THE GREAT IMPOSITION OF MATTER AND SPIRIT

By Will Myers

Life has always been in contact and supported by the material and potentialities (spirit) in the universe. There has never been a time in which man was not imposing on God and God imposing on man. During this imposition, man is being conditioned in this discipline to arrive at the knowledge of correctness and unto perfection which are parts of God’s Righteousness.

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.

JOHN 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

I believe as suspected that the question of whether our Creator exist is moot because the whole universe is here, and expressing perfect order. The thought that the universe and humans came into existence by random events is nonsense, and men only use the denial to escape a superior God because they are trying to become little gods.

Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” We can assume that there is a Potentiality Who Made all things which is invisible that contain the principles and laws of physics. I define this Potentiality as Uspace, the governor of all things; God’s Righteousness; the stone that God laid in the essense of things (Zion). The above scripture gives the connection between the God’s supernatural spirit of Truth, Uspace, and the NEXUSES of this world which is the physical world in motion.

The mind has a brain that stores routine information and a faculty in the upper mind that involuntarily and constantly calculates probabilities from information stored or observed by the senses via the brain. Both brain and upper faculty of the mind function by binding or loosening as dictated by the brain (Free Will). The upper faculty of the mind returns information to enhance the survival and betterment of the subject.

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

There exist an order in the universe which never changes such as the laws of physics. There is always a predictable NEXUS due to the perfect order in the universe. First the NEXUS must be observed. In this dynamic universe (Vspace) is the potential of all nexuses that exist at any moment. Man since his creation has observed and attempted to predict the nexus in this world, and has always been inspired by God’s Uspace. The mind of any and all life forms has always imposed on God and God’s Uspace has always imposed on the life form’s mind and body. If man seeks to observe the whole universal truth than he encounters the problem of observing his own eyes because he is part of the whole. Inspiration from God Who is not of this world but is in this world is necessary. The God Equations: (Uspace)(Vspace)= QV; the existence equation God Equation Final Draft Nov 23 2013 2a Qua Variance (QV) is the way God made things to work as revealed by His principles and laws. The Observer Equation is a God Equation that metaphysically represents man’s investigation of his environment. It represents the continual imposition of God and man (UspaceVspace). The Son of God possessed the Potentiality of the perfect Spirit (Uspace). The Son of God is the Living Word of God and is perfect. Man’s knowledge is not perfect, but innately has corruption, and corrupt things never add up to a perfect thing. A Savior is needed sent from God Who is Perfect (Uspace = Vspace, Jesus condition). Qua Variance (QV) is the way God made things; the principles and concepts and laws. Man seeks the absolute truth, and adds to his collective knowledge (qv’s, a subset of QV which is the total set of principles )

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’  (Uspace)

Faith (more faith, more accurately hearing God) in the Word of God that furnishes the true binding and true loosening between God’s Kingdom and the world on  Earth. Matter and spirit have always been locked together and in a continual wrestling match. This shall continue until the spirit be torn away from the material by God’s Spirit of Truth, His Righteousness which is in His Son, Jesus.

Hebrew 1:1-2 [ God’s Final Word: His Son ] In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

Our main purpose of life is to talk with our Heavenly Father and obey. Life is a process that never stops. Receiving God’s love always without ceasing is the state of mind that all desire, and it is more than sufficient to live a joyful life. Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Man, is the One that the universe is talking about; discourse with God develops (Religion) through the continual imposition of God and man in our discipline, and can lead unto God’s Holy Spirit that is in Christ Jesus. Due to man being imperfect a Savior is necessary that is perfect and acceptable to God, our Creator.

Man acquires his knowledge (QV)  such as science and philosophy by the imposition of God (Uspace) and man (Vspace exposure). The heavens declares Jesus (Uspace), Son of God.

John 6:35  “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

***  Will Myers
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Astronomy Sheds New Light on the Christmas Star

By Guest Writer, Dr. Hugh Ross

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The star that appeared to the Magi, indicating the promised Messiah’s arrival and prompting a pilgrimage to Judea, has sparked much speculation.1 The Magi saw the same star reappear one to two years after its first appearance while on their short journey between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, following a consultation with King Herod and his court. This stellar event is recorded nowhere else in ancient literature—so it must have been just dramatic enough to catch the attention of the watchful Magi, but too subtle to warrant the notice of other astronomers and astrologers of that time.

