Accounting for lost time

So I was writing a few emails today, before starting work, and realized how detached I had become from family and friends. Not that I don't care of course; I just have lots going on. Still, I recognize it is too much even for a loner like me. So I'll post some of what's been happening recently.

-The youth group is about to kickoff again this Sunday and I have to have devotions ready for every other weekend. That is exciting as I really wanted to get time talking to the kids, but the down side is it will rarely be about the things I want it to be.

-Also, that contemporary service that I was talking about earlier is set to go off in two Sundays. There is so much to plan for it still (not to mention the side events) that we are having three meetings a week to try and get it all under control. It is all so very exciting, but very exhausting. It will be nice to have a service like that for people (myself included) to worship at.

-I got an invitation to a 10 year reunion for high school. Shut up…I’m old, I know. I doubt I’ll go; it seems to be about drinking and showing off families. Plus most of my high school friends were a year behind me or they aren’t in the area now so they won’t be there. I can only think of one reason to go at all and it isn’t as motivating as it aught to be right now.

-Another cool thing is how those apologetic sites are starting, slowly, to generate a bit of attention. So I’m excited that people are just starting to use those websites and respond. (Side Note: It’s weird how apologetics sounds like apology, but it was originally understood to mean giving or having a defense. So an apologist is a defender for something. Generally someone who is able to answer or direct a person who has questions or critical comments against Christianity or God. Basically, I study and practice so that I can help people deal with their confusion or apprehension in regards to God…in case I didn’t explain that before.)

-This coming weekend I hope to do the brakes on my car, but I'm a bit gun-shy after the last time. It didn't go as well as it could have and even though what broke wasn't my fault it was still quite pricy, making me think twice before diving in again.

-I have to go get my license renewed this week. Apparently it expired mid-may and I didn't know it. (^_^)

-Besides that stuff (over the past few weeks) I haven’t had time for much else. No time for traveling; no time for climbing and falling out of trees. In those precious spare moments I just put on some cartoons and power down.

Self-destructing Science

A current hot-topic these days is how scientists are so close to "creating life in a lab" and how this is supposed to further give credence to evolution. Obviously I'm not the only one who thinks this is fruitless as the article states and also the cartoon below.

The question this all raises (as the cartoon and article note) is that if intelligent scientists must gather special materials and use special (non-natural) methods to create even a minimal semblance of life (under very controlled conditions), then how is this not evidence for intelligent design? Moreover, how could it possibly be evidence for chance evolution?

Truly, it gives me a strange hybrid feeling (both sad and comical) to think of these men and all their ability or knowledge, not to mention their finances, as they scramble to defeat themselves, foolishly believing they can overcome the God of creation. All the while missing the huge flaw in the evolution theory, the problem of information without an intelligent source.

The image below (from AiG.org) is a wonderful depiction of the current situation, one that has been ongoing for over 50 years now.

Talking to Unbelief

Recently I was taken to a myspace journal entry about a persons reason for disbelief in God. It started off with talk of thermodynamics, as if a scientific argument was driving his decision on God. Then he changed entirely and justified his unbelief with what Christians refer to as "the problem of evil" or "the problem of suffering"; that a good God would never let the world as it is. Their-in lies the true reason for his disbelief, as his point was now not about science but instead that he didn't believe because of his aversion to suffering in the world. This is not an issue of evidence or proof as he had no backing for the claims that then followed other than his wounded heart. We talked a little about these things, but that door has closed to me now.

Semi-on topic, I always figured that all people could be convinced in some fashion and that all one had to do was find that crack in their armor. (IE; challenging the heart, the mind, the conscience, the pain or hope they hold, etc...) These days however, I realize it isn't that simple. Even a person utterly without resistance can refuse to fall before the Word of God. All that is really required to stay in unbelief is the will or desire to do so.

*The image below is familiar territory both in terms of scripture and also my efforts online.

Good Pudding

I do a lot of debating and apologetics work online so I have to be up on answers to all sorts of critics. Many of these critics, such as the one in recent posts "Excerpts of War 43", focus on evidence of God in creation. In reality this is not a debate of evidences as much as it is between worldviews. A worldview is made up of your a priori commitments or presuppositions; those things that you hold to be true at the core of your understanding without question. Everything else is derived off of that core belief and most people don't keep this in mind when debating evidences, causing most to end in frustration. A person who comes to cast questions on a God topic, yet is unwilling to address or reconsider their presuppositions, will never be able to see evidence for God.

For instance a person open to the possibility of Gods existence can hear the statement, "that things have been created means a creator exists" and they can see the truth in that. It then is evidence leading to the existence of God. However, if a person comes to a discussion and with a fervent belief that nothing exists outside the natural world (the majority of atheists and so-called "science" believers) they will hear the same statement as the first person, but will refuse it because it does not make sense within the framework of their presuppositions. Since it is in opposition in that way, they refuse it as evidence and instead find another way to interpret the world.

Below is an interesting video I purchased from Worship House Media about what evidence for God can be when you aren't already decided on the matter and are thereby willing to consider these things. (Though I wouldn't try using these in a debate it would be good for general discussions.) Anyhow, the proof is in the pudding they say...

Loyalty to Royalty

We all have a king in our lives. Something or someone that gives us direction in the things we do and say. Something that we use as a keystone in our lives. Something we submit ourselves to in thought or in deed.

Recently I posted a series of videos on youtube and myspace which I purchased from the Worship House Media site. One of these is a creation based off of S. M. Lockridge's sermon on Jesus the King. It is an awesome video that lists different aspects of Jesus, creating a view of Him that is scriptural and raises Him up as the true King of Kings. Their is none greater than is Jesus the Christ, that's my King!

Still, if every person has a king they serve (be it money, family, power, or lust as these are all person desires made to be in the place of God) it begs the question, "Who's your king?" No other king can save you. No other king can help you. No other king is as interested in you as you are in it. Consider these things and seek Him all the more.

Signs and "Signs"

Driving down the road can tell you a lot about the area you’re in or at least it can tell you a lot about the state of your society, our society. What I see isn't promising...

Simply looking at the ones along my route to work we’ve got a billboard that promote lawyers that specialize in getting DUI persons out of trouble. We have a billboard that promotes divorce lawyers using images of attractive bodies; as if to say, "Hey look what's waiting for you". We have billboards of plastic surgeons which note that they are "focused" on the body and face as if to say, "Hey you, you aren't good enough but we can make you better." Truly, examples of poor morals and a heavily confused society abound when it comes to the plentiful billboards around the area.

These signs are what to us then? Are they just the norm to be accepted and ignored? Are they simply someone else’s idea of advertising strategy? Or are they really a sign of what people are looking for today? Is it really a sign of bankruptcy in "developed" areas and cities?

Honestly? As I travel out to less "developed" areas I tend to see more and more billboards for hometown dinners and hometown stores. Most of which do not rely on anything other than their name and maybe a logo. Hardly controversial or inappropriate. I also see many "religious" commentaries and promotions. (I quoted "religious" to note that I don't always agree with the commentaries themselves and the kind of Christian revolution they imply.) Still, it is a return to morals and wisdom by comparison as I drive away from home. In a grand scheme though, as cities grow and rural areas fade the future is sure to hold more of what I see around here.

I suppose I'm just commenting on what I see; noting that the "signs" are pointing towards rough waters ahead.