 Know someone with intellectual objections to Christianity? As a committed feminist, I had been amassing them for decades. But then, as my mother faced eternity, I was forced to face the truth. This memoir traces the journey that took me from atheism to rock-solid faith. Could it do the same for your beloved unbeliever? You be the judge.
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 I just re-encountered this lovely photo of the mighty Colorado River snaking its way through the Grand Canyon. Evolutionists credit the Colorado for carving out this geological wonder -- 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, 5,000 feet deep -- over millions and millions of years. Given enough time, I guess anything can happen, right?
Wish I'd studied this photo 50 years ago -- because it exposes this idea of vast ages as absurd. Thanks to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state, we have been given the privilege of seeing, first-hand, how such geological formations come about. Hint: It happens suddenly, with incredible speed, and in the wake of catastrophe. So what? So the evidence of Mount St. Helens -- scientific evidence, folks! Eyewitness evidence! -- makes mincemeat of a primary evolutionary proof for the earth being millions and millions of years old. After all, evolution theory depends on two primary mechanisms: time plus chance. And Mount St. Helens destroys the Grand Canyon's utility as Exhibit A on the time side of this evolutionary equation. In point of fact, the Grand Canyon is a majestic testimony to the Genesis Flood. It is proof that the world we know today was shaped just as the Bible says it was -- suddenly, quickly, and in the wake of catastrophic events. There's much more to this argument, of course. But today I'm simply reflecting on how perhaps a thoughtful encounter with a simple photograph, accompanied by a little enlightened commentary, might have persuaded me to begin my investigation into absolute truth a lifetime ago. What a difference that would have made. Perhaps it's not too late for someone you love. (To learn more, check out what the Institute for Creation Research has to say on the subject.) Adapted from an 11/24/13 post  Here's an item from an interesting photo essay on mysteries that scientists have yet to solve (see frame #3):
Why Do Cats Purr? by Thor Jensen "Unsolved scientific mysteries don’t have to be large-scale questions about the nature of the universe. They can be closer to home – such as the centuries-long investigation into why cats purr. The soft rumbling noise is typically made as an expression of happiness and contentment, but cats also emit the sound when they’re upset or recovering from injury. There’s even a special purr that they make when they’re wanting to be fed. Even more puzzling is how they purr – there’s no specific organ that makes the sound, and the best theory we have is that it’s a result of contractions of the larynx around the vocal [chords]." And there are naturally many more unsolved mysteries in this world, starting with the origins of all that compressed matter that supposedly erupted, via a mysteriously caused Big Bang, into everything in the universe. (No word on where space came from.) This photo essay takes an intriguing look at just a few of those mysteries, from human fingerprints and the distribution of prime numbers to to the existence of gravity and free will. So here's my question: How is it that so many people -- a growing minority, if surveys are to be believed, including a grand proportion of the intelligentsia -- are trusting their eternities to the word of scientists who don't even have a clue how cats purr? We're talking about the most critical whodunit of our lives -- and the atheists' bumbling Hercules Poirots are turning a blind eye to the obvious Suspect. If you're looking for the solution, don't go to the end of the book; you'll find it thoroughly explained in the very first sentence, AKA Genesis 1:1. Adapted from an 11/26/13 post.  Spotted on a white board in a video about the Institute of Creation Research:
"Truth is treason in the empire of lies." Isaiah 28:15 That's not a direct translation of this verse in the book of Isaiah, but it sure is an accurate observation about a culture where "we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves" (Isaiah 28:15b, NKJV). It's certainly where we are in this country today. But it's not a sudden fulfillment of an ancient prophecy; it's precisely the condition that Hans Christian Andersen was exposing in his insightful 1837 story, "The Emperor's New Clothes" (illustrated above in a painting by Edmund Dulac). You know the story, right? Swindlers convince the emperor, and just about everyone else, that they weave fabrics so magnificent that clothing made from their cloth is invisible to those unworthy of their positions. The swindlers proceed to make the emperor an imaginary suit which he then parades through the town. No one wants to be exposed as unworthy -- until a child with no pride of position speaks the truth: "But he hasn't got anything on." At last, a whisper begins to spread through the crowd, and at least some acknowledge the truth. But the elite continue in their fantasy, Andersen tells us: "The Emperor shivered, for he suspected they were right. But he thought, 'This procession has got to go on.' So he walked more proudly than ever, as his noblemen held high the train that wasn't there at all." It's a perfect analogy for what has happened among the world's scientific elites -- and what organizations like ICR are doing to help the crowd see through the lie. Truth has indeed become treason. Thank God for scientists such as those at ICR -- scientists who stand for truth in spite of the consequences. Originally posted August 16, 2014  Think the Bible is just another religious tome? Think again! Today, there are dozens of excellent books demonstrating that it's precisely what it claims to be: the inerrant, inspired word of the living God. But for sheer power, my favorite is still a volume that simply and eloquently presents the Bible's history: The Indestructible Book (Baker Books, 1996) by the late Ken Connolly.
