Comment on New Adventist president envisions a church marked by prayer, revival by Lydian Belknap.
A couple of days ago I received my latest copy of Acts and Facts from the Institute For Creation Research which, as far as I know, is not affiliated with any particular church organization but which is staffed with Bible-believing scientists whose passion in life is to defend the Biblical account of Creation. I wish our church had something as forceful and emphatic as this site on the subject–and, frankly, I have a rather dfficult time understanding why we don’t! As I understand it, we are supposed to be the “head and not the tail†of all things Scriptural.
I don’t mean to be critical but, also frankly, I was rather disappointed in what I heard SOME, not all, of our creation scientists say at the GC session in Atlanta. Somehow it did not always seem to have that “ring of certainty†(to me anyhow) that Acts and Facts seems to have. Am I missing something? If so, I’d appreciate it if someone would tell me how and where.
As usual, there were a number of very interesting articles in this issue and, as usual, they ring with confidence in the Creator God and the marvelous way He designed things “in the beginningâ€â€“things that simply could not have just “happened.†It took a wonderful Mind that knew what it was doing to design and create even the very lowest of the low creatures that live in this world. There is simply no way any of these creatures–or mankind– could have “evolved†thru random acts of “whatever†with no “Mind†behind it.
And there isn’t a single sign of anything like this still taking place today. Dogs are still dogs, cats are still cats, birds are still birds, horses, goats and bees are still horses, goats and bees–with not a single example of anything now recognizable slowly changing into anything else recognizable or unrecognizable today. Yes, we get two headed animals or other such deformities (whether in dogs, cats, horses or people but they are still dogs, cats, horses or people.) And no one has ever seen a monkey turning into a human being. If evolution ever took place why isn’t it continuing today? Who or what stopped it–and why?
Where does common sense come into play?
A little girl came to her mother one day and asked her where she came from. The mother told her the wonderful creation story and ended by saying we all came from a loving God.
Later she ask her father the same question and he told her everyone descended from monkeys. Thoroughly confused she returned to her mother and told her what her father had said.
The mother smiled and said, “Honey, I told you where My family came from and he told you where HIS came from!â€
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Was it Shakespear who said “Much learning hath made thee madâ€? Whoever it was I think they “got it right!â€
Lydian Belknap Also Commented
New Adventist president envisions a church marked by prayer, revival
@Bill Sorensen:
Oops! I should have known where that came from! Thanks for reminding me. I have a problem with my sleep pattern and often wake up in the middle of the night and cannot go back to sleep for several hours–so I get up and see what’s going on in the world by opening my computer. Sad to say, my mind is seldom at it’s best at that time of night and, at 86, isn’t always what it once was either!
I have a tendency to agree with you here on this perhaps being “diversion to direct our focus from other more subtle issues of sin and apostasy in the church,†though it is truly a BIG issue and needs to be dealt with speedily and effectively.
I am shocked over the length of time this has been allowed to fester. I knew nothing about it until this web site was given to me by my oldest daughter a while back. I suspect there are a great many-esp. in my generation,who would almost rather die than get anywhere near a computer– so know little or nothing about this situation since it is not discussed in church–at least not in my church until recently.
We are truly Laodiceans–all of us–in one way or another. Your sins are without a doubt different from the ones I struggle with–but sin is sin–and we are all lukewarm sinners! When we point a finger at someone else we must remember that three fingers are pointing back at us. Still, that doesn’t excuse the “watchmen on the walls of Zion†who need to stand up and do something about this evil thing that is in probably a lot more places than LSU.
New Adventist president envisions a church marked by prayer, revival
We can look all day at faults in the church.Noah’s Ark, I bet, was a stinky place with foul smells, and a lot of poop. They were locked up in there for a long time (more than 40 days). Question: if you were living at that time, would you want to be anywhere else?Think about that. (Quote)
No, I would not have wanted to be any place else. BUT I am convinced that the God who gave Noah the instructions for building that ark knew all about the sanitation needs of the people and animals that would live in it and He provided a way to take care of this. We will just have to wait ’till eternity to find out how He did it. I have no question but the inside of that ark was clean, sweet smelling and airy. My God doesn’t work any other way!
I have so many questions to ask God about–and so many other things I want to know about.
I am really looking forward to sitting and listening to Daniel and John discuss the two prophecy books they wrote. John had Daniel’s book to look at and study but Daniel didn’t have John’s. And I sm sure even John didn’t understand every thing Daniel wrote because so many were still in the future. And remember the last parts of Daniel were sealed until the “time of the end!”
For that matter, most of what John wrote was also still in the future and there were no doubt many things he wrote that even he could not fully understand or visualize. In heaven they will be able to lay the two books side by side and compare them with what actually happened–and how wonderfully they were fulfilled by things that took place on this earth centuries after their books were closed and they were laid to rest.
What a wonderful heavenly Father we have and what an amazing time that will be–I CAN HARDLY WAIT!
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.