The question is, what kind of celestial event or object fits the timing and description provided in Matthew?

As I noted in a previous article, it is best to hold explanations for the star of Bethlehem tentatively. Matthew 2 gives us few, albeit interesting, details. To complicate matters, the Greek word translated as “star” (aster) can indicate a number of different astronomical bodies, including a star, planet, comet, asteroid, or meteor.2 Fortunately, recent discoveries published in Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Astrophysical Journal have shed new light on the possible explanations for the Christmas star.

Narrowing Down the Possibilities

Most Christmas star explanations claim the phenomenon was some kind of conjunction in which two celestial objects—two bright planets or a bright planet and the Moon or a bright planet and a bright star—appear close together in the sky. The problem is that the objects in a conjunction typically remain distinguishable as two distinct bodies, but, in Matthew 2, aster appears in the singular form. Of all the conjunctions that occurred within a five-year window of 5 BC (the date most favored by scholars for Christ’s birth), only in the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter (June 17, 2 BC) did the two objects draw close enough together to appear as a single object. However, this blending of the two into one lasted just an hour and was visible as a blended object only in the Americas and in southern and western Africa.3 Furthermore, this conjunction took place following the death of King Herod, which places it too late for the account of the Magi.

Others have speculated that the Christmas star was a bright comet or supernova. But if this were the case, we could expect that Chinese, Indian, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman scholars would have noted it. All of these cultures were diligent about recording dramatic events in the sky, especially comets and supernovae. Such an event would not fit with Matthew’s implication that the star went unnoticed by all except the Magi. It must also be noted that conjunctions, comets, asteroids, and bright meteors do not reappear one to two years later as the same image in the same location in the sky.

There are those who argue that the star was of a supernatural origin, such as an angel or God’s Shekinah glory. The text, however, does not seem to support this conclusion. Though these popular theories seem to be on shaky ground, I would suggest that there is another possibility that is both scientifically and biblically plausible.

Was the Christmas Star a Recurring Nova?

Even before I became a Christian, the Christmas star held some fascination for me. During my teenage years, when I was director of observations for the Vancouver chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, I gave a lecture on the star of Bethlehem in which I argued that the star was a recurring nova. The brighter novae (see figure 1) are rare enough that they could catch the attention of the Magi (who, it seems, were waiting for a sign), yet also dim enough to escape the notice of other observers. And, unlike supernovae, a few novae actually can erupt several times.


Figure 1: Artist’s Rendition of a Nova
The white dwarf star (right) over time accretes enough mass from a red giant star companion to undergo an eruption where the luminosity of the system increases by several hundred times. For some white dwarf-red giant systems the eruption recur.
Image credit: NASA

There was one snag with my hypothesis. All the recurring novae that astronomers had observed did not recur until more than 10 years later and most did not recur for a century! Nevertheless, as an astronomer, I believed it sufficiently possible for a nova to recur in less than two years and stuck to this explanation (see here and here), although I also suggested that cataclysmic variable stars as an alternate hypothesis.4 But this year, new research provided exciting validation of the short-period recurring nova idea.

Astronomers observed nova M31N 2008-12a recurring within a period of only one year.5 Following this discovery, a team of four astronomers demonstrated that a certain kind of white dwarf star could exhibit recurring nova eruptions with a period as short as two months.6 Such a white dwarf star’s rotation rate would need to be close to zero and its mass would need to be 1.38 times the Sun’s mass. It also would need to be accreting mass from a companion star at a rate of 0.00000036 solar masses per year. The team also showed that a one-year nova eruption period requires a white dwarf with a mass = 1.30 solar masses and an accretion rate = 0.00000015 solar masses per year.

Though rare in our Milky Way Galaxy, such high-mass, high-accreting white dwarfs  are expected to exist in numbers sufficient enough to lend more than adequate credence to the account of the star of Bethlehem. Christians can continue to embrace the Christmas star as the sign that led the Magi to the Messiah who brings light and hope to a dark and weary world.

View the complete article here.

