tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34200175160292222602024-03-11T20:20:21.929-07:00The Battle for TruthSeeking the source of Truth in the battle of Worldviews.Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-16315244904135067662012-12-07T09:15:00.000-08:002013-08-05T20:22:52.551-07:00Does the Bible condemn racial slavery?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bible does not specifically condemn the practice of slavery. It gives instructions on how slaves should be treated (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2015:12-15&version=NIV" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 15:12-15</a>; <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%206:9&version=NIV" target="_blank">Ephesians 6:9</a>; <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%204:1&version=NIV" target="_blank">Colossians 4:1</a>). The Bible does not outlaw slavery altogether. However, the problem is that many individuals mistakenly interpret this as the Bible condoning all forms of slavery.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What many fail to understand is that slavery in biblical times was very different from the slavery that was practiced in the past few centuries in many parts of the world. The slavery in the Bible was not based exclusively on race. People were not enslaved because of their nationality or the color of their skin. In Bible times, slavery was more a matter of social status. People sold themselves as slaves when they could not pay their debts or provide for their families. In New Testament times, sometimes doctors, lawyers, and even politicians were slaves of someone else. Some people actually chose to be slaves so as to have all their needs provided for by their masters.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In contrast, the slavery of the past few centuries was often based exclusively on skin color. In the United States, many black people were considered slaves because of their nationality; many slave owners truly believed black people to be inferior human beings. <strong>The Bible most definitely does condemn race-based slavery!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Consider the slavery the Hebrews experienced when they were in Egypt. The Hebrews were slaves, not by choice, but because they were Hebrews (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2013:14&version=NIV" target="_blank">Exodus 13:14</a>). The plagues God poured out on Egypt demonstrate how God feels about racial slavery (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%207-11&version=NIV" target="_blank">Exodus 7-11</a>). So, yes, the Bible does condemn some forms of slavery. At the same time, the Bible does seem to allow for other forms. The key issue is that the slavery the Bible allowed for in no way resembled the racial slavery that plagued our world in the past few centuries.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition, both the Old and New Testaments condemn the practice of <span style="color: #990000;">“man-stealing”,</span> which is what happened in Africa in the 19th century. Africans were rounded up by slave-hunters, who sold them to slave-traders, who brought them to the New World to work on plantations and farms. This practice is abhorrent to God.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, the penalty for such a crime in the Mosaic Law was <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">death: <span style="color: #990000;">"Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to death, whether."</span> (</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2021:16&version=NIV" target="_blank">Exodus 21:16</a>). Similarly, in the New Testament, slave-traders are listed among those who are <span style="color: #990000;">“ungodly and sinful”</span> and are in the same category as those who kill their fathers or mothers, murderers, adulterers and perverts, and liars and perjurers (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Timothy%201:8-10&version=NIV" target="_blank">1 Timothy 1:8-10</a>).</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another crucial point is that the purpose of the Bible is to point the way to salvation, not to reform society. The Bible often approaches issues from the inside out. If a person experiences the love, mercy, and grace of God by receiving His salvation, God will reform his soul, changing the way he thinks and acts. A person who has experienced God’s gift of salvation and freedom from the slavery of sin, as God reforms his soul, he will realize that enslaving another human being is wrong. A person who has truly experienced God’s grace will in turn be gracious towards others. That would be the Bible’s prescription for ending slavery.<o:p></o:p></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-72429396231367417542012-12-06T17:54:00.000-08:002012-12-07T07:51:33.966-08:00Christianity vs. Islam<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Christians we are called to discern the false religions and worldly philosophies in contrast to the biblical worldview:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus said to Thomas, <span style="color: #660000;">"I am the way, and the truth, and the life"</span> (John 14:6)... and Jesus also proclaimed that <span style="color: #660000;">"...for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."</span> (John 18:37)<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Christianity is compared to Islam for example, they are not just incompatible, but are also opposed with each other and set on a collision course with historical and global consequences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Koran and the Bible have opposing value systems:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ch</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">istianity offers grace and Islam offers legalism.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christianity offers a God of intimate relationship, while Islam offers distant demands.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christianity offers conversion through conviction, while Islam offers conversion through conquest and Jihad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christianity offers intrinsic value to all human life, while Islam offers less value to a woman’s life when compared to a man’s sense of shame.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christianity offers peace love and joy, while Islam offers fear, terror tactics and honor killings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many Muslims leave their faith in fear (i.e. honor killings), and Muslim women struggle for status and fair treatment.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A person can take on the label of Christian, but not have a biblical worldview or lifestyle based on the teachings of Jesus and the Gospels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So a nominal or cultural Christian who commits a horrific crime would be entirely contradictory to a Christian worldview and his actions are completely unjustified and incompatible with the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take Hitler for example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a distorted view of Christianity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He committed mass murder in the name of secular fanaticism, social-political Darwinism and world dominance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His views against Jews were not justified by biblical teaching but instead by a science-flavored myth of Darwinian logic to defend the Aryan race.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In contrast, a devout Muslim can commit a terrorist or violent act and have perfect justification in doing so from the Koran, Sharia law and in the name of Jihad.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In order to have peace, Muslims would have to be moderate (less devout) and go against their teachings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christians would have to be more fundamental to live-out their Christian worldview.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the Bible explains that God is not only a God of "love"...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His attributes also include holiness, justice, jealousy, righteousness and perfect judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, there will come a time when it is required to fight (i.e. 'war'- Joel 3:9).<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we attempt to understand the underlying meaning of the word of God, it should not depend on the "cleverness" of the interpreter, but instead we should rather focus on the evidence of history, biblical grammar, comparative linguistics, anthropology, and context; or else the interpretation becomes very subjective and fuzzy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means we are required to thoroughly research the true meaning of the scriptures from the author’s perspective and not our own.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bible teaches that God loves all people, but hates sin. The Koran does not say this, but instead, it says that Allah only loves those who obey Muhammad and loves not the infidels or those who reject their faith.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we look at it from a Bible vs. Koran perspective, in order to have a peaceful coexistence would be for Muslims to be more moderate and for Christians to be more radical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means we must live for Christ alone.</span></div>
Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-46805282874094782292010-01-08T13:53:00.000-08:002011-09-27T11:02:07.646-07:00Christianity in contrast to other worldviews<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/existentialism-definition-faq.htm">Existentialism</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> or the natural sciences alone cannot fully explain reality and does not have complete authority over all other interpretations of life. There are many other fields of inquiry that help to interpret reality. Such as reason the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Presuppositional-Apologetics-Defended-Greg-Bahnsen/dp/B002HJF1TM?ie=UTF8&tag=bat4truth-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">laws of logic</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bat4truth-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002HJF1TM" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bat4truth-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002HJF1TM" />, which is a great key component and field of inquiry that helps to acquire knowledge and interpret reality.<br />The laws of logic are absolute, non-observable, universal, transcendent, abstract, immaterial, unchanging and self-evident. They cannot be proven scientifically, yet we all use them when we reason. They apply repeatedly in the realm of contingent experience. They cannot be avoided or accounted for in a naturalistic or materialistic universe.<br />Now consider the Christian Biblical worldview in contrast to any other perspective… It is unique in all systems of thought and world religions because it's not rooted in a set of ideas, it's not rooted in a set of experiences and it's not rooted in a way of life. It's rooted in the person of Christ.<br /><br />Christianity is not either </span><a href="http://www.rep.routledge.com/article/P059"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">epistemological</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (rooted in knowledge), it's not </span><a href="http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/existentialism-definition-faq.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">existential</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (rooted in experience), it's not </span><a href="http://www.iep.utm.edu/pragmati/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pragmatic</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (rooted in doing). Christianity is ontological. It's rooted in "being".Knowledge comes to us in words. Words are the tools in thinking. Words are revealed thought. Words reveal thoughts of the person who is speaking. It is through someone's words that you can begin to understand what they're saying. In the Gospel of John 1:1, it says that "the Word became flesh… and dwelt among us."<br />Christ came and said that you don't even have life until you know me. He defined life in terms of knowing him. Christ said that he didn't come to give us a new experience in life , but rather the experience of life itself.<br /><br />The pursuit of truth ultimately requires some struggle with other philosophical worldviews a person may be comfortable with or emotionally attached to.<br />That is why if an honest skeptic remains intellectually honest, the problem is not the struggle with intellectual doubt, but instead the limitations (most probably) by the moral constraints put forth by a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Like-Christian-Understanding-Worldviews/dp/0805438955?ie=UTF8&tag=bat4truth-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Christian Biblical worldview</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bat4truth-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0805438955" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bat4truth-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0805438955" />.</span></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-55449061834833856832009-08-05T12:30:00.000-07:002011-09-27T11:02:33.709-07:00Evidence for Disproving the Evolution Myth<span style="font-family: arial;">Below are the scientific and empirical reasons to why Darwinian Evolution is a dying theory:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">1. The "<strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DkbmuRhXRY" target="new"><span style="color: red;">Cambrian Explosion</span></a></strong>" refutes evolution: </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Evidence in the geologically fossil record show an abrupt and rapid appearance of most major groups of complex animals. There is no evidence of evolution from simpler forms. Darwin himself realized the biggest stumbling-block in his theory was the <a href="http://www.darwinismrefuted.com/origin_of_species_03.html" target="new">absence of transitional forms</a> observed in nature.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">2. The discovery of "<strong>Digital Information in DNA</strong>" is evidence for "<strong>Complex Specified Information</strong>": Inormation is a mental, non-material concept. It can never arise from a random natural process and it's always the result of an </span><span style="font-family: arial;">intelligence. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The information in DNA is highly improbable and specific, which would be impossible to come about by chance (time+goo+chance = DNA?!?).<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">3. "<strong>Irreducible Complexity</strong>" in living organisms refute evolution: All systems, features and processes that makeup life are irreducibly complex. The idea is that "nothing works until everything works."What good is a circulatory system without a heart? An eye without a brain to interpret the signals? What good is a half-formed wing?</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />4. "<strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVvvx5HGpLg" target="new"><span style="color: red;">Molecular Machines</span></a></strong>" in biochemistry present a great challenge to evolution.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> There is amazing structural organization within the cell. Many of its compartments are specialized "factories", each with its own assembly line requiring specific raw material as input and generating specific products. An army of tiny machines called molecular motors transport the cellular material consuming energy and converting it into mechanical work.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">5. The "<strong>Design of Living Things</strong>": Design is apparent in the living world. The amazing jet-based defense mechanism of the Bombardier Beetle is a classic example of design in nature.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">6. Evolution cannot explain the "<strong>Formation of Life</strong>". Non-living chemicals cannot become alive on their own. Biochemists can’t just toss DNA fragments into a test tube with a mixture of chemicals and get the desired result of "spontaneous generation".</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />7. The "<strong>2nd Law of Thermodynamics</strong>" contradicts the theory of evolution. Everything in the universe leads to disorder, decay and "heat death" instead of more order and structure over time. The chance of something in nature becoming orderly is a lot smaller than the chance of something becoming disorderly.<br /><br />8. The "<strong>Anthropic Principle</strong>" posses a big problem to random chance theory. There are observable features of universal constants and consistant laws that appear to be <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guHodt-7Q7A" target="new">calibrated and fine-tuned</a> in order to sustain life in the universe and on earth. The Universe has a created purpose. Purpose implies intent, intent implies mind, mind implies intelligence.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />9. The "<strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT7xJ0tjB4A" target="new"><span style="color: red;">Uncertainty Principle</span></a></strong>" in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzQuU6FpYAk" target="new">Quantum theory</a> explains that both the position and momentum</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> of a particle, cannot be determined precisely. This uncertainty is an intrinsic property of the universe where not all phenomena is the result of pure materialism in nature.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">10. The "<strong>Human Conscience</strong>" cannot be explained by chemicals alone. Evolution cannot explain self-awareness, creativity, reasoning and logic, emotions or free will.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">11. <strong>Sexual Reproduction</strong>: It's more costly and inefficient in nature to have sexual reproduction than the more simpler form of asexual reproduction.<br /><br />12. "<strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRqdvhL3pgM&feature=related" target="new"><span style="color: red;">Whales</span></a></strong>" have remarkable features that classify them as mammals. Evolutionists are unable to explain how they went back into the sea without leaving any fossil evidence of intermediate forms. Their fluke design features have also influenced the development of a new and improved wind turbine design.<br /><br />All the above factors combined is compelling evidence that Darwinian evolution is merely a widely held myth of popular culture. People believe in this theory in spite of the evidence. That is why many scientists keep referring to evolution as a philosophy of science or even a religion. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">This belief is so strong in academic circles that scientists are being ridiculed if they even question evolution publicly. Why are they ridiculed? They are ridiculed because the only strong alternative to evolution is Intelligent Design. O</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ne day the Darwinian myth will be ranked as the greatest deceit in the history of science.</span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-83494618370737567842009-07-04T12:23:00.000-07:002009-07-10T12:38:10.790-07:00Lesson 8 – Unio Mystica: am I alone?<p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>I. Introduction – What is a Mystery?</u></strong><br /><u>What’s a Mystery:</u> It is something hard to understand or explain.<br /><br />The social sphere that characterizes the heart and soul of Christianity: The Mystical Union between God and Man.<br /><br />Is it possible for the infinite, eternal Creator to dwell within the heart of an individual? The implications of this great mystery, which represents the very core of the Christian faith. Who can fathom this mystery?