As I see it, this whole controversy boils down to …

Comment on Student reveals true intent of LSU’s biology seminar class by Lydian Belknap.

As I see it, this whole controversy boils down to one simple thing as far as I am concerned: Do we believe that the Bible is the living, life changing, Word of the God of the universe or do we not? Do we believe that this God is the all-powerful, all knowing Being He claims to be or don’t we? Believing in creation, as such, will never save anyone. It is in knowing, and believing in the all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God of creation that will.

I am not against studying ABOUT evolution in our schools. Our young people are bound to be met with it someday, somewhere–but that study MUST be done in the light of “thus saith the Lord” which ALWAYS should be center-front regardless of what we are studying. When we once start “reasoning” outside of the Bible we are on very dangerous ground. Mankind, led by the arch-deceiver, can always find a reason to doubt, to question, to turn his back on a “thus saith the Lord.” It happened to Eve in the Garden and it has been happening to Eve’s descendants ever since. But it always ends in destruction in one form or another. Always! If any theory does not agree with Scripture it is always wrong and the work of the arch deceiver. Always!!!

Please, let’s stop our bickering and unite on the one sure foundation of “thus saith the Lord.” It is the only “sure thing” in this world and to venture off of that foundation will only end in suffering the second and final death. It is simply to big a risk to take.

I firmly believe that we are living in the very “toenails” of the image of Daniel 2 and that King Jesus will soon burst through the starry skies to gather His faithful people and take them Home. This is not the time to be led astray by the many winds of false doctrine that are going to grow more and more powerful as time goes on. We must return to being the “people of the Book,” as Adventists were once called, if we want to be among the faithful ones who, with rapture, will exclaim “This is our God–we have waited for Him and He will save us. This is the Lord–we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation!”

Lydian Belknap Also Commented

Student reveals true intent of LSU’s biology seminar class
I stand corrected, Pastor Paulson. My quetion is this: I am in a Union far away from LSU. Does tithe from every union go to help support LSU in any way? In other words, does ALL tithe end up in a giant “pot” somewhere and is then distributed to all the fields accordingt to size and needs? I’m quite sure there are a lot of folks who are also somewhat confused over just how the system works. A brief explanation would be very much appreciated.


Student reveals true intent of LSU’s biology seminar class
D Burt says:
May 11, 2010 (Quote)
I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. If we are paying tithe money to these teachers, then they should hold to the church teachings. If they cannot be ethically honest and state that they do not agree with SDA teachings and positions and go elsewhere for employment, then they should be fired. Pure and simple. If the powers that be refuse to fire them, then have a “tithe strike”. Don’t withhold tithe, just send it to another union or world field. When the money dries up, and the school has to make cuts to survive, then you might have someone’s attention! D Bur

5-13-01
D Burt–

There is only one problem with your solution (as I see it). That is, LSU is located in the S. California conference. That area of the country is well-known to be the most liberal conference in the whole country–as well as probably the wealthiest one. Any “lack of funds” caused by the rest of us sending our tithe elsewhere could, and probably would, be quickly made up by the ones who agree with what is happening at LSU. (Don’t misunderstand me, there are MANY in S. Cal who are dedicated SDA’s. I lived in that general area for a year in the early 50’s and it was true then and I am sure it is also true today.)

I read a rather amusing little story last week that I would like to share–(Hopefully it will not be edited out.)

A young girl asked her mother where she came from and the mother told her the wonderful Genesis story. Later she asked her father the same question and he told her that she was descended from monkeys who, after millions of years, managed to become humans.

The child, terribly confused, went back to her mother for an explanation. The mother smiled and said, “Honey, I told you the story of where I KNOW my family came from. What you father told you was the story of where he THINKS his family came from!” (Not a totally accurate explanation, of course, but a rather interesting answer!)


Student reveals true intent of LSU’s biology seminar class
“The greatest want of the world is the want of men,–men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall”.–Education, p. 57

Thank you, Louie, for being “one of those men”!

Remember:

Just where YOU stand in the conflict
That is YOUR PLACE!
Just where you think you are useless
Hide not your face–
God put YOU there for a purpose–
What ‘ere it may be
Know He has chosen YOU for it,
Work faithfully!

I do not mean to be critical but I cannot help being appalled at what has been going on and the apparently spineless way it has been handled by our leadership for so many years. Truly the “camel” not only is totally inside the leadership “tent” at LSU but at least somewhat entrenched at the different “headquarters” at the Southern California Conference and the union who is supposed to be overseeing it–as well as a long way “up the ladder.”

Keep up your courage, Louie, you may not be very popular with the administration at LSU but there are many who are supporting you in prayer! What you are doing must make an impact on the leadership and, hopefully, leaders will be chosen at the upcoming GC meetings who have the courage to meet this crises in a meaningful way. (I hope you will be there!)


Recent Comments by Lydian Belknap

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.


A New Endowment Program for Adventist Education
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.)


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.