Endnotes:

      1. For example, see Mark Kidger, The Star of Bethlehem: An Astronomer’s View (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1999); Courtney Roberts, The Star of the Magi: The Mystery That Heralded the Coming of Christ (Pompton Plains, NJ: New Page Books, 2007); and Michael R. Molnar, The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi (Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2013) to name just a few. The Star of Bethlehem (2009) hosted by Frederick Larson is the bestselling DVD on the subject.
      2. Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1977): 81–82.
      3. “A Christmas Near Occultation – Venus and Jupiter, June 17, 2 BC,” accessed November 21, 2014, http://www.nature1st.net/bogan/astro/occultations/2bcocclt.htm.
      4. A cataclysmic variable star briefly brightens by a hundred times or more. Astronomers have observed several cataclysmic variables where successive bright eruptions are separated by less than two years. Unlike recurring novae, however, cataclysmic variables very rarely re-erupt at the same approximate brightness.
      5. M. J. Darnley et al., “A Remarkable Recurrent Nova in M31 – The Optical Observations,” Astronomy and Astrophysics 563 (March 2014): L9; M. Henze et al., “A Remarkable Recurrent Nova in M31 – The X-Ray Observations,” Astronomy and Astrophysics 563 (March 2014): L8; Sumin Tang et al., “An Accreting White Dwarf Near the Chandrasekhar Limit in the Andromeda Galaxy,” Astrophysical Journal 786 (May 1, 2014): id. 61.
      6. Mariko Kato et al., “Shortest Recurrence Periods of Novae,” Astrophysical Journal 793 (October 1, 2014): id. 136.

Dr. Hugh Ross

Reasons to Believe emerged from my passion to research, develop, and proclaim the most powerful new reasons to believe in Christ as Creator, Lord, and Savior and to use those new reasons to reach people for Christ.
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15 Social Parameters On Any Scale That Must Be Minimized

By my experience, there are 15 societal parameters that must be minimized through actions of the citizens. If we allow these 15 parameter to increase, than our freedoms and liberties are at risk. Our privacy is definitely at risk. If privacy is virtually lost than our free democracy shall be lost, and fascism (dominating influence by corporate America) shall abound. We are becoming a poly oligarchy society; a powerful collection of special interests who rule our country. From this, there shall be warfare in high places to own your mind or part of your mind.

Orwell’s “1984” fiction novel which have “Big Brother” and the “thought police” is moving into reality. When 911 occurred, and Bush announced that we are now under a new world order implied that the social machinery was in place and working; that was the beginning. When the social machinery comes into fruition our lives shall be controlled quite differently. God shall be outlawed. Big Brother shall become our parents; thereafter, becoming our god. The mark of the beast shall manifest, and no one can transact for necessities without the mark.

THE 15 SOCIAL PARAMETERS THAT COLLECTIVELY CAUSES MASS SHOOTINGS:

1. Castration of the targeted individual.

2. Increased risk to the targeted individual’s life.

3. Overwhelming orchestration of adversity upon targeted individual.

4. Cloak and digger effects on individual.

5. Stealing of original thought from the targeted individual.

6. Destroying self worth of targeted individual.

7. Targeted individual faces deception of the sophistication kind.

8. Individual losses genuineness in daily interactions.

9. Invasion of privacy of the targeted individual.

10. Targeted individual has freedom and liberties severely restricted.

11. Targeted individual in reality doesn’t experience the life in our free democracy.

12. Harassment naturally occurs exponentially.

13. Isolation effect upon targeted individual.

14. Government plays on targeted individuals in the media in order to identify with the people. Causes more pressure on individual.

15. Ostracizing Affect caused by influential special interest groups that target individuals.

The 15 parameters could be depleted to 3 parameters, but 15 is more sensitive; more measurements; the more sensitivity. As subject or targeted person attempts to resolve the effects as described in the 15 parameters condemnation keeps eliminating their ground. Stress from the masses on the targeted person dictates an attack (revenge) on the masses; thereby, we have mass shootings. Mass killers are always attempting to neutralize the condemnation from the stress charged to the masses; everyone is making a statement of the perceived wrong done to them. Subjects who join terrorist groups are seeking a solution to their feelings as represented in the 15 parameters.

Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

THE BEAST IS COMING SOON
Revelation 13:17; “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

Revelation 14:9; And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

Revelation 14:11; And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Revelation 15:2; And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Revelation 16:2; And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image.

Revelation 19:20; And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Revelation 20:4; And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

We should fight against the engulfing affect upon any targeted individual as indicated by the 15 parameters as fighting a wildfire. Fight to keep the faith because it is our savior; our Preserver; Matthew 6:20 “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” If we all seek God’s Spirit Of Truth then God shall send peace followed by joy. The Beast will come into full fruition within the next 30 years, but is affecting us now; individual by individual.

