Did Adam and Eve exist? Fascinating brief 13-minute interview from last week about modern genetic evidence confirming the literal understanding of Genesis.
https://creation.com/media-c…/youtube/did-adam-and-eve-exist
For more thoughts, see https://goo.gl/gW2QqA
Here are three interesting articles... the first discussing why God created cannabis, the second reporting secular scientists' recent desperate attempts to explain the origin of life from nonliving chemicals (by contrast, the Genesis account of God's creation makes more sense scientifically), and the third discussing bacterial antibiotic resistance (and how it refutes evolution).
https://crev.info/2019/10/why-did-god-create-cannabis/
https://crev.info/2019/10/ool-follies-for-the-gullible/
https://crev.info/2019/10/antibiotic-resistance-is-shared/
Fascinating: Recent studies show that most genetic mutations are not "neutral". They are either pre-programmed (e.g. immune antibodies), hotspot-localized, or (most commonly) slightly harmful... but not harmful enough to prevent reproduction. This shows that our genes are degrading, supporting creationist John Sanford's idea of "genetic entropy" and showing that Darwinism is wrong... not only can (neo)Darwinism not explain the molecular development of animal and human organs and proteins and cells, but (neo)Darwinism can't even explain how our genome can be maintained over thousands of years without degrading and heading toward 'genetic meltdown'.
By contrast, the genetic evidence strongly supports the Bible's explanation in Genesis - God created all life, and intelligently-designed the genomes. See the article below, and this one: http://goo.gl/gW2QqA
https://crev.info/2019/09/genomics-evolution-baseless/
"The Venus flytrap, like all carnivorous plants, had no use for its insect-trapping function unless it also had an insect-digesting function. And vice versa. Did they really both evolve together? And how, when there would be no functional advantage along much of the evolutionary pathway to the sophisticated finished system? Finally, how did this “evolutionary miracle” also happen in four other carnivorous plant genera?"
https://evolutionnews.org/2019/08/venus-flytrap-takes-a-bite-out-of-darwinism/
Interesting video and article about origins...
The video is James Tour explaining more about how science can't explain the chemical/abiotic origin of life naturalistically (supporting the alternative, the Bible's history, that God created life). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4sP1E1Jd_Y
The article is a review of a book called "A fortunate universe", about the fine-tuning of the universe's constants. https://creation.com/a-fortunate-universe-review . It makes many excellent points and shows nice diagrams, and makes the good point that naturalistic "multiverse" explanations for the fine-tuning of the universe actually destroy scientific exploration entirely... Excerpt: "Realistically, multiverse thinking can have no place in science. Apart from being unobservable (and therefore untestable) it logically leads to the view that no data set should be regarded as evidence for anything. In a multiverse it could always occur by chance!"
As just one among many fun examples of the philosophical problems with multiverse theory, a student could go to her professor and say, "I really did do my homework, but sadly, this universe we live in just happened to be one of the universes where that extremely unlikely circumstance of my homework quantum-tunneling itself millions of miles away, actually took place this morning, right before class." And if the professor believed in multiverses, there would be no way to refute the student's explanation!
This is a nice short video about the fine-tuning of the universe for life! God is a great designer.
The magazine "Christianity Today" recently published "10 Theses" about evolution and Christianity. Dr. Jonathan Safarti thoughtfully discusses the problems with these theses in this excellent article:
Here are some recent books read, with short reviews. For more reviews, see here: http://tim223.xanga.com/category/book-reviews/
Discipling, by Mark Dever
This is an excellent book, about "why" and "how" to "disciple" someone (teach/train them to follow Jesus in faith and action, as the Bible describes, by way of spending time with them). Part 3 "How" is especially valuable: "Choose someone"(excellent chapter), "Have Clear Aims" (excellent chapter), "Pay the Cost" (discipleship is often difficult and messy), and "Raising up Leaders" (i.e. putting younger Christians into ministry, giving them the freedom to make mistakes and learn and grow, delegate ministry to them, encourage them to disciple others, etc).
Hidden Christmas, by Tim Keller
This book goes through the Bible passages about the birth of Jesus, and expounds on the meaning of each one, from the points of view of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the magi, etc. Keller explains the gospel in a very clear, relevant, way. Excellent.
