"Religious Beliefs" + Political Aspirations = Spiritual Trouble!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a well known, twentieth-century theologian, stated that a true believer and seeker of the Lord should not succumb to the temptation of political aspiration or even political activism:

Politics are not the task of a Christian.

Why isn’t the “playing of politics” (politician or citizen) the “task” of a true believer and seeker of Christ?

DO NOT BE BOUND TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6: 14)

You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles (“pagans”, unregenerate) eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father KNOWS that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6: 30-34)

Being involved in government (political office or activism), of necessity, demands “being bound (yoked) together with the unregenerate”, in this corrupted and dying world-system: an ungodly world-system of “lawlessness” and “darkness” which seeks to extinguish the Light of our Lord’s righteousness and Truth!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN. The Light shines in the darkness, and THE DARKNESS DID NOT COMPREHEND IT. (John 1: 1-5)

The nature of man’s politics, and, thus, the nature of political man, is one of seeking, through man’s unregenerate intellect (“reason”) and power, to secure all that man believes he needs and is entitled to, in his own warped (fallen) reality. In man’s political machinery, there is no room for the Lord or His righteousness and Kingdom, since polity is of this world-system, and this word-system is still ruled, for the present, by the enemy of our Lord:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For OUR STRUGGLE IS NOT against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6: 10-12)

The following Pew Forum article features a politician who professes faith in God, but his statement (below) reveals something much different!

September 16, 2009

Can Bill Foster’s creation beliefs evolve into valid issue in St. Petersburg mayoral race?

by Adam C. Smith

St. Petersburg Times

ST. PETERSBURG — St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Bill Foster believes, contrary to the overwhelming majority of scientists, that dinosaurs and humans co-existed. He believes the world was created in six literal days, and he once complained to school officials when his son was taught about Darwin’s theory of evolution in fifth grade.

Is that relevant to the campaign for mayor of Florida’s fourth-largest city?

“This city is trying to increase its employment base with respect to scientific organizations and trying to recruit scientific concerns to come here,” said St. Petersburg architect Michael Dailey, who supports Kathleen Ford, Foster’s opponent. “If our mayor has a belief system that basically rejects science, how can people take him seriously?”

Foster said he would eagerly court and recruit any science-based employers, regardless of his own personal religious and scientific beliefs. Those BELIEFS, he insisted, have nothing to do with how he would govern the city. (emphasis added)

via Religion News: Can Bill Foster’s creation beliefs evolve into valid issue in St. Petersburg mayoral race?.

Whether intentional or not, note the Darwinian implication, and unregenerate impudence, of this article’s title: “CAN BILL FOSTER’S CREATION BELIEFS EVOLVE INTO VALID ISSUE IN… MAYORAL RACE” What this humanistic (sounding) title is conveying, in a rather subliminal way, is this, “Will the belief in a Creator ever evolve enough to accept the ‘reasonableness’ of evolution, especially with those who seek public office?” If I had written this article, I might have entitled it in this “somewhat” different way: “CAN BILL FOSTER BE ELECTED MAYOR WHILE STANDING, IN FAITH, AGAINST THE DEHUMANIZING EFFECTS OF EVOLUTION?”, which, subliminally, would have been loosely interpreted as, “Setting aside, for a moment, this minuscule mayoral race, can this nation, with its politics, economics and “culture”, possibly DEVOLVE any further than it already has: corruption, greed, violence, hedonism, drowning in its own Darwinian/atheistic excrement?” The answer is, of course, IT CAN, and IT WILL!

This mayoral candidate (Mr. Foster) is definitely right about one thing, his “…{“religious”} BELIEFS… have nothing to do with how he would govern the city.” Mr. Foster’s statement is, at the least, honest, since this is true of every politician who claims a belief in God: our Lord and Savior will never get in the way of an American politician and his political agenda! American politicians are only capable of being truly “religious” on Sunday mornings (photo-ops, etc), or when addressing prominent “religious” leaders on issues which affect their “political base” (constituents): at this point, the Lord, and certain portions of His Truth, can become very useful for political gain (manipulative hypocrisy).