The social concept of “do unto others as you would do unto your self” must apply increasingly and effectively in order to stop masses killings. We need a more gentle nation with love.

HELP STOP THE MASS KILLERS. Work to decrease the 15 social parameters, and put the fires out.

The old saying “lace up your boots and step up the latter to success” is fine if the integrity of the latter has not been secretly undermined.

“IN GOD WE TRUST”, and no other entity.

Caveat: When God is not the lead the world says such words as “he was a misfit”; “he was withdrawn”; “he couldn’t make friends;” afraid of incriminating the people. Before acknowledging the truth, all of this period must dye out as the Jews did in the desert who had sinned before God; 40 years. The people are not free of judgement.

*** Will Myers

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MICHEAL BROWN’S FORWARD DEATH STUMBLE

The Ferguson prosecutor’s presentation of the Micheal Brown’s case stinks to high heaven; it’s unbelievable in view of the witnesses first interviewed by the media. The witnesses who stated that Micheal’s hands were up when Officer Wilson continued to fire his weapon sounded very credible.  Two white contractors observed the event simultaneously, and reacted impulsively and geniously on video gesturing that Micheal had his hands up when shot by the officer. That Ferguson prosecutor fell into the mud when referring to the white contractor, and came out of the mud only when having another thought. He never clearly spoke about the white contractor. This shows that the prosecutor had something to hide.

Had the white contractor been threatened to not testify that Micheal had has hands up when shot? I am sure that the Federal Justice Duties shall get to the bottom of this matter.

Everyone accepts the fact that Micheal ran from the officer a distance of over 30 feet, maybe 60. The forensics report found that Micheal was shot from the front. That Ferguson prosecutor stated that Micheal had turned around and was charging the officer while the officer continued to fire while continuing to hit Micheal. This will never make sense to me. No one stops running away from a person who is shooting at them than do an insane act of stopping, turning around, and begin charging the person who is firing their weapon at them. Some idiots are saying that marijuana caused Micheal to charge the Officer. Marijuana is a passive drug with a low energy affect. Cocaine is an aggressive drug with a high energy affect. There is no record of anyone on cocaine who ran from a person firing a gun at them, stopping, turning around, and began to charge the person firing the weapon while being hit by bullets.

In view of many genuine witnesses interviewed by the media very shortly after the event occurred, it becomes apparent to me that each witness was very accurate. Some witnesses observed when Micheal raised his hands and shouted don’t shoot. Others witnessed Micheal when he reach down in reaction to being hit by bullets after he having  his hands up. This is a natural reaction. But, the officer continued his deadly shooting. Micheal began to stumble forward trying to not fall. This is natural; people don’t die quickly as shown in movies. It is natural for a person to extend their hands straight forward when falling in order to blunt the fall. At this time, while Micheal was stumbling forward with his head down and hands extended forward to blunt his anticipated fall officer Wilson shot him in the top of his head. The only conclusion that supports all witnesses is that after Micheal raised his hands and shouted don’t shoot he was shot multiple times, reacted to being hit by several bullets by lowing his hands to pamper his wounds; began to lose conscience and muscular coordination, and began a forward death stumble. Micheal is 6 foot 4 inches, and would have covered many feet on his forward death stumble with his hands extended straight in front of his body. Micheal never intended to charge the officer, only was trying to pamper his immediate wounds and remain standing. When he was unable to stand he extended his hands to cushion his fall which is very natural while stumbling forward and unfortunately toward the officer.

The only true conclusion is that the officer executed Micheal Brown. That Ferguson prosecuted stated that all witnesses changed their testimony. This is bullshit! U.S. Justice Dept. must get to the bottom of this matter. Those witnesses testifying that Brown hand his hands up when interviewed by the media before Ferguson prosecutor got to them later sounded too genuine and honest, and they were in the moment. The white contractor jested as an immediate reaction to Micheal being executed with his hands up, and it was a very genuine jester. Very possibly, the white contracted who had no vested interest in the community has had his livelihood threatened if he would  testify to the truth.

Final conclusion is that Officer Wilson caused Micheal Brown’s death stumble by continuing to fire his weapon when Micheal had his hands up and hitting him with bullets. Micheal naturally grabbed the spot when he was stunned by a bullet and leaned forward thereby causing the forward death stumble. Officer D. Wilson executed Micheal Brown out of uncontrollable anger.

