to express my opinions and learn more about topics. I do research and learning for this blog. I do not intend to contribute to science or anything like that.

I do intended to search for truth. And in my quest I post things that I am learning and thinking about along the way towards my quest for truth.

With that said, I know where Ultimate truth comes from, God and His Word - the Bible.
I am certain that science in nature, in biology, and in reality reflects God and his truth. I am not contributing to truth in this blog. I am expressing what I have found to be true.

When all is said and done, and my life is over, I know that some of the things I have posted about will be pointless. I know that I will not have gotten everything correct/right.
But I know that in the end, I will find truth. And others who have read my blog will have been exposed to truth. I will get a lot of things right.

I am not anti-evolution in general. And I have reasons for believing what I do believe. I think that a theistic form of evolution is feasible. Becuase of the Bible is not as clear as some would like it to be and therefore a theistic form of evolution is somewhat feasible.

But I do not think that a theistic form of evolution is totally correct nor do I believe that it is the most natural reading of the Bible.

I will continue posting on topics that I am not an expert on. I will continue to search for truth and I do not mind the opposition from others. I will be basing my findings on truth, the Bible and other resources. I am a simple blogger not trying to contribute to science, but merely expose truth, which already exists.

All I ask is that if you coming with opposition, I would like to see some evidence instead of a mere smear anti-God comment. Thank you.