tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43560116410958626682024-03-07T23:38:46.495-05:00FoxFilesHear the Gospel message: God loves us. We sin and are therefore separated from Him. He sent his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the just penalty (DEATH) for our sin and thus reconcile us, through faith in Jesus and by His grace, to God. Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of God and ascended into heaven where he now sits at the right hand of the Father as our advocate. “Whom so ever, calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Come to Jesus.Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-81924811381000331102013-11-09T13:01:00.000-05:002013-11-09T13:01:31.108-05:00Hitchens Challenge<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
Christopher Hitchens’
challenge: ““Name me an ethical (moral) statement
made or an action performed by a believer that could not have been made or
performed by a non-believer.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
Answer: A non-believer can neither make an ethical
statement nor perform any ethical action.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
Rational: First let’s try to get our heads around some
working definitions. Since Christopher
is secular, then we will go with secular sources for the key definitions. We will take ethical to mean - of or relating
to moral (concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the
goodness or badness of human character) principles.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
Now, let’s suppose that
non-believer Chris wants to do something ethical. The first thing he needs to do is determine
some wrong or bad behavior. Let’s
suppose that Chris decides that in general lying is wrong or bad. Chris then states: “Lying is wrong or bad.” Chris goes for 100 days and states only the
truth. On the 101<sup>st</sup> day a
situation comes up that Chris did not think about before where he determines
that lying in this case is the right thing to do. Chris modifies his ethics and now lies only
in the cases where he determines lying is not bad. This will quickly become confusing for Chris
and others to follow but let’s say we can all live with this as ethical
behavior; Chris’s set of principles are just complicated but he manages to live
by them for another 200 days. On the 301<sup>st</sup>
day a situation comes up where Chris is tempted to lie, let’s say for personal
gain or convenience. Now, Chris knows
this is wrong. He has had someone lie to
him before because it was convenient for them and Chris did not like that one
little bit; yes, it is wrong by Chris’s standards and Chris is fully aware of
it. However, there is so much personal
gain or convenience at stake for Chris that he does it; he lies. Most would say, yeah ok, Chris messed up but
he is still ethical, or, more to Christopher’s point, Chris has stated and done
ethical things in the past.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
Wait just a
minute. This one act erodes all of the
efforts Chris has made in the past and all of the efforts Chris will make in
the future with respect to telling the truth.
It uncovers the true basis of his schema. Chris does not tell the truth because lying
is wrong or bad; Chris tells the truth when it is convenient and lies when it
is convenient. That is all Chris has
ever done that is all he, by himself, will ever do. Chris has not lived the past 300 days by his
ethic of lying is bad. Lying, to Chris,
is only bad in theory. In practice, it
can be very convenient.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
You might be now ready
to beg that Chris does have an ethic: Inconvenience
is bad. I caution you. For if so, you have come to the description of
human character summed up in Romans 3. You
might be comforted at this point by the fact that believers, of their own
strength and will can neither make an ethical statement nor perform an ethical
action. We all have the same
problem. The solution? There is one; Jesus. John 15: 5 – 8. So, the believer can make ethical statements
and perform ethical acts by the power of the Holy Spirit in him or her. The non-believer, at best, can only do what
is convenient.<o:p></o:p></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-44559426696091382972013-10-26T14:40:00.002-04:002013-10-26T14:48:30.653-04:00Modern Cosmology<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4356011641095862668" name="_GoBack"></a>I was reading this
morning the comedy of modern cosmology.
One positive note; of late these cosmologists seem to be worming up to
the idea “Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out
the heavens like a curtain:” – Psalm 104: 2
You see some of them think the Universe has a diameter of 156 billion
light years while all the lemmings agree the Universe is about 13.7 billion
light years old. Read for yourself from <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/05/24/universe.wide/">CNN.com</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“"All the distance covered
by the light in the early universe gets increased by the expansion of the
universe," explains Neil Cornish, an astrophysicist at Montana State
University. "Think of it like compound interest."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Need a visual? Imagine the
universe just a million years after it was born, Cornish suggests. A batch of
light travels for a year, covering one light-year. "At that time, the
universe was about 1,000 times smaller than it is today," he said.
"Thus, that one light-year has now stretched to become 1,000
light-years."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All the pieces add up to 78
billion-light-years. The light has not traveled that far, but "the
starting point of a photon reaching us today after traveling for 13.7 billion
years is now 78 billion light-years away," Cornish said. That would be the
radius of the universe, and twice that -- 156 billion light-years -- is the
diameter. That's based on a view going 90 percent of the way back in time, so
it might be slightly larger.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you extrapolate this idea just
a bit more, then a 6,000 year old Universe is not hard to see. I am reminded of a problem I gave my high
school students when I was a math teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Just for fun let’s say that the
13.7 billion year age is an accurate coordinate time age for the Universe and
that the 78 billion light year radius is equally as good and that it all
started at the big bang. What would the
proper time number look like? Well, the
velocity of the expansion after the big bang is generally agreed to be
preposterous or insane or some other such adjective by these folks ( <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygE01sOhzz0">LUDICROUS SPEED</a>).
Ok, maybe not ludicrous speed. Let’s try an average rate of expansion of 0.9999999999999c
where c is the speed of light. According
to the accepted formula, ΔƮ = ΔT*SQRT(1 – v^2/c^2), for proper time ΔƮ, then due to
the observable phenomenon of time dilation proper time would be about 6,128 years. In relativity, proper time is the elapsed
time between two events as measured by a clock that passes through both events.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In other words, if we would have
lived through the events of the supposed big bang as they unfolded the current
physics tells us that it would have taken no more than a few thousand years
(proper time) for the Universe as we know it to have formed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-6077232063351714842013-10-20T11:48:00.002-04:002013-10-20T11:49:32.556-04:00Day Two<h2>
Genesis 1</h2>
<h3>
6 And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters."</h3>
<h4>
Jeremiah 10:12</h4>
He has made the earth by His power,<br />
<span class="text Jer-10-12"> He has established the world by His wisdom,</span><br />
<span class="text Jer-10-12"> And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.</span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"> 2 Peter 3: 5</span></h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"> this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, </span><br />
<span class="text Jer-10-12"> and the earth standing out of water and in the water,</span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"> Psalm 136: 6</span></h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"> To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,<br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-136-6">For His mercy <i>endures</i> forever;</span></span></span><br />
<h3>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6">7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament and it was so.</span></span></span></h3>
<h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"> Job 38: 8 - 11</span></span></span></h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"> “Or <i>who</i> shut in the sea with doors,<br /><span class="text Job-38-8"> When it burst forth <i>and</i> issued from the womb;</span><br /><span class="text Job-38-9" id="en-NKJV-13803"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>When I made the clouds its garment,</span><br /><span class="text Job-38-9"> And thick darkness its swaddling band;</span><br /><span class="text Job-38-10" id="en-NKJV-13804"><sup> </sup>When I fixed My limit for it,</span><br /><span class="text Job-38-10"> And set bars and doors;</span><br /><span class="text Job-38-11" id="en-NKJV-13805"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>When I said,</span><br /><span class="text Job-38-11"> ‘This far you may come, but no farther,</span><br /><span class="text Job-38-11"> And here your proud waves must stop!’</span></span></span></span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"> Proverbs 8: 27 - 29</span></span></span></span></h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"> When He prepared the heavens, I <i>was</i> there,<br /><span class="text Prov-8-27"> When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,</span><br /><span class="text Prov-8-28" id="en-NKJV-16631"><sup> </sup>When He established the clouds above,</span><br /><span class="text Prov-8-28"> When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,</span><br /><span class="text Prov-8-29" id="en-NKJV-16632"><sup> </sup>When He assigned to the sea its limit,</span><br /><span class="text Prov-8-29"> So that the waters would not transgress His command,</span><br /><span class="text Prov-8-29"> When He marked out the foundations of the earth,</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"> Psalm 148: 4</span></span></span></span></span></h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"> Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,<br /><span class="text Ps-148-4"> And you waters above the heavens!</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<h3>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4">8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4"> 1 Chronicles 16: 24 - 27</span></span></span></span></span></span></h4>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4"> Declare His glory among the nations,<br /><span class="text 1Chr-16-24"> His wonders among all peoples.</span><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span><div class="line">
