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This pagan festival was co-opted by Christians but is not usually celebrated as a Christian holiday.
SUMMARY. Halloween originated more than 2,000 years ago with Europe's Celtic peoples. On November 1 they celebrated their New Year's Day, which they called Samhain (SAH-win). On the night before Samhain which we know as Halloween, spirits, fairies, demons, and other creatures were thought to walk the earth.
The Celts sacrificed animals to their gods while gathered around bonfires. They often wore costumes--probably animal skins--in order to confuse spirits and perhaps to avoid being possessed. It is also thought they wore masks or blackened their faces in order to impersonate dead ancestors. Trick-or-treating may have begun as the Celts, costumed as spirits, were believed to go from house to house and doing silly things in exchange for food or drink.
Christians later co-opted pagan holidays. In the seventh century Pope Boniface IV decreed November 1 to be All Saints' Day or All Hallows' Day. The night before All Saint's Day continued to be observed with bonfires, costumes, and parades under a new name: All Hallows' Eve and later Halloween. The holiday was brought to the United States by European immigrants, and the celebration gathered steam in the 1800s.
To read the entire article and much more about Halloween, click on this link to THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC.
COMMENT: There is probably no holiday that is as controversial among Christians as Halloween. I don't think one can fault those who want nothing to do with this holiday because of its admittedly heathen origins. On the other hand, historically it became, at least on the surface, a Christian holiday. Of course, most people do not celebrate it as a Christian holiday today and treat it more or less neutrally. However, a serious question is whether or not Christians should be dressing up as witches, the Devil, ghouls, vampires, or other heathen characters.
Some Christians, especially Lutherans, have found a way to celebrate Halloween in a way that I don't believe should be offensive to any Christian, at least of the Protestant persuasion. They treat the day as a Reformation celebration. After all, it was on All Saints Eve, October 31, 1517, that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany, an act that officially began the Reformation. Perhaps dressing up in costumes that depict clothing from Luther's Day or as angels or as other acceptable Bible characters might be a good compromise.
God used Luther to restore to the church the doctrines of Sola Fide (salvation comes through faith alone and not by anything we can do or not do), Sola Gratia (it is entirely a gift of God and not something we can earn) and Sola Scriptura (we rely on only the Bible to show us the way to salvation). Since God demands perfection (Leviticus 11:45) and nobody comes even close to perfection, we are overjoyed and grateful that God gives us the gift of salvation by faith. Now we can look forward to enjoying eternity in heaven and there meeting Jesus, Luther, and all the saints.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
Has there been any change in the size of newly-built American houses?
Yes, they seem to be shrinking. New homes under construction in June were on average nearly 200 square feet smaller than houses built two years ago. Compared to houses in other countries, American homes are still very large: 2,521 square feet on average (in 2007) compared to 1,200 square feet for French and German houses and 900 square feet for English homes.
Source: Parade (October 11, 2009)
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An abortionist and a leading pro-life activist vow to continue their battle.
SUMMARY: Dr. LeRoy Carhart is one of only 12 doctors in the United States still willing to do late-term abortions. On a wall of his clean and modern office in Bellevue, Nebraska hangs a picture of abortionist George Tiller, Carhart's mentor who was shot to death in late May while at church. Carhart recalls he was performing an abortion when he heard the news, but he didn't stop to grieve for his best friend because he still had 12 abortions to go. "I finished them all," he says proudly. "I don't want his death to be in vain." However, with Tiller gone and because of Carhart, Bellevue, Nebraska is the new Ground Zero in the nation's abortion debate.
Outside his clinic the scene is different. Paint is peeling from his Abortion & Contraception Clinic of Nebraska and the parking lot is crumbling. Protesters may be there with walkie talkies and signs, and they may stare and shout at you as you enter the building. Visitors must pass through a metal detector to enter Carhart's office.
More than 300 miles away in Wichita in a building that once was an abortion clinic, Troy Newman of Operation Rescue is concentrating on the abortion war. His crusade is to end abortions. On the wall of his office is a bumper sticker that reads, "Guns don't kill people. Abortion clinics kill people." At his facility too, visitors must be buzzed in and there is a monitor providing surveillance at all times. Newman wants to put Carhart out of business and is lobbying lawmakers and other pro-lifers to help in the battle. "This is like a heavyweight fighting championship," Newman says. "You've got to keep your footing until the end of the bell."
Newman would like to meet Carhart, but Carhart doesn't think Newman is worth the time. Newman is appalled at Carhart 's assertion that abortion isn't a four-letter word and is "part of life." No way is killing a baby a way of life, Newman says. Carhart to him personifies a morally repugnant human being who doesn't deserve to be called a doctor. "Doctors heal people. Abortionists do just the opposite." Newman distances himself from Scott Roeder, the man who murdered Tiller. "Shooting someone in the head in a church," he says, "is not a Pro-Life act."
Meanwhile Carhart is making plans to open a clinic in Kansas to replace Tiller's. He believes he is next on the target list. But he doesn't plan to quit what he is doing. "I am an abortionist....That is what I do," he states. He calls Operation Rescue "fundamentalist religious terrorists." However, Operation Rescue, despite a protest at Carhart's clinic in August, is now mostly shifting away from picketing abortion clinics. The group is now scrutinizing doctors' backgrounds and investigating their practices, appealing to authorities if they spot something suspicious.
