27 Jun 2012
This post is the sixth in a series. If you’ve just stumbled onto this series, you may want to start here.
The overwhelming majority of scientists agree that the earth is billions of years old and that the universe is much older. I can think of only three responses to the evidence.
It’s Flawed
I know there are people who believe this very strongly, but I am going to dismiss this outright as bad science. The purpose of this series of posts is to discuss the intersection of faith and science, not discuss the merits of the science, but for the sake of completeness I wanted to present this idea.
There are some who might say that I am dismissing this opinion because I am presupposing an old earth. This is simply not so. I have no reason to need to believe the earth is old, and if someone were to present proper evidence for a young eath, I would be more than willing to reconsider my view.
I know there are several organizaions dedicated to defending a young earth position and to other supporting theories – like flood geology – but the work of these organizations is not science. Everything I’ve seen from these orangizations is deception, misinformation, pseudoscience, and propaganda driven by a presupposed agenda. I know the agenda is Scripture, but that doesn’t make it good science.
It’s Phony
There are others who believe the evidence is fabricated. Some believe that God created the universe recently but made it look old. This does not hold up to my view of God’s character. Romans chapter one tells us that we can know about God by studying creation. If His creation is deceptive about its own age, what does that tell us about God. I find this position theologically indefensible.
Others believe that Satan or some other force created the evidence to fool us. I have no reason to reject the notiion of an old earth, so I don’t consider this opinion, but as silly as it sounds I think it is easier to defend than the position that God is faking us out.
It’s Valid
It is my opinion that the evidence is both overwhelming and valid. I see no reason to reject current scientific findings as bad science. Since I believe natural revelation is as God-inspired as special revelation, I believe I must interpret Scripture in light of this evidence.
As I see it, this leaves two possibilities.
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There is a gap of billions of years between the first two verses in Genesis and the days of Genesis are literal 24 hour days (or perhaps longer, it doesn’t matter for the purpose of this discussion). I can accept this, though I find it a bit too “convenient.”
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There is no gap and the days of Genesis represent eons of time. This is the preferred interpretation in my view. I know there are many that take issue with interpreting the days of creationh as longer than 24 hours. I don’t want to get lost in the theological implicaitons right now, but I will say that I think the interpretation is reasonable, and I see no other evidence from Scripture that would require a 24 hour interpretation.
Conclusion
All of this discussion leaves us with four different positions regarding the age of the earth. I am going to react to each with my own opinion, not because mine is an expert opinion, but because it will help keep things brief. As much as I would prefer to avoid it, I am also going to label each with a name for the sake of clarity and brevity.
The Day Age Theory
There is no gap and the days of Genesis represent eons of time. This is the preferred interpretation in my view.
The Gap Theory
There is a gap of billions of years between the first two verses in Genesis and the days of Genesis are literal 24 hour days (or perhaps longer, it doesn’t matter for the purpose of this discussion). I can accept this, though I find it a bit too “convenient.” I would reluctantly hold to this position if 24 hour days were the only fair interpretation of Genesis chapter one.
Omphalos Hypothesis
There is no gap and the days of Genesis are literal 24 hour days which happened somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-10,000 years ago, but the earth was created in a mature state. I dismiss this as very poor theology.
Young Earth Creationism
There is no gap and the days of Genesis are literal 24 hour days which happened somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-10,000 years ago, and the evidence supports a recent creation. I dismiss this as very bad science.
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26 Jun 2012
I am sick over the case of Jerry Sandusky. I am pleased by the jury’s verdict. Sandusky is a sick man who needs to be locked up for the rest of his life.
His crime is NOT that he is attracted to the same sex. There are others who have same sex attractions who act on those attractions within the confines of the law. His crime is NOT that he is attracted to children. Many people were attracted to teenagers when they were teenagers themselves. Most people grow out of those attractions, so we don’t understand what he might be feeling, but that is NOT his crime.
His crime, if you ask me, is manipulating those children to his own advantage.
As the trial began, evidence emerged that Sandusky used many of the same tactics other predators use to manipulate victims. He had them over his house, gave them gifts, and took them on trips, and threatened to take those things away. He also reminded them that noone would believe them.
He even wrote them letters – creepy love letters. It’s these letters which showcase his manipulation in the extreme.
You have begun by choosing to do the program. You will win by staying with it. I hope that you can become a winner.
I wouldn’t have put it as flippantly and crassly as this guy, but he is right on about one thing – What kind of sick bastard tells a kid that if he stands up and puts an end to the abuse, he’s a quitter? How twisted is that?
But he is not the only one to blame.
Covering up the manipulation is just as heinous. We don’t know exactly who knew what and when they knew it, but one thing is certain – nobody did enough.
I can’t envision any scenario where those who covered this tragedy up bear any less than equal responsibility.