As Mr. Bonhoeffer stated above, the “task of politics” can never be a major concern (political activism) or aspiration for anyone whom the Lord has “chosen”.

“For MANY ARE CALLED (“saved”), but FEW ARE CHOSEN.” Matthew 22: 14)

Believers who have been chosen (out of the many called) will, of necessity, be driven to seek first their Lord’s Truth and Life, knowing that all else, according to His Lord’s will, shall be added to them. The chosen seeker of the Lord, at this point, will be concerned only with the problems of each, individual day and trust the Lord for every day thereafter. The chosen of the Lord will have their minds and hearts set on His interests and will, first and foremost. The Lord’s chosen ones will soon find they are, as He was, strangers and exiles, longing for a better country:

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.

All these (like Abraham and Sarah) died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were STRANGERS and EXILES on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking A COUNTRY OF THEIR OWN. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire A BETTER COUNTRY, that is, A HEAVENLY ONE. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for HE HAS PREPARED A CITY FOR THEM. (Hebrews 11: 8-16)

The “religious”, in this country’s “churches” and government buildings, have evidently found their “better country” right here and now. And, thus, they remain in an arrested state of Spiritual immaturity and scriptural ignorance. This Spiritual immaturity and ignorance, then, leads to apostasy, a “falling away”, which we can observe in Mr. Foster’s guarantee that “his beliefs” will never interfere with his so-called “duties of office”. This is a blaring example of apostate (bad) fruit(a deluding influence), which comes from a lacking of love for our Lord’s Truth: the major product of man’s religiosity, Christendom.

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by THEIR FRUITS. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “So then, you will know them by THEIR FRUITS. (Matthew 7: 15-20)

…because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (not spiritual salvation, salvation of the soul). For this reason God will send upon them A DELUDING INFLUENCE so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. (2 Thessalonians 2: 10-12)

Although Jesus was speaking of the nation of Israel, in the following scripture, it still more than applies to American society and the world today!

FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’ (Matthew 13: 15)

"The Whole Creation Groans…"

The Fall of Adam

The Apostle Paul says:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For THE CREATION WAS SUBJECTED TO FUTILITY, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that THE WHOLE CREATION GROANS AND SUFFERS the pains of childbirth together UNTIL NOW. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. (Romans 8: 18-25)

The global warming battle rages on in America! The Godless liberal (“mother earth” worshiper) claims global warming is almost entirely due to American irresponsibility and greed, while the “God fearing” conservative claims the whole issue is nothing more than a hoax perpetrated by the far-left.

I believe, however, that the truth lies, as it usually does, somewhere in between these two diametrically opposed and politically motivated (manipulative) positions: this somewhere-in-between is in the realm of mature and rational thought, which can only come from Godly discernment. As the Apostle Paul makes clear in the scripture above, it is not only man who has suffered because of Adam’s fall, but “the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”

The Liberal Position:

The liberal left argues that man is the main cause of global warming, and they’re not entirely mistaken. As with every other blessing from God, man has not been, in any way, shape or form, a responsible steward to the home (earth) the Lord provided for him, especially during the last two hundred years.

But I find it more than amazing that Darwinian-naturalists, who dominate the far left, would blame any “species,” including “natural man,” for doing what comes “naturally”! After all, according to Darwinian-naturalists, human beings are just the result of a common ancestor (“common descent”) who was “mutated” (“evolved”), over millions of years, into the “species” (“homo sapiens”) we are today.

If the Darwinians’ god, “natural selection,” created “natural man” to be self involved, greedy and all about “survival of the fittest”, then why make such a big stink when “natural man” (supposedly) starts destroying his environment. After all, as a mere “chance-mutated species” of “natural selection,” doesn’t “natural man” have the right to effect the world as he sees fit: as would be the case with any other “dominant specie”? How can any faith filled believer in “natural selection” argue with the “natural” effect of any “specie,” including “natural man,” on the “natural” world? It’s either “natural,” or it’s not!