To read the entire long but interesting article and view some videos, click on this link to CNN.
COMMENT: The good news is that according to a recent Pew Survey more people are agreeing with Newman. The bad news is that the survey found that still almost half of those surveyed believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases.
I will applaud Mr. Carhart for one thing: being more honest than many people involved in the "pro-choice" movement. He does call himself an abortionist rather than "abortion doctor." He does admit that he kills fetuses and doesn't just remove meaningless tissue. On the other hand, he claims he is not pro-abortion, which is hard to understand.
For the Christian who accepts the entire Bible as the Word of God, the choice is easy. The Bible (Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 1:5) is clear that human life begins at conception. Only God can create life and only He can justifiably end life or give permission to end life (as in self-defense or in wars). May we all work to end the shameful practice of aborting human babies until the time comes when life in this world ends and eternal life becomes the possession of all believers in Jesus as Savior.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
According to records, who was the oldest person to have ever lived (since Bible times)?
It was Jeanne-Louise Calment who was 122 when she died August 4, 1997 in Arles, France.
Source: Racine Journal Times (9/12/09)
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A biologist doesn't believe human "evolution" has ceased.
SUMMARY: Women of the future likely will be shorter and plumper and have healthier hearts along with longer reproductive windows, according to predictions that see humans as still "evolving." Stephen Stearns, an evolutionary biologist at Yale U., said the idea that modern medical science has overcome natural selection and caused human evolution to cease is "just plain false."
Sterns says that differences in reproduction still can select "fitter" humans and their genes. The question is whether or not women who have more children also have distinguishing traits they can pass on to offspring. To find out, he and his colleagues studied data from a heart study that tracked medical histories of more than 14,000 residents of Framingham, Massachusetts since 1948--in some families spanning three generations.
The team studied 2238 women to see if a woman's height, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol or other traits correlated with the number of children she had borne. The scientists discovered that shorter, heavier women on average tended to have more children than taller, lighter ones, an indication to the researchers that natural selection is shaping those traits. Also, women tended to have more children if they had lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, had their first child at a young age, or entered menopause later than usual.
Sterns thinks if these trends continue for 10 generations, the average woman in 2409 will be 2 centimeters shorter and 1 kilogram heavier than she is today. She also will have her first child 5 months earlier and enter menopause 10 months later.
Because he controlled for many social and cultural factors in his study, Sterns believes his findings reflect genetic rather than cultural evolution at work. "It's interesting that the underlying biological framework is still detectable beneath the culture," he says.
To read the entire article click on this link to NEW SCIENTIST.
COMMENT: I'm inclined to believe many scientists will disagree with the conclusions of Mr. Sterns, but one thing is a sure thing. Future women will be 100% human. Readers of articles such as this one that use terms such as "evolve" or "evolution" need to be alert for the context in which those words are used. In this case, if the predicted changes do occur, they are minor and are what creationists call "variation within a kind." The longer lives and healthier lives that average Americans are enjoying today are due to factors other than Darwinian evolution which, since it doesn't exist, doesn't affect anything.
Many people can look forward to a future change in their bodily conditions that is guaranteed and which also has nothing to do with amoeba-to-man evolution. I am referring to the perfect health that people will enjoy in heaven if they have accepted the forgiveness for their sins which Jesus won for them on the cross and which he freely offers to anyone willing to accept it.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
How many species of microbes are thought to exist?
About 30 million. Of these microbes, only 70 are known to cause disease, but around 1,000 normally live on the surface of human skin.
Source: Discover (September, 2009)
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Brains of a paper wasp species undergo dramatic changes as the wasps go from one task to another.
SUMMARY: A tropical paper wasp known as Polybia aequatorialis has a brain the size of two grains of sand. But researchers from universities in Washington and Texas have discovered that remarkably these brains can undergo dramatic changes during the daily lives of the wasps, such as actually enlarging during complex tasks.
Apparently, the dendrites (extensions of neurons) reach out to receive information from other brain cells to form a dense network of connections. The networks help the wasps to integrate information from visual, olfactory and touch sensory systems. "I was astounded when we found that some of the individual neurons had dendrites that were seven to eight millimeters long in a brain that is roughly the size of two grains of sand. That's packing a huge amount of computing power in a small amount of space," said Sean O'Donnell, a UW associate professor of psychology and co-author of the new study.
Although wasps are social creatures just as are humans, the architecture of their brains is different. However, researchers want to know if there are similarities or differences in the brain plasticity for social beings.
P. aequatorialis wasps live in colonies of 2,000 or more adults. Their tasks including working in both the dim interior and the exterior of the nest, foraging for food and building materials, and finding their way back to the nest. Each job change is accompanied by an increase in complexity of the tasks. When foraging, the wasp brains develop a more complex and dense neuron dendrite network. The causes for these changes isn't known.
O'Donnell says the change in wasp environments is comparable to what people face over the course of a day.
(Photo of a different species of paper wasp (polistes dominula) from Wikimedia Commons.)
To read the entire article click on this link to US NEWS.
COMMENT: This is another example of intelligent design--not "evolution" as the article claims. The article doesn't specifically say it, but the assumption seems to be that like the wasps, human beings might also have brains that undergo similar changes with changes in tasks.