*** Will Myers

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Love Must Be Gratifying

Falling in love is an experience second only to receiving God’s Holy Spirit thru Jesus Christ, Son of God. Our love objects becomes the center of our thought life. Our minds works to preserve what is gratifying; works against factors that displaces us from what is gratifying. The main factor that the human mind searches is God’s Eternal Life. One might say that the mind searches for material things, sex, and money for material things, but this is only a reflection of characteristics of God’s Eternal Life: it meets our mental needs; supports our being; attracts to you wonderful things without you making an effort,…ect.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Once one is saved and filled with God’s Holy Spirit, God and Jesus has been revealed unto the person. One might become displaced from their salvation, but their mind never stop working to find a way to return to the gratifying state of love from God and Jesus. May we all return unto the state of bliss which is in the Kingdom of God.
*** Will Myers
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Thoughts on Pope Francis and Evolution

November 13, 2014
By Guest Writer

Pope Francis drew some media attention last month for his reiteration of the decades-old Catholic endorsement of the big bang theory and evolution as a means of creation. The Washington Post summarized the pope’s statements:1

The pontiff appeared to endorse the theory of the Big Bang and told the gathering at the Vatican that there was no contradiction between believing in God as well as the prevailing scientific theories regarding the expansion of our universe.

“When we read about creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so,” Francis said. “He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment.”

The pope avoids gesturing at the thorny issue (at least for some Christians) of whether humans descended from apes. Atheists argue, moreover, that understanding the Big Bang and what emerged from that cosmic moment obviates a need to believe in a deity. On that count, Francis obviously disagrees.

This position is nothing new. The Catholic Church has supported compatibility between evolution and Christianity (sometimes called theistic evolution) since at least the publication of Pope Pius XII’s encyclical Humani Generis in 1950.2

As an old-earth creationist organization, Reasons to Believe (RTB) would agree that the big bang is compatible with, even supportive of, biblical creation. The Bible describes four key characteristics—a singular beginning, cosmic expansion, and constant laws of physics including the law of decay—that define a big bang universe. Genesis 1:1 and Hebrews 11:3 declare that the universe began to exist (thus required a Beginner). At least five biblical writers describe what may be an expanding universe (e.g., Job 9:8; Psalm 104:2; Isaiah 40:22; 42:5; 44:24; 45:12; 48:13; 51:13; Jeremiah 10:12; 51:15; and Zechariah 12:1). Scripture also talks about the constancy of the laws of physics (see Jeremiah 33:25). Romans 8:18–21 speaks of a pervasive law of decay. Scientists now have the ability to measure these characteristics, thereby demonstrating the Bible’s reliable description of cosmic history. (See the RTB 101: Big Bang web page.)

However, RTB disagrees with the Catholic Church on the issue of evolution. While acceptance of evolution as a means of creation is not “a salvation issue,” it does raise some legitimate theological concerns for Christians. Theologian and philosopher Kenneth Samples points to human origins in particular. “The biblical issues are a little dicey,” he says. “Does theistic evolution require you to relegate Adam and Eve to the status of mythological figures?” (See here and here.)

Many believers feel strongly that such a shift would change our New Testament understanding, of Romans 5 in particular, where Paul compares Adam and Christ. Kenneth elaborates, “It’s apparent, I think, that both Paul and Jesus believed that Adam was a historical person. I think it would deeply affect one’s view of inspiration if you thought Jesus and Paul had an erroneous view of Adam and Eve.”

Kenneth points out that theistic evolution seems to require a questionable shift in literary genres (from history to mythology) and also faces challenges in explaining particular passages. For example, Genesis 2:7 describes God creating Adam from the dust of the earth. “That seems to move from the inanimate (dust) to the animate (human),” Kenneth explains. “But if we believe in evolution, then the move is from animate (hominid) to animate (modern human). This doesn’t seem to square easily with Scripture.”

But what about science? Does it require us to assume an evolutionary model for life’s origin and history, whether that model includes God or not? Not necessarily.

Yes, several facets of evolution have proven true. For example, we know that microorganisms, bacteria, and viruses evolve. They evolve resistance to antibiotics and antiviral compounds. We know that organisms can adapt to changing environments; this would be microevolution (e.g., peppered moths). We know that evolution even happened at the level of speciation, where one species can give rise to a closely related sister species (e.g., Darwin’s finches).

