Posted on March 9, 2013
A Curious Case
It’s a day in court and you are the judge. It is your job to figure out what really happened, and if you come to the wrong conclusions, your life could be at stake for the injustice. This is no ordinary case, because most of the witnesses died; naturally, because the crime scene is several thousand years old. However, you do have the written account of one witness, who was a key player in the mystery, as well as legends and written accounts passed down through the generations.
Some of the other judges, including some of the most important judges in the nation, think that you should completely disregard the written account – they are simple stories written by pathetic primitive people with serious problems of delusions of grandeur, they tell you. After all, with our modern technology in forensic science, we don’t need witnesses anymore. They even tell you that there were no witnesses. But, no good judge would disregard the account of people who at least claim to be witnesses; those other judges are making a serious mistake, regardless of their importance.
So you go to the crime scene and find lots of clues; there is mud – tons of it – hardened into rocks and in the mud, you find footprints, and all kinds of marks. What the witness wrote about seems to fit the evidence perfectly, as well as agree with the basic ideas in some of the legends. The other judges deny this, and fervently believe in some convoluted interpretation that the evidence actually proves the witness wrong. Perhaps at this point you begin to wonder if they have something personal against this witness. He said that He never lies, and no one has been able to find a lie in his writings, why doubt Him?
This is a true story, and you really are the judge. Your case is the case of World-Wide-Flood vs. Evolution & Billions of Years, and the “crime scene” you have are the layers of fossils and rocks all over the earth. The main witness that you have is God, and His account is, of course, the Bible. Over the next few weeks, we will be investigating some of the clues, and doing our best to solve the mystery. However, this is your case – you are the judge, and you are responsible for whatever conclusions you come to, and must face the consequence they bring with them.
Posted on March 2, 2013
Forgivness – Free and Forever
Guilt. It plagues the human mind throughout every generation, and rightfully so, for we are all guilty of trespassing God’s hold laws. We have all messed up, and under the justice of our holy Creator, we are condemned to eternal punishment. We deserve to die. However, because of God’s love and mercy to us, we have the option of letting Jesus take our rightful punishment. We have the choice of free forgiveness forever.
However, even as Christians who have been forgiven, we are still sometimes haunted by guilt. Sometimes that guilt is good because it encourages us to keep on the right track or seek restitution. However, other times, when we torment ourselves with guilt about things from the past that are finished and forgiven by God and those we had hurt, guilt is a bad thing.
Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is myself. But, if Christ has forgiven me, then who am I to withhold forgiveness from myself? Refusing to forgive myself really is blasphemy, because it’s showing God that I think I have higher standards for myself than He does. Fully accept His forgiveness for yourself. Forgive as God has forgiven us, freely and forever, and live your life focusing on Him.
Posted on February 23, 2013
The Creation of Women
The baby’s face twisted into a sour expression and turned two shades of red darker as he wailed for his mother. She gave her baby a kiss, handed his diaper bag to a day-care worker, and headed off in her car to her job. Today, women – yes, even Christian women – are leaving their homes in order to pursue a career and a place in the world. But is it right? Is it logically consistent for a Christian? Should women be “equal” to men? As a Christian woman myself, I feel that I can speak freely on this topic.
Genesis 2 talks about the creation of woman in detail. All throughout Genesis 1, God declares over and over that His creation was good. However, Genesis 2 is the first time God says “it is not good”. And what was He referring to? Man without woman. God saw that Adam needed someone by his side, a companion and a help-meet. Of course, God takes a rib from Adam to make Eve. I am sure God could have made Eve simply by speaking, but He choose a much more special way – He choose to create woman from man’s side, close to his heart.
I do not believe that woman is superior to man or vice versa, rather we are created for different purposes. That does not mean that women should only be at home all the time, merely that the home and family should be our main priority. Being a help meet can take many different forms: for one woman it might mean braving the jungles of a foreign country where her husband is a missionary; for another, perhaps it means having people over for dinner frequently because her husband is an extrovert; it might mean helping remodel houses to sell, or reviewing books and articles that he writes; maybe it is something as simple as bringing him lunch at the office. Sometimes it’s not about making a little influence in the lives of many, as it is about having an incredible influence on the lives of a few.