I hope I don't sound facetious, but it would be good if the brains of more scientists would "grow" to the extent that there would be room for a more logical evaluation of the marvels they are uncovering in nature. How so many highly educated men and women with all their scientific degrees can continue to look at the highly designed and complex living creatures as well as the obvious order in all the universe and still believe it is all a matter of random chance--that is one of the mysteries of the age.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
How many dead skin cells do we lose from the surface of our skin every minute?
From 30 to 40 thousand. All the dead skin cells we lose from our skin in a year would weigh about 9 pounds (4 kg).
Source: Answers (October-December, 2009)
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UK scientists hope to give centenarians 50-year-old bodies.
SUMMARY: One day centenarians may have the bodies of 50-year-olds, scientists in the UK say. Although half the babies now born in that country will reach 100 thanks to higher living standards, their bodies are wearing out at the usual rate. To reach "50 active years after 50," experts at Leeds U. are looking for innovative solutions.
Durable implants such as new hips, knees and heart valves are starting points, but scientists think most body parts eventually could be upgraded as they age. The university already has made a hip transplant that should last for life rather than the current 20 years maximum. The improved hip transplant uses a durable cobalt-chrome metal alloy socket and a ceramic ball or "head" that should easily withstand the 100 million steps a 50-year-old might take by the time he reaches his 100th birthday.
Meanwhile, Prof Eileen Ingham and her team have developed a way to allow the body to enhance itself. The idea is to get the body to make its own transplantable tissues and eventually organs, thereby eliminating the problem of rejection. They have already managed to make fully functioning heart valves by taking a healthy donor heart from a human or suitable animal such as a pig. They then strip away all the cells leaving an inert scaffold that can be transplanted into a patient without fear of rejection. The body will then repopulate the scaffold with cells. This method could also be used on donor skin for burns patients.
Experts hope the new technology will help to remove the heavy reliance on donor organs. One scientist said, "To replace all donor tissue using this technology will take 30 to 50 years. Each single product will need to be designed and tested individually."
To read the entire article click on this link to the BBC.
COMMENT: I'm sure we will wish researchers well in their efforts to make aging a more comfortable process as life expectancy continues to rise. Nevertheless, if any scientists think it may be possible to duplicate Methuselah's age (969 years), they will be wasting their time. For modern humans, there is a limit. Psalm 90:10 says, "The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty, if we have the strength," which is the approximate life expectancy in the U.S. at present.
Also, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics (entropy) can be expected to take its toll. While replacing some body parts might extend our life spans to some extent, can the human brain ever be replaced? Currently dementia is a growing problem along with our aging population, a problem for which no solution is in sight and one that was not addressed in this article.
The solution to a long and healthy life, in fact an eternal, completely healthy life in heaven, lies in Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins and place our trust in Him as our Savior, He has promised, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:2-3 NIV)
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
What medical condition is known as polydactyly?
Polydactyly is a condition in which one has extra fingers or toes. The late actress Marilyn Monroe never had extra fingers or toes despite rumors to that effect. However, British actress Gemma Arterton, who had a lead role in the movie Quantum of Solace, was born with six fingers on each hand. The extra fingers were removed when she was a baby. (photo from Wikimedia Commons)
Source: Parade (October 11, 2009)
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Advice on how to care for ourselves and our loved ones.
SUMMARY: Experts have lots of unanswered questions about this flu season, but they believe it will be unlike any other, with multiple viruses circulating. "This year we are in uncharted territory," says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Thomas Frieden. "What will happen in the coming weeks and months will only become clear in the weeks and months ahead."
Questions that have answers include...
What is Novel H1N1 (swine flu)? It is a flu virus never before seen in humans, and it is spreading around the world. The World Health Organization has labeled the disease a pandemic.
What are the symptoms? Fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and possibly diarrhea. Most people recover without hospitalization, but some people may need intensive care and may not even survive.
How does it differ from seasonal flu? While seasonal flu is most dangerous for the very young and the very old, H1N1 takes its greatest toll on people younger than 25, pregnant women, and people with asthma, diabetes, immune deficiencies and other chronic conditions.
How long can an infected person spread the virus to others? Nobody knows, but a person becomes infectious about a day before symptoms begin. The CDC recommends people stay home for 24 hours after the fever goes down without treatment.
Can I protect myself from getting sick? A vaccine for H1N1 was due this month with the groups most at risk urged to move to the head of the line. Children and adults are advised to get vaccines for both H1N1 and seasonal flu (seasonal flu itself kills 36,000 people a year). One expert also advises that children get vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia, a major causes of deaths in previous flu epidemics.
Who should get the vaccines? Swine flu: Pregnant women, people who care for children younger than 6 months, health care workers, young people 6 months to 24 years, and older people with chronic medical conditions or weakened immunity. Seasonal flu: Infants, young people 6 months to 19 years; people who care for infants; pregnant women; people 50 and older; people with chronic disease, health care workers, and others who want to reduce their risk of getting sick.
Is vaccine the only option? Besides getting vaccinated, other good advice includes covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or cough into your elbow); cleaning hands often with soap and water or sanitizer; keeping hands away from eyes, nose, and mouth; and, if sick, keeping away from others.