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4"><span class="text 1Chr-16-25" id="en-NKJV-10846"><sup> </sup>For the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> <i>is</i> great and greatly to be praised;</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4"><span class="text 1Chr-16-25"> He <i>is</i> also to be feared above all gods.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4"><span class="text 1Chr-16-26" id="en-NKJV-10847"><sup> </sup>For all the gods of the peoples <i>are</i> idols,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4"><span class="text 1Chr-16-26"> But the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> made the heavens.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4"><span class="text 1Chr-16-27" id="en-NKJV-10848"><sup> </sup>Honor and majesty <i>are</i> before Him;</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4"><span class="text 1Chr-16-27"> Strength and gladness are in His place.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span class="text Jer-10-12"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-136-6"><span class="text Job-38-11"><span class="text Prov-8-29"><span class="text Ps-148-4">
<h4 class="line">
<span class="text 1Chr-16-27"> Matthew 24: 30</span></h4>
<div class="line">
<span class="text 1Chr-16-27"> <span class="woj">Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes </span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="text 1Chr-16-27"><span class="woj"> of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the </span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="text 1Chr-16-27"><span class="woj"> clouds of heaven with power and great glory.</span></span></div>
</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-29975254809281175712013-10-06T11:31:00.006-04:002013-10-06T11:43:44.820-04:00Day One<h2>
Genesis 1</h2>
<h3>
1 In the beginning God</h3>
<h4>
Psalm 90: 2</h4>
Before the mountains were brought forth,<br />
<span class="text Ps-90-2"> Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,</span><br />
<span class="text Ps-90-2"> Even from everlasting to everlasting, You <i>are</i> God.</span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Ps-90-2"> Isaiah 63: 16</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Ps-90-2"> </span>Doubtless You <i>are</i> our Father,</div>
<span class="text Isa-63-16"> Though Abraham was ignorant of us,</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-63-16"> And Israel does not acknowledge us.</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-63-16"> You, O <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, <i>are</i> our Father;</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-63-16"> Our Redeemer from Everlasting <i>is</i> Your name.</span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Isa-63-16"> Romans 1: 20</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Isa-63-16"> </span>For since the creation of the world His invisible <i>attributes</i> are clearly seen, being understood by<br />
the things that are made, <i>even</i> His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without<br />
excuse,</div>
<h3>
created the Heaven and the Earth</h3>
<h4>
John 1: 1 - 3</h4>
<div>
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.</div>
<div>
He was in the beginning with God.</div>
<div>
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.</div>
<h3>
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. </h3>
<h4>
Jeremiah 4: 23</h4>
<div>
I beheld the earth, and indeed <i>it was</i> without form, and void;</div>
<span class="text Jer-4-23"> And the heavens, they <i>had</i> no light.</span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Jer-4-23"> Isaiah 45: 18</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Jer-4-23"> </span>For thus says the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,</div>
<span class="text Isa-45-18"> Who created the heavens,</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-45-18"> Who is God,</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-45-18"> Who formed the earth and made it,</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-45-18"> Who has established it,</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-45-18"> Who did not create it in vain,</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-45-18"> Who formed it to be inhabited:</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-45-18"> “I <i>am</i> the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, and <i>there is</i> no other.</span><br />
<h3>
<span class="text Isa-45-18">And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.</span></h3>
<h4>
<span class="text Isa-45-18"> Psalm 24: 1 - 2</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Isa-45-18"> </span>The earth <i>is</i> the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>’s, and all its fullness,</div>
<span class="text Ps-24-1"> The world and those who dwell therein.</span><br />
<div>
<span class="text Ps-24-1"> </span>For He has founded it upon the seas,</div>
<span class="text Ps-24-2"> And established it upon the waters.</span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Ps-24-2"> Job 26: 13a</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Ps-24-2"> By His Spirit He adorned the heavens;</span></div>
<h3>
<span class="text Ps-24-2">3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.</span></h3>
<h4>
<span class="text Ps-24-2"> Psalm 33: 6</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Ps-24-2"> </span>By the word of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> the heavens were made,</div>
<span class="text Ps-33-6"> And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.</span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Ps-33-6"> Psalm 148: 5</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Ps-33-6"> </span>Let them praise the name of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,</div>
<span class="text Ps-148-5"> For He commanded and they were created.</span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Ps-148-5"> Hebrews 11: 3</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Ps-148-5"> By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things</span><br />
<span class="text Ps-148-5"> which are </span>seen were not made of things which are visible.</div>
<h4>
<span class="text Ps-148-5"> 2 Corinthians 4: 6</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Ps-148-5"> </span>For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts<br />
to <i>give</i> the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.</div>
<h3>
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.</h3>
<h4>
Isaiah 45: 7</h4>
<div>
I form the light and create darkness,</div>
<span class="text Isa-45-7"> I make peace and create calamity;</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-45-7"> I, the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, do all these <i>things.</i>’</span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Isa-45-7"> James 1: 17</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Isa-45-7"> Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights,</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-45-7"> with </span>whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.</div>
<h3>
<span class="text Isa-45-7">5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.</span></h3>
<h4>
<span class="text Isa-45-7"> Psalm 74: 16a</span></h4>
<div>
<span class="text Isa-45-7"> </span>The day <i>is</i> Yours, the night also <i>is</i> Yours;</div>
<h3>
And the evening and the morning were the first day.</h3>
<h4>
Job 38: 12</h4>
<div>
“Have you commanded the morning since your days <i>began,</i></div>
<span class="text Job-38-12"><i> And</i> caused the dawn to know its place,</span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-27112229036048766252013-09-15T17:02:00.001-04:002013-09-15T17:02:48.357-04:00That Great City!Revelation 21: 10 -- "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,"<br />
Revelation 21: 16 -- "And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal."<br />
So, how big is that? Will we, Christians, all fit?<br />
Well a furlong here is a Greek stadion which is 1/8th of a mile. So, the Jerusalem cube has a volume of 3,375,000,000 cubic miles. That sounds kinda big; but how big? Let's compare it to the space we live in here on earth.<br />
The radius of the earth is approximately 3,959 miles. So, the volume of space we live in can be calculated using the following formula:<br />
<br />
V = 4(pi)((3959 + x)^3 - 3959^3)/3<br />
<br />
where x is the altitude in miles above sea level for the top of our space.<br />
<br />
According to National Geographic the highest town in the world is La Rinconada, Peru some 3.2 miles above sea level. For x = 3.2, V = 630,785,690 cubic miles. The Great City is more than 5 times as large. Ok, commercial jets fly at about 45,000 feet or about 8.5 miles. For x = 8.5, V = 1,677,767,946 cubic miles. That is about half the size of the Great City. The tropopause has an altitude of 10.6 miles. This is the end of weather. For x = 10.6, V = 2,093,384,542 cubic miles, not even 2/3 rds the size of the Great City. In fact, not until x > 17, well into the stratosphere, does the volume of "our space" reach that of the Great City. Bacterial spores are the only things that live in the stratosphere. So, I think we can safely say that the Great City is larger than the total of space that we all, saved and unsaved, live in now. Glory to God.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-14608513893026464272013-09-08T13:42:00.000-04:002013-09-08T13:42:00.828-04:00Abortion: Are we doing the right thing?
