Monday, February 15, 2010
Contest Results Coming Very Soon
Tomorrow I will announce the winner of the drawing (see previous post). Stay tuned!
Friday, February 12, 2010
It's Darwin's Birthday, and I've got Presents!
Charles Darwin is 201 years old today! Right now there are countless people around the world celebrating - it's Darwin Day!
Perhaps though, you're not particularly excited about the "man behind the theory" and would rather let February 12 go by just like any other day. Or maybe you are reminded of the intensity of the conflict and your concern for the future of science and education has been renewed.
Whatever the case, I have a present for you.
Between now and 11:59 p.m. CST, February 14, leave a comment on this post and your name will be entered to win a free copy of Vision Forum Ministries' new film "The Mysterious Islands," an action documentary which tells the story of a father and son who journey to "Darwin's Eden" - the Galapagos Islands - to tell the true story of that remarkable place, and demonstrate how it evidences the handiwork of the Creator!
This is a completely free offer, no strings attached. Just leave a comment and let me know you want to participate. Comments are moderated, but I will be able to see them and note when they are submitted.
Want to learn more about "The Mysterious Islands?" View the official movie site and watch the trailer here.
This contest will end at 11:59 p.m. CST, February 14.
Perhaps though, you're not particularly excited about the "man behind the theory" and would rather let February 12 go by just like any other day. Or maybe you are reminded of the intensity of the conflict and your concern for the future of science and education has been renewed.
Whatever the case, I have a present for you.
Between now and 11:59 p.m. CST, February 14, leave a comment on this post and your name will be entered to win a free copy of Vision Forum Ministries' new film "The Mysterious Islands," an action documentary which tells the story of a father and son who journey to "Darwin's Eden" - the Galapagos Islands - to tell the true story of that remarkable place, and demonstrate how it evidences the handiwork of the Creator!
This is a completely free offer, no strings attached. Just leave a comment and let me know you want to participate. Comments are moderated, but I will be able to see them and note when they are submitted.
Want to learn more about "The Mysterious Islands?" View the official movie site and watch the trailer here.
This contest will end at 11:59 p.m. CST, February 14.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
One Year Anniversary of Confronting Darwin!
Well folks, it's already been a year. Confronting Darwin was officially started on February 11/12 of 2009, the "year of Darwin," and 49 posts later it's grown slow and steady since then. I realize that my posts have been few and far between - that's the nature of trying to author 3 blogs at once, and work a full-time job and lead a normal life. I do hope that you will continue to come back, or subscribe to my RSS feed to receive updates when I post.
Here are a few of the more significant posts I've put up this past year:
What Led Darwin Astray? Part I
What Led Darwin Astray? Part II
My Research Paper Featured on Doug's Blog!
That's Not Science!
Darwin's Famous Finches: Compared
Ligers and Zorses Sure, but Orangutan-men?
The Stone Forest in the Desert
Evolution...Superfluous to Practical Science
What do we do with the Environment?
Darwin and Racism
Responding to the Judge
Mr. Darwin, about that book of yours...
The Creation Museum
Make sure you check out the headlines tomorrow. It's international "Darwin Day." You'll find statements like the following:
Here are a few of the more significant posts I've put up this past year:
What Led Darwin Astray? Part I
What Led Darwin Astray? Part II
My Research Paper Featured on Doug's Blog!
That's Not Science!
Darwin's Famous Finches: Compared
Ligers and Zorses Sure, but Orangutan-men?
The Stone Forest in the Desert
Evolution...Superfluous to Practical Science
What do we do with the Environment?
Darwin and Racism
Responding to the Judge
Mr. Darwin, about that book of yours...
The Creation Museum
Make sure you check out the headlines tomorrow. It's international "Darwin Day." You'll find statements like the following:
"Two centuries after Darwin's birth, the theory he labored over for a lifetime has never been stronger, more vibrant, nor more widely accepted."You and I both know that we engaged in battle. It is certainly one of THE MOST DEFINING battles of our time, and as the rest of the church begins to succomb to pressure and apologize let us rise, unapologetic and bold, to proclaim the truth!