What can I do to prepare? Pay attention to the news to see if it makes sense to avoid public gatherings. Stock up on food, fluids, tissues, sanitizers, medicine and other household items in case someone in the family gets sick.
What are some signs of a severe illness? Trouble breathing; gray or bluish skin; not drinking enough fluids; vomiting; not waking up or interacting with others; being irritable; not wanting to be held (children); pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen (adults); improvement followed by a reoccurrence of fever and cough.
Should I stay home or go to work? You may go to work if you're feeling okay and aren't needed at home. If you are sick but otherwise healthy and not suffering any respiratory symptoms, you should stay at home. But, in this case, take fever-reducing medicine, get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. More serious symptoms may require seeking medical help.
To read the entire article click on this link to USA TODAY.
COMMENT: This is just another reminder of the original sin of Adam and Eve and the reason we have illness in the world. God didn’t create the world with health problems like influenza.
Yet, a far more serious problem for human beings than even the worst of medical problems are the spiritual problems that unfortunately are afflicting a majority of the world’s peoples. Worshippers of false gods including those who have placed their faith in the doctrines of evolution theory have a serious ailment that will bring eternal death unless they turn to Jesus Christ. Christ offered His life as a full payment for our sins, a complete cure for the spiritual problems that have sickened our souls. We can accept this free and full remedy for sin, or we can reject it to our everlasting regret.
Jesus talked about spiritual sickness when we said in Matthew 9:12 , "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” We can all be doctors and nurses in the sense of trying to lead the spiritually sick to health through the spreading of the Gospel. May God bless our efforts!
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
What food type can lower blood pressure by counteracting unhealthy sodium?
Potassium. The American Dietetic Association recommends getting 4,700 mg of potassium a day. Some foods high in potassium include: one baked potato (1,000 mg), one medium banana (420 mg), cantaloupes, brown rice, apples, and lima beans. (picture from Wikimedia Commons)
Source: Spry magazine (October, 2009)
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North Carolina Baptist pastor considers all Bibles except the KJV to be "satanic."
SUMMARY: Pastor Marc Grizzard of Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Canton, North Carolina has told a TV station that he plans to burn Bibles and books by Christian authors on Halloween--in order "to light a fire under true believers."
He considers all translations of the Bible except for the King James version to be "satanic" and "perversions" of God's word. Some of the Christian books to be burned include ones written by Billy Graham and Rick Warren. The plans also include the burning of Christian music.
To read the entire short article click on this link to USA TODAY.
COMMENT: In this day and age when so many people including clergymen consider truth to be relative, it is refreshing to see a pastor standing up for what he thinks is right. He is correct about avoiding some so-called Christian books and music which are not faithful to the Word of God, even some written by well-known authors. Too bad though Rev. Grizzard is wrong when it comes to his opinions on Bible translations.
What Bible version did Jesus use? It wasn't the King James. What Bible version did the Protestant reformers like Luther and Calvin use? It wasn't the King James. What Bible version do true Bible-based Christians in other countries use? It likely isn't the King James.
The King James has been a trustworthy version of God's Word for a long time, and its beautiful prose is highly regarded by many people. Honestly though, it is far from being a perfect translation, which is true of every other translation as well. I am not versed in the original Bible languages, but I think I know of one KJV mistranslation right away--the identification of the great fish that swallowed Jonah as being a "whale." (Matthew 12:40) Only the original versions of the Old and New Testaments as they were written by the inspired authors should be held with the high esteem in which this minister apparently holds the KJV.
Perhaps the biggest problem with using the KJV is how the English language has changed since this version and its updates were created. I remember when I was young asking my mother why the 23rd Psalm (in the KJV) seems to say that we shouldn't want the Lord, our Shepherd. Many other Bible passages in the KJV can also be misunderstood or not understood at all due to this language change, such as Matthew 19:14 ("But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.") or Acts 9:5 ("And he said, 'Who art thou, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.'")
We thank God that every Bible translation (at least those of which I am aware) does let the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ shine through despite the fact some versions are admittedly better than others. Ultimately we need to trust Bible scholars who know the languages in which the Scriptures were originally written, are faithful to the Scriptures, and can point us to the Bible versions that can best communicate the Word of God to us today.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
Does an adult human skeleton really have fewer bones than the skeleton of an infant?
Yes, at birth the skeleton of a human infant has about 300 bones, in adulthood around 206. The reason for this difference is that as the body ages, many of the bones fuse together. For instance, the adult skull (not including the lower jaw) appears to be one bone but is actually 22 fused bones.
Source: Answers (October-December, 2009)
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Scientists disagree over whether the recent cooling is just a temporary dip or whether it is a long-term trend.
SUMMARY: The year 1998 was the warmest year recorded globally, but in the last 11 years no increase in global temperatures has taken place. Climate models did not forecast this, even though man-made carbon dioxide, the gas thought to be responsible for warming our planet, has continued to rise.
Climate change skeptics say they saw this trend coming. They argue that natural cycles over which we have no control determine how warm the planet is. They say the warming over the last few decades of the 20th century was due to the sun's energy increasing. Some 98% of the earth's warmth comes from the sun.