With this in mind, if the Darwinian-naturalists are right, and “natural selection” is the creator, then why, for instance, are they so concerned with the extinction of the polar bear? I thought that, according to the Darwinian-naturalist belief, the extinction of any “species” was just another part of “natural selection’s” overall, glorious plan? When it comes to the extinction of the polar bear, or any other specie, the faith filled Darwinian-naturalist must realize it’s as simple as this: the polar bear doesn’t meet the “natural requirement” for “survival of the fittest,” according to “natural selection”! Evidently, the polar bear is no match for the “dominant species” on earth, at this point in time, so why blame “homo sapiens” (“natural man”) for being “natural selection’s” favorite? Why blame “natural man” for being all he can be, when all he’s doing, according to the cold blooded and heartless rules of “natural selection,” is acting in accordance with his “natural selected” and “chance/mutated” nature?

According to the faith filled Darwinian-naturalist’s belief system, it would seem evident that man’s destruction of himself, the flora and fauna, and the planet itself, is just “natural selection” and her modus operandi, “chance/mutation,” doing their best work. After all, according to the Darwinian-naturalist, death is a beautiful and wondrous thing, since it continually weeds out, among the “species,” the weaker, less prolific, less beautiful, less intelligent and productive individuals, or non “Aryan, Nordic” types: this was the distorted view of life that drove American eugenicists’ and Hitler’s societal solutions, and subsequent heinous actions, at the beginning of the twentieth century!

And yet, with all of this pseudo-scientific (pseudo-religious) babbling about Darwin’s (unsubstantiated) hypothesis, the Darwinian-naturalist’s response to global warming would suggest they have abandoned their faith in the natural selection process of evolution. Or at least it would appear to be so, when it comes to “natural man” and his negative effects on the environment.

{It seems to me that the Darwinian-naturalists are, in many ways, ignoring their god, “natural selection,” and for many of the same reasons they refuse to believe in God. Could it be that their god, “natural selection,” is now getting in the way of the Darwinian-naturalist’s worldly/fleshly desires, as does the true God and His righteousness? Are the Darwinian-naturalists now altering, or reshaping, “natural selection” into the god that suits them: a god that can be made up as they go?}

So evidently, Darwinian-naturalists see the issue of global warming from this simple and naive perspective: since there is no God, “naturally created” man is the ruler (“dominant specie”) of the earth, at this moment, and, therefore, fully responsible for the environment. But I still can’t fathom, for the life of me, why Darwinian-naturalists are fighting against the “natural” tendencies of “naturally selected” man?

The Conservative Position:

On the other side of this enemy-of-God inspired argument, are the institutional “church” going and “faith based” followers/worshipers of all things “made in America:” the conservatives.

Many conservatives, in my opinion, are as blind to the truth about global warming as are the liberals, but from the opposite perspective.

The average American conservative, as opposed to most liberals, believes in God.

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. (James 2: 19)

The average conservative (middle-class working person) attends his or her institutional “church” at least two times a year: Christmas and Easter. The wealthy conservative, however, will attend his or her institutional “church” on a more regular basis, since “church” attendance is “good for business.” “Going to church” is also necessary to maintain “the pillar of the community” status that the rich and powerful enjoy and derive their income and identity from! The mixing of God’s will and truth with this corrupted form of political and economic system, is, in my estimation, the main source of Spiritual and scriptural confusion among conservative believers.

The staunch American conservative sees America, democracy, and capitalism, as being ordained of God, or at least it would appear this way from their speech and actions. So any suggestion, from liberals, or anyone else, that capitalism is having a deleterious effect on “mother earth” is immediately placed, by conservatives, in the category of blasphemy against the United States of America, and therefore, God.

The word of God, however, never implies that the Lord prefers one form of man’s government/economic system over another. God instituted government for man’s sake, but the Lord also knew man would corrupt the system; just as Saul, the first (God appointed) King of Israel, had corrupted his reign.