"Religious freedom ends where professional obligations begin."
"...the timeless truths of the Bible and the discoveries of modern science may comfortably coexist. We believe that the theory of evolution is a foundational scientific truth, one that has stood up to rigorous scrutiny and upon which much of human knowledge and achievement rests. To reject this truth or to treat it as "one theory among others" is to deliberately embrace scientific ignorance and transmit such ignorance to our children."
"It would ease Darwin's oft-troubled mind to know that his ideas have not only vaulted science into the Third Great Age of Discovery but helped draw religion out of its embattled us-versus-the-heathen past and to the dawn of a new age of tolerant universalism."
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The Creation Museum
Last month (December), I was able to go up to Cincinnati OH for the Sufficiency of Scripture Conference, and as part of the conference package attendees got a free pass to the Creation Museum!
If you're familiar with my blog you already know that Creation science is one of my main interests, so this was a dream come true! It was far beyond what I had imagined and I'm so thankful that Answers in Genesis put this one-of-a-kind museum together to showcase the true history of the earth and the majesty of God's Creation.
I don't have time to write in-depth about my visit, but enjoy the following images I took with my new Canon 7D. (These have been lightly edited, but my computer is being cranky so I couldn't spend more time on them).
The "Tree of Life" display
"Now the serpent was craftier than any beast of the field..."
Adam, after the Fall
The construction of the Ark
Only Noah and his family were saved (this was a really neat miniature)
And the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (another neat miniature)
Noah offering a sacrifice of thanks to the Lord
Our film The Mysterious Islands, for sale in the "Dragon Hall" bookstore
If you're familiar with my blog you already know that Creation science is one of my main interests, so this was a dream come true! It was far beyond what I had imagined and I'm so thankful that Answers in Genesis put this one-of-a-kind museum together to showcase the true history of the earth and the majesty of God's Creation.
I don't have time to write in-depth about my visit, but enjoy the following images I took with my new Canon 7D. (These have been lightly edited, but my computer is being cranky so I couldn't spend more time on them).
The "Tree of Life" display
"Now the serpent was craftier than any beast of the field..."
Adam, after the Fall
The construction of the Ark
Only Noah and his family were saved (this was a really neat miniature)
And the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (another neat miniature)
Noah offering a sacrifice of thanks to the Lord
Our film The Mysterious Islands, for sale in the "Dragon Hall" bookstoreTuesday, November 24, 2009
Mr. Darwin, about that book of yours...
November 24, 2009 – 150th Anniversary of Publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species
It is nearly impossible to calculate just how deeply our culture has been affected by the writings and ideas of Charles Darwin. This year – 2009 – has been a landmark year for evolutionists. On February 12 they celebrated the 200th birthday of the founder of their evolutionary faith, and today they celebrate the 150th anniversary of his magnum opus, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. In his autobiography Darwin comments on the initial publication and public reception of Origin.
“It is no doubt the chief work of my life. It was from the first highly successful. The first small edition of 1250 copies was sold on the day of publication, and a second edition of 3000 copies soon afterwards. Sixteen thousand copies have now (1876) been sold in England; and considering how stiff a book it is, this is a large sale…”
It has sometimes been said that the success of the Origin proved “that the subject was in the air,” or “that men’s minds were prepared for it.” I do not think that this is strictly true… What I believe was strictly true is that innumerable well-observed facts were stored in the minds of naturalists ready to take their proper places as soon as any theory which would receive them was sufficiently explained.” – Charles Darwin, Autobiography (Barnes & Noble, pg. 50-51)
There are a few comments I will make about Darwin’s remarks. First of all, he is being very honest when he describes Origin as a “stiff book.” I cannot claim to have read the whole thing cover to cover (though I plan to soon), but from what I have read I heartily concur. Very stiff indeed.
In the second paragraph notice what Darwin believes about the human mind. He tries to make the case that his theory of evolution (originally “transmutation) was merely a systematized framework for “well-observed facts.” In other words, people already had all the data they needed, and all that they lacked was a proper context for that data so they could draw substantial conclusions. This is completely backwards.