The Bible does not give us nice mathematical-like formulae for figuring out exactly how to live our lives (wouldn’t life be so much simpler that way?), but it does give some basic guidelines we should follow. Marriage is supposed to represent Christ’s relationship to His Bride, the Church. Women therefore exemplify the role of the Church (Christians in general), so our role should be taken very seriously. I don’t believe that women should be “equal” to men, because we are designed differently. We need our men to be men and take a stand for what is right. But, women must stop trying to be men if we want our men to become mighty men.
Posted on February 16, 2013
Love of the Creator
Love. What does that really mean? I have turned it over again and again in my mind, as if I’m trying to figure out a riddle. Since Valentine’s Day was this week, I thought it would be appropriate to write a brief post on my recent reflections on the topic of love. I have learned (or been reminded of) four characteristics of love recently. First of all, love is not merely about feelings or attractions; rather, love is a choice. Although feelings should not be completely disregarded, they should not be our main guide. I disagree with the idea of “following your heart” that is so commonly promoted today, because it is not Biblically supported. Remember that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). Trust God, He can do more than we ever could dream of in our simple hearts.
Second, love is about being a giver . . . over and over again, regardless of what I get in return. It means giving up my desires for the sake of another person. Love means doing my best to fulfill God’s best in the other person’s life, even if it hurts – possibly both parties. Third, true love does not have just one recipient (although there should be some primary recipients), but the love should flow over and extend even to strangers. An example of this for me comes in daily driving, whether it is around town or down the highway for work or school. I will be honest – a lot of people are very rude and selfish drivers. Truly loving means letting that love flow over and giving those downright mean drivers a little grace (e.i., not blaring the horn or getting angry at them like they may deserve). Pray for them, because they may have serious issues with their hearts.
Finally, and most importantly, love must start with the ultimate Lover – Jesus. He sacrificed everything for us, only to be mocked, scourged, and treated like the scum of the earth, in spite of His status as Creator and Lord of all. God keeps on giving to us, over and over again, regardless of how ungrateful and even hateful we are to Him. Just like those rude drivers, we don’t deserve to be treated kindly by God. If I got what I deserved, I would have been burning in Hell long ago, but because of God’s grace and love, there is hope for sinners like me. Furthermore, that love that He gives to me fills me to overflowing, blessing those around me as well. So are you willing to take on the challenge of love – love like Jesus? It is not easy, but remember, our reward is in Heaven, not in earthly things.
Posted on February 9, 2013
Darwin Day
On February 12th, 204 years ago, an English lad was born to a lawyer, the son of a doctor. Fifty years later, he published his book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection and the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life (the full title of Darwin’s book), which became a main reference work for the belief in macroevolution. Darwin Day is supposed to be a celebration of the victory of “science” over the delusions of “religion”. However, humanism and materialism is just as much of a belief system, a standard by which all other information is interpreted, as Christianity is. However, unlike Christianity, humanism and materialism lack a basic foundation for reason and science.
Darwin was very bitter against God after the tragic death of his favorite daughter, Annie. He could not see why a just and loving Creator would allow someone like Annie, who seemed to be as good as a person could be, to experience such pain and suffering. Today, most people are asking themselves the very same questions Darwin asked at one point or another in their lives. Personally, I’ve asked that same question before, but turned to the Bible rather than bitterness for my answer. God created everything good originally, but when man and woman chose to disobey God in the Garden of Eden, suffering and pain became the consequences of our sin. But, just the First Adam chose to disobey God in a garden one day, the Last Adam (Jesus) chose to obey God in the Garden of Gethsemane, taking our place both as a perfect Man and as the One Who took the punishment.
So on February 12th (Tuesday) this year, remember the questions Darwin asked that drove him to publish his book, but remember the answer we have to those questions as Christians. I don’t deserve to live a painless life – I’m a condemned sinner and do not even deserve to be alive right now. But, by the grace of God, we can be redeemed from our sinfulness and know that one day there will be no more suffering and pain, just like it was before we chose to sin.