Here is how the Lord sees man and his political/economic systems, according to scripture:

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. (Acts 10: 34-35)

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1: 25)

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”; (1 Corinthians 3: 19)

Simply speaking, man’s government is the lesser of two evils: without government man would have already killed himself off, along with everything else! But before we begin, or continue, worshiping at the alter of democracy and capitalism, we might want to consider a few questions:

1) “If our system of government and economics is functioning in a Godly way, then why is it so ineffective, unjust and corrupt?

2) And why would any government, claiming to be ordained of God (“In God We Trust”), be willing to deny the Lord in order to govern its people (“separation of church and state,” for instance)?”

Before we answer, perhaps we should consider these scriptures:

It is a trustworthy statement:
For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
IF WE DENY HIM, HE ALSO WILL DENY US;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2: 11-13)

“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10: 32-33)

{We might also want to consider and ask similar questions about the institutional “churches” (Christendom) we attend, at least two times a year!}

Conservatives, because of their faith in a God led government/economic system, evidently believe that everything America does is blessed by God, even when the outcome is destructive, or evil. Thus, the staunch conservative evidently sees global warming as either a hoax perpetrated by the atheistic far-left, or a natural cycle of which man has little or no effect on. The staunch conservative (rich or poor) would never give in to any notion that condemns corporate (capitalistic) practices, in particular, ones dealing with the oil companies. To suggest anything like this, in the staunch conservative mind, is to dabble in communism or socialism, and blaspheme against the U.S. of A. and God.

The Truth of God:

The liberals aren’t wrong when they claim American corporate greed has harmed the environment, and man should be responsible (a “good steward”) in caring for the planet. But they are horribly mistaken and naive if they believe man, in his most destructive and evil state, can destroy that which belongs to God.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1: 1)

“Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. (Deuteronomy 10: 14)

FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS. (1 Corinthians 10: 26)

The liberals, in my estimation, aren’t totally mistaken about corporate greed, and man’s lacking in “good stewardship,” being causes of global warming! Therefore, the staunch conservatives’ position on this issue must be mistaken, since it is friendly to the ways of this world, and thus lacking in Spiritual discernment and faithfulness to the Lord.

If the world wasn’t so upside down and backwards, it would be the believer’s in God putting forth the truth, and taking the lead, on this issue, as well as all others. So, for this reason, and this reason only, I respect the Godless liberal position a little more than the religious conservative, since, at least, the liberal position is consistent (although wrong), and therefore, not hypocritical.

Man has spent six thousand years seeking new ways to destroy his enemies and thus, himself. So why would anyone be surprised that man cares little or nothing about the environment he lives in?

On one side of this global warming debate are the Godless, arrogant and confused, and on the other side are the religious, arrogant and confused. According to biblical prophesy, man, until the return of Christ, will continue to become more corrupt and Godless (including many “religious”), and the whole of creation, therefore, will continue to groan and suffer. Man will continue to harm the environment, just as he will continue to harm himself and those around him, physically and Spiritually.

BUT, God is sovereign, and the whole of creation belongs to Him. The Lord, God, will decide when all of creation will pass away and be made new, not finite, foolish and fallen man!

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21: 5-8)

We Always Have a Choice!

Here is the crux of this particular spiritual matter:

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6: 24)

The following Uncommon Descent article exposes this issue very well.

10 May 2009

“Theistic evolution” files: Treading very, very carefully …

O’Leary

From a Science article by Elizabeth Pain (February 20, 2009):

Szilágyi sees his religious faith and his research efforts as two complementary aspects of his life. Within the scientific environment, “I have some options where I can express my faith,” Szilágyi says. He directly referred to God both in the acknowledgements of his master’s and doctoral dissertations and while receiving his awards. He runs a Bible-study group for young adults, and together with a friend he founded a Christian scientific group.

