@Harold Peters: I think those are both viable actions and …

Comment on Board requests progress reports from LSU administration by Shane Hilde.

@Harold Peters: I think those are both viable actions and would send a strong message to LSU about the seriousness with which the church body views this issue.

Unfortunately it appears standing on principle is no longer valued over dollars, so when an appeal to LSU’s responsibility to uphold our beliefs fails it might be time to let the dollar speak.

Shane Hilde Also Commented

Board requests progress reports from LSU administration
@Bravus: I’m surprised to hear you think Educate Truth has an “avowed goal” to change the church’s position. You couldn’t be more wrong Bravus. What on earth gave you that impression? We uphold the church’s position. It has always been the position of the church that God created the heaven and earth in 6 days in the very recent past (about 6,000 years ago).

We’re attempting to shed light on how LSU is not upholding the church’s position.


Board requests progress reports from LSU administration

Bravus: Actually, I’m not sure how a creation+flood account fares much better than evolution in explaining why Australia was almost exclusively populated with marsupial species not found anywhere else in the world until Western settlement just a couple of hundred years ago. Feel free to branch out from the koalas and offer a plausible explanation for that

They go there somehow, which means there is some rationale explanation. Here’s one example of colonization on an island after it was destroyed by a volcano.

Six months after the eruption of a volcano on the island of Surtsey off the coast of Iceland in 1963, the island had been colonized by a few bacteria, molds, insects, and birds. Within about a year of the eruption of a volcano on the island of Krakatoa in the tropical Pacific in 1883, a few grass species, insects, and vertebrates had taken hold. On both Surtsey and Krakatoa, only a few decades had elapsed before hundreds of species reached the islands. Not all species are able to take hold and become permanently established, but eventually the island communities stabilize into a dynamic equilibrium.1

How did some of the vertebrates get there? According the abstract of Geo Journal, natural rafts and human agency were explanations for the new vertebrae on the island.

Of the 17 recorded non-volant vertebrates, 6 species are assessed as having dispersed by swimming, 4 by means of natural rafts and 7 most likely through human agency (on boats). Human-assisted dispersal is seen to be of increasing importance with the increasing number of tourist visits and this may prove to be significant in determining the nature and rate of future colonization by vertebrates.2

Rattle snakes on logs? Why not? It sounds crazy to me, but I suppose it’s possible. So here are some rationale explanations of how animals could have been transported to Australia:

1. Natural rafts
2. Human agency
3. Land bridges (Assuming sea levels were lower post-flood due to the ice-age. There is the Bering Straits between Asia and the Americas.)

Now as far as why Australia was almost exclusively populated with marsupial species not found anywhere else in the world, here’s my explanation.

Marsupial fossils are found in other parts of the world. The Virginia Opossum and the Yapok are both marsupials not living in Australia. Species do go extinct once in a while, so it’s no surprise to see that there are marsupial species that are exclusive to Australia.

I don’t see the spread of animals from the ark to the rest of the world as problem. I can speculate how it might of happened, but ultimately not knowing does nothing to lessen the reality of a global flood. God directed the animals to the ark, I wouldn’t doubt it if he directed their dispersion. This particular issue isn’t a problem either for evolutionists. The reality is that theses animals are there, so there must have been some way for them to get there. It would be nice to know how, but not knowing doesn’t necessarily change our scientific world view.

My question to for Christian evolutionists is what is THE evidence that has convinced you for long ages for life over millions and millions of years. What sold you?

At the heart of this issue is that the Seventh-day Adventist Church presupposes the Bible account is true. I like what Paul F. Taylor said in his article about this very subject:

…we have seen that scientific models can be developed to explain the post-Flood migration of animals. These models correspond to observed data and are consistent with the Bible’s account. It is notable that opponents of biblical creationism use similar models in their evolutionary explanations of animal migrations. While a model may eventually be superseded, it is important to note that such biblically consistent models exist. In any event, we have confidence in the scriptural account, finding it to be accurate and authoritative.3

1. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/129392/community-ecology/70601/Biogeographic-aspects-of-diversity
2. http://www.springerlink.com/content/hh5l421r481h82l5/
3. http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/how-did-animals-spread#fnMark_1_1_1


Board requests progress reports from LSU administration
@Bravus: I’m surprised you’ve asked such a question. Any cursory read of Genesis 6-9 reveals unmistakeable language indicating that the whole earth was literally flooded.