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In 1973 the United States Supreme
Court decided that an unborn child is not a person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, the fetus is not entitled to the
rights guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In their course of making this determination
they refused to take up the question of human life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is the unborn child / fetus a human being or not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They found themselves not up to the task of
answering this question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, they did
conceded that its answer would be the determining factor could it be ascertained.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So let me ask the pro-choice
people of the year 2013, if the fetus is a human being, then is its life more
important than the privacy of the woman whose body is inflicted by this
parasite?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the answer is yes, then
should we not now, with the vast medical knowledge attained over the past 40
years, re-examine this question?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps
we can answer it more surely than could the cowardly justices of 1973.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps we could all agree that while a
pregnancy can be enormously inconvenient for the mother, if the unborn baby is
a human life, then we are bound to respect the life of an innocent human being
over the convenience of another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you
have the stomach to look at this issue anew with an open mind to medical and
biological facts?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-27240738945771801772013-08-31T19:09:00.003-04:002013-08-31T19:24:38.976-04:00Can a Christian forfeit his/her salvation? -- (4)<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(4)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
assurance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Philippians 1: 3 – 6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I thank my God upon every
remembrance of you, always in every
prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first
day until now, being confident of this
very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the
day of Jesus Christ;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ephesians 1: 13 – 14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In Him you also trusted, after
you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having
believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee
of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the
praise of His glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1 John 2: 18 – 19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Little children, it is the last
hour; and as you have heard that the[c] Antichrist is coming, even now many
antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of
us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they
went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hebrews 13: 5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Let your conduct be without
covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said,
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans 8: 28 – 39<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">And we know that all
things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose. For whom He
foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He
might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also
called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these
He also glorified. What then shall we
say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but
delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all
things? Who shall bring a charge against
God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died,
and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
makes intercession for us. Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are
killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us. For I am
persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor
powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any
other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.</span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-23162359771918147032013-08-31T19:08:00.001-04:002013-08-31T19:24:27.543-04:00Can a Christian forfeit his/her salvation? -- (3)<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(3)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
responsibility<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ephesians 2: 4 – 10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us
alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit
together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the
exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by
grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the
gift of God, not of works, lest anyone
should boast. For we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hebrews 12: 1 – 2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Therefore we also, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us, looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1 Corinthians 1: 4 – 9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I thank my God always concerning
you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were
enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the
testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift,
eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also
confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ. God is faithful, by whom you
were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ephesians 1: 3 – 12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Blessed be the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of
the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having
predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the
good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He
made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him
we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the
riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure
which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the
times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in
heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In
Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the
purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that
we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hebrews 6: 1 – 8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Therefore, leaving the discussion
of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying
again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of
the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead,
and of eternal judgment. And this we
will do if God permits. For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly
gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word
of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away,[b] to renew them
again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God,
and put Him to an open shame. For the
earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful
for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears
thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be
burned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans 8: 1 – 14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There is therefore now no
condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the
flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin
and death. For what the law could not do
in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not
walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set
their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the
Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to
be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God;
for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot
please God. But you are not in the flesh
but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone
does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead
because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from
the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life
to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1 Corinthians 9: 24 – 27<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you not know that those who
run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you
may obtain it. And everyone who competes
for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable
crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty.
Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into
subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become
disqualified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Galatians 6: 7 – 10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Do not be deceived, God is not
mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh
reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting
life. And let us not grow weary while
doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do
good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matthew 5: 13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“You are the salt of the earth;
but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for
nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mark 9: 49 – 50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“For everyone will be seasoned
with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its
flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with
one another.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luke 14: 34 – 35<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Salt is good; but if the salt
has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
It is neither fit for the land
nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him
hear!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matthew 6: 19 – 21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and
steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luke 16: 13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No servant can serve two
masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be
loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matthew 12: 30<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He who is not with Me is against
Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luke 13: 22 – 28<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And He went through the cities
and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who
are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for
many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up
and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door,
saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not
know you, where you are from,’ then you
will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our
streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I
do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’
There will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the
kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John 15: 4 – 6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Abide in Me, and I in you. As the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can
you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the
vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out
as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire,
and they are burned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans 6: 15 – 23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What then? Shall we sin because
we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present
yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of
sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves
of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were
delivered. And having been set free from
sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness
of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness,
and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as
slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free
in regard to righteousness. What fruit
did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of
those things is death. But now having been
set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to
holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1 Corinthians 10: 1 – 12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Moreover, brethren, I do not want
you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through
the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the
same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of
that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well
pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the
intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of
them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to
play.” Nor let us commit sexual
immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also
tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained,
and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now
all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take
heed lest he fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2 Corinthians 7: 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Therefore, having these promises,
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2 Corinthians 13: 4 – 6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For though He was crucified in
weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we
shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in
the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in
you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not
disqualified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Philippians 2: 12 – 16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Therefore, my beloved, as you
have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my
absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who
works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and
disputing, that you may become blameless
and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and
perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may
rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Philippians 3: 12 – 16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Not that I have already attained,
or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which
Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have
apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and
reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have
this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to
you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we
have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same
mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Colossians 2: 4 – 10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now this I say lest anyone should
deceive you with persuasive words. For
though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see
your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus
the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the
faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through
philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to
the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily; and you are complete in
Him, who is the head of all principality and power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1 Timothy 6: 17 – 21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Command those who are rich in
this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the
living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good
works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation
for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your
trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is
falsely called knowledge— by professing
it some have strayed concerning the faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hebrews 2: 1 – 4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Therefore we must give the more
earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved
steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how
shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to
be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also
bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts
of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hebrews 10: 26 – 31<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For if we sin willfully after we
have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice
for sins, but a certain fearful
expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the
adversaries. Anyone who has rejected
Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose,
will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted
the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted
the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who
said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[e] says the Lord. And again, “The Lord
will judge His people.” It is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hebrews 12: 25 – 29<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">See that you do not refuse Him
who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much
more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He
has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also
heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,”
indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that
are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom
which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably
with reverence and godly fear. For our
God is a consuming fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Revelation 2: 4- 5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nevertheless I have this against
you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen;
repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove
your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Revelation 2: 10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Do not fear any of those things
which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you
into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be
faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Revelation 3: 5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He who overcomes shall be clothed
in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but
I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Revelation 3: 11 – 12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold
fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in
the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name
of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes
down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-38129733763542928502013-08-31T19:07:00.001-04:002013-08-31T19:23:52.772-04:00Can a Christian forfeit his/her salvation? -- (2)<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">((2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The remedy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans 5: 6 – 8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You see, at just the right time,
when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous
person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in
this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Acts 4: 12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Salvation is found in no one
else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must
be saved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans 10: 8 – 13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But what does it say? “The word
is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which
we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord
Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will
be saved. For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on
Him will not be put to shame.” For there
is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to
all who call upon Him. For “whomsoever calls on the name of the Lord
shall be saved.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-6190064518753994262013-08-31T19:05:00.003-04:002013-08-31T19:05:59.392-04:00Can a Christian forfeit his/her salvation? -- (1)<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Man’s plight:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Genesis 6:5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Lord saw how great the
wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every
inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans 6:23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans 3: 10 – 24<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there
is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together
become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” “Their throats are open graves; their tongues
practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers
is on their lips.” “Their mouths are full
of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet
are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace
they do not know.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says, it
says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and
the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in
God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become
conscious of our sin. But now apart from
the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the
Prophets testify. This righteousness is
given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference
between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God, and all are justified freely by his
grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John 3:16 – 19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For God so loved the world that
he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life. For God did not send
his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not
condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they
have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the
world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were
evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-3422470976106082442013-03-16T12:14:00.000-04:002013-03-16T12:14:23.277-04:00The Cross
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Christians around the world are
celebrating Easter in a couple weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
lot of people, non-Christians and Christians, might ask: “What’s the big deal?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, aside from being reminder of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the most important event in history, going
through the religious traditions serves to remind us of who exactly this God of
the Bible is and what He has done.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So, if you really and truly want
to know who this God is, then you have to start at The Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have ever asked yourself “How could a
loving God let all these bad things happen to good people?” or “Why did God kill
all those people in the torturous way of the great flood?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These questions can only be answered in the
light of The Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want to know
who God is, then you have to start at The Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing about Him will make any sense to you
apart from The Cross.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sure, God created everything, you
and me included, but if there is no Good Friday and Easter Sunday, then it is
all for not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suppose God did come down
to earth in the person of His Son Jesus with all this great information on how
to live and all the spectacular miracles but “the cup pass away from Him”, then
it is all for not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">You want to know God, pick a
Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) and read the account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then ask yourself: “Why did He do that?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you go through the line of questions and
Biblical answers that will ensue, then you will come to know the God of the
Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the contrary, if you start at
the loaded question: “How is it fair that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and then
punished him for a hard heart?”; then you may be hindered by your own hardness and
never get to The Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The light of who
God is, as shown at The Cross, illuminates God’s encounter with Pharaoh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t understand God at The Cross,
then you can’t understand God at the Red Sea.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“It is finished!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want to know what is finished, then
you are going have to start at the event that finished it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel free to contact me or any other born
again Christian for encouragement along this journey to know God.</span></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-14304092226844368232013-03-09T18:16:00.000-05:002013-03-09T18:16:53.824-05:00Entitlements: Parental Unit Smith and CEO Jones<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Parental Unit Smith lives in the US and works
at a department store and makes minimum wage getting an average of 39 hours
per week and will continue there in this capacity for the foreseeable future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This breaks out to less than $15,000 a
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parental Unit Smith lives in a
single income home where there are two young children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This money can’t cover the basic requirements
of the household (food, shelter, transportation, healthcare).</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">CEO Jones lives in the US and is the Chief Executive
Officer for a large reputable corporation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>CEO Jones has amassed a personal wealth that would last ten people ten
lifetimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CEO Jones earns $10,000,000
per year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Question:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is Parental Unit Smith “entitled” to some of
CEO Jones’ money?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not talking
about CEO Jones giving Parental Unit Smith money out of the goodness of CEO’s
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not talking about what a
good and moral society ought to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
are asking, “Does Parental Unit Smith have a “right” to some of CEO Jones’
money regardless of what CEO thinks and regardless of what society ought to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, how much and why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why isn’t CEO Jones entitled to the money?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Is it because a Smith entitlement
“promotes the general welfare” of the country and a Jones entitlement does not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can see that a Smith entitlement might put
the required basics in the hands of Smith’s family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can also see that a Jones entitlement might
create a better job for Smith and so put the required basics in the hands of
Smith’s family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can you see?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-19329203043270997092013-02-10T15:27:00.002-05:002013-02-10T15:27:52.837-05:00Darwin's Standard<span class="userContent">In Darwin’s book on page 158 he states: “"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." Here he sets up the standard to falsify his theory. This is just after he has imagined his way through how the formation of an eagle’s eye over millions and millions of years and countless selected modifications could maybe have happened. If I were to parallel this I would say I get to imagine my God and call it science unless you can show He does not exist. Be that as it may.<br /> I would put forth Behe’s idea that the flagellum is irreducibly complex at least puts the ball back in Darwin’s court. Now I read Miller’s take on it and like Darwin he can imagine how at least a subset of parts could have come into functional existence and latter morphed into the flagellum. But I say again, I can imagine how God spoke the flagellum into existence.<br /> No I think the probabilities introduced by Dembski demand a scientific reckoning superior to imagination alone. I think it is high time a feasible detailed scenario be proposed for the evolution of the flagellum or any complex organ for that matter.<br /> Otherwise, I think we can dismiss the theory based on Darwin’s standard laid out above.</span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-19837812193444163002013-02-09T17:42:00.001-05:002013-02-09T17:44:58.302-05:00Best Default Position on God<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Out of the gate, one must take
one of three positions with respect to the existence of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1) Non-belief – God does not exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2) Ignorance – God may or may not exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3) Apathy – God’s existence or lack thereof
is irrelevant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>4) Belief – God exists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most reasonable/logical default position
is number 4.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Terms:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">God – the supernatural being or
entity (all powerful; all knowing; eternal; everywhere always present) who
created, sustains, and cares for the universe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">God Dichotomy – it is either the
case that the one God exists or no such God exists.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Preface:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We will examine each of the four possible
defaults and their implications under each case in the God Dichotomy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One may say: “Ignorance is the obvious
default as a baby could never have been told of God and therefore must start at
(2).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would answer: “Who told the
baby to breath or be afraid of a load noise?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Suppose that God does not
exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case, (1) would be the
correct position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would have spent
their lives on earth free from all the oppressive demands of an imaginary deity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If some pool of lesser gods exists, they may
or may not have had a better chance of communing with them, but, I think not,
as their default seems more inclined to ignore such a pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for group (2), again, individuals may have
found a ‘better’ path, but, the group as a whole is clueless to any supernatural
goings on and therefore no better or worse off than (1).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Group (3) also turns out to have been just as
well off as (1).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God was irrelevant and
the group was free to do as they saw fit all along, as expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for group (4), what a bunch of saps,
right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wasted so much of their time
praying to, talking to, and living for their imaginary friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They could have been having much more fun
having it their way and, in this case, are to be most pitied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, you can’t really make a claim that
they are any worse prepared for whatever may or may not follow death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, in the end, their karma or mojo or
whatever you call it will be based on what they decided was right here on earth
just like the members of the other groups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So it was based on what was written in some book; that can’t be said of
the other groups?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, in this case,
whatever happens after death will be unaffected by which of the four defaults
you took.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Suppose that God does exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case, (1) is problematic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If God wants you to find Him, then you will
not because you won’t even look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If God
wants to reveal Himself, the standard of proof will be set by you, the one who
does not believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not the best set