But although Szilágyi’s views often lie far outside the scientific mainstream, he expresses those views only off-campus and in his personal time. For him, “the debate over evolution, design, creation, supernatural intelligence, etc., is not a scientific question in the first place but the collision of worldviews, the confrontation of materialism and idealism,” he says. He takes the Bible literally, but when he lectures on the subject–outside of work–he presents what he calls “the options” and indicates which one “to me … seems to be more probable.” But he insists that it is up to “everybody to make his or her own decision.”

“As a Christian who works in the field of science, I find it quite important to deal with the relation of Christianity and science,” Szilágyi says. But “I know that it is a minefield in today’s scientific life and can be quite dangerous for one’s scientific career. …

It is sad when talented people must grovel and cringe just to keep their jobs. The thing is, in the end, that never works.

“Theistic evolution” is just a way of adjusting to a world run by atheists…

Szilágyi probably knows better but has little choice… (emphasis added)

The main subject in this article, so as not to upset the secular/atheistic/materialist apple cart, is attempting to balance the social/political cares of this world system (political correctness and relativistic “reasoning”) with their faith in God. And, as this article points out, they are failing. In this particular failure, they, in the Lord’s reality, have no choice!

The Lord will not share Himself with the temporal and meaningless idols of Godless man’s reasoning and desires. In other words, idolatry is still a no-win situation for those involved in it.

Here is the only quote, from this article, I really disagree with:

Szilágyi probably knows better but has little choice…

Szilágyi had a choice, and has made the wrong one! Unfortunately, “lukewarm” faith in the Lord is not worshiping Him “in truth and spirit.” If anything, this ducking-the-difficult-issues approach, while trying to have our worldly cake and the Lord at the same time, is the worst kind of confusion (at best) or hypocrisy!

We must choose whom we will serve in this age: the Lord or mammon (the system of this world). Christ dislikes, greatly, man’s worldly/religious attempts at trying to straddle the secular/faith fence, as the following scripture points out:

‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit (vomit) you out of My mouth. ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Revelation 3: 15-21)

We always have a choice, but what we choose is quite often worthless and destructive to ourselves and others.

The entire article is here:

via “Theistic evolution” files: Treading very, very carefully … | Uncommon Descent.

A Question of Academic Freedom

The Uncommon Descent article below puts forth more evidence that atheistic/naturalistic indoctrination is becoming the norm in our public schools and university science classrooms!

Academic freedom for creation explanation

Reuben Kendall, Issue date: 3/17/09 Section: Viewpoints

As a freshman, I haven’t been at UT-Martin for very long. But some problems are so obvious that they don’t take very long to notice.

In my studies I quickly realized that when it comes to the theory of evolution, Darwin is the only one who gets to answer questions-or ask them.

I want to question this theory-to test it; check its credentials. And I want honest, thoughtful answers to my questions, not pre-formulated quips and deflections.

But I have learned that if I’m not an evolutionist, my questions don’t get credited, or even heard.

When I ask why theories such as intelligent design are discredited so off-handedly, I typically hear, “Because intelligent design involves metaphysics, but evolution is based only on facts.” Well, I am not so sure.

Obviously, Darwin observed mutation and selection processes within the finch species of the Galapagos. But was he really seeing the extreme mutation and selection that would be required to make a bird out of a dinosaur?

. . .

Never mind that textbooks must be rewritten every time a greater understanding of genetics tells us that birds are actually reptilians; that humans are closer kin to sand dollars than ants or bees.

Never mind the leap of faith required to explain how incredibly complex single-celled life could have possibly developed from a floating mass of random proteins and minerals.

The scientific community assures me that evolution will undoubtedly produce answers to all these problems. But in the meantime, nobody else is allowed to say anything. If you ask me, this isn’t academic freedom.

True academic freedom would look like a variety of scientists, with differing opinions, having open and respectful debates about their ideas.