<br /><br /><strong><u>II. The Mystical Union<br /></u></strong></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />A. <u>Between a Husband and wife:</u> “Therefore a man shall leave his mother and father and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the Church. – Ephesians 5: 31-32<br /></p></span><span style="font-family:arial;">B. <u>Between Christ and His Church:</u> “…the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hop of glory – Colossians 1:27<br /><br />C. <u>Between God and man – the Unio Mystica</u></span><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKmaaKLfz7ZuKZs6s3UqqJG8au5Ro_tqH3wfEJCt9Vx4dWhvWxEif5tUgjoNJaRoPTIOHRrDvC52h8FHwAC5o9YFzkDYRQYtWcksCO6P8YqqNf6dZHNk8A_voz-Vr9tHpqRDq8cuW5SbP/s1600-h/The+Intitmate+3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356914929896208306" style="WIDTH: 382px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 254px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKmaaKLfz7ZuKZs6s3UqqJG8au5Ro_tqH3wfEJCt9Vx4dWhvWxEif5tUgjoNJaRoPTIOHRrDvC52h8FHwAC5o9YFzkDYRQYtWcksCO6P8YqqNf6dZHNk8A_voz-Vr9tHpqRDq8cuW5SbP/s400/The+Intitmate+3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><u>Trinity and God & Man:</u> Intimacy, Union, Oneness<br /><br /><strong>The God of the Universe dwells (lives) in me?!?</strong><br />The God of the universe has come to make His dwelling both with us and in us.<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">It’s not just a fraction or a small piece of God, but the infinite God dwells in us. </span></p><ol><li><span style="font-family:arial;">John 15:5: Jesus’ discourse on the vine and the branches and the importance of “abiding” in Hm.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">John 14:16-17: “for he lives with you and will be in you”</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">1 Corinthians 3:16-17: “God’s Spirit lives in you”</span></li></ol><span style="font-family:arial;"><p><br />D. <u>Unique and particular social laws and the blurring of spheres<br /></u><br /><strong>Social Institutions (systems):</strong> Family, Labor, state, community, Church, God & Man.<br /><br />We must be careful not to “blur the spheres” by applying the unique and particular social laws of one realm to another realm.<br /><br />We need to understand each one of them.<br /><br />Don’t assume that we can meet our need for Christian fellowship by worshiping God individually, or that we can enter into a wonder of Unio Mystica simply by attending services at the local church.<br /><br /><br /><u><strong>III. Unity – The Body of Christ – Making the many one</strong></u><br />Romans 12: 4-5<br /><br />A. <u>Mystery = many members but one body</u> – we form one body with unique gifts and roles - Ephesians 3:6 / Galatians 3:28-29<br /><br />B. <u>The Mystery of Christ:</u> “…for you are all one in Christ Jesus” Romans 16: 25- 25 / Ephesians 1: 9-10</p><p>C. <u>Jesus vision for the Church:</u> The flock of God</p><ol><li>John 17: 20-23 “…that all of them may be one… so the world may believe that you have sent me…may they be brought to complete unity…”</li><li>Oneness – the many reciprocal or “one-another” commands</li></ol><p>No racial barriers (nor Jew nor Greek)<br />No economic or class barriers (nor slave or free)<br />No gender barriers (nor male or female)<br /><br />He is the Groom<br />We are the bride – Mathew 23: 1-7 (*Jesus and Tassels*)<br /><br /><br /><u><strong>IV. Hunger for Significance</strong></u><br />What keeps us from intimacy or deep fellowship?<br />There is potential for the emergence of dysfunctions and pathologies as the effects of the Cosmic Battle make themselves felt at the very core of man’s relationship with God.<br /><br />A. <u><strong>Why Tassels</strong></u> - Numbers 15: 38 – “… so you will…not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes” Also see<br /><br />The Lord warns His people many times against the dangers of “prostituting” themselves or “going a-whoring” after other gods and idols.<br /><br />B. <u><strong>Jesus teaching reminds us</strong></u> – “everything they do is for men to see” – We want to be noticed and gain recognition from others – Matt 6: 1-4 “The praises of men” and “They have received their reward in full” Matt 6: 1-4 “The praises of men” – reward. We should instead seek significance from God. (Matt 6: 5-6 / Matt 6: 16-18)<br /><br />C. <u><strong>Source of significance drive</strong></u> – should be from God just like the drive for sex was given to us from Him. But it should be fulfilled within the correct covenant relationship; ultimately only by Him.<br /><br />D. <strong><u>The Post Game Party</u></strong> – Saul’s jealousy of David after the victory over Goliath – 1st Samuel 18: 6-10<br /><br />Buyer’s remorse – Isaiah 55:12!!!<br /><br /><br /><u><strong>V. Conclusion</strong></u><br />Revisiting the simple question: What is eternal life?<br />“…that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 1:7<br /><br />Augustine – The true perspective of man’s need:<br />“God has made us for himself and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Him.”<br /><br />Our greatest desire:<br />“God has made us Himself and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Him” – Psalm 42:1-2 “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God”<br /></p></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-3537983256437893242009-05-15T12:30:00.000-07:002009-06-18T06:58:17.245-07:00The Eye - Perfect Design and Irreducibly Complex<span style="font-family:arial;">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_poor_design" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">dysteleological argument</span></a> or 'argument from poor design' (i.e. Organisms having suboptimal features) is a poor argument against Intelligent Design.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">All dysteleological arguments make two false assumptions: (1) that the designer must only make things which are pain-free and have no suboptimal features, and (2) that the design is indeed suboptimal. In short, all of these dysteleological arguments about pain or suboptimality are theological arguments which do not make a dent in the scientific theory of design.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Poor design is NOT the absence of design. This theological objection has nothing to do with the scientific theory of intelligent design. This presents a straw-man argument against intelligent design, based upon the view that a designer must design things to withstand a certain type of malicious physical attack.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NushMV1RhzY&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NushMV1RhzY&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TEEH7EltJew&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TEEH7EltJew&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />For example, the inverted retina is a perfect sign. Right external to the retina layer lies a very important tissue of veins that envelop it like a net. There is a reason that the photoreceptors are "inverted." Clearly, there is a strategy here. The inverted arrangement of the retina is not faulty, but is proof that it was designed for a specific purpose.<br /><br />In his book, </span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=nvVFGm9CRXcC&dq=An+Introduction+to+the+Biology+of+Vision+%2B+James+T.+McIlwain&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">An Introduction to the Biology of Vision</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, Professor </span><a href="http://bms.brown.edu/surgery/ophthalmology/faculty/profiles/mcilwain.html" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">James T. McIlwain</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> writes, "Because of the great metabolic needs of the photoreceptors, the eye seems to have adopted the strategy of 'swamping' the choroid with blood to ensure that supply is never a problem."<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTEFOmD7YS8cOOhSf0JiZvS_QUXO9c3Nm7f9grcTrOf13PL1_eXhBpHlS2V7QMgf2Sg58_wi_yduOQ8Tsn__MFKFFOU3VO41UR6BCNSlmiKHld6zaQdJdxVVR8sdQ4h7JK9XHwoAQYRLN/s1600-h/eye.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336135620742880530" style="WIDTH: 296px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 252px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTEFOmD7YS8cOOhSf0JiZvS_QUXO9c3Nm7f9grcTrOf13PL1_eXhBpHlS2V7QMgf2Sg58_wi_yduOQ8Tsn__MFKFFOU3VO41UR6BCNSlmiKHld6zaQdJdxVVR8sdQ4h7JK9XHwoAQYRLN/s400/eye.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />The eye has been created in a way that permits it to function in the most efficient manner.<br />1) The cornea assists with the focusing of light.<br />2) The retina transforms the image into neural signals.<br />3) Veins in the optical cavity feed the retina.<br />4) Light enters through the opening of the pupil.<br />5) The iris muscles control how much light will enter.<br />6) The sclera is a firm, white layer that covers the eyeball.<br />7) The lens focuses the image.<br />8) Optic nerve connects the eye to the brain.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://creation.com/dr-jonathan-d-sarfati" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">Jonathan Sarfati, Ph.D.</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> (Physical Chemist and Spectroscopist):<br />Evolutionists claim that the eye has ‘profound optical imperfections,’ so is proof of ‘tinkering’ and ‘blind’ natural selection. However, there is no positive argument for evolution because there's no evidence of a step-by-step way for the retina to have evolved. Ultimatley, this ' arguemnt from poor design' is just an attack on a Designer without any evidence.<br />No engineer have been able to design something remotely as good as the eye. They would have to design something with all the versatility of the vertebrate eye such as<br />color perception, resolution, coping with range of light intensity, night vision as well as day vision etc. All this must be done under the constraints of embryonic development.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Source: </span></span><a href="http://creation.com/refuting-evolution-2-chapter-7-argument-bad-design-is-evidence-of-leftovers-from-evolution" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;color:#ff0000;">Refuting Evolution (part 2)</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><br />Ophthalmologist Dr George Marshall says: "The idea that the eye is wired backward comes from a lack of knowledge of eye function and anatomy." He explains that the nerves could not go behind the eye, because that space is reserved for the choroid, which provides the rich blood supply needed for the very metabolically active retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). This is necessary to regenerate the photoreceptors, and to absorb excess heat. So it is necessary for the nerves to go in front instead. The claim on the program that they interfere with the image is blatantly false, because the nerves are virtually transparent because of their small size and also having about the same refractive index as the surrounding vitreous humor. In fact, what limits the eye’s resolution is the diffraction of light waves at the pupil (proportional to the wavelength and inversely proportional to the pupil’s size), so alleged improvements of the retina would make no difference.<br /><br />The more he studies the human eye, the harder it is to believe that it evolved. Most people see the miracle of sight. He sees a miracle of complexity on viewing things at 100,000 times magnification. It is the perfection of this complexity that causes him to baulk at evolutionary theory.<br /><br />The retina is probably the most complicated tissue in the whole body. Millions of nerve cells interconnect in a fantastic number of ways to form a miniature ‘brain’. Much of what the photoreceptors ‘see’ is interpreted and processed by the retina long before it enters the brain.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Source: </span></span><a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v18/i4/eye.asp" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;color:#ff0000;">An eye for creation</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><br />For a more technical account of the retina’s amazing design, see </span><a href="http://creation.com/is-our-inverted-retina-really-bad-design" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">'Is Our 'Inverted' Retina Really 'Bad Design'?</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> by ophthalmologist Peter Gurney, an article highly commended by Dr Marshall.<br /><br />We can safely infer that the theoretical risk arising from the blind spot in a one-eyed person, is negligible; and, in keeping with this, it is considered safe for a one-eyed person to drive a private motor car i.e. for non-vocational purposes.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Source: </span></span><a href="http://www.allaboutthejourney.org/human-eye.htm" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;color:#ff0000;">Human Eye</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><br />The deterioration in the eye reflect the fact that entropy (the Second Law of Thermodynamics) during aging will increase with time, not decrease. A general picture of vision deterioration can be figured out by understanding the </span><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6J-4G9GN98-4&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=84194a4034813981ef9eb762d0bed2de" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">aging mechanisms</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> of the human body and by focusing on 'process' rather than on 'causes' (failures or damages). Visual sharpness declines as the blood vessels convey insufficient quantity of oxygen due to reduced ventilation of lungs as we age. As a consequence, the occipital lobe of the brain is not supplied in correct manner and the view, controlled by the occipital area, is obscured. Also, the eyeball loses flexibility with age and the lens of the eye yellows and makes it harder to detect light at the blue end of the spectrum. Aging eyes also require more light.<br /><br />Some scientists have recently found an exception to this rule. For one kind of vision, the old see better than the young.<br />According a Canadian study, subjects 60 years old and over have neurological changes to the areas involved with vision that allow them to better spot small motions in a larger high contrast field.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Source: </span></span><a href="http://media.www.thecurrentonline.com/media/storage/paper304/news/2005/02/07/Opinions/Science.Finds.Vision.Can.Improve.With.Age-855067.shtml" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;color:#ff0000;">Science finds vision can improve with age</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"></p></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-79588080591511441862009-05-15T11:30:00.000-07:002009-06-18T06:57:59.197-07:00The Panda's Thumb<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXrfryA4az6uvGTxrBABFcRyyb9GOr23u9gM2B6HkqLXSpfOu5VWPEaVpTyNIXdYmEvaEWN3Aju_euYjp9IOLwtVamI48Kgf4D4h0erkWJoMQxOodkaokfID4jDKvCW9V0EV-C-zg_-R_/s1600-h/pandafinger_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336141030477694226" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 302px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXrfryA4az6uvGTxrBABFcRyyb9GOr23u9gM2B6HkqLXSpfOu5VWPEaVpTyNIXdYmEvaEWN3Aju_euYjp9IOLwtVamI48Kgf4D4h0erkWJoMQxOodkaokfID4jDKvCW9V0EV-C-zg_-R_/s400/pandafinger_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">The panda has an odd forelimb arrangement which it uses to handle and eat bamboo.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It has the normal five digits, none of which are opposable to each other. In addition, it also possesses a unique enlargement of two wrist bones which, in effect, gives it seven ‘fingers’.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">These two ‘digits’ come into play whenever the panda uses them to grasp the bamboo in a pincer-like movement of the ‘digits’. Owing to the superficial resemblance of one of the <span style="color:#330033;">enlarged-wrist-bone ‘digits’</span> to the human thumb, this appendage has commonly been called the panda’s ‘thumb’.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Stephen Jay Gould's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_poor_design" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">dysteleological argument</span></a>:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Dysteleological arguments are nothing more than smokescreens designed to hide the failures of naturalistic explanations by changing the subject. In like manner, it should be noted that little time is spent providing solid evidence of how the panda, the panda’s presumed ancestors, the ancestors of the ancestors, and the first life were all supposed to have evolved.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.idthefuture.com/contributors/nelson.php" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Dr. Paul Nelson</span></a> makes the following comment: "Although the panda's thumb may be suboptimal for many tasks (such as typing), it does seem suited for what appears to be its usual function, stripping bamboo."</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">The authors of The Giant Pandas of Wolong comment as follows:<br /><a name="79a"></a>The panda can handle bamboo stems with great precision, by holding them as if with forceps in the hairless groove connecting the pad of the first digit and pseudothumb. . . When watching a panda eat leaves. . . we were always impressed by its dexterity. Forepaws and mouth work together with great precision, with great economy of motion</span><br /></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Stephen Gould’s famous critique has been contradicted by the work of six Japanese biologists. Gould once argued that the giant panda’s thumb represents a clumsily adapted wrist bone, not the work of a Designer. A number of rebuttals to Gould’s assertion have been published since the mid-1980s when it appeared, but the most rigorous to date comes from a <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v397/n6717/abs/397309a0.html" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Japanese study published early in 1999</span></a>.</span> </div><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong>Sources:</strong><br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">1) Panda thumbs its nose at the dysteleological arguments of the atheist Stephen Jay Gould by <a href="http://www.rae.org/johnw.htm" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">John Woodmorappe</span></a> - (<a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v13/i1/panda.asp" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">answersingenesis.org</span></a>)</span></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">2) Jettison the Arguments, or the Rule? The Place of Darwinian Theological Themata in Evolutionary Reasoning by </span><a href="http://www.idthefuture.com/contributors/nelson.php"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;">Dr. Paul A. Nelson</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> - (</span><a href="http://www.arn.org/docs/nelson/pn_jettison.htm"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;">arn.org</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">)</span></span></p><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-37066732572269175572009-05-01T04:55:00.000-07:002011-09-27T11:21:11.611-07:00Lesson 6 – History: Whose story?<span style="font-family: arial;"><strong><u>A. Whose story is this?</u></strong></span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=29&chapter=46&version=31"><span style="font-family: arial;">Isaiah 46</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> >> God is speaking to the children of Israel.<br />Sovereignty >> God is in control<br />God is fulfilling his purpose and is carrying out a plan.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><u>God’s plan unfolding</u><br />Galatians 4:4 >> But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law<br /><br /><u><strong>B. The plan of God</strong></u>· All the elements of time: past, present & future<br />· Principle: What you believe in the present is of the past.<br /><br /><strong><u>C. The power of historical revisionism</u></strong><br />History can be re-written to believe stuff in the present to point a position.