up for success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are in this situation,
then you better hope God forces His standard of proof on your hard heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, if he has consequences for your
disbelief, then you will be sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Group
(2) is slightly better off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If God
exists as defined, then it is most likely you will be informed of it at some
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point, having no
predisposition against, you will be more inclined to accept the truth of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Group (3) is likely the worst off in this
case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These hardy souls are entrenched
in their own self-sufficiency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cost
that God’s existence exacts on their paradigm is enormous; catastrophic to
their ego.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is surly easier to pass a
camel through the eye of a needle than to move a soul from (3).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Group (4) is in the zone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are to God as kids are to their parents
when the parent arrives home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
not a shoe-in however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believing God
exists and knowing the one true living God are two different things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The demons also believe and tremble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, of the four defaults, in this case, (4)
is far superior because there must be advantage to knowing this God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, you can’t know Him without believing
that He exists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if you believe by
default he exists, then you have already cleared the three difficult hurdles of
stubbornness, stupidity, and self-righteousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only one left is submission to the one
true living God – Jesus Christ – as your LORD and savior.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Therefore, number (4)
is the most reasonable/logical default position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are wrong the penalty is small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are right the reward is close at
hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of the other three can make
this claim.</span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-53918075443027635132013-01-27T20:46:00.001-05:002013-01-27T20:46:20.282-05:00Pay More Get Less
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here is the concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the US has a 16+ trillion dollar debt
and it would take 80+ years to pay it off running a record surplus of 200
million dollars each of those 80+ years, I propose the following.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Everyone must pay more to the
government in taxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean everyone with
income and on all income.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would
include but not be limited to wages, tips, capital gains, education benefits,
and even unemployment and welfare payments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also, every will get less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
would include but not be limited to national defense, subsidies, roads/bridges,
and of course, all entitlements.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It is that simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t cut your way out of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t tax your way out of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are going to, at some point, realize that
we are going to have to pay more and expect less from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we do it now, we could spend the next 100 years
on a disciplined fiscal diet and come out on the other end debt free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we continue the gridlock of debate, name
calling, and blaming the other side, then we will crash and crash hard.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">These are the simple truths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But don’t let me interrupt your sports
contests and your internet games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Continue to watch grown men act like children in the name of
entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please continue to split
fruit or watch virtual angry birds or whatever the latest fad.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Insanity - doing the same thing
over and over and expecting different results.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Obama, Reed, Pelosi, Boehner, McConnell,
Cantor; what do we expect will happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They will raise taxes a bit, increase spending a lot and do nothing to
pay down the debt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is up to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#PayMoreGetLess<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-42886019999057534702012-10-20T10:59:00.002-04:002012-10-20T20:48:55.851-04:00Unpack of Humanist Manifesto III<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Humanism is a progressive
philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility
to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good
of humanity."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Humanist Manifesto III (HM3):
WARNING #1 – The opening statement could not be any more offensive to the God
of the Bible than it is already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
phrase “without supernaturalism” clearly defines any god as, worse than
non-existent, completely irrelevant (see Romans 1 for Biblical consequences).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is more, it is incongruent with the
empirical data.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No human has ever
accomplished the set of feats described.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“The lifestance of
Humanism—guided by reason, inspired by compassion, and informed by experience— encourages
us to live life well and fully. It evolved through the ages and continues to
develop through the efforts of thoughtful people who recognize that values and
ideals, however carefully wrought, are subject to change as our knowledge and
understandings advance.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HM3: WARNING #2 – The water is
starting to get deep here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, suppose,
being subject to change, the present value of reason is greatly diminished and
the ideal of compassion is severely eroded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The lifestance of Humanism is then washed away by its own decree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, you can’t have it both
ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want relativism, then you
can’t have any secure place to hang your hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can’t take a stance at all, and as the adage goes .. you will fall
for anything.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Knowledge of the world is
derived by observation, experimentation, and rational analysis. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Humanists find that science is
the best method for determining this knowledge as well as for solving problems
and developing beneficial technologies. We also recognize the value of new
departures in thought, the arts, and inner experience—each subject to analysis
by critical intelligence.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HM3: WARNING #3 – I point out
here that:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:
7</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<o:p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Humans are an integral part of
nature, the result of unguided evolutionary change. Humanists </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">recognize nature as self-existing.
We accept our life as all and enough, distinguishing things as they are from
things as we might wish or imagine them to be. We welcome the challenges of the
future, and are drawn to and undaunted by the yet to be known.”</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HM3: WARNING #4 – Most manifestos
come to a place where logic breaks down completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It must be part of the curriculum in
Manifesto Writing 101.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have come to
that place in HM3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does the humanist
know everything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By their own manifesto;
the answer is NO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does the humanist know
half of everything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would guess they
would say NO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s assume the humanist
knows half of everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it possible
that God is in the half of everything that the humanist does not know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer is YES.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, when the humanist deliberately and repeatedly
ignores things like billions of individual experiences of supernatural
influence, empirical evidences of guided or designed processes, and probabilistic
analysis of intelligent first cause; yet, claims they are “distinguishing
things as they are from things as they might wish or imagine them to be” and
claims they “are drawn to and are undaunted by the yet to be known”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it is hard to take them seriously.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p>
</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Ethical values are derived from
human need and interest as tested by experience. Humanists </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">ground values in human welfare
shaped by human circumstances, interests, and concerns and extended to the
global ecosystem and beyond. We are committed to treating each person as having
inherent worth and dignity, and to making informed choices in a context of
freedom consonant with responsibility.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HM3: WARNING #5 – Might just as
well have said; Humanists ground values in shifting sand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s be clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The humanist is now saying that since the
dawn of the first human, who was brought about through an unguided process from
nothing, each and every one of them had the permanent characteristic attributes
of ‘worth’ and ‘dignity’ and this is pronounced by the authority of the
Humanists a small sect of homo sapien sapiens (wise wise man) or humans
themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only trouble is, some of
the humans disagree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, most of
the 10 to 15 billion humans throughout history would probably disagree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the very least they would demand that the
humans had varying degrees of ‘worth’ and ‘dignity’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why should we believe the humanists?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh yea, they found it out by the gods of
Science and Reason which may prove to be bogus once our future understanding is
refined.</span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">"Life’s fulfillment emerges from
individual participation in the service of humane ideals. We aim </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">for our fullest possible
development and animate our lives with a deep sense of purpose, finding wonder and
awe in the joys and beauties of human existence, its challenges and tragedies,
and even in the inevitability and finality of death. Humanists rely on the rich
heritage of human culture and the lifestance of Humanism to provide comfort in
times of want and encouragement in times of plenty."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HM3: WARNING #6 – “The fool hath
said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable
works, there is none that doeth good.” – Psalm 14: 6<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what kind of fool says it does not
matter? </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the first and greatest commandment. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor
as yourself.’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the Law and the
Prophets hang on these two commandments.”” – Matthew 22:37-40</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Humans are social by nature and
find meaning in relationships. Humanists long for and strive </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">toward a world of mutual care and
concern, free of cruelty and its consequences, where differences are resolved
cooperatively without resorting to violence. The joining of individuality with
interdependence enriches our lives, encourages us to enrich the lives of
others, and inspires hope of attaining peace, justice, and opportunity for all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HM3: WARNING #7 – This sounds
great and I agree 100%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
remember:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus said, ““I am the vine;
you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much
fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Working to benefit society
maximizes individual happiness. Progressive cultures have worked to free humanity
from the brutalities of mere survival and to reduce suffering, improve society,
and develop global community. We seek to minimize the inequities of
circumstance and ability, and we support a just distribution of nature’s
resources and the fruits of human effort so that as many as possible can enjoy
a good life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HM3: WARNING #8 - “For by the
grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly
than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance
with the measure of faith God has given you.” – Romans 12:3</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Humanists are concerned for the
well being of all, are committed to diversity, and respect those of differing
yet humane views. We work to uphold the equal enjoyment of human rights and
civil liberties in an open, secular society and maintain it is a civic duty to
participate in the democratic process and a planetary duty to protect nature’s
integrity, diversity, and beauty in a secure, sustainable manner.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HM3: WARNING #9 – Ok, I wonder
how the following would play out if the humanist was in charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a six year old boy misbehaving in
Walmart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His parents verbally correct
the youth to no effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy’s father
comes over gives the boy three quick sharp smacks on the back end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy cries convincingly for two whole
minutes and discontinues the bad behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The father is swiftly reported to the humanist authorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happens next?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Thus engaged in the flow of
life, we aspire to this vision with the informed conviction that humanity has the
ability to progress toward its highest ideals. The responsibility for our lives
and the kind of world in which we live is ours and ours alone.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HM3: WARNING #10 – Man had some
high ideals at the Tower of Babel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
ways are not His ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would recommend
the humanist read Romans 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yes we
are responsible for our actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is
why each and every one of us needs a savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>JESUS saves!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
</div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-3641370215848298392012-09-03T14:06:00.004-04:002012-09-03T14:06:49.604-04:00Christians Caviler on Creation?