It would look like evolutionists actually being willing to learn what intelligent design advocates think, instead of dismissing them off-hand as religious fanatics or Creationists. . (emphasis added)

This young man points out so well the problems with the pseudo-pop-science that is taught in our pubic schools and universities. If Darwinian naturalists are really as concerned with true science as they claim to be, then they would invite the opportunity for their mere hypothesis to be dissected and falsified by other hypotheses: which is the way of true science. But, since Darwinian naturalists dogmatically hold to the unverifiable trueness of the hypothesis of evolution, which is only backed up with spurious (at best) “progress” claims and fairy tales, they are nothing more than religious zealots holding, in faith, that which cannot be empirically proved with specific, observable evidence!

The entire article is here:

via Academic freedom for creation explanation | Uncommon Descent.

"Death Came Through A Man"

Here is an article from Joel Kontinen that deals with the subjects of faith in the Word of God and “YEC” (Young Earth Creation: Biblical) and “OEC” (Old Earth Creation: Evolution/Darwinian) theories.

Skeptic Michael Shermer Ventures On Board a British Noah’s Ark

There’s room for many-a-more on this boat. This model is at the Answers in Genesis Creation Museum.

Joel Kontinen

In the latest issue of E-Skeptic, Michael Shermer recounts his adventures in a rather exceptional place. Shermer, the editor of Skeptic magazine, was bold enough to venture into Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm in Wraxall, Bristol, England during his recent visit to Charles Darwin’s homeland.

The zoo, which houses animals such as white rhinos, giraffes, boa constrictors, ostriches and iguanas, attracts 125 000 visitors per year.

Anthony Bush, who runs the farm with his wife, believes in a literal global flood and is sceptical of radiometric dating methods. So far, so good.

However, he is not a traditional young earth creationist. He believes that God created the world 100 000 years ago. Before the creation of Adam and Eve approximately 21 000 years ago, these was a pre-Adamite period when dinosaurs lived.

Even this is too much for Shermer, a true believer in millions of years of Darwinian struggle for life. Bush’s explanations did not convince him.

Skeptics are known for their skepticality. There is one notable exception, however. When it comes to Darwinian evolution, they dare not question it. For a pure-bred skeptic, evolution must have happened so it cannot be doubted. (emphasis added)

Joel Kontinen points out the truth, scripturally,

Genesis clearly teaches us that death came into the world after Adam and Eve sinned and the New Testament authors affirm this in several passages. The Apostle Paul, for example, states in Romans 5:12:

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men because all sinned.

And in 1 Corinthians 15:21 he says:

Death came through a man. (emphasis added)

You can read the full article here:

via Joel kontinen: Skeptic Michael Shermer Ventures On Board a British Noah’s Ark.

“Where is the Wise Man…?”

Proverbs 1: 7 says,

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Paul, said to the Corinthians,

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1: 18-25)

Here are five quotes by well known atheists/agnostics that exhibit their lack of Godly discernment and wisdom!

1) If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality of their lives and not the pattern of their words. I think he would prefer an honest and righteous atheist to a TV preacher whose every word is God, God, God, and whose every deed is foul, foul, foul. – Isaac Asimov

It is true that many television evangelists set God up to be mocked. However, Asimov’s ignorance of the word of God is evident here, since Jesus said, in Matthew 7,

{“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ }

Also, Asimov couldn’t, being an atheist, discern that there is no righteousness apart from Christ, as Paul points out to the Galatians:

{“…nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified (made “righteous”).“}

God, wouldn’t be any more appreciative of an atheist who was “honest and righteous” than He would be of an hypocritical TV preacher! God, loves both, as He does all of His creation, but both are outside of His will.

Mr. Asimov, should have known that if you’re going to slam another person’s beliefs, then perhaps, you should take the time to study and know what they are!

2) Belief in the supernatural reflects a failure of the imagination. – Edward Abbey

This is a very hypocritical and ignorant statement, since it is through the right side of our brain (imagination, emoting, creativity) that we discern the spiritual.

If Abbey is correct, then naturalists are definitely lacking in imagination, since they are just chock full of fairy tales about the “cosmos!”