Some research two years ago seemed to rule out solar influences, because scientists could not connect solar output and cosmic ray intensity with global average surface temperatures. However, solar scientist Piers Corbyn claims solar charged particles are almost entirely responsible for global temperatures. He plans to present his findings at a scientific conference in London at the end of the month.
What's happening to our oceans is really interesting. Research by Professor Don Easterbrook from Western Washington U. shows that ocean temperatures and global temperatures are correlated. The oceans have a cycle of warming and then cooling. For much of the 1980s and 1990s they were in a warmer cycle along with global temperatures. Now they are cooling. These cycles in the past have lasted nearly 30 years which leads Prof. Easterbrook to predict about 30 years of global cooling.
But those supporting the idea of global warming and man's influence on it say their climate models have incorporated solar variation and ocean cycles and that there are a whole host of known factors that influence global temperatures. Even though there may be periods of cooling, the long-term trend is clearly up, they claim. So predictions of future climate vary. Skeptics think global temperatures will not likely get back to the 1998 highs until 2030 at the earliest. The other side thinks at least half the years from 2010 to 2015 will be even hotter than 1998.
To read the entire article click on this link to the BBC.
COMMENT: Unlike in the debates over evolution and abortion, for instance, there may be room for Bible-based Christians on either side of the climate-change arguments. The Bible is silent on this issue, if I am not mistaken.
Nevertheless we can learn some lessons from these clashes among scientists over global warming. First, science is not the unimpeachable behemoth it is sometimes made out to be. This lesson especially applies to the evolution/creation debate. If scientists with all their tools can't agree on what is happening to our present weather or what will happen in the near future, can we trust their opinions on what supposedly happened millions and billions of years ago when nobody was around?
Secondly, whether the climate warms up or cools down, we know the One who created this earth, the sun, and the oceans is still very involved in what is going on. God sometimes may let people suffer from their mistakes, but, for the Christian believer, nothing evil will happen to him unless God has a very good reason.
Thirdly, even if we may be a climate change skeptic, we should still study the suggestions of those who believe in global warming. Some of their ideas, such as using renewable energy and driving more fuel-efficient cars, may make sense whether there is global warming or not. God wants us to be good stewards of his planet until the time comes when the present earth will pass away. Then believers in Jesus Christ as Savior will not need to have the slightest concern about the climate because they will be in heaven where there will be an eternally perfect environment.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
What service is a new company called Better Place about to offer?
Networks of service stations and charging spots for electric cars. The company has plans to build more than 20,000 charging spots in California and have them running by 2012. More charging spots means it is more practical to invest in electric cars. (Picture: Reva electric car, 2008, from Wikimedia Commons)
Source: Parade (October 11, 2009)
The latest work by Richard Dawkins is among books seeking to stem the growth of creationism.
SUMMARY (of a commentary by PZ Myers): Aware of assaults on "science", scientists are reaching out and trying to explain their work to the lay public. A number of books describing evolution theory have recently been published, the latest of which is Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth.
While public schools are failing to educate people about biology, it is now easier to pick up basic information and get a good idea of "why evolution has been such a powerful idea in biology."
Solving the problem of creationism isn't as easy as simply handing out copies of Dawkins' book. Most critics of evolution "don’t have the slightest idea of the principles of the theory." Creationists assert there are no transitional fossils, for instance, when there are "a few hundred."
While Richard Dawkins talks about reaching the fence-sitters, Myers thinks committed evolutionists as well as devout creationists should also read these books.
(Photo of Richard Dawkins from Wikimedia Commons .)
To read Myers' entire commentary click on this link to SEED MAGAZINE.
COMMENT: PZ Myers, a biology professor at the U. of Minnesota, and Richard Dawkins are both outspoken defenders of Darwin and harsh critics of conservative Christians and creationists. So, for Myers to defend Dawkins is to be expected. It is a surprise though to see so many half-truths and misrepresentations in one short commentary at the same time as Myers is accusing creationists of distortions and ignorance. Following are a few of his questionable remarks:
Scientists are aware of the assaults on science by the conservative religious right. The religious right, especially creation science, isn't attacking science; it is attacking evolutionary theory. Creationist and Intelligent Design scientists don't consider Darwin's theory to be science.
There are no excuses now for not being informed about the core principles of the socially (but not scientifically!) controversial theory of evolution. While many creationist scientists with advanced degrees denounce evolution theory for both religious and scientific reasons, many scientists, especially those in the Intelligent Design movement, reject evolution for only scientific and common sense reasons. Many aspects of evolutionary theory are controversial within the scientific establishment itself, such as gradualism vs. punctuated equilibrium.
Most of the critics of evolution don’t have the slightest idea of the principles of the theory. Does Myers here include the many ex-evolutionist scientists who have now converted to creationism or the Intelligent Design movement?
I’m always being told that it’s entirely about chance conjuring complex organisms into existence, the old “tornado in a junk yard” canard. The comparison of the chances of life originating by natural means to that of a 747 airplane being constructed by a tornado passing through a junkyard was not originally made by a creationist. It was made by Sir Fred Hoyle, an astronomer who apparently was not even a Christian.