In fewer than 200 pages, Dr. Connolly builds a rock-solid case for the Bible's divine origins -- starting with this first-page paragraph, which still blows me away: "Some people were so committed to the belief that this is God's book that they were even willing to die for that proposition. And strangely, others have been willing to put them to death. The bitterness and resentment against this book are difficult to explain. The cruelest of instruments have been used in an effort to prevent its propagation. Body racks, tongue pinchers, thumb screws, iron boots and whipping trees have all been used in attempts to turn supporters against the Bible. Such supporters have been hung, drawn and quartered; they have been burned, boiled and beheaded. Even in the twentieth century in some countries, men and women have been imprisoned and tortured for reading this forbidden book." How can this be? To find out, why not read The Indestructible Book, and then devote some serious time to studying the Bible itself? You will be forever grateful ... and forever changed.  I am so weary of professing-Christian PhDs who side with atheists like Richard Dawkins in the battle against Genesis – especially when they preach their heresies from the pulpit, using their educational credentials to lead other professing Christians down the wide path to destruction. Here’s an adaptation of a letter I sent to one such scientist; I share it because you might find the resources I mention personally interesting or possibly useful for your own correspondence.
Dear Dr. _______, I’m writing to call your attention to a grave error you made in your September 22nd message on the subject of science and faith. Since I am sure you do not want to bear false witness against the fundamentalists whom you call your friends, I do hope you will take a closer look at the issues you have raised and refrain from disseminating false information about us. You said, “… our fundamentalist friends who insist that so-called intelligent design be taught in the classrooms ... insist that science and faith cannot co-exist.” This is simply not true. On the contrary, fundamentalists say, quite correctly, that science supports the Bible rather than godless evolutionary theory. Creation scientists have written hundreds of outstanding books on every imaginable aspect of this subject, and there are scores of web sites addressing these issues. If you don’t care to take the time to investigate this critical issue yourself – which of course speaks to the very authority of scripture – then I would ask you to simply stop making such false statements. If, however, you would like to be in a position to speak the truth on this issue, here is a solid starter list of books for you to study: www.everlastingplace.com/library.html. You might want to spend some time with Answers in Genesis, the Institute for Creation Research and the Creation Research Society. All three of these organizations (as well as many others) count among their ranks highly credentialed Ph.D. scientists. You might also want to take a look at resources such as these:
In your message, you also apparently claim to know the hearts of “the writers” of Genesis (please note that there was only one -- Moses). You said, “The writers of Genesis did not view science and religion as being in conflict. They wrote their poems of creation as works of art and theological reflection without concern for their scientific accuracy.” But Genesis is not a poetic work or a theological reflection; compare it to the Psalms, and you will see the difference. Instead, Moses was faithfully recording history in a book inspired by the only One who was actually on the spot “in the beginning.” You may not believe any of this; that is your privilege. However, you should know that, in standing with Richard Dawkins and his ilk against your fundamentalist “friends,” you are in essence advising listeners to reject the authority of scripture, which is in turn an invitation to pick and choose whatever they want to believe and obey. This is bad enough when you are speaking to adults; consider what Jesus Himself said about those who lead children into sin (Matthew 18:6). Finally, I would like to remind you that it is spiritually and perhaps eternally dangerous to shrug off Jesus’ own endorsement of the Pentateuch. As He said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” (John 5:46) It is my prayer that you will apply that fine mind of yours to seeking out the truth of scripture and of science, and to sharing that truth with others. But if that’s too much to ask, please at least refrain from misrepresenting what fundamentalists and creation scientists teach. Sincerely, Adapted from an 11/27/13 post |
Kitty
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