3) What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof. – Christopher Hitchens

This is probably the most hypocritical and asinine statement, by an atheistic naturalist, that I’ve ever read. There is no proof for the “Big Bang,” evolution, “multi-verses” or “dark energy,” and yet this man is ready to throw bricks at God and His believers while he sits in his naturalistic, atheistic glass-house!

{“The fool, in his heart, says there is no God.” Psalm 14: 1}

4) With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. – Steven Weinberg

Wrong again! “Only God is good,” and evil is merely the absence of good, just as darkness is merely the absence of light. So, if goodness and love can only come through God, then there would be nothing left without God but the absence of goodness, or evil!

{“As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.” Mark 10: 17-18}

{“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4: 7-8}

5) I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. – Susan B. Anthony

She makes a good point here, and as believers, we should be able to hear God’s rebuke in this quote! As I’ve said before, there are many charlatans (supposed believers) among us whose desires are contrary to God’s leading and will!

However, Ms. Anthony is (as Mr. Asimov was) tossing a brick here while at the same time living in a glass house! It isn’t just believers in God and religious people who are guilty of this. People, in general, will try to validate what they’re doing so as to get what they want. It’s part of the “fallen” nature of humanity, which, without Christ, is devoid of God!

Jesus, was aware of this human condition when He spoke these words:

{“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. “You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23: 5-8}

Ah yes! As Paul asked, “Where is the wise man…” in this world?

“We’ve Come A Long Way, Baby!” Or Have We?!

The following excellent article, from Joel Kontinen’s site, shows how our society’s view of God, His Christ and creation has been altered, over the past forty years, by atheistic-Darwinian and relativistic political correctness.

Joel Kontinen

Forty years ago Apollo 8 astronauts sent their Christmas message to Earth in a direct television broadcast. From a lunar orbit, astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders read the first ten verses of the book of Genesis:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

On December 24, 1968 it was not yet politically incorrect to read Genesis aloud in public. We did not hear of Darwinists protesting vehemently, like they did when Answers in Genesis opened their Creation Museum in 2007.

To end their message, Commander Frank Borman wished a merry Christmas and said, ”and God bless all of you – all of you on the good Earth”.

It was probably no accident that the astronauts chose to read from Genesis. Doctor Wernher von Braun, the Father of the Apollo program, was a Christian who believed that God had created the universe with His Word.

Imagine an astronaut uttering these “insensitive” and “unscientific” words today! The backlash from the vocal minority would be swift and ugly.

Oh yes, “We’ve come a long way, Baby,” and have arrived at a ball of secular confusion?

Madness is rare in individuals – but in groups, political parties, nations, and eras it’s the rule. (Friedrich Nietzsche)

Marx, Darwin and Freud are the three most crashing bores of the Western World. Simplistic popularization of their ideas has thrust our world into a mental straitjacket from which we can only escape by the most anarchic violence. (William Golding) (emphasis mine)

Joel kontinen: 40 Years Ago : A Christmas Message From a Lunar Orbit.

“Naturalistic Fairy Tales”

My co-author and friend, the Country Shrink, has, over the past year, written a series of satirical articles on Naturalism.

Here is a snippet from his Naturalistic Fairy Tale: XX:

“And then did we, Most High Scientists, run a computer simulation of the universe back many billions of years in time. We do know you are impressed by computer simulations (praise Science). We hope you will forget we cannot predict the weather of this planet very well more than a few days ahead. We shall, however, present our most recent simulation and we know you will be convinced, because facts are facts.

Thus, as we did run the simulation back in time, the universe did bounce. We did not find the singularity that we previously said was true, in favor of the now, possibly, real truth. Because of Loop Quantum Cosmology, did we discover that there was no singularity “before” the big bang (before time existed)…

I also encourage you to read the other nineteen fairy tales, which are listed here:

Naturalistic Fairy Tales | Intelligent Design and More.

Also, check out his co-author’s (Mynym), newest post (below), which exposes the fraudulent science that is being perpetrated on us, and our school children, by atheistic Darwinists:

Intelligent Design vs. the Imagination | Intelligent Design and More.