Creationists assert that there are no transitional fossils, for instance, so we have to show them a few hundred. Only a few hundred? Darwin himself wrote, “Why, if species have descended from other species by fine gradations, do we not everywhere see innumerable transitional forms?” (Darwin, C. 1902. On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection: or The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 6th Edition. New York: P. F. Collier & Son. 233) The fact of the matter is that the handful of fossils alleged to be transitional fossils, such as Archaeopteryx and Ida, all seem to be controversial within the scientific establishment itself.
“The Cambrian explosion was a sudden event that can only be explained by the work of a designer” This quotation attributed to creation theory is off the mark. Creationists, in general at least, see the Cambrian explosion (the sudden appearance of all types of creatures in the fossil record) as evidence for a worldwide catastrophe (Noah's Flood) that deposited all the different fossils in the ground at about the same time. The Cambrian explosion has nothing to do with design. On the other hand, Darwinists are obligated to explain how all these different types of fossils appear at the same time in the ground fully formed and without transitional fossils.
It is apparent that evolutionists have been stung by polling results showing support for Darwin's theory, in America at least, at less than 50% to as low as 33% or lower. They hope to counter this trend with their new books. I just hope readers who pick up Dawkins' book or one of the other new books will investigate both sides of the story, because truth in the end will win out. Perhaps some of the fence sitters, with God's help, will read the original creationist book, the Holy Bible, through which they might not just become anti-evolutionists, but, more important, will become believers in Jesus Christ as Savior--saved for eternal life in heaven.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
What causes tinnitus (ringing in the ears)?
The most common cause is inner-ear cell damage. The tiny hairs in the inner ear can become bent or broken, leaking electrical impulses to the brain. Other common causes for tinnitus include earwax blocking the ear canal, benign tumors, head or neck injuries, depression, stress, and exposure to loud noises.
Source: Dr. Peter Gott in (Racine) Journal Times (10/4/09)
He says his work proves the shroud is a fake and not the burial cloth of Jesus.
SUMMARY: An Italian scientist says he has recreated the Shroud of Turin to prove it is a medieval fake and not the cloth in which Jesus was buried. The linen shroud carries an imprinted image of the front and back of a crucified man which many Christians, especially Catholics, believe is that of Jesus Christ. Luigi Garlaschelli wrapped a specially woven cloth over one of his students, painted it with pigment, then baked it in an oven for several hours, and concluded by washing the cloth.
“What you have now is a very fuzzy, dusty and weak image,” Garlaschelli said. “Then for the sake of completeness I have added the bloodstains, the burns, the scorching because there was a fire in 1532.” However, he did not have direct access to the actual shroud. Garlaschelli is not a Christian, and he said his work was funded by the Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics.
The shroud’s supporters have said it displays some strange properties that could not have been produced by human hands. For instance, the image is superficial, has no pigment, looks very lifelike, and has the characteristics of a photographic negative. The pigment may have worn off the cloth over the centuries since it was first “discovered” in 1355 leaving behind the ghostly picture that remains today. Carbon dating tests during the 1990s placed the shroud’s origin in the Middle Ages. The shroud measures more than 14 feet long and 3 feet, 7 inches wide.
The Vatican does not have an official position on the authenticity of the shroud. However the late pope John Paul II insisted lessons could be learned from the relic even if it is not genuine. "The imprint left by the tortured body of the crucified one, which attests to the tremendous human capacity for causing pain and death to one's fellow man, stands as an icon of the suffering of the innocent in every age," he said in an address at Turin Cathedral, the home of the shroud.
The real Shroud of Turin is due to go on display to the public in April and May of 2010.
(The photographs from Wikipedia show the full length of the shroud as well as a positive and enhanced negative of the face on the shroud.)
To read the entire article click on this link to CNN.
COMMENT: The Shroud of Turin has been the object of much discussion and debate over the years, and I don’t believe this scientist’s recreation automatically disqualifies it as authentic. Many reasons have been given for its authenticity as the burial cloth of Jesus. First, the image of the crucified man looks like that of a photographic negative, but if the shroud dates from the Middle Ages, it would still have been centuries before the advent of the first photograph. It has been asserted that this negative image may have been made from a heavenly light at the moment of the resurrection.
Also, it is claimed that the cloth contains pollen which has been traced to the Holy Land, that it was designed with cubits in mind, that it consists basically of linen with traces of cotton but no wool (which was in line with Jewish law at the time of the crucifixion), and that it shows a man with Jewish and not European features. At least these are the claims.
Finally, I found the location of the nail marks to be very interesting. Although most medieval paintings of the crucifixion have shown the nails driven through the middle of Jesus’ palms, the nail marks on the shroud are located in the wrists. This makes more scientific sense because the palms of the hands could not have supported the weight of the body, but the wrist bones could have. (This would not contradict Scripture because the Greek word for “hand” can include the wrist and forearm.)
The carbon dating tests are probably the strongest scientific evidence for a Middle Ages origin of the shroud. Yet the results of these tests have been challenged because the fire in 1532 could have added considerable carbon to the cloth causing it to appear much younger than it really is. Maybe more important, St. John appears to put the authenticity of the shroud into serious question when he speaks of “strips of linen” (John 19:40) instead of a single cloth.
