I am far from a wealthy person who could …

Comment on A New Endowment Program for Adventist Education by Lydian.

I am far from a wealthy person who could and gladly would donate large sums of money to such a program but I could and would gladly donate some if such assurances were solidly in place. I’m sure there are many “old folks” like me “out there” who feel the same way. (Is there already such a program in place? If so please post all needed information.)

Lydian Also Commented

A New Endowment Program for Adventist Education
So here I sit–a “very old lady”–totally confused and not having a clue as to whether to donate or not–or where to donate if I should.

As things stand now I think I will just continue putting my own little amount to my current “missionary out reach” of buying “Steps to Christ” and “Who Do You Think You Are?” and passing them on to the clerks in the stores where I shop or other people I meet that I think would like them.

If and when you folks decide on what, how and where to help in this very worthy project let me know and I’ll do what I can then.


A New Endowment Program for Adventist Education
I just noticed that there is such a program in place in northern California but I would want one that is nation wide. After all, if our kids aren’t already in danger here in the southern union also (as well the rest of the US) it’s most likely only a short matter of time till they will be.


Recent Comments by Lydian

The God of the Gaps
While browsing my rather voluminous file of articles to “save” I ran across this jewel—I think it is worth saving and thinking about–especially the last statement by Darwin himself:
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Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

While Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a relatively young archetype, the evolutionary worldview itself is as old as antiquity. Ancient Greek philosophers such as Anaximander postulated the development of life from non-life and the evolutionary descent of man from animal. Charles Darwin simply brought something new to the old philosophy — a plausible mechanism called “natural selection.” Natural selection acts to preserve and accumulate minor advantageous genetic mutations. Suppose a member of a species developed a functional advantage (it grew wings and learned to fly). Its offspring would inherit that advantage and pass it on to their offspring. The inferior (disadvantaged) members of the same species would gradually die out, leaving only the superior (advantaged) members of the species. Natural selection is the preservation of a functional advantage that enables a species to compete better in the wild. Natural selection is the naturalistic equivalent to domestic breeding. Over the centuries, human breeders have produced dramatic changes in domestic animal populations by selecting individuals to breed. Breeders eliminate undesirable traits gradually over time. Similarly, natural selection eliminates inferior species gradually over time.
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Darwin’s Theory of Evolution – Slowly But Surely…

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a slow gradual process. Darwin wrote, “…Natural selection acts only by taking advantage of slight successive variations; she can never take a great and sudden leap, but must advance by short and sure, though slow steps.” [1] Thus, Darwin conceded that, “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.” [2] Such a complex organ would be known as an “irreducibly complex system”. An irreducibly complex system is one composed of multiple parts, all of which are necessary for the system to function. If even one part is missing, the entire system will fail to function. Every individual part is integral. [3] Thus, such a system could not have evolved slowly, piece by piece. The common mousetrap is an everyday non-biological example of irreducible complexity. It is composed of five basic parts: a catch (to hold the bait), a powerful spring, a thin rod called “the hammer,” a holding bar to secure the hammer in place, and a platform to mount the trap. If any one of these parts is missing, the mechanism will not work. Each individual part is integral. The mousetrap is irreducibly complex. [4]

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a theory in crisis in light of the tremendous advances we’ve made in molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics over the past fifty years. We now know that there are in fact tens of thousands of irreducibly complex systems on the cellular level. Specified complexity pervades the microscopic biological world. Molecular biologist

Michael Denton wrote, “Although the tiniest bacterial cells are incredibly small, weighing less than 10-12 grams, each is in effect a veritable micro-miniaturized factory containing thousands of exquisitely designed pieces of intricate molecular machinery, made up altogether of one hundred thousand million atoms, far more complicated than any machinery built by man and absolutely without parallel in the non-living world.” [5]

And we don’t need a microscope to observe irreducible complexity. The eye, the ear and the heart are all examples of irreducible complexity, though they were not recognized as such in Darwin’s day. Nevertheless, Darwin confessed, “To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree.” [6]

Footnotes:
1. Charles Darwin, “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life,” 1859, p. 162.
2. Ibid. p. 158.
3. Michael Behe, “Darwin’s Black Box,” 1996.
4. “Unlocking the Mystery of Life,” documentary by Illustra Media, 2002.
5. Michael Denton, “Evolution: A Theory in Crisis,” 1986, p. 250.
6. Charles Darwin, “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life,” 1859, p. 155.