<br /></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigoberta_Mench%C3%BA"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rigoberta Menchú</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;">, was the winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy on behalf of Guatemala’s marginalized Mayans.</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Stoll"><span style="font-family: arial;">David Stoll</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> raised awareness and provided evidence to show that the story set forth by Menchu (in her autobiography: ''I, Rigoberta Menchu”) is not entirely accurate: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rigoberta-Menchu-Controversy-David-Stoll/dp/0816636265"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Rigoberta Menchú controversy</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />His work made front page news in the NYT on December 15, 1998:</span><a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940CE6D6143DF936A25751C1A96E958260"><span style="font-family: arial;">TARNISHED LAUREATE: A special report; Nobel Winner Finds Her Story Challenged</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Professor: "Whether her book is true or not, I don't care" – "what is important is getting students to believe what we want in the present"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><u>Omissions identified in history textbooks:</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Notice the following three examples from American history works:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">We whose names are under-written . . . do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together into a civil body politick. <strong>MAYFLOWER COMPACT</strong>, 1620</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? . . . I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><strong>PATRICK HENRY</strong>, 1775</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">. . . ART. I.—His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the said United States . . . </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><strong>PEACE TREATY TO END THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION</strong>, 1783 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><u>What was omitted from these important historical quotes?</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">We whose names are under-written having undertaken <span style="color: red;"><strong>for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colonie in the Northern parts of Virginia</strong></span> do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? <strong><span style="color: red;">Forbid it, Almighty God!</span></strong> I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>In the name of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity. It having pleased the Divine Providence to dispose the hearts</strong></span> . . . ART. I.—His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the said United States . . .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">The omitted segments are those that indicate the strongly religious nature of American government documents and leaders. Also regularly omitted from texts is the fact that gratitude to God was central to the first Pilgrim Thanksgiving — and the fact that in 1782, the Congress of the United States was responsible for America's first English-language Bible; and that in 1800, Congress voted that on Sundays, the Capitol Building would serve as a church building and that by 1867, the largest protestant church in America was the one that met inside the U. S. Capitol; etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><u>The context of History:</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Historical context is the political, social, cultural, and economic setting for a particular idea or event. In order to better understand something in history, we must look at its context – those things which surround it in time and place and which give it its meaning. In this way, we can gain, among other things, a sense of how unique or ordinary an event or idea seems to be in comparison to other events and ideas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><u>Does it matter if we re-write the history of the beginning?</u><br />Instruction to the guards à Go re-write history</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2028:%2011-15;&version=31;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Matthew 28: 11-15</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> à lies about history à a lie is historical revisionism!!!<br /><br /><u><strong>D. Veracity of God’s Word</strong></u><br />Why is it that the only book that comes under attack is the bible from historical revisionist activists but not Plato’s books?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Do you believe in Plato?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><u>Ancient documents:</u><br />Homers </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliad"><span style="font-family: arial;">Iliad</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> & </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey"><span style="font-family: arial;">Odyssey</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> >> two ancient Greek epic poems dated between late 9 BC & 8 BC</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallic_Wars"><span style="font-family: arial;">Caesar's Gallic Wars</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> >> lasting from 58 BC to 51 BC</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Pliny’s History >> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_History_(Pliny)"><span style="font-family: arial;">Naturalis Historia</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> >> an encyclopedia written circa AD 77 by </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliny_the_Elder" title="Pliny the Elder"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pliny the Elder</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;">.<br /><br /><u>Number of early manuscripts:</u><br />New testament à 24000 manuscripts<br /><br /><u>There’s an objective to Historical Revisionism:</u>He who controls the past controls the future.<br /><br /><u><strong>E. God’s mandate to Remember</strong></u>Memorial stones >> </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%204:1-7;&version=31;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Joshua 4:1-7</span></a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzitzit"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jewish Tassels</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> >> </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2015:38;&version=31;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Numbers 15:38</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> >> The tassels were to be worn to remember God’s commandments.<br />Passover >> </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2016:12;&version=31;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Deuteronomy 16:12</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> >> Commemorate the Exodus from Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery.<br /><br /><u>Our Problem:</u><br />· Forgetting what we should remember<br />· Remembering what we should forget<br />· We have a tendency to remember our boastful accomplishments.</span><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Daniels_(psychiatrist)"><span style="font-family: arial;">Theodore Dalrymple</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> >> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Bottom-Worldview-Makes-Underclass/dp/1566635055"><span style="font-family: arial;">Life at the Bottom: The Worldview That Makes the Underclass</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">· Life is a biography >> <a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId=%7bA410E4E8-A97C-4E9D-A39B-9E0C89F9E3FE%7d&FAMILYTYPE=null">Video: Dalrymple & Guinness on History</a><br />· The past is the key to who we are</span><span style="font-family: arial;">· </span><a href="http://michellemalkin.com/2008/08/18/the-end-of-englands-children/"><span style="font-family: arial;">The end of England’s children</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">· The Decay and Fall of the West - <a href="http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/the-decay-and-fall-of-the-west">An interview with psychiatrist and thinker Dr. Theodore Dalrymple.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><strong><u>F. <a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={676F68F8-AED9-4CC5-B6C4-BFA87552C8F3}&FAMILYTYPE=null">What is the meaning of life?</a></u> </strong>(Question to focus group)<br />· I don’t know<br />· Making the decisions<br />· To use what God has given us and give him glory as much as possible<br />· Have a good time<br />· Love and to be loved<br />· There is no meaning to life<br />· To be selfish or to do good<br /><br />If the meaning of life starts with you, then the meaning of life seems shallow.<br /><br />The battle against the nature of God<br /><br />H.D. Wells: “The frantic director”<br /><br /><u><strong>G. Providence at work</strong></u></span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%204:27-28;&version=31;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Acts 4:27-28</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />· The Mayflower: A church relocation effort<br />· The pilgrims view of the providence of God.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><u>Ahab and the purpose of God</u> >> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2022;&version=31;">1 Kings 22</a><br />"A certain man drew a bow at random …" [verse 34]. The point is that, under the sovereign control of God, nothing happens "at random." As the Lord says in Isaiah 46, "I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass." Our destinies are in His hands, and we cannot change this no matter how we try to "fiddle" with the past by re-writing history to fit in with our own plans.)</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><u><strong>H. Antinomies & Paradox</strong></u><br />We are subject to the sovereignty of God</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois_Lyotard"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jean Francois Lyotard</span></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><u><strong>I. The battle over History</strong></u><br />Truth (Reality) vs. Lie (Illusion)</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Photo Albums are extraordinary – each picture has a story behind it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">God has a great photo Album!!!</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">We all suffer from natural myopia:<br />We are caught up with our own little story except the great story of God.<br />Stepping stones – We should see ourselves as part of His story.</span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-27883378141153195642009-04-30T10:24:00.000-07:002009-04-30T10:28:16.906-07:00Tolerance = Accepting all people as equal, but not all views as true!<span style="font-family:arial;">Park Street Church, Boston, MA — April 28, 2009. During an <a href="http://www.massresistance.org/docs/gen/09b/ParkStreetChurch_0428/index.html" target="_blank">ex-gay religious event</a>, prominent homosexual activists, including Wayne Besen, Chris Mason, Tom Lang, Pat Gozemba, and others participated in "demonstration" of screaming, sirens, and bull-horn.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/llIOdgOZLF4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/llIOdgOZLF4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-25324704907505737792009-03-18T06:51:00.000-07:002010-03-18T12:10:19.916-07:00Everyday Apologetics: "Why Beleive in Christianity"<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians%201:7;&version=9;" target="new"><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Philippians 1:7</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">: "...and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel..."</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%203:15;&version=50;" target="new"><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Peter 3:15</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">: "...and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you..."</span><br />
<a href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Apologetics" target="new"><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christian Apologetics</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> = apologia (Greek): To offer a reason, defense of the Christian faith.</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It helps a believer better understand and share his faith with others.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It removes intellectual barriers and helps non-believers know why to choose Christianity over religions and Atheism.</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christians tend to compartmentalize their lives into separate areas: home and family, work, school, recreation, friends. American Christians add the compartment of "church", but many fail to see the connection between what they say and do at church and the other compartments of life. These type of Christians have not yet grown into a biblical mind-set in which the Lord is at the center of everyday life, so that every compartment revolves around Him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everybody longs for dignity and legacy. Atheism can't answer for this. Atheism has no ground for objective morality or human dignity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christianity is not based on what Jesus taught but on who Jesus is. If Jesus is truly dead, then Christianity collapses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christianity is based on the person of Christ. It can be reasonable even with the Bible closed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The problem of unbelief is not an intellectual matter but moral choice.</span><br />
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</script>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-3562478068978364672009-03-14T06:17:00.000-07:002010-03-19T12:52:07.566-07:00Lesson 5 – Science: What is True?<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>Introduction – What is true?</u></strong><br />
In this, the fifth worldview tour, we are invited to enter the cavern of nature, gaze upon the jewels of creation, and establish yet another important pillar in the Temple of Truth: Science. </span><br />
<p><span style="font-family:arial;">Video: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaVASkiH2SU" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Did you ever wonder... about everything?</span></a><br />
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<strong><u>A. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork (Psalm 19:1)</u></strong><br />
We’re going to look inside the box and see 2 things:<br />
<u>1- The glory of God:</u><br />
For when we open the box, we find that it is filled with voices that speak to us loudly about the majesty and power of the One who has created the physical universe.<br />
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<u>2- The work of his hands:<br />
</u>Everywhere we look – whether up at the grandeur of the stars and galaxies or deep into the tiny and elegantly designed inner workings of a living cell – there is evidence that the cosmos is the handiwork of an intelligent, rational mind.<br />
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In the contemplation of nature, we come face to face with the truth that God exists and that He has revealed Himself to us, not only through His written Word (special revelation) but also through the works of His hands (general revelation).<br />
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<u>How many stars are there?</u></span><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">- Hipparchus, the Greek astronomer, in 128 B.C. stated there were 1,026 stars in the sky.</span><br />
- <a title="Kepler" href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Kepler"><span style="font-family:arial;">Kepler</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> in 1600 A.D. did his own count and found the number to be 1,005.</span><br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">- Today, thanks to the </span><a title="Hubble Telescope" href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Hubble_Telescope"><span style="font-family:arial;">Hubble Telescope</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> among other methods, the actual number is put at 70 sextillion (70 x 1021).</span><br />
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</p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>B. The Creator’s “invisible attributes are plainly seen” (Romans 1:20)</u></strong></span><br />
</p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Is God’s handiwork so difficult to see? Is it obscure?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">God has made it plain to us!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">We must go out of our way to deny this and ignore it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">Mankind has nevertheless chosen to ignore the obvious truth, twisting scientific investigation into a vehicle for propagating a godless philosophy of human independence and self-determination.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">The fool says in his heart: There is no God.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">Our natural reaction to this experience should be like that of a child: wonder, marvel, and praise for the Creator.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">But because of the effects of the fall and the polarizing influence of the Cosmic Battle, man shows a tendency to deny what is plain to the senses and to “exchange the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1:25).</span></li>
</ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>C. Scientific Investigation</u></strong><br />
“The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment” – It is also a valid way of ascertaining truth.<br />
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<strong><u>D. The great cosmos question: Where did the cosmos come from?</u></strong><br />
Only two possibilities: the cosmos has always existed or the cosmos had a beginning – either one posses a serious problem for those who deny a Creator.<br />
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<u>The problem with the claim that the cosmos had a beginning:</u> </p></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><ul><li>How can we start with nothing, and then have everything? It’s like magic!</li>
<li>Philosophical question à why is there something rather than nothing?</li>
<li>Einstein was irritated with the concept that the universe started from nothing – that is why he proposed the cosmological constant, which is a modification to his theory of general relativity to achieve a stationary universe. He abandoned the concept after observations by </span></li>
</ul><a title="Edwin Hubble" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Hubble"><span style="font-family:arial;">Edwin Hubble</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> indicated that the universe appears to be expanding.</span><br />
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">It takes faith to believe that the cosmos began with nothing.</span></li><br />
<p><span style="font-family:arial;"><u>The problem with the claim that the cosmos has always existed:</u><br />
</span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">The idea is that matter has always existed in the form of either matter or energy; and all that has happened is that matter has been changed from form to form, but it has always been. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">The Humanist Manifesto says, "Matter is “self-existing” and not created," and that is a concise statement of the atheist's belief.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;"><u>1st problem:</u> We live in an expanding universe that gets bigger and bigger and bigger with every passing day. Now, if we were to make time run backwards, we would arrive at a point, at a beginning. At what scientists call a singularity! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;"><u>2nd problem:</u> Energy is always breaking down in the cosmos (hydrogen is being consumed). If this process has been going on forever, we would have run out of hydrogen. All the energy should be used-up by now. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;"><u>3rd problem:</u> The second law of thermodynamics states that in any closed system, things tend to become disordered, which is the universal law of increasing entropy. Getting old is simple conformity to the second law of thermodynamics. In space, things also get old. Astronomers refer to the aging process as heat death.</span></li>
</ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>E. Metaphysical questions:</u></strong></p></span><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Does God exist?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">Why are we here?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">Is the universe eternal or not eternal?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">Are the body and the “self" the same?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">After death, do we continue to exist or not exist?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">What Attracts Us To Beauty</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">Why is there music? Can you think of that evolving? </span></li>
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</p><span style="font-family:arial;"><p><strong><u>F. Design vs. Randomness</u></strong><br />
Science is a methodology for discovering and classifying </span></p><a title="Knowledge" href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Knowledge"><span style="font-family:arial;">knowledge</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">. The scope of science encompasses all measurable </span><a title="Phenomena" href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Phenomena"><span style="font-family:arial;">phenomena</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">. Science falls under two scopes: </span><a title="Natural science" href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Natural_science"><span style="font-family:arial;">natural science</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, dealing with the </span><a title="Physical" href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Physical"><span style="font-family:arial;">physical</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, </span><a title="Natural" href="http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Natural&action=edit"><span style="font-family:arial;">natural</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> world, and </span><a title="Social science" href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Social_science"><span style="font-family:arial;">social science</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, dealing with society and human nature.</span><br />
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<ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Science and philosophy are very closely linked.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">Philosophy is trying to develop truth claims about the upper level ideas</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:arial;">Science is trying to develop truth claims about the particulars</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family:arial;"><p>Dr. Steven Meyer >> The idea of design<br />
Study nature >> created by a rational intellect<br />
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Randomness >> There’s nothing intelligent<br />
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Unlocking the mysteries of life – <a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={239AA75A-4C72-4CFA-A2C0-7E83E1BAD69C}&FAMILYTYPE=null">Scrabble Illustration<br />
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Where does the organized information come from? Is it just a matter of time and chance??!!<br />
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Earliest scientists were convinced that the universe bore evidence of design<br />
Scrabble Example – Where does the organized information in the genetic code come from?<br />
Wald- “Time is the hero of the plot …the impossible becomes possible.”<br />
</p><p><u>7 men that ruled the world from the grave:</u><br />
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<strong><u>Charles Darwin:</u></strong> Devolution into Depravity >> He popularized the theory of evolution, and revolutionized modern science. Instead of staying in science, the theory of evolution is now thought to apply to society at large. "Social Darwinism" is a foundational belief of our culture. This concept says that the social structure is engineered and controlled by impersonal forces, natural selection, and the survival of the fittest, rather than by a personal God. Society has become secularized, and God is resented and opposed at every opportunity. The fact is Darwinism is not true, not in science, and not in society. Man is digressing instead of progressing, just has God said he would, II Timothy 3:13. A prime example is our criminal "justice" system. Our "primitive" hang-em-high 19th Century system of justice did a much better job in eliminating the criminal threat to society, than today’s "humane" system. Instead of evolving into a higher life form, mankind is devolving into the depths of depravity.<br />
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<strong><u>Karl Marx:</u></strong> But Socialism is Alive and Well >> Godless atheism produced in the wake of Communist revolutions in Russia and China has not been overthrown. Socialism and the welfare state is alive and well in Europe, North America and Australia and New Zealand. Marxism continues to have a profound influence on western intellectuals, who reject the Judeo-Christian morality in favor of atheism.<br />
Communists are materialists, i.e., they believe that all is material, and deny the existence of immeasurable things such as love, honor, courage and fidelity. 60,000,000 people have died at the hands of blood-thirsty Communists. Communist dictators live like kings all the while claiming to be promoting a "classless society".<br />
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<u><strong>Julius Wellhausen:</strong></u> Higher Criticism, Religious Liberalism >> a German rationalist, Old Testament scholar, and theologian, declared that human reason was totally dependable and the Bible could not be seriously trusted. Rather than divine inspiration, the Old Testament was said to be a product of evolutionary thinking of several individuals (referred to as the Elohim, Jehovah, Priestly and Deuteronomy, or EJPD, sources). He became a leader in a religious school of thought called "Higher Criticism”.<br />
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<u><strong>Sigmund Freud:</strong></u> Looking for the Truth Within >> The basis for Freudian thinking is the idea that the driving force behind all human action is the sexual instinct or urge. There exists a force, or libido, within mankind that, properly analyzed and controlled, will lead him to greater social progress. Freud opened the door for the New Age Movement, which insists that man can discover and control his own "life force" and obtain a utopia.<br />
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<u><strong>John Dewey and Humanistic Education</strong></u> >> He developed our liberal education system where there is no foundational truth. Nothing is settled, final and sure, but only subject to further research. Nothing is constant, given, or finally true, but rather all is pragmatic, adaptable, and subject to reinterpretation deemed appropriate to the time. Truth, he believed, was only found in experience. Rather than instilling morals in students, teachers were led to teach by experiment, to mold students to be servants of the state.<br />
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<u><strong>John Maynard Keynes:</strong></u> The Government is God >> He had a profound influence on the development of our government economic system. In the wake of the devastating global depression of 1929 through the 1930’s he thought that it was the responsibility of government to create full employment, even if it had to borrow money and assume mounting debt to do so. Rather than get rid of the sins which cause economic depression, vanity, jealously, lust and greed, he promoted the idea that government had all the answers.<br />
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<u><strong>G. Examining Darwin’s Theory</strong></u><br />
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<ul><li>Hypothesis, theory, law – data must confirm investigation of truth claims</li>
<li><u>Hypothesis:</u> Very early assumption made on the basis of limited evidence and basic data used as a starting point for further investigation.</li>
<li><u>Theory:</u> Much more sophisticated than a Hypo. Idea or belief about something formed by speculation, conjecture, or deduction from certain facts within certain parameters. It is one that allows us to make predictions about future occurrences or observations of the same kind and capable of being tested through <a title="Experiment" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experiment">experiment</a> or otherwise verified through <a title="Empiricism" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricism">empirical observation</a>.</li>
<li><u>Declaration of a Law:</u> A statement of scientific fact that a particular natural or scientific phenomenon is invariable under given circumstances (Laws of science are considered universal and invariable facts of the physical world.)</li>
<li>Darwinian Evolution taught as “Fact” – Does his theory match reality?<br />
Paley’s Argument – Anyone who looks at a pocket watch understands that is was designed with intelligent purpose</li>
<li>Ignoring the obvious – Francis Crick: You’ve got to keep in mind that all of this was not designed<br />
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</ul><p><u><strong>H. Hollow & deceptive philosophy:</strong><br />
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Carl Sagan’s Assumptions:</u><br />
</p><ul><li>Our future depends on how we understand this cosmos</li>
<li>We’re going to follow the truth wherever it leads (dishonest statement – if it leads to a creator, we will ignore it).</li>
<li>We need imagination and skepticism</li>
<li>We will not be afraid to speculate.</li>
</ul><p><u><strong>I. Contemporary Molecular Biology</strong><br />
</u>Testing Darwin’s statement that his theory would absolutely break down if it could be demonstrated that a complex organism could not come into existence without numerous, successive slight modifications.</p><ul><li>In the 19th century, the cell was viewed as a simple glob of plasma, a black box; today, micro technology reveals a cell filled with exquisite machinery</li>
<li>Irreducible complexity – The cell cannot exist if one component of the machinery is missing – Examples: mouse trap and the flagellum motor</li>
</ul><p><strong>The flagellum motor research:</strong> 40 unique structural parts – it can be compared to the construction of a house built from the inside out.</p><ul><li>It is in the realm of molecular genetics where we see the most compelling evidence of design on earth – evolution fails Darwin’s test.</li>
<li>Today we have the technology to look at the inner cell machinery.</li>
<li>But Man doesn’t always accede to the reality of this evidence.</li>
</ul><p><u><strong>J. The fossil record:</strong></u><u><strong><br />
</p><ul><li></strong></u>The fossil record – testing Darwin’s statement that if one can’t find all of the fine, graduated evolutionary steps in the fossil record, then one can rightly reject the theory</li>
<li>If speciation requires many thousands of morphological changes, there should be some fossil evidence of those changes – Darwin agreed they weren’t there, but only because we hadn’t dug up enough fossils</li>
<li>120 years after Darwin’s time we have a lot more fossil evidence than he did, but we have even less support for his evolutionary theories</li>
<li><u>Theory of punctuated equilibrium</u> – offered by evolutionist Gould because of the lack of evidence in the fossil record; purports immediate speciation to account for the missing links<br />
Icons of Evolution – used for years as “proof” of evolution – all are inaccurate and outdated</li>
<li><u>Theory of directed panspermia</u> – purports that the first living cell was sent to earth from another planet – offered by Crick because evidence was overwhelmingly against spontaneous generation – now the problem is somewhere else? – this is now resorting to blind faith.</li>
<li>Evolution again fails Darwin’s own test</li>
</ul><p><br />
<strong><u>K. Fearfully and wonderfully made</u></strong><br />
<br />
Video: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iimHPTU3Z_w">"Did You Ever Wonder about blood clots"</a><br />
Blood clot – the clotting of the blood.<br />
An amazing system >> is it a part of evolution?<br />
How long will we last without blood clotting?<br />
<br />
Testing Carl Sagan’s Statement – “Evolution is a fact amply demonstrated by the fossil record and contemporary molecular biology.”<br />
<br />
Contemporary Molecular Biology – testing Darwin’s statement that his theory would absolutely break down if it could be demonstrated that a complex organism could not come into existence without numerous, successive slight modifications (slow gradual process)<br />
<br />
Dr. Meyer’s Response – Post 1953 discovery of DNA, cells cannot be looked at in the same way.<br />
<br />
In the 19th century, the cell was viewed as a simple glob of plasma, a black box; today, micro technology reveals a cell filled with exquisite machinery.<br />
<br />
Molecular machines contain matter and energy.<br />
There’s a 3rd factor >> INFORMATION!!! (For processing)<br />
<br />
Today we have the technology to look at the inner cell machinery.<br />
Dr. Kenyan’s statement on the Molecular structure:<br />
Finely tuned apparatus (devise)<br />
Genetic information processing<br />
The result of an intelligent designer<br />
<br />
<strong><u>L. Man doesn’t always accede to reality</u></strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Crick">Francis Crick</a> – Evolutionist: Amazing complexity at the fundamental level of life<br />
<br />
<a href="http://creationwiki.org/Panspermia">Directed Panspermia – Theory</a> >> The problem is now somewhere else.<br />
<br />
Blind Faith – <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wald">George Wald</a> – The origin of life<br />
<a href="http://www.creationinthecrossfire.com/Articles/SpontaneousGeneration.htm">Spontaneous generation hypothesis</a> >> it’s broken down<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Behe">Michael Behe</a> >> <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=pbZT5wV_6awC&dq=Michael+Behe+Darwin%25E2%2580%2599s+Black+Box&pg=PP1&ots=2A_FRnJOd4&source=bn&sig=BlDJwILSD4PJI34IPH3_Rwl-g1Q&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result">Darwin’s Black Box</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ideacenter.org/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/840">Irreducible complexity</a> – mouse trap<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NFgjiumiAw&feature=related">Flagellum motor</a> Research: </p><ul><li>40 structural parts</li>
<li>unique parts</li>
<li>Compared to the construction of a House from the inside out </li>
</ul><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandra_Wickramasinghe">Dr. Chandra Wickramasinghe</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><u>M. The Fossil Record</u></strong> >> Book: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pandas-People-Central-Question-Biological/dp/0914513400">Of Pandas and People</a></p><ul><li>The variety must be enormous</li>
<li>We got a problem in the fossil record</li>
<li>The amount of changes are so much greater</li>
<li>Fundamental Pantheology</li>
<li>Questions and issues</li>
</ul><p>If going from one species to another, it requires many variations of varieties.<br />
<br />
Book: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAQoJUdI_KM&feature=related">Icons of Evolution</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v14/i4/fossils.asp">Collin Patterson >> no water tight argument</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeopteryx">Archaeopteryx</a> >> missing link or fully formed species of its own?<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_M._Raup">David Raup</a> >> we have more fossils now but no transitional forms.<br />
<br />
Gould’s Response (Graduated Equilibrium) >> Theory supported by the lack of evidence in the fossil record<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Wells_(intelligent_design_advocate)">Jonathan Wells</a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin">Darwin’s finches</a> (Nutty Journalism)<br />
Jonathon Wyler >> The power of Darwinian process.<br />
Can the beak size be extrapolated?<br />
Changes oscillate back and forth.<br />
<br />
S. Huvtrap<br />
This is just a scientific truth claim it’s also a philosophical truth claim.<br />
<br />
The consequences of rejecting it forces them to face the reality of a creator.</p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=145062&u=416849&m=18737&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.shareasale.com/image/banner_one.jpg" /></a>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-29589471389622901732009-03-08T10:01:00.000-07:002009-03-08T10:05:49.059-07:00Lesson 4 – Theology: Who is God?<span style="font-family:arial;">Eternal life, according to Jesus, is knowing God in an intimate, personal, and relational way. Such knowledge, which is possible only because of divine revelation, transforms us from the inside out as we begin to see ourselves in the light of His majesty and holiness.<br /><br /><strong><u>A. Theology: The study of God</u></strong><br />Col 2:23 >> God’s nature, character, and attributes are the ultimate source of truth.<br />With God, there is no end, no beginning.<br />Who can fathom that?<br />It’s easier to define infinity.<br />He has revealed himself to us.<br />We are attempting to answer the question of an infinite being.<br /><br /><strong><u>B. What some people say who God is:</u></strong><br />God is ultimate reality<br />God is what you make of it<br />Our heart is the temple of God<br />Confused about God – spirituality<br />A place to be happy when you are dead<br />Energy – essence where a relationship exists<br />Self – I create my own being<br />A fantasy concept – depending on whose worldview<br />The construct in my mind<br />A nice thought to have on a Sunday morning and irrelevant during the rest of the week<br /><br /><br /><strong><u>C. The Westminster Confession</u></strong><br />I. There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long- suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal, most just, and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />II. God has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He has made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and has most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever Himself pleases. In His sight all things are open and manifest, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them.<br /><br />III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost: the Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.<br /><br /><strong><u>D. The eclipse of God</u></strong><br />R. C. Sproul asserts that ours is an era in which the knowledge of God has been an eclipsed – not completely destroyed, but obscured and shadowed by lies and misconceptions.<br /><br />Given this situation, it is essential that we establish two main points:<br />1. That God exists<br />2. That the Bible, the vehicle of His self-revelation, is utterly reliable<br /><br /><br /><strong><u>E. What is eternal life? (from John 3:16)</u></strong><br />John 4:13-14 >> The water of eternal life<br />John 5:24<br />John 6:27<br />John 6:54<br />John 17:1-3 >> Jesus defined eternal life<br />An intimate conversation between the Son and the Father.<br />That they may know you not just street knowledge or clinical knowledge but a personal communion – real relationship.<br />An intimate kind of knowledge, understanding, fellowship – what a privilege!!!<br /><br />John 5:39-40 >> He is not diminishing the scriptures. They only point to Jesus. You must go further.