The remarks of Pope John Paul II are also very interesting. He apparently felt the main lesson from the shroud, even if it is not genuine, is man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. Instead, shouldn’t the main lesson be a focus on the reason for the suffering and death of Jesus, namely the giving up of His life to pay for our sins? This is the central doctrine of Scripture, and crucifixion paintings, videos, and even possibly fake shrouds can remind us of this. While the shroud will continue to be an object of interest, our faith should not rest in it or any other relic, even one tiny bit. The proof for the death and resurrection of Jesus comes from the Holy Bible. That’s all we really need.
Click to visit a Shroud of Turin Web site that provides results of research.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
Which national park in the U.S. was once called Mukuntuweap?
Zion National Park in Utah (picture from Wikimedia Commons). The area once was called Mukuntuweap, but because of the difficulty in pronouncing the name, soon after it became a national park it was given the name Zion, which was what the Mormon settlers called it.
Source: USA Weekend (September 18-20, 2009)
New calculations suggest there is 100 times more entropy (disorder) than previously estimated.
SUMMARY: In spite of its erupting stars and colliding galaxies, the universe is a surprisingly orderly place. Its entropy, a measure of its disorder, is only a tiny fraction of the maximum allowable amount. Yet, a new calculation of entropy suggests the universe is messier than scientists had thought and slightly further along its gradual journey to death.
Two Australian cosmologists, Chas Egan and Charles Lineweaver, have concluded that the collective entropy of all the supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies is about 100 times greater than previous estimates. As they reported at arXiv.org in September, because these black holes are the largest contributor to cosmic entropy, this means the entropy of the whole universe is also about 100 times larger than previously estimated.
Entropy quantifies the number of different microscopic states a physical system can have. For instance, an omelet has higher entropy than an egg because there are more ways to arrange an omelet's molecules for it to still remain an omelet. Likewise, a black hole has more entropy because it has myriad ways for the material that has fallen into it to be arranged microscopically without changing the black hole's observable properties--charge, mass and spin.
Having a more reliable entropy estimate is important because for life or other complex phenomena to exist, the entropy of the universe must be less than the maximum possible value, which physicists call "heat death." Consider what happens when hot water is poured into a cold bath. At first the hot and cold water are separate with low entropy. When the waters are thoroughly mixed, maximum entropy is reached and no further heat flow is possible. Should the entropy in the universe reach a maximum value, all dissipative (dispersing) processes including life will end.
Egan and Lineweaver's new value for entropy is still only a billionth of a billionth of the maximum possible entropy, according to estimates, and not everybody thinks the universe is closer to heat death. Entropy was smaller in the early universe and bigger now, but no known physical principle can explain why the cosmic entropy is as low as it is.
Picture from NASA.
To read the entire article click on this link to SCIENCE NEWS.
COMMENT: Entropy (a.k.a. the Second Law of Thermodynamics) is a favorite principle for creationists because they believe entropy works against the idea of evolution. If the amount of disorder in the universe is growing, how can one explain the necessity for more order as life evolves from a one-celled organism to much more complex creatures like humans?
It is easy to see entropy at work. Computers slow down over time and need to be periodically defragmented and cleaned up of unnecessary files. Over the years a house will begin falling apart unless it is regularly repainted and repaired. Our bodies wear out. When something appears to become more complex over time, such as a seed growing into a beautiful flowering plant, it is only because an outside force, such as an Intelligent Designer, was involved in programming.
Scientists appear perplexed as to why there is so little entropy in the cosmos. Could it be because there has been so little time (thousands of years) for disorder to take place compared to the billions of years secular scientists think the universe has been around? Could it be because there is a benevolent Creator who is preserving the universe for His creatures until such a time as He wants it all to end?
Entropy will continue until the end of time. Then a new age will begin, a heavenly age and home where houses will not collapse, humans will not grow old, and confusion and disorder will not take place. This home can be the permanent dwelling for all who will admit their sins and accept the free forgiveness and salvation offered by our Lord Jesus Christ.
For more on a creationist explanation of entropy, click on this link to ICR.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
What are Blue Zones?
Areas where people live unexpectedly long lives. The Blue Zones include Sardinia, Italy (208 centenarians per 100,000 population); Okinawa; Loma Linda, California (home of many Seventh Day Adventists known for their health habits); and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica.
Source: Bottom Line Personal (October 1, 2009)
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The droplets appear to be "200 million years" too old, according to the evolution timeline.
SUMMARY: An analysis of newly discovered amber droplets has created a mystery. This type of amber owes its existence to flowering plants, but the droplets were discovered in a "320-million-year-old" coal deposit in Illinois. Scientists believe flowering plants didn't "evolve" until 200 million years later, hence the puzzle.
The age of the amber droplets put them in the period known as Carboniferous, when swampy forests of ferns and early conifers are thought to have been growing, scientists say. Ken Anderson of Southern Illinois U. said their age was a surprise in itself, but his research team had guessed early conifers were the source of the amber. Finding amber from conifers in a coal bed is surprising, but more surprising was the discovery of a chemical signature in the amber that has been linked only to flowering plants.
The researchers believe the mystery can be solved by assuming some very old plants "figured out" how to make the type of resin that is credited to more modern flowering plants. "It is a sobering story for people who study amber," says David Grimaldi of the American Museum of Natural History who wrote a commentary on the research for the October 2 Science magazine.