It is important, however, to distinguish between microevolution (adaptation) and speciation and the large-scale macroevolution that most Darwinists envision (see here and here and here). Biochemist Fazale Rana explains, “Evidence for evolution at small scales doesn’t mean that it explains abiogenesis or the emergence of life from non-life, or that it can explain the entirety of life’s history.” (The Cambrian explosion is an excellent example of natural history causing trouble for the evolutionary paradigm.) Moreover, Fazale argues that many features claimed as evidence of common descent (such as shared anatomical and genetic characteristics) can also be interpreted as evidence for common design. (See “Do You Know the Difference between Observation and Interpretation? Part 1 and Part 2.”)

Though neither science nor Scripture require acceptance of the evolutionary paradigm, many genuine Christians, including Catholics, believe evolution is the best way of explaining life on Earth. Kenneth concludes, “While theistic evolution is an explanatory interpretation in progress (with some views closer to orthodoxy than others), I don’t think, at least yet, that it means that a person couldn’t affirm historic Christianity. I know there’s a whole group of theistic evolutionists who would rather be called evolutionary creationists and are trying to justify a historical Adam. I certainly want to hear them and I want to hear how they can do that from a biblical point of view.”

RTB looks forward to participating in the discussion about theistic evolution and the relationship between science and Scripture.

****

If you’d like to hear in-depth explanations of the old-earth view of creation and why we reject the evolutionary paradigm, we recommend the following resources:

Dissecting Evolution: A Closer Look at a Controversial Theory (audio CD or MP3) with Hugh Ross, Fazale Rana, and Kenneth Samples
The Cambrian Mystery (audio CD or MP3) with Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross
RTB Live! vol. 9: Who’s Your Daddy? (DVD) with Fazale Rana
RTB Live! vol. 8: A Revealing Fossil Record (DVD) with Hugh Ross
RTB Live! vol. 6: Made in the Image of God (DVD) with Kenneth Samples

Guest Writer

RTB guest writers employ their backgrounds, education, and experiences to provide faith-building, testable evidence, each from the perspective of their unique disciplines.

For a listing of all of our Guest Writers, click here

References:

Ishaan Tharoor, “Pope Francis Says Evolution Is Real and God Is No Wizard,” Washington Post, October 28, 2014, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/10/28/pope-francis-backs-theory-of-evolution-says-god-is-no-wizard/.
Ibid.
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Faith is Necessary for Continual Freedoms

Science has become king in the minds of most people; especially our youth. It’s what gives us our conveniences which allows for more social intercourse. Science and technology has made communicating with love ones any place on the planet a very simple act. Medical science has made many advances which has lengthen our life expectancy and alleviated much pain and suffering. As a result, people are placing their faith in the government who perpetrates scientific endeavors.

It’s a good things to have a government who the people can have faith in, but your government becoming your parent has never been a good idea. Advances in technology has given governments the ability to pry into one’s private life easily. Ideology has already been developed for a globalized government called one world government which can be supported by the advancements in technology mainly in the field of surveillance and active psychological profiles.

Civil rights with quality liberties and freedoms are endangered when powers can invade the privacy of the mind with threats; furthermore, enforce such threats, but the real deep threat is the attack on our faith in God. An individual has no standing if opposed maliciously by others without what is wrong or right; his feelings not counted and livelihood can be virtually destroyed. A person’s life becomes what others in power decides it to be or not to be. You may have the right to seek options but others will have the power to make trying other options very unsuccessful if they so want.

The measurement of the quality of a state is how each individual is treated. For this to happen, a society must have a standard of morality to make determinations of what is right or wrong. If this is not present than behind the scene powers determines what is right or wrong for you with their best interest in mind. If you think things are going great for you now than just live longer.

Our government is slowly becoming our parents by merely allowing situations which are conducive to creating a need for more laws. The influx of drugs into the States that authorities claim that they can not stop is a prime example. Laws are being created daily; it shall reach a point when the one world government shall begin to enforce all the laws with punishments including prison and many others rather than imprisonment such as termination of your employment being one among many. At this time, there are enough petty laws to constitute a totalitarian government. The social machinery exist now that is needed for enforcement of all laws plus under the covers policies.

