Comment on LSU leaves out key facts by Lydian Belknap.
To me, this all boils down to one simple question–which Master do we serve, on whose wisdom do we depend–God, or other human beings? If we are not God-centered, we really end up being “arch deceiver†centered. The one who snared our first parents and thus brought all of this misery into the world we now live in. There is no “middle groundâ€!!
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15
My personal trust is in the God who made heaven and earth–and everything contained therein–and His precious gift–the Bible!.
Does this mean that God does not want us to study other things–to broaden our minds and study nothing else but the Bible? Not at all!!! Nature is His “second book†and, rightly understood, will lead us back to Him. He wants us to grow intellectually as well as spiritually–but we need to be very careful that we do not put man’s puny wisdom above His wisdom. ““To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them!†Isaiah 8:20
This simple belief was what our church was founded on and this simple belief should be the main criteria when considering some one to teach in– or run–any and all of our institutions, OR fill any influential position in our church structure. I can’t see that all this bickering back and forth about different studies by human beings is leading us anywhere. No matter what one says Satan makes sure there will always be someone there to bring in some man-made “study†that SEEMINGLY refutes it and many, many minds–both inside our institutions and among the laity–will become more and more confused and many will be lost because of it.
I fear that too often people are hired to teach–or voted into leadership positions–based on their “credentials†or “educational achievements†rather than their core belief in God and His Word. We are so anxious to be “recognized†by the world as being “something important†rather than being important to God and following the instructions He has given us both in the Bible and in the Spirit of Prophecy that we bring in unsanctified humans to educate our youth and run our institutions. This is wrong–and it is the reason why we are in the mess we are in today.
God has promised that IF we follow HIS instructions we will be the head–not the tail–in all of our endeavors. We usually give lip-service to this ideal but in actual practice we all too often don’t follow it. I truly believe that the “shaking time†Ellen White said would come is here and I fear for our beloved church. When that has done it’s work we are told that our very worst enemies will be those who were once with us.
I have already seen one of the teachers at whose feet I sat in my college years–and one I had a great deal of respect for–turn his back on what he had taught me in college. He did not “leave the church†but his influence was deadly. This is going to be repeated over and over again in the coming days we have before probation closes and the results will be terrible for those who choose to serve God rather than the enemy of souls. We WILL face persecution–and, more often than not–it will be at the hands of those we have loved and trusted as fellow believers. It is past time when we, as God’s remnant church,must wake up and decide whose side we are really on. Believe God–it is going to get MUCH worse before it gets better and we had better get our priorities straight before that time comes!
Table of Contents
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.