All men bring certain presupposed ideas or “presuppositions” to the table when discussing any issue, whether it be science, art, ethics and so on. These presuppositions are inescapable. What this means is that no one can truly be “neutral.” Certain things must be assumed before the data is examined. Conclusions are reached based on the available data and based on the worldview grid through which you interpret that data.
My point is simply this. No scientist has a truly “open,” “unbiased” mind, and “raw factuality” is a myth. Some people believe that the universe is the handiwork of a sovereign Creator God, while others believe that it is nothing more than the result of random processes over eons of time. THESE ARE BOTH FAITH CLAIMS, and will incontrovertibly influence their respective interpretations of the data.
Why is this important? Because today, November 24, 2009, you are being told that the only true science is that which acknowledges the supremacy of human reason over the Revelation of God. If you haven’t yet realized it, we are in the midst of a battle, and it’s outcome will determine the course of countless generations to come. Take a moment to consider just how much one little book has influenced the way we do education, government, healthcare, family life, science… and the list goes on.
Ideas have consequences. Don’t stand idly by and watch the things you hold most dear crumble before your eyes – take a stand for truth today!
It is nearly impossible to calculate just how deeply our culture has been affected by the writings and ideas of Charles Darwin. This year – 2009 – has been a landmark year for evolutionists. On February 12 they celebrated the 200th birthday of the founder of their evolutionary faith, and today they celebrate the 150th anniversary of his magnum opus, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. In his autobiography Darwin comments on the initial publication and public reception of Origin.
“It is no doubt the chief work of my life. It was from the first highly successful. The first small edition of 1250 copies was sold on the day of publication, and a second edition of 3000 copies soon afterwards. Sixteen thousand copies have now (1876) been sold in England; and considering how stiff a book it is, this is a large sale…”
It has sometimes been said that the success of the Origin proved “that the subject was in the air,” or “that men’s minds were prepared for it.” I do not think that this is strictly true… What I believe was strictly true is that innumerable well-observed facts were stored in the minds of naturalists ready to take their proper places as soon as any theory which would receive them was sufficiently explained.” – Charles Darwin, Autobiography (Barnes & Noble, pg. 50-51)
There are a few comments I will make about Darwin’s remarks. First of all, he is being very honest when he describes Origin as a “stiff book.” I cannot claim to have read the whole thing cover to cover (though I plan to soon), but from what I have read I heartily concur. Very stiff indeed.
In the second paragraph notice what Darwin believes about the human mind. He tries to make the case that his theory of evolution (originally “transmutation) was merely a systematized framework for “well-observed facts.” In other words, people already had all the data they needed, and all that they lacked was a proper context for that data so they could draw substantial conclusions. This is completely backwards.
All men bring certain presupposed ideas or “presuppositions” to the table when discussing any issue, whether it be science, art, ethics and so on. These presuppositions are inescapable. What this means is that no one can truly be “neutral.” Certain things must be assumed before the data is examined. Conclusions are reached based on the available data and based on the worldview grid through which you interpret that data.
My point is simply this. No scientist has a truly “open,” “unbiased” mind, and “raw factuality” is a myth. Some people believe that the universe is the handiwork of a sovereign Creator God, while others believe that it is nothing more than the result of random processes over eons of time. THESE ARE BOTH FAITH CLAIMS, and will incontrovertibly influence their respective interpretations of the data.
Why is this important? Because today, November 24, 2009, you are being told that the only true science is that which acknowledges the supremacy of human reason over the Revelation of God. If you haven’t yet realized it, we are in the midst of a battle, and it’s outcome will determine the course of countless generations to come. Take a moment to consider just how much one little book has influenced the way we do education, government, healthcare, family life, science… and the list goes on.
Ideas have consequences. Don’t stand idly by and watch the things you hold most dear crumble before your eyes – take a stand for truth today!
Friday, October 16, 2009
How did the animals fit on the Ark?
John Morris comments on this issue in this mornings issue of "Days of Praise."
"Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." (Genesis 6:14)
Details surrounding the story of Noah and the Flood have long caused laymen and theologians alike to stumble and compromise.