Science may be a good king now but it shall become our oppressor if not moderated by our religious beliefs and moral standard. After all, there shall always be those mad scientist who desires more power aided by the government who always want more power in order to control the people.

Education and knowledge does not necessarily support morality. They are not directly related. The German Nazis are a prime example. All the knowledge in the world doesn’t insure against unthinkable acts of violence against people. Faith in God with a personal conviction always has resisted unscrupulous powers. The individual has standing with God, and knows what is right or wrong. The individual can withstand the winds of public opinion.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

*** Will Myers
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Q&A: Does the Book of Revelation Hint at a Multiverse?

October 30, 2014
Guest Writer, Dr. Jeff Zweerink

From Jeremiah in Vancouver, Washington

Hello Reasons staff,

Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (NIV). Do you think that this could be hinting at the possibility of a multiverse?

****

Great question, Jeremiah! I think the “new heaven and new earth” shows that the present universe is not the only physical realm contained in God’s plan. Revelation 20–21 and other biblical descriptions of the forthcoming creation imply a new physical realm with some new physics not at work in the current universe.

For example, New Jerusalem is described as a cube measuring 12,000 stadia (about 1,400 miles) on each side. Such a structure cannot exist in the present universe because gravity would force something that size into a sphere. Thus, it appears that the new creation must exhibit some different form of gravity.

I find it entirely plausible in reading the Bible (partially based on the passage you mention) that God might have created a multiverse. However, just because God will create a universe, different from the present one, for redeemed humanity to inhabit forever does not mean that he did create a multiverse that contains the current cosmos.

From an apologetics perspective, research into the multiverse seems to reinforce the necessity for both a Beginner and a Designer.

For more information on the multiverse, visit our Multiverse web page.

Subjects: Multiverse
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God’s Spirit of Truth Talks

By Will Myers

The world is in such a state that one can only believe half of what they first see and nothing of what they hear. Politicians continually yo-yo from one extreme to another attempting to pacify the people and gain favor. God’s Spirit of Truth speaks only what he hears and tells of things to come. The Spirit of Truth proceeds from God in the world and speaks perfectly. The Spirit of Truth testifies of the Son of God, Jesus.

Those that have accepted Jesus as their Lord and loves Jesus and have received from God the Comforter (God’s Holy Spirit internally); this is being born again. These saved souls begin to recognize the Spirit of Truth in the world. The Comforter send from God is in His Son’s name. The Comforter also testifies about the Son of God, Jesus. In addition the Comforter reveals mystery after mystery until all mysteries are revealed. This is man’s relationship with God.

The universe is constantly suggesting the Word of God. The heavens declare the glory of God. The firmaments shows His handiwork. As we make our observations in life one can access things from their learning experience for themselves, the selfish belief, or put God first, the God that your soul shall be with you for eternity, while seeking God’s Kingdom. The scriptures says that anyone who seeks God diligently shall have all things added unto them.

Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Hebrews 11:3
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

Zion means in Hebrew the essence of things. Therefore, God has laid a stone in the essence of things…all things. All means All. His Righteousness holds me and all others together, and His disciplines directs us; for all things reflects His Righteousness. The stone that God laid is always what the Spirit of Truth in the world is speaking of; based on this the Spirit of Truth proceeding from God speaks of things to come. Man mimics all of above, but falls quite short.

One can relieve the depressive and oppressiveness in the world by letting God’s Holy Spirit (Who works as the Spirit of Truth in the world and the Comfort within saved persons) control their life. Presently, Christianity is under attack but it shall rise again because the Spirit of Truth always rides a slow horse, but a sure horse, and liars rides a fiery and fast horse. The slow horse surely shall walk into the camp.

” Do everything unto the Lord ” and the Lord shall be with you making all things right for you.

*** Author Will Myers

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What Are the Odds of You Being You?

October 27, 2014
By Guest Writer

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

— Psalm 139:13–14

When anticipating the birth of a child—be it our own or a grandchild, niece or nephew—we might find ourselves contemplating the wonder of human life and the way in which God designs each unique person. Certainly life is a miracle—but what kind of miracle? I’d suggest that each and every one of us is an example of a hypernatural miracle.