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">According to Mary Fairchild, the
purpose of the Creation story “is for moral and spiritual revelation.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She points to three main revelations of the
narrative: 1) God created you He is pleased by you and you are of great worth
to Him; 2) God first references the Trinity; 3) We should not feel guilty when
we take time each week to rest.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Seriously, those are, claims Mary
Fairchild, the main reasons God saw fit to include the account of Creation in
His Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was certainly not,
according to Fairchild, to tell us how long it took or how it happened,
exactly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Mary Fairchild is the
Christianity Guide on About.com.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
seems legitimate and all the other posts on the site also seem on the
mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I ask myself, why the fade to
gray when it comes to the Creation account in Genesis Chapter 1?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this were an isolated case, I would not be
too concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately this
caviler attitude toward the Creation is the norm with those calling themselves
Christian.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A lot, and I mean most,
Christians I have talked to don’t have the stomach to take on evolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t really understand the claim but
for some reason they buy the premise and so, they are forced to water down the
Creation account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suspect that
Fairchild’s summary of the Creation story is at least an attempt to avoid
butting heads with evolution.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I am wondering, how do you process
Genesis 1: 1 – 2: 3?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you dismiss the
secular evolutionary tail altogether and accept a young earth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you contort your beliefs in an attempt to
reconcile evolution with the Biblical account of Creation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you release Genesis 1 from any historical responsibility
as does Mary Fairchild?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, do you have
some other take on the subject?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is important because many of
the lost do take Genesis 1 very seriously from a historical perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is more, they become very confused when
Christians don’t but do take other sections of the Bible very seriously
historically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They look at Genesis 1 at
face value and say to themselves:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sounds
like a historical account to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does
not jive at all with what I have been told about evolution and the history of
the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, it can’t be a
historical account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, anything else in
the Bible that sounds like a historical account is not necessarily so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus could just be a literary figure used to
show how much God cares for us and not an actual person, who lived and
breathed, suffered and died for sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
just represents the lengths God is willing to go for us.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a logical progression and reasonable
given the number of Christians who will not defend Genesis 1 as historical.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">I believe that God
created the heavens and the earth and all that in them is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe He did it in seven literal
days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe He did it less than
10,000 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe He
accomplished it by super natural power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know that nobody has shown me any discovery of man that contradicts these
beliefs and stand, as Elijah did before the prophets of Baal, to mock their
efforts to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The efforts of science
thus far have only worked to bolster my beliefs in the historical accuracy of
Genesis 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look forward to the next
scientific discovery with respect to origins and how it will further confirm
the account.</span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-25891587742808833452012-08-26T16:19:00.000-04:002012-08-26T16:19:35.128-04:00Information
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Information can be thought of as
an indiscernible fluid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We measure
information flow by the ‘diff’ in the mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is to say, the information that flowed is the difference between
what was in the mind before and what is in the mind after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indiscernible, in that, this fluid is not a
real physical substance but the dynamics of information are fluid like.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Fact – a fragment of material reality.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Concept – any derived virtual reconstitute
of fact formed in the mind of an intelligent agent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Consciousness – the set of
concepts an individual intelligent agent is aware of at any given moment in
time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Information – the fluid of
conception.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For this thesis we will assume
that there exists a reality comprised of facts and there exist intelligent
agents who are able to derive concepts based on the facts of reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These concepts have a dynamic flow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They flow within the consciousness of the
individual and, more importantly, they flow between and among the collective
consciousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can readily evaporate
(leave the conscious mind), condense (form in the conscious mind), or stream (transition
into a separate concept).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me give a
simple example of this flow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Suppose Tyqado is a member of a
primitive community, Smallville, and has the duty of scout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyqado is to seek out and report on the presence
of intruders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of a sudden, Tyqado
spots some intruders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, there are
many things that Tyqado could report about these intruders but we will limit it
in this example to the size of the party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fact, there are, what we know as, seven, that’s ‘7’, individuals in this
party of intruders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order for Tyqado
to report on this fact to Smallville, Tyqado must be able to conceptualize the
fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyqado has acquired an internal ordered
number system and is familiar with the concept ‘7’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Tyqado would have been from, Mayberry, the
community down the road, then Tyqado’s number system would have been more
simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mayberry’s number system is
{one, two, two and one, two twos, many}.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In that case, the conceptualization, ‘many’, would have been less
precise and arguably less accurate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Regardless, Tyqado forms the concept ‘intruders = seven’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">At this point Tyqado is probably
feeling pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are, however,
a number of issues Tyqado has only begun to deal with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How close Tyqado’s concept (7) is to the real
number of intruders must be stirring about in Tyqado’s mind along with a myriad
of other concepts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyqado must figure
out a way to get the concept ‘7 = intruders’ home safely to Smallville and then
come up with a way to communicate it to the tribe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Tyqado could attempt to record
the concept in some way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This way Tyqado
could allow the concept to evaporate and recall it latter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trouble is that the concept is not
real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyqado can’t record a non-material
object on a material medium {chemical neural circuits, pen and paper, computer
circuitry, stone and chisel}.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
concept is not a fragment of reality; it is an apparition of reality which
could evaporate or stream at any moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tyqado’s idea is to use a proxy material fact to securely inform
Smallville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyqado writes the numeral
‘7’ on a piece of parchment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This ‘7’ is a character on a
page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a fact just like the seven
intruders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyqado will use it to reduce
(abstract) the fact of the actual living and breathing seven intruders with
names and families of their own to the fact of a digit written on a page that
can represent the quantity of intruders and eliminate the other characteristics
of the brutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, when Tyqado sees the
‘7’ it references the concept of seven intruders condenses it in Tyqado’s
mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does it work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know, but, I believe that both the
concept of making the reference and the concept of seven intruders are not
material in any way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the concepts
themselves are material, then the entire package inside Tyqado’s brian is
mechanical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that case Tyqado merely
reacts and cannot think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyqado is then
a zombie; a la David Chalmers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
would be no Tyqado, just a bag of chemicals with a label on it that reads
“Tyqado”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If no Tyqado, then I do not
exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I know I exist, then
concepts themselves are not material.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We now have a glimpse of the
information inside Tyqado’s mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
concepts are derived by Tyqado from facts and can be triggered by abstractions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyqado will now use another abstraction in an
attempt to communicate “intruders = seven” to the tribe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Tyqado arrives back at Smallville
and is asked:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How many intruders did
you find?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyqado forms the word and
then speaks “seven” into the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
happens next is truly astounding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
concept ‘intruders = seven’ never leaves Tyqado’s mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact of sound waves carrying the word ‘seven’
was created by Tyqado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The concept must
be derived in each individual mind that receives the signal through hearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The concept does not live in the sound waves
any more than it lives in the ‘7’ on the page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The abstraction forming the concept is made in the mind and stays in the
mind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tribe at Smallville experienced the ‘diff’,
became aware, was informed, of the seven intruders as information flowed from
Tyqado’s original sighting of the seven, threw the abstraction ‘7’, and finally