When scientists looked at compounds in the amber droplets, they expected them to look like conifer compounds, but instead the molecules resembled those in amber from flowering plants. This discovery suggests chemical composition alone isn't enough to definitely pinpoint an amber's origin, and fossilized plant parts accompanying the amber are the key to definite identification. Unfortunately, no plant matter could be found near the Carboniferous droplets, so even though the amber droplets are "definitely not from a flowering plant," their origin remains unknown.
Picture of amber from Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-2.5)
To read the entire article click on this link to SCIENCE NEWS.
COMMENT: This article provides an excellent example of how the presuppositions of evolutionary science cloud interpretations of new discoveries that don't fit standard, accepted views of earth history.
The easiest way to solve the problem of a type of amber appearing way too early according to the evolutionary timeline is to change the evolutionary timeline. However, such a sacred piece of Darwinian theory is difficult to rewrite, so secular scientists have to come up with alternate explanations, no matter whether there is any evidence for the alternate explanations or not.
There is plenty of scientific evidence to show that there is a major problem with the accepted long ages upon which the theory of evolution depends. For instance, the volcanic explosions at Mount St. Helens and Surtsey island which occurred within the past half-century have both left suggestions of millions of years (using accepted dating methods and observations) despite their rather recent occurrences. The radioisotope dating techniques that provide the millions of years used by evolutionists to date things rely on unproven assumptions.
To be honest, Bible-based creationists assume things too, such as that the Word of God is an accurate account of the history of our planet. We don't dispute the fact that our claims to a large extent rely on faith. Still, according to the Bible, flowering plants, conifers, and all other types of plant life came into existence at the same time. Thus, we don't have to search for explanations as to how amber droplets that owe their origin to flowering plants could exist "200 million years" before flowering plants made an appearance on earth. This "mystery" is no mystery to us.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
Are fruits and vegetables less nutritious today than they used to be?
This is probably true as growers produce larger crops. Historical data show a decline in some vitamins, minerals, and protein. Also, studies indicate the larger the crop, the lower the mineral concentration
Source: Marilyn vos Savant in Parade (September 27, 2009)
Obama's election cited as a possible reason for the shift.
SUMMARY: Support for "abortion rights" has fallen sharply during the past year according to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Americans are split roughly 50-50 between those who back legal access to abortion and those who oppose it. A year ago 54% of Americans felt abortion should be legal in all or most cases; now only 47% do. At the same time the percent of those who feel abortion should be illegal in all or most cases has risen from 41% to 45%.
"These data suggest that a number of people have changed their minds in the past year," Gregory Smith, one of the survey's authors said. Support for abortion rights dropped among both men and women, among college-educated people and those less educated, and among people from various religious backgrounds.
Pro-life activists welcomed the findings. "Pro-lifers are making an effective case that all women deserve better than abortion and that every child deserves a chance to be born," said Cathy Ruse of the Family Research Council.
However, Terry O'Neill of the pro-abortion National Organization for Women which rejects religious opposition to abortion called the practice a "blessing" when chosen freely by a woman who "needs it." She cited a violent marriage in her early 20s that she, at one point, thought had produced a pregnancy. "If I had had a baby, I would have been tied to that man for the rest of my life," she said.
Gregory Smith of the Pew Forum suspects the election of pro-choice President Obama may be one cause for the shift in public opinion. Support for abortion rights had been consistent until Pew began noticing a change in public opinion in April, a shift confirmed by the larger study in August. Also, Smith said opponents of abortion feel more strongly about their position than supporters of legal access to abortion.
To read the entire article click on this link to CNN.
COMMENT: More encouraging news for the pro-life community. Our May 18 post examined a Gallup Poll that showed even better news in that 51% of Americans now call themselves pro-life as opposed to 42% who prefer the pro-choice label.
Nevertheless, when you have from 42% to 47% of Americans who believe that abortion should be legal in most or all cases, this shows a lot of work still needs to be done to convince people about the tragedy that abortion represents. Yes, Ms. O'Neill was in a sad situation when she thought she was about to become the mother of a baby whose father was so abusive. Yet, can she really justify taking the life of a baby merely because it would cause her to have bad memories?
The best approach to solving the abortion problem is the Word of God. Once people can be convinced from the Bible (Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 1:5) that God does not approve of the practice, except perhaps when necessary to save the life of the mother, they might be led by the Holy Spirit to change their views.
Only God can create life and only God can morally give permission to take a life. Our continuing efforts to support the right of life for unborn children might also remind people that God alone can also provide the life that never ends, eternal life in heaven. This eternal life is freely available to pro-choice people and pro-life people alike. Of course, it is our prayer and expectation that those who currently hold to the pro-choice position will repent of their sins, begin respecting the right of unborn children to be born, and accept the gift of salvation available only through faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
What currently is the average life expectancy in the United States?
78.1 years. About 20 people per 100,000 can expect to reach 100 years or more. Only about 25% of longevity is determined by genetics; the rest by lifestyle choices.
Source: Bottom Line Personal (October 1, 2009)
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SUMMARY. Halloween originated more than 2,000 years ago with Europe's Celtic peoples. On November 1 they celebrated their New Year's Day, which they called Samhain (SAH-win). On the night before Samhain which we know as Halloween, spirits, fairies, demons, and other creatures were thought to walk the earth.
Has there been any change in the size of newly-built American houses?
