The Rise of Theistic Evolutionism – The Salvation of Christianity?
Holly, I may be wrong but It seems to me they have already had ample time to defend their beliefs but,as far as I have seen, nobody has been willing to step up to the plate and do it. I wonder why??? (And I am NOT trying to be sarcastic!) I suspect there are a lot of very confused folks out there who are struggling to know what to believe. They need our prayers and not our condemnation.

I keep wondering why “headquarters” is so silent on these matters. I realize this is a very thorny situation for all concerned but a new school year has begun and I’m sure there are many parents out there wondering if they have sent their children to the right place. (My children are all grown, married,and have grown children of their on who are also grown and getting married–and one brand new beautiful great granddaughter so it really isn’t a problem for me right now but I really “feel” for those parents!)

But we are living in what I believe is the “beginning of the end” and things are going to get worse as time goes on. If ever a people needed God it is now!

The Rise of Theistic Evolutionism – The Salvation of Christianity?
Holly’s question:

“Do we have any theistic evolutionists who can answer my question? Anyone from Spectrum? Adventist Today? La Sierra?

Dr. Taylor? Dr. Geraty? Dr. Bradley?

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Relax, Holly, and face reality. None of those you put your questions to will ever answer them because there are no rational answers and, deep down inside, they know it.

One runs into more questions than answers when one tries to get rid of God! He is just too much bigger, and much too much more powerful than any of us puny humans are. No matter which way we turn God is already THERE. In our innermost being we know this but humanity just does not want to recognize Him because that will make us accountable to Him and,face it, we just do not want to be accountable to any one.

As long as there is the slightest bit of hope The “Hound of Heaven” will pursue us relentlessly but there does come a time when hope is gone and the voice of the Holy Spirit becomes fainter and fainter until we simply can no longer hear it. This is not God’s doing–it is ours. Hopefully, none of these folks have reached this point (and we have no way of knowing so we are not to judge them. That is God’s job–not ours.) We do need to pray for them, then leave them in God’s hands and refrain from harsh judgement.

But this does NOT mean that they should be allowed to teach in our schools,our Sabbath Schools or preach in our churches!

The Rise of Theistic Evolutionism – The Salvation of Christianity?
8-22-11

Tonight is the first time I have read everything on this particular section and I think it contains more common sense than any I have come across before–and it is simple enough for even a child to understand.

It is a very good question–If it took God eons to create the world then it stands to reason that recreating it would also take Him eons. Such reasoning blows the entire Bible story away and then we have nothing to base our hope of eternal life on–and we are “of all men most miserable.”

Thank God for the Bible! Thank God for the Spirit of Prophecy! We have a solid rock of information to build or faith on–and when the “storms” come and the “rains beat down” we will be safe and secure in our “house on the Rock”–and that Rock is our God and Savior and the wonderful information He has given us!

My faith has always been strong but tonight I think it has become even stronger! Thank you all!

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.