For more information on the recent controversy over Darwin day see: http://www.prweb.com/releases/darwin-day/opposition/prweb10360291.htm
Posted on February 2, 2013
The Blessing of Order
Once upon a time over thirteen billion years ago there was nothing, then that “nothing” exploded, making it into something. Unlike all other explosions people can observe today, the debris from the explosion of nothing ended up not only forming something, but forming incredibly intricate order and precisely interdependent systems. That is a fairy tale for grown-ups I am afraid, and one which many otherwise very intelligent people believe. Order is a gift from God; It is not a matter of luck or chance, but a series of conscious decisions that causes order. And of course, conscious decisions require a coherent being
I sometimes tend to put off reorganizing some things (like that stack of papers and borrowed books by my desk), but when I get right down to it, creating order out of the chaos is really one of my favorite things to do. I think that deep down everyone has a desire to make things right, promote justice, fix broken things, make something beautiful, or change someone else’s life for the better. We naturally want order because that is part of our design, made in the image of God to have dominion over the rest of His creation.
In this world, things will never be entirely perfect and orderly, in spite of our efforts. Injustice will happen, beauty destroyed, lives broken, and things will go wrong. Does that mean that our efforts are all in vain? The age-old question continues – “what’s the point in dusting in West Texas when another dust storm comes again just a few days later?” The point is to fulfill our purpose here on earth, make things right, and get a little foretaste of what Heaven will be like. The world around us is dissolving into chaos, not a higher form of order as evolutionists hope. Keep your eyes toward Heaven and the beautiful order God has in store for all of those who trust in Him, and until you get there, go organize something!
Posted on January 26, 2013
Standing on the Edge
Jumping on the trampoline in our backyard used to be my favorite outdoor activity, next to swinging on my swing. However, after I sprained my ankle on it when I was twelve, I lost my enthusiasm for it. Even when we are older, we still experience similar situations. We get inspired to shoot for the stars, but fall back down to where we are comfortable after getting burned by the heat of the stars. Of course, sometimes we get burned for being foolish or imprudent, like jumping on the trampoline with too many kids (of which you happen to be the smallest), but it can also happen when we try to do good things.
Are you willing to get back on your feet and try again, even after getting burned? In Proverbs 24:16, it says “for a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief”. Getting back up is never easy, and even once a person manage to get back on his feet, that person still has the mud of fear in his heart. Many people fear failure because they don’t want to risk being rejected by others, especially when it comes to standing up for the Faith. Some people lose a sense of compassion, becoming cold and heartless to the pains of others, simply because they do not want to risk feeling pain again.
One could say that great things are only done after great risks are taken, but that seems like a rather shallow, prideful, and unfulfilling reason to risk so much pain. Challenges are good and inspiring, but alone, success is quite empty. As a Christian, I know that I am redeemed and bound for Heaven with God as my Guide. I don’t have to fear failing or feeling pain because success and happiness are not the things that I count on for fulfillment; rather, I find fulfillment in God’s love. Because I don’t have to count on earthly success or happiness for my fulfillment, I have the freedom to fall, learning from my mistakes, the freedom to risk it by standing on the edge of the cliff, and (Lord willing) the freedom to soar like an eagle.
Posted on January 19, 2013
Clues from Crystals
A bright sapphire dangling from a gold chain glistens in the stage lights as the woman wearing the necklace begins to sing. There is a constant dripping sound that breaks the silence in a dark cavern in South America where large quartz crystals await the day they are finally discovered. In another part of the world, the ground trembles from the magma that is being forced up beneath its surface, and as that magma cools, it turns into granite. Crystals of all different kinds, from rock salt to diamonds, have always fascinated people. Some say that crystals take millions of years to form, but of course, since we know from the Bible that the universe has only been around for about six thousand years, the crystals could not have taken millions of years to form. God created time, but He didn’t create that much time.