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I don’t think Sean could have said it better himself!


Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation
Sean, I guess I “bit off more than I can chew” when I subscribed to some of your other options.
All I can handle is the ^way it used to be”–like this column still is. Please put me back to this mode of information and I will be very happy. Thanks.


Two Adventist Universities Promote Six-Day Creation
Which other of our schools support and teach creation as a “FACT” –and give true scientific evidence for it–of which there are many such FACTS. And which one of our other schools show evolution as a worldly “THEORY”–and give the strong scientific evidences showing the weaknesses in it–of which there are many you may be totally unaware of.

And don’t just jump to the conclusion that “money” changed hands to make these schools “look good.” I happen to have several grandchildren who either have attended one of these schools or are even now attending it as well as a daughter who is working on her Masters there.

In addition to that we frequently have groups of other young people attending there here in our home for visits and a good “home cooked meal”. We also have faculty members who are good friends so I believe we have pretty good “first hand knowledge” of what is being taught there. What Sean wrote was accurate.

Be careful how you judge, young friend! Words CAN sometimes come back to “bite” at times. It may not have happened to you yet but sooner or later it will and the repercussion can often be quite unpleasant! (Trust me, at 87 years of age, I’ve “been around the block” a few times and learned some of these lessons the hard way!)


Supreme Court Decision on Church Employment Case
I mentioned my concern on this practice in another column some time ago but apparently very few, if anybody, saw things the same way so I’m mentioning it again here because I feel it is very important.

I simply cannot understand how anyone who truly respects the Bible as God’s Word to us can write it’s name over and over again and never capitalize the B. This is GODS’s Book to His children–the most important Book in the world and yet we do not pay it the respect we pay any old secular book. Who would write “Gone With The Wind” as “gone with the wind?” Nobody with any education at all would even think of doing such a thing unless they meant to degrade it for some reason.

This Book is the most important Book in the world! God gave it to His children to guide their steps to heaven. It should be handled with the utmost respect and I am reasonably sure God is not honored (or pleased) when we treat it with disrespect–which, to me anyway, is what we are doing when we do not even give it the respect we show to novels and other books that flood the market!

This Book is no ordinary Book. It is as sacred as God is–it’s Author is God Himself and it demands our deepest respect. We claim to believe what it SAYS–and we need to respect what it IS. At least this is the way I see it.


Supreme Court Decision on Church Employment Case
I mentioned my concern on this practice in another column some time ago but apparently very few, if anybody, saw things the same way so I’m mentioning it again here because I feel it is very important.

I simply cannot understand how anyone who truly respects the Bible as God’s Word to us can write it’s name over and over again and never capitalize the B. This is GODS’s Book to His children–the most important Book in the world and yet we do not pay it the respect we pay any old secular book. Who would write “Gone With The Wind” as “gone with the wind?” Nobody with any education at all would even think of doing such a thing unless they meant to degrade it for some reason.

This Book is the most important Book in the world! God gave it to His children to guide their steps to heaven. It should be handled with the utmost respect and I am reasonably sure God is not honored (or pleased) when we treat it with disrespect–which, to me anyway, is what we are doing when we do not even give it the respect we show to novels and other books that flood the market!

This Book is no ordinary Book. It is as sacred as God is–it’s Author is God Himself and it demands our deepest respect. We claim to believe what it SAYS–and we need to respect what it IS. At least this is the way I see it.