<br /><br /><u><strong>F. Spurgeon’s Perspective</strong></u><br />“The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can engage the attention of a child of God is the name, the nature, the person, the doings, and the existence of the great God which he calls his Father."<br /><br /><strong><u>G. Paul’s Perspective</u></strong><br />Philippians 3:8-10 >> More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.<br /><br /><u><strong>H. God’s Perspective</strong></u><br />Hosea 6:6 >> “I’d rather for you to be faithful and to know me than to offer sacrifices.”<br /><br />Jeremiah 9:23-24 (New Century Version)<br />This is what the Lord says:<br />“The wise must not brag about their wisdom. The strong must not brag about their strength.<br />The rich must not brag about their money. But if people want to brag, let them brag that they understand and know me. Let them brag that I am the Lord, and that I am kind and fair, and that I do things that are right on earth. This kind of bragging pleases me,” says the Lord<br /><br /><u><strong>I. Names Have Meaning</strong></u><br />· Names of God – El Qanna – A jealous God<br />· What does it mean for God to be jealous? Isn’t jealousy a bad thing?<br /><br /><u>Deuteronomy 4:23-24:</u><br />Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.<br /><br /><u>Zechariah 8:2:</u><br />This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: “I have a very strong love for Jerusalem. My strong love for her is like a fire burning in me.”<br /><br /><u>Exodus 34:14:</u><br />Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God<br /><br />· God’s very name is jealous.<br />· The jealousy of the flesh says “you have something I want and I hate you for it.”<br />· The jealousy of El Qanna is a zeal that arises when sin threatens a covenant relationship.<br />· El Qanna arose in God to the extent of the sacrifice of His only Son.<br />· He is jealous when my sin threatens that relationship.<br />· When you wrestle in the cocoon with God, he will give you a new name.<br />· Jacob (supplanter) changed to Israel (strives with God) Gen. 32:28<br />· Abram (father of height) changed to Abraham (father of a multitude) Gen. 17:5<br />· Moses (taken out of the water)<br />· Simon (hearing) changed to Peter (rock)<br />· Saul (demanded) changed to Paul (little)<br />· You shall name the child John (God is gracious) Lk. 1:15<br />· You shall name His Jesus (savior)<br /><br />Ps. 42:1-2 >> Hungering for God.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As we know God, we begin to know ourselves.<br />That will transform us.<br /><br /><strong><u>J. The Attack (2 Cor. 10:4-5)<br /></u></strong>Take every thought captive.<br />Our pretentions that are against God.<br /><br /><u>2 Critical Questions that must be asked regarding his nature and His word:</u><br />1- Is there really a God?<br />2- Can His Word (scriptures) be trusted?<br /><br />Attacks against His nature: twisting, distorting, denying, ignoring<br />Attacks against His Word: accusing, demeaning<br /><br />All attempts to by all powers:<br />Extinguish >> Empires<br />Suppress >> Religion<br />Discredit >> Philosophy<br />Destroy >> Science<br />Dilute >> Academia<br />Deny >> Judiciary<br />Ignore >> …<br /><br />All have failed. The Word of God is still the best seller of all time.<br /><br /><strong><u>K. Voltaire 1776 >> claims to destroy the bible (but have failed)<br /></u></strong>“100 years from my day there will not be a Bible in the earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity seeker.”<br />“It took 12 men to start Christianity; one will destroy it.”<br />He died in 1778. One hundred years later, Voltaire’s home was used to store Bibles and distribute them all over Europe.<br /><br /><u><strong>L. Robert Ingersoll</strong></u><br />“In 15 years, I will have this book [the Bible] in the morgue. 15 years later, Ingersoll was in the morgue. Later a pastor purchased Ingersoll’s desk and spent his life writing sermons on it.<br />1 Pe. 1:24-25<br /><br /><u><strong>M. Julius Wellhausen (1844-1918)</strong></u><br />A 19th century German liberal scholar who suggested the Documentary Hypothesis (JEPD), which theorizes that the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) was not written by Moses but evolved over time and was compiled from at least four sources written by various authors. Numerous scholars have refuted the theory.<br />Known as the father of “Higher Criticism”<br />Documentary hypothesis: “JEDP”<br />A proponent of liberal theology<br /><br /><u><strong>N. The Jesus Seminar</strong></u><br />The Jesus Seminar Started in 1985 in Berkley, California, by Robert Funk and thirty-five other liberal New Testament scholars. The Seminar,–which now includes about 100 members–meets twice a year to debate technical papers. At the close of debate on each agenda item, members vote using colored beads to indicate the degree of authenticity of Jesus’ words or deeds.<br /><br /><u>The Colored Beads</u><br />- red: Jesus undoubtedly said this or something very much like it (That’s Jesus!)<br />- pink: Jesus probably said this (Sure sounds like Jesus)<br />- grey: Jesus did not say this, but the ideas contained in it are close to His own (Well, maybe)<br />- black: Jesus did not say this; it represents the perspective or content of a later or different tradition (There’s been some mistake)<br />They voted and the book of The 5 Gospels resulted from it.<br />Ez. 22:26-28<br /><br />They claim that 82% of words of Jesus were not spoken by him.<br /><br />Are we going to be drawn to a web of deceit?<br /><br /><u><strong>O. Dr. Del Tackett’s Personal Crisis</strong></u><br />Is there contradiction in Scripture?<br />2 Kings 8:16 >> Jehoram<br />2 Kings 1:17 >> Joram<br />2 kings 3:1<br /><br />How true is the bible?<br /></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mysterious-Numbers-Hebrew-Kings/dp/082543825X"><span style="font-family:arial;">Edwin Thiele</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">: </span><a href="http://www.olive-tree.net/redemptiveplan/ThieleSummary.htm"><span style="font-family:arial;">“The mysterious dates of the Hebrew Kings.”</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><u><strong>P. Why so Fierce?</strong></u><br />Heb. 4:12 – 13<br /><br />We must give an account.<br /><br />Don’t be surprised when the world around us tries to rip from us the very Word of God. Even we, sometimes in our sinful nature, don’t want to listen to God’s Word. It stands in the way of self-actualization >> the pursuit of our desires and wants.<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-63562633939342327492009-02-14T05:57:00.000-08:002009-02-14T06:57:30.199-08:00Lesson 3 Notes – Anthropology: Who is man?<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>I. Introduction – The Problem of Evil and who is Man?</u></strong><br /><br />What is evil? Why is there evil in the world?" This is one of the most fundamental and important questions that every person asks.</span><br /><br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Christians have answers to these questions.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">When the same questions are given back to the world – answers come back empty.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Here are <a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={C0564C7B-6631-4AAC-9E89-713B3009CE3B}&FAMILYTYPE=null" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">some examples of the worlds interpretation of evil</span></a>:<br />- Some people chose not to talk about it – ignore it.<br />- Doing something bad and feeling good about it.<br />- A child going to bed hungry.<br />- It’s something natural to our nature.<br />- It’s what appears not to be good to other people.</li><ul><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul></ul><li>Everyone acknowledges that evil exists</li><ul><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul></ul><li>Some people say it’s necessary</li><ul><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul></ul><li>The devil has made evil look exciting</li></ul></span><p><strong><u>A - Primary Doctrine</u> – Laying down the foundation of Anthropology</strong></p><ul><li>The knowledge of Man and God</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>Who is Man? Who is God?</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><u>The answers to these two questions form the foundation of every one's worldview. </u></li></ul><p>The nature of Man:</p><ul><li>Self awareness</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>Deep search for meaning and purpose</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>Sensitive to moral concerns</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>Hungry for relationships</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>Capable of doing evil</li></ul><p><strong>B. The cosmic battle within</strong></p><ul><li>The battle within – Galatians 5:16-17</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>Our sinful nature is in constant conflict with God's Spirit – Romans 7:15-25, Romans 6:12, Romans 8:5-14.<br /><br />The battle over <a href="http://www.conservapedia.com/Anthropology" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Anthropology</span></a> >> Truth (reality) vs. Lie (Illusion)<br /><br />“The Pernicious Lie” >> The lie which says things will be better if we do it our way instead of God's way. That we can get a better deal if we follow our own wisdom and desires than if we live life the way God said it should be lived.<br /><br /><u>The Biblical view of man:</u><br />His essence >> made in the image of God<br />His Moral state >> dualistic<br />His Need >> Redemption</li></ul><p><strong><u>II. Man’s Essence</u></strong><br />Cataclysmic events have caused various states of man<br /><br /><strong>A. States of man</strong></p><ul><li><u>Mode 1:</u> Innocent >> Result of creation (Genesis 1:27)<br />- God created man in the image of God</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><u>Mode 2:</u> Fallen >> Adam and Eve decided they could get a better deal on their own than doing things God's way (Romans 5:12, Genesis 6:5)<br />Hell – If man transitions over to the “death” state at this point, then the state he will go to is “Hell” (Revelation 20:15, Hebrew 9:27)</li></ul><p>Descriptions of man in a fallen state: Evil, Dead, Blind, Deaf, Lost, Rebellious, Without hope, Haters of God, Desperately wicked, Children of the devil</p><ul><li><u>Mode 3:</u> Redeemed >> Revelation 5:9<br />Glorified – We will be raised in a new spiritual body >> we call it “being glorified” (1 Corinthians 15:42)</li></ul><p>Descriptions of the new man: The redeemed, Saints, Priests, Called-out ones, People of God, A holy nation, Children of God, Sons of God, Beloved, Born from above</p><p><strong>B. Dualistic or Monistic – Both flesh and spirit or purely material?</strong></p><ul><li>Man still bears the “Image of God” in the fallen state</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>We still carry and bear our sinful nature in our redeemed state</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>We must live by the Spirit of God to avoid living in our sinful nature</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>As believers, we are wrestling with this issue >> to live with our sinful nature (Romans 7:15, 18-20)</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>his does not absolve us from responsibility</li></ul><p><strong>C. Naturalistic Philosophy Implications – No gods or purposive forces</strong><br /><br /></p><span style="font-family:arial;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.corliss-lamont.org/" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Corliss Lamont</span></a>: Nothing exists out of the box</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>Natural Man >> material beast</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li>We are “cause & effect machines” in the box Implications: No purpose beyond himself; No foundation for ethics; No Free will; No life after death; No ultimate meaning in life >> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_B._Provine" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Dr. William Provine</span></a> </li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><u><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Kurtz" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Paul Kurtz</span></a></u> – The humanist alternative: “If man is a product of evolution, one species among others, in a universe without purpose, then man’s option is to live for himself.”<br />Science >> looking for the answer in the box.</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><u><a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v18/i2/haeckel.asp"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Haeckel’s Embryos</span></a></u> – Fabricated drawings to present evidence for evolution.</li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingrid_Newkirk" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ingrid Newkirk</span></a> (co-founder of PETA) – </span></li></ul><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_rights" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">animal rights activist:</span></a> </span><span style="font-family:arial;">"A rat, is a pig is dog, is a boy”</span> <ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Should we be more concerned about insects? - Activist, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentti_Linkola"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Pentti Linkola</span></a> of the Finnish Green Party says he has more sympathy for threatened insect species than for children dying of hunger in Africa."</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Darrow"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Clarence Darrow</span></a> >> The purpose of Man – to wiggle in life: “The purpose of man is like the the purpose of the pollywog -- to wiggle along as far as he can without dying; or, to hang to life until death takes him.”</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Should we be surprised by how so many people are checking out of life?</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">The leading cause of women showing up in the ER >> Suicide (for men in the UK, it’s second).</span></li><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>III. Man’s Moral State and Man’s Needs</u></strong></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>A. Abraham Maslow</u> – Hierarchy of Needs</strong></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Man’s ultimate objective is:<br />a. Self Actualization<br />b. Getting in touch with your inner nature<br />c. Do what your inner desires want you to do<br />d. Follow your desires</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">What a Pernicious lie!!!</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>B. Basically Good or sinful</strong></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Depravity of Man</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Man’s propensity for evil</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Children are both the promise and the threat of the future.<br />The self-proclaimed “BTK killer” He confessed in 2005 to serial killing</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>C. <u>Carl Rogers:</u> Influential American </strong><strong>psychologist</strong><strong> and among the founders of the </strong><strong>humanistic approach</strong><strong> to </strong><strong>psychology</strong><strong>.</strong></span><br /><br /></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">His quote: “I do not find that evil is inherent in human nature”</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>D. Scriptural Truth</strong></span><br /></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Put to death your earthly nature – Romans 8:13, Colossians 3:5-10</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">If you live according to the sinful nature – you will die.</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Our inner desires will lead us to death.</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Self actualizing humanity is dangerous</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">IMAGO DEO vs. IMAGO Goo</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;"><a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={DFDA14F7-5122-4A5C-A643-86BA25271DFB}&FAMILYTYPE=null" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">RC Sproul's Comments (video)</span></a></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>IV. If evil is not inherent in man, then where does evil come from?</u></strong><br /><br /><strong>A. Abraham Maslow – “Sick people are made by a sick culture…”</strong></span><br /></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Christianity restricts and suppresses self-actualization</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Christians are the problem</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">The one we serve is the problem</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>B. Carl Rogers – “…experience leads me to believe that it is cultural influences which are the major factor in our evil behaviors.”</strong></span><br /></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">If man is instinctively good, and it doesn’t come from human nature, then where does evil come from?</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">They don’t have the answers</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">They don’t even have the ethical language</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>C. Social Institutions and authority structures are blamed for man’s evil actions</strong></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">We currently live in a culture of blame</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Victim mentality – If I am basically good, then anything bad that happens to me must be caused by someone or something outside of me. I will always find someone or something to blame for my troubles or situation.</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">That is why today we see in our culture so many social and political activists</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">This provides basis for understanding the battleground over social Institutions today</span> </li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>V. Why should “evil” bother someone with a secular worldview?</u></strong><br /><br />The question of evil is more difficult for them than us.</span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">It’s survival of the fittest world</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">We are products of the “dog-eat-dog” world</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">The mighty are responsible of destroying the weak</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Social institutions are the bad guys for the secular world >> oppression with authority is the cause of evil.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Recommended reading >> Life at the Bottom: The Worldview that makes the underclass<br />By Theodore Dalrymple. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p></span><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Doing what you like is not always a virtue.</span></li><ul><ul><br /></ul></ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">"You don't need to find yourself. You need to lose yourself. You need to have something which transcends yourself, in order to make your life meaningful." - <a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId=%7b85BC7BCC-04F4-446C-AC6F-777FB45FA8E7%7d&FAMILYTYPE=null" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Theodore Dalrymple Video</span></a></span> </li></ul><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><u><strong>Summary:</strong></u><br />"</span><a href="http://www.equip.org/site/c.muI1LaMNJrE/b.2821343/k.BDD4/CP0104.htm" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">We are the problem</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">."<br />Evil, to put it plainly, comes from you and me - not from "civilization," "society," or the "chains and shackles of religion." Man made the unfortunate choice to violate his proper relationship with God - not because the devil forced him to do so, but because he freely elected, under the influence of temptation, to follow an analogous course of self-deification.