in the concept formed in the minds of the villagers from Tyqado’s sound
waves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But where can wisdom be found?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And where is the place of understanding?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Man does not know its value, Nor is it found
in the land of the living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The deep
says, ‘It is not in me’; And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ It cannot be
purchased for gold, Nor can silver be weighed for its price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In
precious onyx or sapphire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither gold
nor crystal can equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine
gold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No mention shall be made of coral
or quartz, For the price of wisdom is above rubies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor
can it be valued in pure gold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“From
where then does wisdom come?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And where
is the place of understanding?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
hidden from the eyes of all living, And concealed from the birds of the
air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Destruction and Death say, ‘We have
heard a report about it with our ears.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God understands its way, And He knows its place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For He looks to the ends of the earth, And
sees under the whole heavens, To establish a weight for the wind, And apportion
the waters by measure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When He made a
law for the rain, And a path for the thunderbolt, Then He saw wisdom and
declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the
Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’” – Job 28: 12
- 28</span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-9976286687986385302012-08-24T19:23:00.001-04:002012-08-24T19:23:27.680-04:00Two Realms
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Genesis 1: 4</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And God saw the light, that it
was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here in verse four our attention
is turned toward the visible spectrum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Can anyone argue that visible light is not good?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is more God has purposefully created a
universe in which the light is divided from the darkness, so that two realms
emerge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Light has to be separate from darkness; you
say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps in this universe that is so, but it
is so because God made it so.</span></div>
Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-414078252859761072012-08-08T23:32:00.001-04:002012-08-09T06:58:43.218-04:00Light!Genesis 1: 3<br />
And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.<br />
<br />
That is power (omnipotent)! God spoke and then what He spoke happened. What happened? What is light? We define it as electromagnetic radiation which is energy emitted and absorbed by charged particles with wave like properties. So, God turned the universe on with His voice. Or, God added the wave like energy to the universe. This would imply that the physical universe is an open system. This contradicts the popular science notion that the physical universe is closed and isolated. Open meaning God can put things in it that were not in it before, like, energy. And it means he can take things out, like, Enoch (Genesis 5: 24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2: 11). An open universe should not be a surprise, as every other system known to man is an open system. But this implies things exist outside the material, physical, natural.<br />
<br />
God's power is then super natural. The materialist is here found of saying; "You might as well attribute things you don't understand to The Great Flying Spaghetti Monster." Were this an honest appeal by the materialist, I would be encouraged for them. It would mean that there heart was softening toward God. As it is, this is a scoff most easily refuted with testimony. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run <sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30214A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> with perseverance <sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30214B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup> the race marked out for us,..." - Hebrews 12: 1. You will find a scant few scoffers compared to the magnitude of this cloud. The vast majority of humans that have ever lived embrace the idea of a real god. As we continue through Genesis Chapter 1, we will gain more and more knowledge about the one true living God Almighty.Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-4426188327401467492012-08-05T16:44:00.000-04:002012-08-05T16:44:44.492-04:00Void?<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Genesis 1: 2</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And the earth was without form,
and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of
the waters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As we go through the rest of the
chapter we will be told the evolution of the creation of the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes I said evolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things do change over time in the
universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not here talking about
any sort of Darwinian evolution however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Darwinian evolution is irreconcilable with Christianity in general and
is totally inconsistent with the Holy Bible in its specifics.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Verse two gives us a murky
general idea as to what creation was like in this early stage of the process
and it did not look like much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had no
form and contained nothing substantial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet,
I believe it would have been a very exciting / suspenseful time to witness; God’s
Spirit moving over the face of the waters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It is impossible for us to know
now of what these waters consisted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr.
Russell Humphreys contends, in his book “Starlight and Time” that these waters
might have been actual water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
recommend you read his book for a better understanding of this claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could be “the waters” refers to the recently
discovered Higgs field the description of which is consistent with both a void
and a fluid of sorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The size and scope
of the formless deep is not revealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know but I contend
the size and scope of the universe at this time are irrelevant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think suffice to say that the formless deep
void of the waters or Higgs field formed the elementary basis for what would
come next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That it had some size is
evident and that it would become much larger will soon be evident.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">How long did the
Spirit move on the face?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was the Spirit
performing any task at this time or was the Spirit just building intensity for
the tasks ahead?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am only sure of one
thing at this point; Jesus was there!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>John 1: 1 – 3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same was in
the beginning with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All things were
made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.”</span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-56966233620013875362012-08-05T15:24:00.000-04:002012-08-05T15:24:20.402-04:00In The Beginning!<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Genesis 1: 1</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In the beginning God created the
heaven and the earth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is a profound
statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are being told (creavit –
third person singular perfect active indicative form of creo) that God created,
made, produced, begat, caused, chose both heaven and earth so that they came
into existence solely by His will and power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are not pointed to any substantiating evidence nor is any attempt
made to persuade us that this proclamation is true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How is the reader supposed to react to
this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one of three basic ways, I
suppose.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The reader could say: “You know
what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no such possible being that could
possibly exist that could possibly poses the power, knowledge, and ability
necessary to accomplish such a remarkable feet.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The honest question put to those taking this
track is then:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, the universe –
heaven and earth – is here, so how did it get here?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Used to be, the popular response was:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It has always been here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The universe has an infinite past.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In recent years, The Big Bang theory has
risen in fame where these folks claim:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Billions
of years ago, everything that now exists, existed in a point – a singularity
with no dimension – where for no discernible reason, it exploded into the
universe we now see.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The reader could say:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Possible sounds far-fetched but I am willing
to listen on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, I don’t know this
God but it is also the case that I don’t know everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I don’t even know half of
everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This God could exist in the
at least half of everything that I don’t know.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The reader could say:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know this God!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the one who
saved me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love this, the one true
living God, because He first loved me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His invisible attributes from creation are manifest in the universe He
created.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I would like to take some time to
examine the specific, vivid, and chronological Genesis Chapter One account of
God’s work in creating the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you are the first reader, then this process might turn out to be frustrating,
painful, or even angering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, it might
turn out to be liberating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-26367861993640151312012-07-25T20:46:00.001-04:002012-07-25T20:46:55.478-04:00Get an Education!It's little Jimmy's
first day of 1st grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is setting
out on a journey that is supposed to, among other things,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>prepare him intellectually for a professional
workplace some 12 to 20 years in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What will the workplace look like in 2025?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chances are it will not look like the
workplace of 1985.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately the
educational system in place now is preparing young people like Jimmy for a
workplace that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>now exists only in
history books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the premise of my
post today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not trying to convince
you of this fact, I am going to suggest some things we might do about it.
