@Shane Hilde: I received education from Dr. Ness, and if …

Comment on PUC responds by Kristen.

@Shane Hilde:

I received education from Dr. Ness, and if you had been lucky enough to learn from him, you’d change your turn real fast. Dr. Ness is EXTREMELY God-centric. Last time I checked, a bible is NOT a textbook. God and our faith shapes everything about us, but God also loves those that educate themselves. I can tell you that Dr. Ness was one of the very best Christians I met at PUC, and this includes many of the theology professors. Dr. Ness does not TALK about being a Christian, he LIVES it. If you had the pleasure of knowing him, you would see God in him, guaranteed.

Recent Comments by Kristen

PUC Professor: The Noachian Flood was just a local flood?
I wonder how many people posting on this website know Dr. Ness? I went to PUC and graduated with a degree in Biology in 2004. I know Dr. Ness as an educator, a person and a Christian. Not only is Dr. Ness one of the BEST educators I’ve ever had to privilege to learn from, he is absolutely one of the best Christians I have ever known. He is not the type to profess himself a Christian and then turn around and spew hatred at those that are different. He is the type of Christian who you simply SEE God in. He is a wonderful man, with a wonderful heart, a brilliant mind, and a DEEP love for God. Let me tell you something about being an SDA and a scientist; it’s not easy. There is a lot of evidence out there that seemingly supports evolution. There is also evidence to support creationism, but it is not as simple as evolution because there is a very big component of creation that is faith-based, and therefore, can never be a completely scientific issue. One of the most disturbing things you will learn about evolution if you study science is the pigheadedness and downright fanaticism people bring to their belief in evolution. There is NO alternative, and even if you show them complete, decisive proof to the contrary, they will still believe in evolution, and in some cases, perpetuate disproven studies as fact (i.e. the dead moths glued to the trees). As SDAs, and scientists, you cannot take this same approach. The best way to be left behind is to be stubborn and dig your heels in. Science is continually changing, new evidence presents itself and you cannot be static on the issues. God is steadfast and never-changing, but our imperfect planet and our pathetic brains are not on par with His greatness.

What I find very disturbing is how much people tie a belief in the literal 7-day creation into your faith and love of God. They should not be so intermingled. I believe fully that the bible IS from God, but the bible is NOT the DIRECT WORD OF GOD. It was written and compiled by men, who are anything but perfect. Do I believe in creation? Absolutely. Look around nature and it is impossible not to. But do I believe in a literal 7-day creation week? Quite honestly, I don’t know nor do I really care. I know in my heart, and in my brain, that God created this planet for us with love. To me, how he did it, and in what time frame is like nitpicking at a beautiful painting because a different kind of brush was used. The end result is what matters; not how it was done. Now, I am not saying that it wasn’t a literal 7 days, but what I’m saying is that is not the point. Don’t get so caught up in the small details. Creation is amazing, God is amazing, and how he did it is small potatoes. If you want to take everything the bible says literally, you’d better not pick up a stick on Sabbath, or be stoned. Or, you better start believing in eternal damnation.

In conclusion, I know Dr. Ness very well, and he is one of the best people I have ever known, in pretty much any and every way possible. Dr. Ness is one of the people that reaffirms my faith in God. When you get so stuck in your beliefs, and start mandating people follow it to the letter “or else” you go down a dangerous road. Dr. Ness can talk about these issues because his faith and love in God are not tied into literal translation of the creation story; his relationship with God is much deeper. I support Dr. Ness 100% and I am absolutely certain that God does too.