</span></p>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-50091545327996151832009-02-12T07:11:00.000-08:002009-02-12T07:37:05.479-08:00Economy already Stimualted - Sales rose in January<span style="font-family:arial;">There are signs that the economy is already stabilizing before the Stimulus Package gets signed by the President. <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29158095/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">January Retail Sales Post biggest Increase in 14 months</span></a>. Is this a glimmer of hope?</span><br /><br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/29159499#29159499" frameborder="0" width="425" scrolling="no" height="339"></iframe> <style type="text/css">.msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;} </style><br /><p class="msnbcLinks">Visit msnbc.com for <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/">Breaking News</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507">World News</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072">News about the Economy</a></p><span style="font-family:arial;">BBandT Capital Markets Retail Analyst, Andy Wolf says that in addition to increase of retail sales, gasoline, cars and car parts sales have also rebounded in the month of January.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The Super Markets, Dollar Stores, Mass Merchandisers and Big Buck Discounters are doing the best so far.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </p><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-73203031562797937862009-02-10T05:20:00.000-08:002009-02-17T14:53:59.095-08:00The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009<span style="font-family:arial;">Will a big-government, trillion dollar spending stimulus package raise the economy to a higher level of growth, or will it make it worse-off than it is today?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The </span><a href="http://readthestimulus.org/" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">"Read the Stimulus"</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> website is an online tool designed to shine some light on the <a href="http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/pork_barrel_politics.asp" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Congressional Prokfest</span></a>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><em><strong>Is spending money the solution to our problems?</strong></em></span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Transition policy experts talk about President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan -- why it's necessary and how it will work:<br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rhtE2EfFXvY&hl=" width="480" height="295" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" fs="1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed><br /></span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Dan Mitchell has a video from the <a href="http://www.freedomandprosperity.org/" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Center for Freedom and Prosperity</span></a> explaining the folly of Barack Obama’s stimulus plan:<br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2mKE16Exh9k&color1=" width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" color2="0xcfcfcf&hl=" feature="player_embedded&fs=" allowfullscreen="true"></embed><br /></span></p><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><u><em>In Summary:</em></u><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Government cannot create jobs. It can only shift jobs from one part of the economy to the other.<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Government can spend only what it has taxed or borrowed away from the public, it creates no new demand but merely redirects it. And getting money from Uncle Sam doesn't necessarily give anyone the incentive to work more, produce more or earn more income.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#3333ff;">According to analysts, <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/01/29/only_5_percent_of_819b_plan_would_go_toward_infrastructure/" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">only 5 percent</span></a> of the $819 billion measure will go towards highway, mass transit, and rail projects:</span><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9oD3cY4koWCw7WOtnFniqCJFj1eLBeEMl1okvnygwDa-zGlFMjLmp7cHJWKndqVgsubHa9uzcUfgRdCs5RP3ZAXz4WQfU8pn0y0zMUhVPFw-sfNtmOFj1OLQq9ljfydINn1YZy2gZVtX/s1600-h/stimulus__1233219255_3849.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296776625393807922" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 277px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9oD3cY4koWCw7WOtnFniqCJFj1eLBeEMl1okvnygwDa-zGlFMjLmp7cHJWKndqVgsubHa9uzcUfgRdCs5RP3ZAXz4WQfU8pn0y0zMUhVPFw-sfNtmOFj1OLQq9ljfydINn1YZy2gZVtX/s400/stimulus__1233219255_3849.gif" border="0" /></a><br /></p><br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.suitablyflip.com/suitably_flip/2009/01/stimulus-illustrated-part-ii.html"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;"><em><u>Stimulus, Illustrated Part I<br /></u></em></span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298208669644079522" style="WIDTH: 220px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnKxS8rsTpKhXs8lMwJ2S2sLZanqU79j-pYHaNj6y7I0wYchJlgvj02soq01ttNFpz_yjtZ7XgYS307D1V-YCM-5NwDQ9dK895ZNRk6Hmb3toS0jmug0e4JPVejAn0PZmw06SZNQINM2_/s400/Trillion_Enormity.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></p><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><em><u><a href="http://www.suitablyflip.com/suitably_flip/2009/01/stimulus-illustrated-part-ii.html"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Stimulus, Illustrated - Part II</span></a><br /></u></em></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYM9-VjpqlspM3BqvN6nUVGuwGxRp4ESyFhAitXXa3T8D4vYahQKIZwykQq4JX6FsOBnZCWZD9Ne4Yk3OlWa5hcbbH0sHNXJ2tlqhxn3ObNo7xG3cRUE1eIu9Af99iZm7tZy60zhbHT0-/s1600-h/Trillion_Enormity2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298210003328168258" style="WIDTH: 218px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYM9-VjpqlspM3BqvN6nUVGuwGxRp4ESyFhAitXXa3T8D4vYahQKIZwykQq4JX6FsOBnZCWZD9Ne4Yk3OlWa5hcbbH0sHNXJ2tlqhxn3ObNo7xG3cRUE1eIu9Af99iZm7tZy60zhbHT0-/s400/Trillion_Enormity2.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford on the new “savior-based economy”:</span><br /><script src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/js/2.0/video/evp/module.js?loc=dom&vid=/video/bestoftv/2009/02/08/sotu.sanford.stimulus.cnn" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript></noscript><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><em><u>Timeline:</u></em><br /></span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/28/AR2009012800196.html?hpid=topnews" target="new"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">January 28th, 2009</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> - The House passed the $819 billion economic stimulus bill with <a href="http://republicanwhip.house.gov/blog_012809d.htm" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">no Republican </span></a></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://republicanwhip.house.gov/blog_012809d.htm" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">support</span></a>. The measure passed 244 to 188, with 11 Democrats and 177 Republicans voting against it. Only 12% of the bill has any actual stimulus value, and it comes too slowly to help. The rest is filled mostly with historical Democratic spending priorities for government like family planning, education spending, and poverty programs, which should have been handled through normal appropriations and not emergency economic stimulus spending, which it clearly is not.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/18628.html" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">February 9th, 2009</span></a> - </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Stimulus cloture invoked a 61-36 vote, advancing toward passage in the Senate. Only three Republicans voted with Democratic majority: Senators Collins, Snowe and Spector joined the 58-member Democratic caucus to invoke cloture.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">On February 13, 2009 at 2:24 p.m., the bill was passed by the House with 246 Yeas and 183 Nays. No Republicans in the House voted for the bill. At 10:48 p.m., the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 60-38, with all Democrats and Independents voting for the bill along with three Republicans.<br />The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A68eWFAbClA" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">1,071 page</span></a> Conference Report with final handwritten provisions was made available to the public late Friday. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvnwOjDjnH4" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Very few, if any, lawmakers read the final version</span></a> before their vote was cast.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><u>Hidden Provisions added that would not provide job creation or economic growth:</u></strong></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$650 million for digital television <a href="http://washingtonindependent.com/26145/democratic-stim-bill-includes-650-million-for-tv-converter-coupons" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">converter box coupons</span></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$300 million for electric quasi-golf carts (<a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/02112009/news/politics/congress_hopping_carts_154496.htm"><span style="color:#ff0000;">NY Post</span></a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$1 billion for Amtrak, which hasn't been profitable in half a century (<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123310466514522309.html" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">WSJ</span></a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$400 million for global warming research by NASA scientists (<a href="http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2009/01/29/not-reaching-for-the-stars" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Real Clear Politics</span></a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$2.2 billion for carbon capture research</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$75 million for smoking cessation programs (<a href="http://michellemalkin.com/2009/01/27/stimulus-stupidity-alert-75-million-for-smoking-cessation" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">MichelleMalkin</span></a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$335 million for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/29/economic-stimulus-bills-allot-millions-for-std-pre" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">WashingtonTimes</span></a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$20 billion to hasten depreciation and write-off for equipment</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$209 million for work on deferred maintenance at Agricultural Research Service facilities</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$245 million for maintaining and modernizing the IT system of the Farm Service Agency</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$1 billion for "Periodic Censuses and Programs"</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$140 million for "climate data modeling"</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$600 million to buy and lease government plug-in and alternative fuel vehicles</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$1.2 billion in grants to states for youth summer jobs programs and other activities</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$600 million for "preparations" for socialized medicine (<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_mccaughey&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Bloomberg</span></a>, FoxNews <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wom0C2ZVl4&eurl=http://www.americasright.com/&feature=player_embedded" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">video</span></a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$6 billion for energy efficiency projects on government buildings</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$4.4 billion allocation for "smart" technologies, which includes power monitors ("<a href="http://sweetness-light.com/archive/stimulus-bill-includes-smart-monitors" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">smart meters</span></a>")</span></li><li><span style="font-family:arial;">$8 billion to construct high-speed rail lines (<a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gdDrWnoMueqVFI-Uo1ClxVZur22AD969TIKG2" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Associated Press</span></a>)</span></li></ul><p><br /><strong><u><span style="font-family:arial;">Other Sources regarding the stmulus package proposal:</span><br /></u></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146363567166677.html" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years</span></a> (Steve Moore - WSJ)<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;"><a href="http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2009/01/the_jobdestroying_stimulus_bil.php" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">The Job-Destroying Stimulus Bill</span></a> <span style="color:#000000;">(The Club for Growth)</span></span></p></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-61686132694414605022009-02-09T09:24:00.000-08:002009-02-09T09:49:26.072-08:00Buyers' Remorse?<span style="font-family:arial;">One of the mothers who lost her son on the U.S.S. Cole, gave an interview on Fox News.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">She declined the White House Invitation to meet with Obama. (She also, voted for him and says in the interview that she made a mistake in doing so). <a href="http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/02/president-oba-2.html" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">The President is planning to release the Cole bombing mastermind Al-Nashiri, Killing 17 American sailors</span></a>.</span><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_cwZjvQPZEY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_cwZjvQPZEY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-85077925193202748462009-02-05T10:35:00.000-08:002009-02-05T11:36:53.980-08:00Harry Reid: Paying income tax in America is Voluntary<span style="font-family:arial;">Senate Majority Leader <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Harry Reid</span></a> maintains that paying income tax is voluntary in the U.S.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">He's obviously playing with words. But then again... he is a politician.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Exit Question: Is our tax system really a voluntary system or does the IRS rely on "voluntary compliance"?</span><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/R7mRSI8yWwg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/R7mRSI8yWwg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-92216105478538898562009-02-03T10:02:00.000-08:002009-02-09T09:35:21.395-08:00Obama's Campaign Promise: To be ethical and transparent<span style="font-family:arial;">President Obama is losing credibility on his campaign promise to the American people: </span><span style="font-family:arial;">To have the most ethical, open and transparent Administration ever...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">He needs to stop offering high-level positions to individuals whom the American people do not trust.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Here you have Obama's cabinet picks controversies:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3arfTLhgmtG5r-6rVcmEWRsIVgr-5RamT6giB1192AvOX5-WCAn-nhmBqt5WvOR7Ho81FQdIVJHXS9qBezLYTBmZwM8-ouk9tIW7IlwKjpwA3oSzQsR_1kzd3zOfNFKTxOgHR8HIDaOsc/s1600-h/obamaadvisers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300838619002776162" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 306px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3arfTLhgmtG5r-6rVcmEWRsIVgr-5RamT6giB1192AvOX5-WCAn-nhmBqt5WvOR7Ho81FQdIVJHXS9qBezLYTBmZwM8-ouk9tIW7IlwKjpwA3oSzQsR_1kzd3zOfNFKTxOgHR8HIDaOsc/s400/obamaadvisers.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;"><u>New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson</u></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Secretary of Commerce nominee, Bill Richardson was <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/04/richardson.withdrawal/index.html" target="new"><span target="new" style="color:#ff0000;">forced to withdraw his name from the position</span></a> due to an ongoing investigation into a company that has done business with his state.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong><u>Timothy Geithner</u></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">He admitted that <a href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090113/D95MGFTO1.html" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">he had failed to pay tens of thousands of dollars in federal self-employment taxes</span></a> while working for the International Monetary Fund despite having signed paperwork acknowledging the obligation. The President and Senate Democrats dismissed this wrong-doing by calling it a "few little hiccups" and an "honest mistake" and gave him the job of Treasury Secretary.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong><u>Nancy Killefer</u></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">She failed for a year and a half to pay employment taxes on household help, <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gfS4MpLstbt1vSBTODBVsglt8gnQD9646DBG0" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">withdrew her candidacy</span></a> to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong><u>Tom Daschle</u></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">He was nominated to be Obama's secretary of health and human services. The <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/opinion/03tue1.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">New York Times</span></a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwbgou1G2CE&eurl=http://michellemalkin.com/&feature=player_embedded"><span target="new" style="color:#ff0000;">Senator DeMint</span></a> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">called for him to withdraw due to failure to report income.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">He was then <a href="http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/02/03/1779108.aspx"><span style="color:#ff0000;">forced to withdraw after losing the NYT support.</span></a></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-70642037765828165452009-01-31T03:55:00.000-08:002009-02-02T06:00:58.626-08:00Lesson 2 Notes – Philosophy & Ethics: Says Who?<span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">Truth is not simply an academic concept. The way we think about truth has a direct bearing upon the way we live our lives. What's more, our understanding of right and wrong is directly dependent on our worldview: is the universe God’s creation or a closed cosmic cube?<br /><br /><strong><u>I. Introduction – Have you been taken captive? - 2 Timothy 2:24-26</u></strong> </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><strong><span style="color:#000000;">A. Scriptural warning against hollow and deceptive philosophy – Colossians 2:8</span></strong></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">A warning addressed to believers</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">About deceptive philosophies</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">To be taken captive by empty deceit according to human tradition</span></li></ul><p><strong><span style="color:#000000;">B. Example of a hallow and deceptive philosophy</span></strong></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Carl Sagan’s Worldview – “The Cosmos is all there is, or ever was, or will be”</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">What is he telling us? >> to believe that matter is the only reality à there is no God</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Everything-including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can all be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;"><u>Naturalist</u> - to believe that all can be explained in terms of natural causes and laws.