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
At the outset, we
should make an objective attempt to characterize what the workplace will look
like in 2025.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given the current
trajectory and no major calamity between now and then, it will contain six main
elements:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>{mobility, technology,
collaboration, speed, information, skill}.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, Jimmy chained to his desk, without his computer/cell
phone/calculator, in silence, and with only his memory as a resource will leave
him out of the professional workplace in 2025.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The idea of a good education must be turned completely on its head.</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Jimmy must be able
to access, process, analyze, communicate, and store (APACS) an enormous amount
of information to be a professional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore, he will not even be able to begin to function without a
computer and a fast internet connection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What is more, mastering this one device will be the key to unlock his
entire professional existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will
only be able to APACS at a snail's pace without it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will need to have access/skill with the
computer at every moment in his professional life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be his phone, his clock, his library,
his secretary, his calculator, his post office, etc…</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
It will not,
however, be his brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Operating a
computer effectively, even today, is a monumental undertaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever the professional task may be, not
only is it true: "There is an <open source=""> app for that.",
there are YouTube videos on how to install, set up, and make basic use of that
app.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, there exist online
documentations and at least a half dozen forums, per app, where more advanced
information can be digested concerning the app in a collaborative way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of these resources are better than
others and updates to all, apps, videos, docs, and forums are constantly being
posted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can be known is increasing
exponentially.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How it can be accessed is
also growing at a staggering rate.</open></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Therefore, young
people need to be taught, wait, strike that, must be schooled to mastery in all
aspects of APACS via the computer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>APACS
= {world wide web, cloud, databases, application software, networking, etc…}.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Students, by the time they reach the seventh
grade should already know (at least):<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A)
How to access information on the world wide web via search engines and be able
to set up an automated feed system which can be set to search any desired set
of target topics; P) How to process information using software such as MS
Excell or MS Access;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How to analyze processed information using
rudimentary macros, functions, or routines they have developed on any one of a
number of analysis platforms such as Maple;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>C)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Publish results via internet
using blogs/forums/wikkis/web pages;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>S)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Store information via
databases or word processing platforms such as MS One Note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, by the time they reach seventh grade.</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Forget reading,
writing, and arithmetic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have been,
yes past tense, by surfing, posting, and apping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about the art of taking a piece of paper
and exquisitely recording your thoughts with a beautifully developed
cursive<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gone I say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can read about it in the history book along side of how they used to
chisel out script in the face of a flat stone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The modern<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>work station is
composed of a pc or laptop with one or two external monitors so that the user
can have 5, 10, 15, or more different screens <access points=""> open at the
same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is equipped with email
access as well as some flavor of instant communicator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ten to twenty percent of the workday is spent
on google or some other search engine researching the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, professional development is
an everyday event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don't know how
to use a search engine<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><filter -="" a="" and="" authentic,="" bing="" by="" clicking="" confirm="" definition-="" different="" find="" for="" four="" germane="" just="" meaning="" note="" of="" one="" opened="" reliable,="" resources="" right="" sources="" spelling="" the="" to="" up="" used="" window="" with="" word="">,
then you will not be long on the job.</filter></access></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
This all means that
for virtually all course activities students be required to engage in
computing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are the taking notes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use One Note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Are they making a presentation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Use PowerPoint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are they doing
research?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use google.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are they producing a report?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use a wikki.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, a personal wikki is a great place to organize their whole
effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are they processing and
analyzing data?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use Excel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I think of all the things you can do
with Excel, so much I get exhausted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
would take two years of intense study just to become proficient in all the
functions that Excel offers.</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
The professional
workplace will require of its force; a comfort producing from portable work
stations, seamless proficiency in multiple technologies, group efforts across
halls and across oceans,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>incredible
speed, continuous multitasking open access points to a variety of data sources,
persistent proficiency in specific duties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let's give Jimmy a fighting chance.</div>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-56093450649697860202012-07-19T22:06:00.002-04:002012-07-19T22:11:37.164-04:00Role of Randomness?<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">"The Oxford English Dictionary
defines 'random' as "Having no definite aim or purpose; not sent or guided
in a particular direction; made, done, occurring, etc., without method or
conscious choice; haphazard." This concept of randomness suggests a
non-order or non-coherence in a sequence of symbols or steps, such that there
is no intelligible pattern or combination."</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I lifted the above from
Wikipedia.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So, if randomness were to have a
role, then that role would be non-intelligible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Truly this is enough said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, I will add a bit of practical explanation to bring the point
home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Every element in the event space
of the universe has a cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do I
know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, the Bible tells me so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, what about the cloud that is blown
together in the shape of an elephant (“Fooled by Randomness” – Taleb)?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I say, what about it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I being asked to believe that clouds form due
to un-intelligible causes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think
so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think everyone accepts that there
exists a set of deterministic forces that working together form clouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I being asked a purpose for the shape?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That it has a shape is a necessary condition
for it being blown together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No shape,
no together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That its shape evolves is a
physical property of the fluid in which it is blown together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of the shapes it takes on in its life
are the result of randomness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each is a
result of the fluid dynamic present at the time the shape is formed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The elephant shape fit the dynamic of the
moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The elephant was not selected at
random from a deck of shapes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the
only shape that fit the present dynamic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is nothing random here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
we could grasp all the deterministic forces at play and know all the values of
all the variables involved, then we could know exactly when, where, and why the shape
of the elephant appeared.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And there you have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We use the term random if and only if we do
not understand the dynamic of the forces involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is another way to say:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know how that happened.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Used to be folks gave unashamed praise,
honor, and glory to God Almighty for things not understood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we give it up for randomness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chance is the cause of things not understood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As R.C. Sproul said:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not a chance!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Again from Wikipedia:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "</span>According to several standard interpretations
of quantum mechanics, microscopic phenomena are objectively random. That is, in
an experiment where all causally relevant parameters are controlled, there will
still be some aspects of the outcome which vary randomly. An example of such an
experiment is placing a single unstable atom in a controlled environment; it
cannot be predicted how long it will take for the atom to decay; only the
probability of decay within a given time can be calculated."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">In other words; we
don’t understand the dynamic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the physicists
are suggesting that randomness IS the cause then they might just as well claim
the Great Spaghetti Monster is pulling the strings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probability distributions have no power<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are an imaginary construct used as a
proxy for true understanding.</span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4356011641095862668.post-11902870040491271722012-07-17T17:50:00.007-04:002012-07-17T17:51:51.490-04:00Cheater Cheater Pants on Fire!<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">So I see this
article (<a href="http://education-portal.com/articles/75_to_98_Percent_of_College_Students_Have_Cheated.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://education-portal.com/articles/75_to_98_Percent_of_College_Students_Have_Cheated.html</span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="_GoBack"></a>).</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Well, if this is
the case, then we have two basic options as I see it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">First, change
the meaning of the word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would be
done realizing the strong reliance on collaboration in today’s world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Problems are two big to solve on your own and
time is two short not to take advantage of the internet and other readily
available resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could group
students differently throughout the semester on various assignments and the
individual student would get the average of the grades for the groups on which
he served.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Second, you
would have to make, at each school, a central repository for assessments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is, professors must be lumped into the
dough of those who can’t be trusted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
work would be completed at the testing center under close scrutiny, cameras
would be involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> I suppose a third
option exists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Combine the two methods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have a midterm and final scheduled at the
repository and complete all other assignments in groups.</span>Melvin_H_Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08456798488702282929noreply@blogger.com0