Changed, edited by Ken Williams and Elizabeth Woning
Wow... this is a powerful, beautiful, collection of short biographies, of people who came out of a gay, lesbian, or transgender life. Each brief life story is beautiful, well-told, clearly and gently presented. It is gentle, yet powerful. Highly recommended for everyone! changedmovement.com
Evolution and the Christian Faith: Theistic evolution in the light of Scripture, by Philip Bell
This book critiques "theistic evolution" from a theological and Scriptural perspective. It focuses on the Biblical discussion, not the scientific discussion. Sometimes the argumentation got a little weak, and appealed to old-fashioned cultural argumentation assuming cultural attitues that are not shared by some readers. But some of the points were very strong, and some arguments were presented more strongly than usual. The book highlighted well TE's problematic view of how Christ and His apostles were "mistaken" in their view of Genesis... and also TE's issues with suffering and death before sin, and how that affects the gospel, our view of the future new heaven/earth, and evangelism. Overall this is a good book, worth reading.
The Quest, by Todd Wood
This is a discussion of the 'quest' for truth, and in particular, how to understand science in light of faith, and vice-versa. Its author has a unique perspective, as a young-earth creationist who does scientific research on fossil hominins and ancient DNA. He talks about being criticized from both secular and YEC sides. He emphasizes that we should avoid trying to have "pat" answers and wrapping up the "hard questions" too quickly, but should instead be comfortable pondering the questions over years. For example, "transitional" fossils between ape and human, distant starlight, radiometric dating, patterns of genetic similarity between species, and certain interpretive aspects of Genesis. He says that the Quest requires Faith, Humility, Persistence, and Love. (He has a whole chapter on the importance of love, which will probably be appreciated by young people who have heard too many arguments on the topic of creation/evolution.)
While his book is decently written and has many thought-provoking statements (helpful for people from either YEC or TE/OEC or evolutionist backgrounds), his tone occasionally moved into a bit of a 'rant'. I liked many of his comments and observations. He had an excellent chapter on the Galileo situation. He had great points about how the church fathers interpreted Genesis (not simply 'literal' vs 'metaphorical', but 'layers' of meaning which were simultaneously accepted as true). He had nice "Adoremus" transition sections between chapters, focusing on various nifty natural wonders and animals.
I also noticed something which felt inconsistent: while insisting that we must not force our "hard questions" into settled easy answers, he also insisted that faith must precede our quest (based on Hebrews 11:6, "without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him"). He talked many times about his "firm commitment to young-earth creationism", which is apparently never shaken by various discoveries (I wonder if he talks so much about this because other people keep questioning whether he really is a YEC... this is a constantly recurring theme in his writing). In my opinion, he should not push so hard on this fideist presuppositionalist stuff, and instead adopt Paul's attitude (1 Corinthians 15) - if Christ is not raised, our faith is worthless. In other words, follow the evidence wherever it leads, whether toward or away from YEC, evolution, or Christianity itself, and don't worry about whether other people think you're a YEC or not. Wood rejects the label of fideism (p. 41), but very weakly.
Overall, I think this book is worth reading, and especially worth discussing in a small group or class.
Blessed are the Misfits, by Brant Hansen
Excellent book describing his experience of church and Christianity from the point of view of someone to whom "it doesn't make sense"... "why do Christians do the things they do?" But also, from humility, "Why would God show mercy to evil and pathetic and sinful people like us?" He talks about his Asperger's and about his faith journey. Somewhat scattered, but very witty and fun to read. He also weaves in various stories from the Bible.
Heretic: One scientist's journey from Darwin to Design, by Matti Leisola and Jonathan Witt
Excellent book. Leisola shares a bit of his own story of changing from a Darwinist to a believer in Intelligent Design, and lots about the aftermath - the persecutions he faced from journals, fellow scientists at conferences and university meetings, etc. Each chapter shares a little about the reasons why ID is more reasonable than evolution in view of today's modern scientific knowledge (very up-to-date and also accessibly-written for a layperson), along with some anecdotes from Leisola's career. The semi-autographical style might not be for everyone, but I think it is a good book, worth reading.
Love Thy Body, by Nancy Pearcey
Excellent book. She makes the point that today's postmodern society (like the Graeco-Roman gnostics of NT times) tries to separate the "facts"/physical-body from the "values"/mental-identity/gender/personhood, and this attempt to say the body doesn't matter directly ties into the progressive views on abortion, euthanasia, promiscuity/hookup-culture, homosexuality, transgender issues, and more. She writes very well, with plenty of stories, quotes, cultural allusions, statistics, etc. She makes the point that the Christian view of the body is more 'inclusive' and 'holistic', etc, and so she uses progressives'/liberals' own language subversively and powerfully, showing that their view ultimately leads them to a place they don't want to go. Well worth reading, and probably well worth discussing among secular circles too.
Sex, Genesis, and evolution... interesting article!
https://isgenesishistory.com/why-sex-is-the-best-argument-for-creation-against-evolution/
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