Theologian Daniel Dyke and physicist Hugh Henry describe hypernaturalism as “the extraordinary use of natural law by the God described in the Bible,”1 distinguishing it from supernaturalism, which operates outside the natural laws (supernatural miracles would include the Virgin birth and resurrection of Christ from the dead). Hypernaturalism is God’s use of natural mechanisms in unusual ways and involves the power of God to “manipulate nature by overcoming ridiculously small probabilities within natural law.”2 Possible biblical examples of hypernatural miracles include the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–28) and Elijah’s calling down fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:3).

Biochemist Fazale Rana, along with Dyke and Henry, also applied hypernaturalism to the origin of life, integrating the otherwise seemingly dichotomous concepts of intelligent design with methodological naturalism.3 As they suggest, the origin of life could have occurred through strictly natural means and yet would still qualify as a miracle.

The concept of hypernaturalism has powerful implications throughout Christian apologetics and may be much more prevailing than most people realize. Let’s look at an example close to home—the origin of your own self.

Consider this question: Who made you—God or your parents? According to biblical Scriptures, God created everything that has ever been made (John 1:3; Revelation 4:11)—that includes each and every one of us as unique human individuals (Psalm 139:14; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 10:30; Ephesians 1:4). At the same time, science can describe how meiosis, genetic recombination, gene expression, and environmental factors produce human individuals. In other words, God made you, yet you came into this world via natural mechanisms. Would not the concept of hypernaturalism apply here—especially when we consider the incredibly slim odds that natural mechanisms alone will produce you, instead of someone else?

Hypernaturalism and You

For the purposes of this discussion, I will focus on the genetic and chromosomal aspects of a unique human individual’s origin. It is well known that genetic recombination through sexual reproduction (meiosis and fertilization) maintains genetic diversity among populations and species.4 Meiosis is a category of cell division that involves the division of homologous chromosome pairs in a parent diploid (2n) cell to produce haploid (n) cells of gametes (ova and sperm) for the purposes of reproduction. Fertilization of gametes restores the paired condition of these homologous chromosome pairs to produce a zygote containing the genetic foundation of a unique new individual.

There are three primary sources for maintaining genetic diversity.5

1. Independent assortment of homologous chromosome pairs. Every human inherits one set of homologous chromosome pairs from each parent. These pairs must be lined up and separated during the first division of meiosis. Independent assortment pertains to the fact that each pair of chromosomes lines up independently of all other pairs—just as the result of one coin toss is independent of other coin tosses. Because independent assortment is considered statistically random, the number of possible outcomes of chromosomes among the gametes can be reflected by the formula 2n, where n is the haploid number (or number of pairs of homologous chromosomes). Humans have 23 pairs of homologous chromosomes; therefore each human gamete produced by an individual person represents one in 223 (or one in 8,388,608) possible outcomes, based on independent assortment alone.

2. Random fertilization of gametes. Fertilization is also generally considered a statistically random event. If each gamete represents 2n possible outcomes, then each zygote produced at fertilization between two parents represents 2n x 2n possible outcomes. For humans, that number exceeds 70 trillion. If one couple produced 70 trillion children, two of the children might be genetically identical (aside from identical twins, which come from a single zygote). However, the odds of you being you don’t stop there.

3. Crossing over between homologous chromosomes. Early into meiosis (prophase I), homologous pairs of chromosomes make contact and swap pieces with one another, resulting in recombinant chromosomes in the gametes that differ in genetic makeup from the chromosomes of the parent. The numbers stated above assume no crossover events. Obviously, crossing over would have the potential to drive the odds considerably higher.

What this all means is that the odds of your parents producing you—as opposed to someone else—genetically speaking, are hundreds-of-trillions-to-one. If you think these odds seem unfathomable, consider the fact that these odds also exist for both of your parents, for each of your four grandparents, for each of your eight great-grandparents, and so on, for as far back as human history goes. The genetic basis behind your unique physical makeup certainly qualifies as overcoming ridiculously small probabilities within natural law. The odds of you being you are so incalculable that it may make the fine-tuning of the universe seem trivial by comparison. Perhaps the best example you will see of a divinely inspired and fine-tuned physical object is to look at yourself in the mirror, for each and every one of us are indeed “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Matthew R. McClure

Dr. Matthew McClure received his PhD in zoology from Texas A&M University in 1994, and is currently professor of biology at Lamar State College–Orange.

Subjects: Life Design
Guest Writer

RTB guest writers employ their backgrounds, education, and experiences to provide faith-building, testable evidence, each from the perspective of their unique disciplines.
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