Here are the facts as stated in Genesis:

1. God told Noah he would destroy all flesh along with the earth. Gen. 6:13
2. God told Noah that every living substance He had made would be destroyed from off the face of the earth. Gen. 7:4
3. All the high hills under the whole sky were covered by water. Gen. 7:19
4. All flesh that moved on the earth, every living substance was destroyed. Gen. 7:23
5. God promises that the earth will never be destroyed by a flood again. Gen. 9:11

Given these details, I don’t think there can be any question that God was intending to communicate that a literal universal flood happened. Besides, if indeed the flood was not universal, how were all flesh destroyed and every mountain top covered? And what about his promise never to destroy the earth with a flood? Did he lie? Many local floods have destroyed regions of the earth.

Why did God bother having Noah build an ark for 120 years? In a 120 years Noah and his family could have easily reached safety if God was sending a local flood. God could have also directed all the animals that would have been on the ark to safety also.

For all intents and purposes Babylon was the only world power at that time. Granted not every person on earth might have heard of him but that’s irrelevant to the fact that he indeed did rule the world. Something else you’ve done is put words into the text that are not there.

“wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all.”

Notice the text says wherever people dwell God has given into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand. When God, through a vision, tells the king of the then known world power that He has given him rulership over every place people dwell, it’s difficult to argue otherwise.

But this is irrelevant to Genesis. It’s crystal clear the flood is universal.


Recent Comments by Shane Hilde

La Sierra University Hires Another Darwinist
ADvindicate has also published an article about LSU and Raul Diaz that expands on a few details.

http://advindicate.com/?p=2625


A little-known history about Belief 6
@Eddie: The Bible does not specify an age of accountability (to my knowledge), but the Israelites considered the age of 12 to be the turning point. I wouldn’t base a theology off of tradition though. Also, it’s not our place to judge what happens to those who have not been able to make a decision.


Perspectives from alleged LSU students
@Blodgett: Was there a comment you’d like to add?


At La Sierra, Biology Faculty Affirms Importance of Teaching About Creation in Curriculum
@David Read: And perhaps not something Christ would do. I can understand your frustration though. I’ve been on the verge of quitting this whole thing many times. I’ve been guilty of letting that frustration control and influence things I shouldn’t have said.

I have to remind myself to look at the big picture. In the end all those who are not supposed to be in the church will be sifted out. I pray I am not one of them.


Board of Trustees Addresses Curriculum Proposal
I know from talking to a couple of reporters from Press Enterprise and Inside Higher Ed that Randal Wisbey was effective in shutting down communication between any outsiders and the biology faculty. It appears he made himself the only channel of communication between the board and biology faculty.

I emailed Larry Becker about what bylaw the board members broke that was worthy of dismissal, and I have yet to hear a response from him.

I would also note that board members at other universities appear to be free to talk to the faculty.

Another interesting point. He removes three board members for trying to work on the problem and come up with a solution, and then turns around sort of embraces what they’re doing. He can’t publicly condemn it because everyone can see, whether you agree with what they wrote or not, that it’s a significant step for the faculty to be speaking to the church.

Did he forbid the document from being published? No. If you’re really excited about seeing the biology department making advancements in solving the issue, why are you removing the people who are making that happen. He never did anything like that.

What has Wisbey done to address and fix this issue? Nothing. He’s dragged it out, lied about what’s been happening, and told everyone involved to shut up or get in trouble. What on earth is he trying to do?

Who knows, he might even be a part of the underground movement to sever LSU from the church by using WASC as the big hammer. It’s obvious from one former board member, there was interest in using WASC to manipulate the situation.