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Nothing has moral, spiritual, or supernatural significance.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;"><u>Sagan:</u> “Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us — there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries."</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Interpretation >> We are the product of it all</span><br /></li></ul><p><strong><span style="color:#000000;">C. <u>Assumptive language</u> – A powerful and dangerous form of knowledge</span></strong></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Dangerous because assumptions are caught and bought without an open conscious, dialogue</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Without discernment, we buy into them without knowing it. If you buy intoa statement, you buy into the underlying assumptions as well. (assumptive truth claims)</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;"><u>Sagan:</u> “We are made of “star stuff”.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">These underlying claims bombard us from everywhere</span></li></ul><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>D. <u>The Cosmic Cube</u></strong></span><br /></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Illustrates the naturalistic worldview belief that there is nothing outside the cosmos; reality is a closed box and all truth must be materially perceived</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">The philosophy that has consciously or subconsciously capturedculture that says the material world is all that is, was, or ever will be.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">This philosophical position has severely damaging implications.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">The largeness of the cube somehow allows us to begin to believe that it is big enough to actually say that it’s all there is.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Nothing exists outside of the box.</span></li></ul><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVNwNdKe_g8N9F3mD0obWrW1m8NXGtmhQt3xJUjiqU-akKmzCJOG1UZWNB6Zg7UEiY-Z3NJO6Dg_B_yirjCst4P7nAypqXJNSbGFxdMfqptroRurp19FW7ysvVpBzBtsDI87AXpURckN1/s1600-h/MatterEnergyPeople.jpg"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272983463348909346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 139px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 115px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVNwNdKe_g8N9F3mD0obWrW1m8NXGtmhQt3xJUjiqU-akKmzCJOG1UZWNB6Zg7UEiY-Z3NJO6Dg_B_yirjCst4P7nAypqXJNSbGFxdMfqptroRurp19FW7ysvVpBzBtsDI87AXpURckN1/s200/MatterEnergyPeople.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>E. Biblical presuppositions</strong> </span><br /><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">God is and He has revealed himself to us </span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">General revelation through our world (creation) </span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Specific revelation through His word</span></li></ul><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#000000;">F. God’s Nature - Transcendent and immanent – He is above and works within the box</span></strong><br /></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Do you believe in the omnipresence of God?</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">If yes, you need to live as such</span></li></ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA__NqGmEFaOdk736ztQMVRX57sH4q5kmggSOApddoMBGBOtUDEQLR8CuwxTkV2t92OYHNPAcmYBRmh22L7ehezRGjoVN6nDRINbG1cwhtRx3bGzmZyCgNz_3ffbcJNoFqi8Oxx_xUA65l/s1600-h/MatterEnergyPeople2.jpg"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272984998260204178" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 69px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA__NqGmEFaOdk736ztQMVRX57sH4q5kmggSOApddoMBGBOtUDEQLR8CuwxTkV2t92OYHNPAcmYBRmh22L7ehezRGjoVN6nDRINbG1cwhtRx3bGzmZyCgNz_3ffbcJNoFqi8Oxx_xUA65l/s200/MatterEnergyPeople2.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><br /><br /><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">We’ve added a 3rd element to the box in order to remove God from the equation.</span></li></ul><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9HRN8Hie_lqLpF0e5dwXDUzAhSMjF9KUm7wgAazmns8rgpDPdnBBxv-M-GacdcyFaQfechmb0cu62HdUVbgPrZSj4VoalwvDR1ulFLa9mT6zP21RXp-rPkmfaydPfTQ2XjYX79ZyN0YL/s1600-h/MatterEnergyPeople3.jpg"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272985468778811922" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 66px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9HRN8Hie_lqLpF0e5dwXDUzAhSMjF9KUm7wgAazmns8rgpDPdnBBxv-M-GacdcyFaQfechmb0cu62HdUVbgPrZSj4VoalwvDR1ulFLa9mT6zP21RXp-rPkmfaydPfTQ2XjYX79ZyN0YL/s200/MatterEnergyPeople3.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><br /><br /><strong><u>II. Philosophy – What is it?</u></strong><br /><br /><strong>A. Webster 1828 definition</strong></span></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Literally, the love of wisdom.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">The objects of philosophy are to ascertain facts or truth, and the causes of things or their phenomena</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">To enlarge our views of God and his works, and to render our knowledge of both practically useful and subservient to human happiness.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">True religion and true philosophy must ultimately arrive at the same principle.</span></li></ul><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#000000;">B. Current definition – God has been removed from the discipline of philosophy in today’s culture</span></strong></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">A search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">An analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">We no longer arrive at the same point >> we are now searching for reality in the box.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Science dropped-off from philosophy</span></li></ul><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#000000;">C. Philosophical Questions – The great quest of philosophers</span></strong><br /></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">What are the universal truths of life?</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">What is existence?</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">What is the meaning and purpose of life?</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Universal and Particulars (the huge gap in between)</span></li><li></span></li></ul><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Raphael</span><span style="font-family:arial;">’s Masterpiece painting: <strong>The school of Athens</strong></span></span> <li><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">Aristotle and Plato’s philosophical dilemma – How do we arrive at Truth? How do we make sense of the unity and diversity of our world?</span></li><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">i. <strong>Plato</strong> believed that you begin with the <u>upper level ideas</u>. He just didn’t knowwhere to get them.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">ii. <strong>Aristotle </strong>believed the only things we have are the <u>particulars</u> and you must begin with them.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">iii. Both were trying to find the answers in the box. The philosophers were trying to find the universals but they shut themselves off from the Sourceof ultimate Truth.</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><strong><span style="color:#000000;">D. What has God done for us?</span></strong></span></p><ul><li><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;">He gave us (the particulars) the universals so we might understand the Particulars.</span></div></li></ul><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"><strong>E. Hollow and Deceptive Philosophy – Contradictions</strong></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></p></span><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Materialism - matter is the only reality</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Idealism - ideas are the only reality</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Empiricism - knowledge comes from experience</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Rationalism - knowledge is gained by reason without experience</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Naturalism - true knowledge only comes from scientific study</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Determinism - there really is no knowledge, only reaction to stimuli</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Relativism - there are no absolutes</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Mentalist - mind is the true reality and objects exist only as an aspect of the mind’sAwareness</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Mechanism - everything can be explained in terms of physical or biological choices</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Selfishism - self is all that needs to be known</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Subjectivism - knowledge is dependent upon and limited by your own subjectiveExperiences</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Intuitionism - knowledge comes primarily from some kind of inner sense</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Hedonism - pleasure is good, pain is evil. If it feels good do it.</span></li></ul><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;"><strong><u>III. Postmodernism</u><br /></strong><br />Cluster of philosophies with the underlying assumption that no one worldview or belief system (metanarrative) can claim to be the truth, which often results in relativistic thinking and the use of language as a power play.<br /><br /><strong>A. What is Right? What is wrong?</strong></span></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Ethical implications of postmodernism</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">There is no basis for ethical standards or ethical language in a naturalistic worldview</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Can you live in a world like that?</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">It’s not possible to live in a world where nothing is real.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Who makes the rules?</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Examples of what people say – People should do the right thing because:<br />i. my parents told me so<br />ii. man will either be governed by force or by his own heart<br />iii. if you feel guilty, then that is wrong<br />iv. there is no set doctrine<br />v. it’s good for society<br />vi. it makes people feel better about themselves (good mental health)<br />vii. it prevents people from getting hurt<br />viii. there must be laws or else anarchy</span></li></ul><p><br /><strong><span style="color:#000000;">B. Might Makes Right</span></strong><br /></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Plato’s Question – “Is an act right because God said it, or did God know it was right and told us about it?”</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">His laws are an expression of His nature</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;"><u>William of Ockham:</u> “Whatever God wills must be done simply because He says so. If God had wanted; He could have ordered men to obey the opposite of the TenCommandments. Even now, He can rescind those laws and will their opposition.”</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">This is wrong because it implies that God can change.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Why is lying wrong? >> Lying is wrong because it’s counter to the nature of God and His character. à God is the ultimate source of Truth.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">If might makes right à what about the minority? >> A lot of people would be oppressed and crushed.</span><br /></li></ul><p><strong><span style="color:#000000;">C. Naturalistic philosophy implications</span></strong></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Darwin’s views in non-assumptive language</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">There’s no foundation for ethics</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;"><u>Naturalism:</u> It cannot explain ultimate meaning so it resorts to proximate or relative meaning.</span></li></ul><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#000000;">D. Statistical Ethics – Our culture determines ethics through normalcy and survey data</span></strong></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;"><u>R. C. Sproul:</u> “Morality looks at the verb ‘is’. Ethics looks at the word ‘ought’.The distinction has been obscured in our day. People use the term‘morality’ and ethics as synonyms. That leads to statistical morality.We go around the nation seeing what people are doing, how manyPeople are cheating on their spouses.” </span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;"><u>Morality vs. Ethics</u> >> this distinction has gone obscure</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Good is determined by what is instead of what ought to be.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Normal is Good</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Crisis of the loss of ethics</span><br /></li></ul><p><span style="color:#000000;"><u><strong>IV. Worldview</strong><br /></u><br /><strong>A. Formal worldview vs. personal worldview</strong></span><strong><br /></p></strong><strong><ul><li></strong></li></ul><span style="color:#000000;">What is your world view?</span> <li><span style="color:#000000;">Formal world views carry a comprehensive set of truth claims</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Our worldview drives how we think, act, and feel – What we really believe</span><br /></li><p><strong><span style="color:#000000;">B. Consequences of a non-biblical worldview</span></strong><br /></p><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">We buy the lies and conform to the world</span></li><li><a href="http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=154"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Only 9% of Evangelical Christians have a biblical world view</span></a></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Lack of a personal, biblical worldview in America – We fail to see Christianity as a worldview that governs every area of life.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">We live in a society of anti-intellect, anti-mind (we become lazy thinkers)</span></li></ul><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;"><strong><u>V. Conclusion and Solution</u></strong><br /><br /><strong>C. Renewing of the Mind – Metamorphoo</strong></span></p><span style="font-family:arial;"><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">A new mind brings a new heart >> when the mind changes, the life changes also.</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">We must seek to be “metamorphed’</span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">This is the primary goal of The Truth Project: for individuals to be transformed into the likeness of Christ by gazing on the face of God. This process is not easy and we often struggle with God’s Truth claims in the “cocoon.”</span></span></li></ul>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-45287119686071338762009-01-25T06:42:00.000-08:002017-05-20T07:20:59.272-07:00Lesson 1 Notes – Veritology: What is truth?<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>Veritology:</b> The study of truth</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Why is the concept of truth so important when it comes to the biblical view of the world and God's purpose of the universe, His will for mankind, His plan of salvation, and the way we live our personal lives?</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial";">God has given us fundamental answers to all the questions in life.<br />God has provided a social order prescribed for man.<br />Truth was fundamental to the mission of Jesus Christ.<br /><br /><br /><b><u>Fundamental concept >> To gaze upon the face of God.</u></b><br />We are talking about looking at the glory of His attributes, His Character, His nature.<br /><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={29679F8A-4655-4BDB-B374-B4302CD18E53}&FAMILYTYPE=null" target="new"><span style="color: red;">God is Truth and the ultimate source of all Truth </span></a>.</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br />We are called to "look" at who He really is.<br />It is the essential part of "knowing Him" that should be our number one objective in life.</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><u><b>Why did Jesus come into the world?</b></u></span><span style="font-family: "arial";">Why was He born? For what reason? For What purpose?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">When he was on trial for his life Jesus spoke some words which give an answer to these questions. He said in John 18:37, <span style="color: #3333ff;">"</span></span><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: "arial";">You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">This statement doesn’t override any other of his objective statements. It actually helps to clarify many of them, such as:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">to fulfill the prophecies (Matt 5 :17)<br />to set the captives free (John 8 : 32)<br />to save the world and have everyone come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2 : 3-4)</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br />How can one man save the world? (Who can fathom that?) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b>Jesus on the witness stand >>> Truth is on trial</b></span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br />When Christ wanted to get our attention for something really important, He would begin, <b>“Truly, truly I say unto you.”</b> John quotes Him 25 times speaking these words.<br /><br />Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ – John 1:17<br />I am the way and the truth and the life – John 14:16<br />We are sanctified by the truth – John 17:17<br />We must worship in spirit and in truth – John 4:24<br />The truth will set you free – John 8:32<br />The spirit of truth – John 14:16-17<br />Knowledge of the truth – John 16:13<br /><br />Salvation and truth >>> a very close link with each other<br /><br />The sword of the spirit >>> The Truth of God<br />How does mankind react (respond) to the Truth?<br /><br />Men will not put up with sound doctrine and turn away from truth – 2 Timothy 4:3-4</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">According to the world, to claim that there is absolute truth leads to intolerance and prejudice against what others think.</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><b><u>The real trial >>> Truth vs. Lie</u></b><br /><br />There are other sides to the Truth.<br />“Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”<br /><br /><b>The Cosmic battle</b> (from the very beginning)<br />Truth (reality) vs. Lie (illusion)<br />Satan had his truth claims vs. God’s truth claims.<br />Scene in heaven between God and Satan – Job 1:2 – “Did God really say?”<br /><br /><b>Two Fathers</b><br />John 8:44 – "You belong to your father, the devil"</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br />When we begin to renounce Satan's lies and to receive God's Truth, our eyes will be opened to receive God's Truth and to walk in the light.</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><br /><b>Connection between sin, lies and deceit</b><br />Every sin that besets us can be traced to<br />a belief in a lie – Our sins take us captive to the lies of the world<br /><br /><b>Dealing with outsiders</b><br />2 Timothy 2 and Colossians 4:5-6 – They have been<br />taken captive and we must "gently instruct them" and let our "speech be seasoned<br />with salt"<br /><br /><b>Battle of Worldviews</b><br />An antithesis between God’s truth claims and the lies of the<br />world, the flesh, and the devil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b><u>Definition of Worldview according to TTP:</u></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial";">"A worldview is a comprehensive set of truth claims that purport to paint a true picture of reality. A comprehensive biblical worldview is one that includes and fundamentally understands God's truth claimed over every area of life. Our personal worldview is the total set of truth claims that we have bought, consciously or subconsciously, which drive our emotions and what we think and do in unguarded moments — reflecting what we believe to be really real. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><br /><b>Today's culture vs. God's truth:</b><br />Unity vs. Division<br />Diversity vs. Unification<br />Roles vs. Jealousy<br />Responsibility vs. Blame (We live in a world of blame)<br />Authority vs. Rebellion<br />Delegation vs. Tyranny<br />Freedom vs. Bondage<br /><br /><b>Glimpse at Anthropology</b>- Goo Man- Product of the Cosmos- Basically Good- Perfectable</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b><a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={B0D17C25-A0EC-4270-9176-B053CE80826F}&FAMILYTYPE=null" target="new"><span style="color: red; font-size: 130%;">What is Truth?</span> </a></b>“this question could well be the most important question that we and our culture must answer”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={DBC1CB8B-EB82-4114-B525-96E4B0303C7D}&FAMILYTYPE=null" target="new"><span style="color: red;">Primary Truth <b>>>> </b>Truth as it relates to Reality</span></a><br /><b><a href="http://1828.mshaffer.com/" target="new">Noah Webster – 1828:</a></b><br />Truth: “Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be… We rely upon the truth of the scriptural prophecies.”</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={C7EF9DE7-22AC-451C-AC22-34FD2FDC1B09}&FAMILYTYPE=null" target="new"><span style="color: red;">The Supression of Truth >>> We exchange the Truth of God for a Lie</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Equating an idol to a lie - Isaiah 44 – Lies are powerful and lead us to insane notions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Perception by definition is relative. Truth by definition cannot be relative. There can be no perception of truth. There is only truth.</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: 130%;">What is Insanity?</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial";">We all suffer from "Common Insanity" - losing touch with reality<br /><br />Connecting faith with our actions and emotions: God is the object of our<br />faith and our hope – Our actions are the most reliable indicator of our<br />beliefs.<br /><br />God is the ultimate source of Truth – Colossians 2:2-3<br />Jesus is the reflection of God’s character and nature.<br />God’s character >>> “Jehovah Jirah” (Matthew 6:25-34 – God provides)<br />God’s nature >>> Source of truth</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b><span style="font-size: 130%;">What is Faith?</span></b><br />Faith >>> is a big word used today: “People of faith” >> faith in what?</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><b>Conclusion:</b><br />"Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?"<br />Reflect on the faith of a child towards his mother or father.<br />Our faith should overcome our feelings.<br />We need to reach out for the claims of God and hang on to them when dealing with worry.<br />We should act on what we believe rather than what we are feeling >> that is faith<br />Truth should be the reference point for everything we do in our lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In almost every case, the perspective of contemporary culture stands in direct opposition to the Truth-centered worldview presented in the Bible.<br />Our culture is not only filled with lies but is actually heading in the direction of social insanity.</span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-78380966919141181252009-01-23T10:10:00.000-08:002009-02-09T09:36:34.019-08:00Alan Keyes on Obama and the Constitution<span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Alan Keyes ran as an Independent in the 2008 presidential election and is now a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Obama's citizenship and eligibility to serve as President of the United States. In Part One of this interview, he shares with Molotov Mitchell why the Constitution still matters, the potential ramifications of defying it and if doing so could justify revolution. </span><br /><object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k0sQroiCYNc&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k0sQroiCYNc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In Part Two of this interview, Dr. Keyes elaborates upon his experience in dealing with terrorism, the "Manchurian candidate" scenario and why the Founding Fathers created the presidential citizenship requirement in the first place.</span><br /><object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9dDf3jkKw6I&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9dDf3jkKw6I&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-79667025429187594952009-01-22T13:32:00.000-08:002009-01-22T13:47:01.238-08:0036th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade<span style="font-family:arial;">Today we mourn the deaths of over 44 million aborted babies on this 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Take the time to examine the facts and c</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">heckout the resources below to learn the truh about abortion:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.abort73.com/" target="new">http://www.abort73.com/</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.22weeksthemovie.com/" target="new">http://www.22weeksthemovie.com/</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SaefcprW9Mg&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SaefcprW9Mg&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121417762585295459.html" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Planned Parenthood Hits Suburbia</span></a> (WSJ)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Abortion Provider Goes Upscale; Aid For Poor Questioned</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nLPYSa7EStY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nLPYSa7EStY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-48043593945663305002009-01-22T12:31:00.000-08:002009-02-02T06:12:02.250-08:00The Awful Treatment of President Bush<span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB122584386627599251.html" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">The Treatment of Bush Has Been a Disgrace</span></a> (Wall Street Journal)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">What must our enemies be thinking?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://michellemalkin.com/2009/01/20/parting-shot/" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Parting Shot</span></a> (Michelle Malkin)</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">People Throw Their Shoes At Huge Bush Blow Up Doll:<br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3CtGIc8Vw3s&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3CtGIc8Vw3s&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJYPdlR1o9o&feature=related" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">liberal response</span></a> to George W. Bush's announcement at the Inauguration of Barack Obama, as well as his later departure from Capitol Hill.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">With all the ongoing MSM media outrage over reported threats made to President-Elect Obama, let's not forget death threats towards Republicans are the fantasy world of the left. They even made a "critically acclaimed" wish upon a sitting president.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_a_President" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Death of a President</span></a>:</span><br /><object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/StYMJxDDwcc&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/StYMJxDDwcc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-7429440530815368092009-01-22T10:14:00.000-08:002009-02-09T09:37:03.294-08:00Obama signs order to close Gitmo prison<span style="font-family:arial;">Today, President Obama issued four executive orders to demonstrate a clean break from the Bush administration on the war on terror, including one requiring that the U.S. military detention facility at </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Guantanamo Bay be closed within a year.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A second executive order formally bans torture by requiring that the Army field manual be used as the guide for terror interrogations. This essentially ends the Bush administration's CIA program of enhanced interrogation methods.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A third executive order establishes an inter-agency task force to lead a systematic review of detention policies and procedures and a review of all individual cases.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />A fourth executive order delays the trial of Ali al-Marri, a legal U.S. resident who has been contesting his detention for more than five years as an enemy combatant in a military brig without the government bringing any charges against him.<br /><br /><div><iframe src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/28793983#28793983" frameborder="0" width="425" scrolling="no" height="339"></iframe><style type="text/css">.msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;} </style><br /><p class="msnbcLinks">Visit msnbc.com for <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/">Breaking News</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507">World News</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072">News about the Economy</a></p></div><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420017516029222260.post-6406615464220179382009-01-19T11:00:00.000-08:002009-01-27T10:58:57.985-08:00Conservative Americans worth noting<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-RUKfjxaaDVl9gBbzQ3fqDoUIb57TYiCVQtz7O19PKZX4bgD3UP7MqYSPKmgUKCTDwWMcHYtncDkAw2zUC2WTcSYZyxg-scF3cu80daxqesVB9W7iGFkq_CmIq4Z3I512gaeU4RZVwLx/s1600-h/MLK.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293092681923133874" style="WIDTH: 299px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 358px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-RUKfjxaaDVl9gBbzQ3fqDoUIb57TYiCVQtz7O19PKZX4bgD3UP7MqYSPKmgUKCTDwWMcHYtncDkAw2zUC2WTcSYZyxg-scF3cu80daxqesVB9W7iGFkq_CmIq4Z3I512gaeU4RZVwLx/s400/MLK.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr."><span style="font-family:arial;color:#ff0000;">Martin Luther King Jr.</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> was a <a href="http://www.nationalblackrepublicans.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.DYK-Why%20MLK%20was%20a%20Republican"><span style="color:#ff0000;">registered Republican</span></a>.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk&feature=related"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Martin Luther King "I have a dream"</span></a> (YouTube video)</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSi-snih0K8TI7YABeB4zKUlnk2foqkWfKLlVOpn888jLyKbautItwnQUbfywyjtFJUhq_t7U-atSjhOzUN_bgerTg6epze16rBoT6cSIUmYr4poV-GmyOM50mJJiYW4oa-0SLoi4zlQz/s1600-h/Colin+Powell.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293094115078567954" style="WIDTH: 259px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 355px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSi-snih0K8TI7YABeB4zKUlnk2foqkWfKLlVOpn888jLyKbautItwnQUbfywyjtFJUhq_t7U-atSjhOzUN_bgerTg6epze16rBoT6cSIUmYr4poV-GmyOM50mJJiYW4oa-0SLoi4zlQz/s400/Colin+Powell.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Powell">Colin Powell</a></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmco6kE33_0H09v4tAOWQu1QIG03TqEbmWbL58XC1dppGPDqk-VmPEQFXeAO1SS-zmovPKt-ciPdtmEL7CdoOAc6ad1rXnyqk5C8C8iqQOB5xwypyo4SYgUefY6NnqDa2qFiHVdGKEkxZx/s1600-h/Angela_McGlowan.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293087377935920802" style="WIDTH: 238px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 359px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmco6kE33_0H09v4tAOWQu1QIG03TqEbmWbL58XC1dppGPDqk-VmPEQFXeAO1SS-zmovPKt-ciPdtmEL7CdoOAc6ad1rXnyqk5C8C8iqQOB5xwypyo4SYgUefY6NnqDa2qFiHVdGKEkxZx/s400/Angela_McGlowan.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.angelamcglowan.com"><span style="font-family:arial;">Angela McGlowan</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">BAMBOOZLED: How Americans Are Being Exploited by the Lies of the Liberal Agenda</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDhaFV1SCh6KRCG9euZDLbpRyKY8dR8w3Yj1CxIDrYGiHnlVB3j3N3zTLEi3vs_21GecK3bSKIexHkxtZvlYkwGK9hZORhyA4dhK5IaFgFlUa29vXtx6NZ7uiIjWSI-XRZ7mNin8uERq6/s1600-h/Michael+Steele.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293090194027934834" style="WIDTH: 226px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 337px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDhaFV1SCh6KRCG9euZDLbpRyKY8dR8w3Yj1CxIDrYGiHnlVB3j3N3zTLEi3vs_21GecK3bSKIexHkxtZvlYkwGK9hZORhyA4dhK5IaFgFlUa29vXtx6NZ7uiIjWSI-XRZ7mNin8uERq6/s400/Michael+Steele.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_S._Steele">Michael Steele</a><br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eC62VGbkss">Michael Steele outlines conservative ideas in Civitas speech</a></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVUha5h49NA1RZI_YDCIQbL8Xgk7b2MLDM8v66NVJcrPsB5obSLYpqa0x8TxwN50EYG1x050i7CvQexKOlmKEDS2JEuV06vN206_d6i0062tH1TzK0c46ehkuUFJHCbX3vTH769Lfz8jB/s1600-h/Condoleezza_Rice.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293094887235366242" style="WIDTH: 225px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 297px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVUha5h49NA1RZI_YDCIQbL8Xgk7b2MLDM8v66NVJcrPsB5obSLYpqa0x8TxwN50EYG1x050i7CvQexKOlmKEDS2JEuV06vN206_d6i0062tH1TzK0c46ehkuUFJHCbX3vTH769Lfz8jB/s400/Condoleezza_Rice.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condoleezza_Rice"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Dr. Condoleezza Rice</span></a> is the second woman to be US Secretary of State, after Madeleine Albright during the Clinton administration. She is the first black woman to be Secretary of State, and she holds the highest position in a presidential cabinet that any black woman has held. Rice describes herself as a moderate Republican. She mastered the piano at three, and was told that she could have had a career as a concert pianist. She skipped first and seventh grades, entered college at 15, holds three degrees including a doctorate in political science, and earned her Master's in just one year's study.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZ-CRm6DYR4ktb4iNk4lRUsnwb7hCfturkVPzLMC4q2eUVNVUM1rtPM6_eoi7Xduw8z0opXoX7biU-8b_vdGk18sWf076RO9W7JNnLUyOGP_2F1W-xPhdMeF8ygU1rWR3tjip7c5VbxR4/s1600-h/alan_keyes.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293095975831652930" style="WIDTH: 305px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZ-CRm6DYR4ktb4iNk4lRUsnwb7hCfturkVPzLMC4q2eUVNVUM1rtPM6_eoi7Xduw8z0opXoX7biU-8b_vdGk18sWf076RO9W7JNnLUyOGP_2F1W-xPhdMeF8ygU1rWR3tjip7c5VbxR4/s400/alan_keyes.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.alankeyes.com/" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Alen Keyes</span></a> was an ambassador to the United Nations from 1981 to 1985. He has run for President of the United States on the Republican ticket three times (1996, 2000 and 2008), failing all three times to earn the party nomination. A political conservative, considers himself pro-life, pro-family, pro-security, pro-economy and pro-sovereignty.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.keyesarchives.com/video.php" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Archived Videos</span></a></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlxi5CuXelrQTuOvn77GuG6cRuTbmzmZQXnEhCQAbWZ27-TBX9noxYyDoIFkKHtrn7KQvA4-TInzpaOwpsqw88zESII1Ho58fxT7u9zslQmLopWxYJ0RdZFLj4BSIlnzAJc6DuULOmZ01/s1600-h/Star+Parker.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293096560322311618" style="WIDTH: 219px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 357px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlxi5CuXelrQTuOvn77GuG6cRuTbmzmZQXnEhCQAbWZ27-TBX9noxYyDoIFkKHtrn7KQvA4-TInzpaOwpsqw88zESII1Ho58fxT7u9zslQmLopWxYJ0RdZFLj4BSIlnzAJc6DuULOmZ01/s400/Star+Parker.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.urbancure.org/starparker.asp" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Star Parker</span></a> is at the forefront of the Christian conservative movement to motivate and lead others away from the lies of the culture to a life full of grace and truth.<br />She is the founder and president of <a href="http://www.urbancure.org/default.asp" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">CURE, the Coalition on Urban Renewal & Education</span></a></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Star Parker on <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/1997/julaug/7w4022.html" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">ChristiantyToday</span></a><span style="color:#ff0000;">.</span><br /></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTpT6CKTyhyLmgYLF74Xn7LEsEq_1sqCeerAeNJ9tuyxfazp7_0dyuAhoFBaeQQxnyphPS0QE5hN6lf1h2S3WyFV3yAg0Pf2jvmGSCX5B1Ur7Z0AsCFNYu_FWn0psCvOYmerEQmXaZcXS/s1600-h/Clarence_Thomas.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293097648160873890" style="WIDTH: 225px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 290px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTpT6CKTyhyLmgYLF74Xn7LEsEq_1sqCeerAeNJ9tuyxfazp7_0dyuAhoFBaeQQxnyphPS0QE5hN6lf1h2S3WyFV3yAg0Pf2jvmGSCX5B1Ur7Z0AsCFNYu_FWn0psCvOYmerEQmXaZcXS/s400/Clarence_Thomas.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Thomas">Justice Clarence Thomas</a></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JJk0Zi5qwAZ4LaiWGENAk1VHwX4QQ20ARJ8JsUNaAVmJsf1MArBT41fJ4sfsabnstaBXPuyc2HM-5YtdG0CUPdfrQGqw46_Hejdu1WNGWrCzrv5F5L11OmtZhy3eHed_k2eKxk1kXnh1/s1600-h/Watts.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293097957752131490" style="WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JJk0Zi5qwAZ4LaiWGENAk1VHwX4QQ20ARJ8JsUNaAVmJsf1MArBT41fJ4sfsabnstaBXPuyc2HM-5YtdG0CUPdfrQGqw46_Hejdu1WNGWrCzrv5F5L11OmtZhy3eHed_k2eKxk1kXnh1/s400/Watts.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._C._Watts" target="new"><span style="color:#ff0000;">J.C. Watts</span></a> (born November 18, 1957) is an American conservative Republican politician, CNN political contributor, former Representative from Oklahoma in the U.S. Congress, and former professional Canadian football player and much celebrated quarterback for the University of Oklahoma from 1977 to 1981. Watts is, to date, the last black Republican to serve in Congress.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Watts captured national attention in 1996 with a speech before the Republican national convention, when he said, <span style="color:#3333ff;">“You see character does count. For too long we have gotten by in a society that says the only thing right is to get by and the only thing wrong is to get caught. Character is doing what’s right when nobody is looking.”</span></span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ou70AslZJiUk0JrbI6eY4_aNYw-H3Dif5d15ZRaRco_u4uFtY9kzY3526avWZX3eEwUwfWOitl-mbLyujz9zNUvwmkEk21h7hLIc94vgA3OB7TeoFMOuC0Dw4CPRdsm9wu_a9Tk4gUkE/s1600-h/A+West.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294606772652975314" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ou70AslZJiUk0JrbI6eY4_aNYw-H3Dif5d15ZRaRco_u4uFtY9kzY3526avWZX3eEwUwfWOitl-mbLyujz9zNUvwmkEk21h7hLIc94vgA3OB7TeoFMOuC0Dw4CPRdsm9wu_a9Tk4gUkE/s400/A+West.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.allenwestforcongress.com/blog.php"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Allen West</span></a></span><span style="font-family:arial;">, an African American conservative and retired army officer, <a href="http://www.allenwestforcongress.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">ran for Florida's 22nd congressional district in 2008</span></a>. A veteran of Desert Storm/Desert Shield, Col. West served as Battalion Commander for the Army's 4th Infantry Division in Operation Iraqi Freedom, receiving numerous honors including a Bronze Star and 3 Meritorious Service Medals. Col. West and his wife, Angela, a financial planner, have been married 17 years. They have two daughters, Aubrey, 14, and Austen, 10.</span>Louhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01724930802849310557noreply@blogger.com0