P.S.

As I consider all of this non-science and atheistic, naturalist philosophy, these proverbs often come to mind!

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. Proverbs 12: 15

A fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his own mind. Proverbs 18: 2

Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes. Proverbs 26: 5

A fool’s mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul. Proverbs 18: 7

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 26: 12

“Abundant Life”

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.” (Albert Einstein)

I have used this quote, by Einstein, in other posts, and I couldn’t help but use it in this one, too! This is the first of two posts, which were generated by a testimony that I read in the book, In Six Days: Dr. Henry Zuill, a biologist/ecologist wrote this testimonial.

I am not one to expect an affective response, from a scientist, in a piece dealing with scientific material, but Dr. Zuill surprised me. His description of nature and its beauty, which he begins his piece with, amazed me. I could hear, in his words, his sense of awe, as he pondered and described God’s creation. His description immediately brought to mind this quote by Einstein, which describes, in a short statement, what Dr. Zuill was experiencing: Dr. Zuill, is evidently capable of pausing to wonder and stand rapt in awe, he’s alive and his eyes are open!

The next post will consist of the quote from Dr. Zuill’s testimony and the site url, so that all of you can read it in its entirety.

“Abundant Life” II

Abundant life

“The verandah at “High Sycamore” (named for a large, handsome sycamore tree at the foot of the hill upon which the house stands) overlooks a wide and wooded valley stretching southwestward toward a ridge of hills seven or eight miles away. This is a remote region to which we frequently come. It generally takes several days to wind down to nature’s slower pace, but by then it is possible to see nature, really see, and listen and learn.

I was not seeing just the view of that wooded valley, however. There was another view as well. I was seeing the “view” that would become this chapter, and I was wondering how I should describe the ideas of which it was composed. As words came together, it turned out that the two views were not entirely isolated from each other. Threads of one became woven with the other until there was only one fabric.

In the view from the verandah, there are many colors and hues, varying light through the day, and under different weather conditions, highlights and shadows an ever-changing panorama. We listen to audible sounds of wind in trees, beating rain, crackling thunder and distinguishing calls of woodland creatures. One may also hear, if listening, the inner voice of the Creator teaching lessons through things He made. As a Christian ecologist, I need those times of renewal among our Creator’s works.

Those mountains and valleys humble me. A large variety of plants and animals inhabit more than a million and a half acres of surrounding mountain forestland, meadows, lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. I want to know how all of these creatures work with each other. This is a mixed hardwood and short-leaf pine forest. Trees include varieties of oaks, elms, and hickories, plus sweet gum trees and, of course, stands of short-leaf pine especially on southern exposures. Wildflowers splash brilliant colors across the landscape from spring to autumn.

Birds from buntings and bobwhites to roadrunners and turkeys abound, as do many insect species, including butterflies and grasshoppers, cicadas, bees, beetles and myriads more. Mammals include armadillos, squirrels, deer, bears and coyotes. Amphibians and reptiles are common. In the evening, I often sit by the pond and listen to the frog chorus. In the morning, little lizards sun themselves on the verandah.

There are so many species, it would be impossible to see or recognize them all. I am amazed by, but will never fully understand, what is happening between them either. However, I am happy for the little I know and I hope for additional insights. For in those hills I discover many marvelous relationships among different creatures. Is there a pattern among all of this biodiversity that can help me understand creation? Is it possible that I could know the Creator better, too?

As I sat on the verandah at “High Sycamore,” I thought about the meaning of it all. Why did God make such abundance? Why was there so much diversity, so much biodiversity? What was the meaning of it all? What does this have to do with the six days of creation?”

Perhaps, this is ultimately what God wants us to realize: when the day is done and we’ve investigated, studied, experimented and made our conclusions about us, the earth, the universe and God, we will always be left, while standing in “rapt awe,” with questions that God isn’t going to answer.

Here’s the site url:

http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/Area/isd/zuill.asp