The general rule of geologists is “the bigger the crystals or grains the longer they took to form” or cool, if we are talking about igneous rocks. However, scientists found an incredible exception to this rule in pegmatite, which forms when magma cools underground sometimes fairly rapidly. Pegmatite can form grains up to tens of centimeters across (10 centimeters=4 inches), according to my geology textbook, and it forms giant grains quickly because pegmatite forms in water-rich magma. The water surrounding the pegmatite helps the atoms to arrange themselves into crystals much quicker than it would without the water. If you apply that concept to the flood, we can see pretty easily how rapid crystalization under flood waters can account for those millions of years worth of slow crystallization. So you see, science continues to confirm the Bible, wherever you find the information.
Posted on January 12, 2013
The Rocks Cry Out
Dinosaur bones and coal still containing radiocarbon; Radical two-ring radiohalos; Traces of C-14 in diamonds; Helium held captive by granite; problems in the underlying logic behind radioisotope dating; These hidden wonders of science truly display the glory of God and the reliability of His Holy Word. This is the conclusion of our series on radioisotope dating methods, although there is much more that I could have mentioned or studied in greater depth. What radioisotope dating really comes down to is a problem of different worldviews.
Everyone makes assumptions, especially scientists. For instance, a physicist wants to prove the law of gravity, so he does experiments dropping different objects from different heights and observes that they always fall. The physicist concludes that he has just proved the law of gravity. However, the physicist is making several assumptions, most of which he probably does not even realize he is making: He assumes that 1) his senses are basically reliable for making observations, 2) the universe is orderly and understandable (otherwise, why even try to understand it?), 3) people can understand this order, 4) our memories are reasonably reliable, 5) laws of logic exist, and 6) people can come to logical conclusions based on their observations. But, how logical are those assumptions? They have no logical foundation outside of the God of the Bible and creation as Genesis shows us. Science does not make sense outside of Biblical creation.
In Luke 19:40, Jesus said that if the people did not praise the Lord, the rocks would cry out. Today, many people refuse to give God the glory due to Him. They deny Him as their Creator and Redeemer. Yet, just as Jesus said, the rocks do cry out. Perhaps they don’t literally start crying out in languages spoken by human tongues, but they do show forth the glory of God in many ways. Please join the rocks today and praise God, our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer.
Posted on January 5, 2013
Granite’s Captive
A thin metal tower holds a drilling rig as it is guided down to a depth of down to 2.6 miles bellow the surface at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. At this depth, the temperature reaches 595 degrees (F), and RATE researchers (mentioned in previous posts) knew that this was the perfect place to find the particular kind of granite samples they needed. In this radioisotopes Clue series we have discussed granite and their radiohalos, but there is more to radioactive decay in granite than just their radical radiohalos. When this kind of radioactive decay occurs, and alpha particle, which is essentially the same a a helium atom, is released. However, it takes the helium a little white to get completely out of the rock it came from, which is simply called helium diffusion. We can measure this helium diffusion in the same sort of way we would with regular radioisotope dating. Scientists have a much better understanding of helium diffusion than they do of radioactive decay in general.
RATE sent their granite samples to be tested for helium content, or in other words, to see how much (if any) helium was left from radioactive decay. However, before they got the results back from the lab, they published their predictions of what they expected the data graph to look like assuming a young earth and global flood. When the data came back it match the creationist prediction almost exactly while the uniformitarian/billions-of-years/evolutionary predication was off by a factor of 100 thousand (you can see the graph at http://www.icr.org/article/6229/ ). That means that helium would have to speed up by 100 thousand times their current known rates of escape in order to account for millions of years.
You may be asking, “so what does this mean to me, as a regular person and non-scientist?”, and perhaps rightfully so, because sometimes it can be very confusing to try to keep up with all the technical scientific jargon, even in this simplified explanation. What it this means is simply that these rocks way down deep and supposedly millions of years old really cannot be that old. It means that the Bible really is true and reliable and that just because a bunch of scientists say something is millions of years old doesn’t make it that old, because there is strong scientific support in the young-earth model.