None could argue that the wording was not clear. God had commanded Noah to build a wooden boat of huge dimensions and to take on board representatives of land-dwelling, air-breathing animals. The Flood, Scripture reveals, devastated the entire world. But nineteenth-century theologians, pressed on by Hutton, Lyell, and others proposing the new uniformitarian interpretation of earth history, became convinced that the scriptural account must be understood in a figurative sense. Their twentieth-century counterparts repeat this error, promulgating the non-biblical idea that the Flood was only local.
Some have wondered how Noah could gather all the animals, but the Bible simply says they "went in two and two unto Noah into the ark" (7:9), evidently migrating to the location on God’s command.
Their care while on the Ark has also been raised as a problem. But, in all likelihood, the animals entered a state of semi-dormancy, as nearly all of their descendants do today when faced with danger over which they have no control and from which they cannot flee.
Scripture supports this idea in our text: The word "rooms," which is more properly translated "nests" everywhere else in Scripture, implies a small place to sleep or nestle, rather than a large cage. The job of caring for the animals may have been difficult, but our gracious God would have seen to it that it was possible. Questions like these are no cause for compromise. JDM
"Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." (Genesis 6:14)
Details surrounding the story of Noah and the Flood have long caused laymen and theologians alike to stumble and compromise.
None could argue that the wording was not clear. God had commanded Noah to build a wooden boat of huge dimensions and to take on board representatives of land-dwelling, air-breathing animals. The Flood, Scripture reveals, devastated the entire world. But nineteenth-century theologians, pressed on by Hutton, Lyell, and others proposing the new uniformitarian interpretation of earth history, became convinced that the scriptural account must be understood in a figurative sense. Their twentieth-century counterparts repeat this error, promulgating the non-biblical idea that the Flood was only local.
Some have wondered how Noah could gather all the animals, but the Bible simply says they "went in two and two unto Noah into the ark" (7:9), evidently migrating to the location on God’s command.
Their care while on the Ark has also been raised as a problem. But, in all likelihood, the animals entered a state of semi-dormancy, as nearly all of their descendants do today when faced with danger over which they have no control and from which they cannot flee.
Scripture supports this idea in our text: The word "rooms," which is more properly translated "nests" everywhere else in Scripture, implies a small place to sleep or nestle, rather than a large cage. The job of caring for the animals may have been difficult, but our gracious God would have seen to it that it was possible. Questions like these are no cause for compromise. JDM
Saturday, October 3, 2009
The Mysterious Islands - Coming Out Next Month!
Here's one film you won't want to miss. The Mysterious Islands, a groundbreaking new adventure documentary that explores the errors of Darwinism at the very "birthplace" of evolution - the Galapagos islands.
This film project is very special to me since I did some research earlier this year on Darwin's voyage and visit to the Galapagos islands, especially his speculation about the finches he found there. Read my article on why "Darwin's finches" actually disprove his theory!
From the press release:
As the world prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s landmark book, On the Origin of Species, Vision Forum has unveiled details on a new documentary, filmed on the Galapagos Islands, that debunks the conclusions Darwin reached during his storied trip to this island chain during the voyage of the HMS Beagle. Shot and directed by the award-winning Jon and Andy Erwin of Erwin Brothers Motion Pictures, the 90-minute film, entitled The Mysterious Islands, is set for release in early November, just weeks prior to the November 24 anniversary date of Darwin’s influential book...Visit the official The Mysterious Islands website here, watch the trailer, read about the documentary team, their adventure and some historical facts surrounding Darwin's theory you may not have been aware of.
“Christians look to Jerusalem, Muslims to Mecca, but for the followers of Charles Darwin, the Galapagos Archipelago is the spiritual homeland to their evolutionary faith,” Phillips observed. “Our film — shot on ground-zero of evolutionism — will be a counter-offensive to the Darwin adulation that blows holes in the conclusions he formed while observing the wonder-filled creatures that inhabit the Galapagos Islands.”
Show your support and let others know about the film - become a fan on Facebook!
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