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25 Jun 2012
This song is as corny as they come and the video is even worse, but it must be included in my collection of hair metal posts. It is one of a handful of songs almost anyone would shortlist among classic hair metal songs.
Enjoy!
Ooh yeah
Turn it up
Come on
I'm working hard, you're working too
We do it every day
For every minute I have to work
I need a minute of play
Day in, day out, all week long
Things go better with rock
The only time I turn it down
Is when I'm sleepin' it off
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the tape machine
I wanna feel it and you know what I mean
Now listen
I wanna shake, I wanna dance
So count it of one, two, three
I hear the beat, I'm in a trance
No better place to be
Daytime, nighttime, anytime
Things go better with rock
I'm goin' twenty four hours a day
I can't seem to stop
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the tape machine
I wanna feel it and you know what I mean
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the tape machine
I wanna feel it and you know what I mean, yeah
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the tape machine
I wanna feel it and you know what I mean
Turn up the radio
I need the music, gimme some more
Turn up the tape machine
I wanna feel it and you know what I mean
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23 Jun 2012
50 First Dates
Hi, I’m Tom.
I was very worried when this film started. It begins with some very Adam Sandler-ish foolishness. It turned out to be a fun romantic comedy featuring some very solid performances. One more reason to love Drew Barrymore.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Could you pass the salt?
I think Jim Carrey is brilliant, but this film was ridiculous.
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22 Jun 2012
The last time I posted about the Mets I was starting to wonder if the good news was over. Since then, we swept the Rays, were swept by the Reds, and then swept the Os.
R.A. Dickey’s pitching has been almost perfect, David Wright is playing fantastic baseball, and the team is playing like it wants to win.
To top of a great week, the subway series starts today. I’m hoping for revenge for the last one – this time a sweep for the Mets instead.
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20 Jun 2012
This post is the fifth in a series. If you’ve just stumbled onto this series, you may want to start here.
The first two chapters of Genesis have been the subject of much discussion. There is enough debate about possible interpretations that some have decided these chapters, along with chapters 3 – 11 are allegorical or simply Christian myth. As part of the groundwork for this series, I agreed to approach this subject as if all of Scripture, including these chapters, is both infallible and inerrant. I am also taking for granted that God is the creator of all things and that the first two chapters of Genesis are reliable accounts written so that we might learn something about the nature of God and His plan for us.
With that in mind, what interpretations are available for chapter one? In my opinion, we start by answering three questions.
- How long are the days?
- Do the days represent actual sequential days of creation or something else?
- When did all of these things take place?
Depending on your answers to those questions, you might come to one of five conclusions.
- God created the universe and everything in it over six twenty-four hour days relatively recently.
- God created the universe and everything in it instantaneously at some point in the recent or distant past.
- God created the universe at some point in the distant past. Everything we see today evolved from that beginning state over billions of years.
- God created the universe and everything in it progressively over many years without the use of evolution of any kind.
- Some combination of numbers three and four.
The days of Genesis one and two are interpreted as twenty four hour days in number one. In the others, the days might represent categories of God’s creation or days of revelation.
Note that I am only concerned today with presenting possible interpretations. Some, or all, of the interpretations might present difficulties theologically or philosophically. I’d like to postpone discussion of those issues for a later date.
For now, have I left anything out?
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19 Jun 2012
I’m a big fan of what our President has done about immigration. I know a lot of people are upset about it, but it seems like the right thing to do. I wanted to just take a few minutes to address what seem to be the two most frequent objections to the President’s announcement.
First, there are those that think the President is overstepping his authority on this by not passing this through Congress. It certainly would be better to make this the law of the land, but that’s been tried before and there is a group of Republicans who refuse to let it happen. In my opinion, the President did what he had to do by announcing that his administration would simply choose not to prosecute. That’s all he did. There is nothing unconstitutional or illegal here at all.
Second, and I think the biggest objection people have, boils down to “Obama is giving our jobs to foreigners.”
Hogwash.
No one is giving these people jobs. At most, they are being “given” the same thing we all are given – the “opportunity” to earn those jobs. Isn’t that what free market loving capitalists all want. What’s the problem?
Foreigners? Aren’t we all? Isn’t immigration what made this country what it is today? What are we afraid of?
What’s “ours” is “theirs” – we are all in this together. I don’t know any other way to say it. America is supposed to be the land of opportunity. Everyone should have the chance to earn his or her own way. Everyone deserves a share in the dream. If they join us, they are part of us. There is no us vs. them.
If you ask me.
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18 Jun 2012
When I think of 80s hair metal, I immediately think of Ratt. Everything about Ratt screams the 80s for me. The spandex, the goofy video, the hair!
Round and Round was the third track of their debut full-length album, Out of the Cellar. Ratt was one of my favorite hair metal bands during the 80s, and this is undoubtedly their biggest hit.
Out on the streets, that's where we'll meet
You make the night, I always cross the line
Tightened our belts, abuse ourselves
Get in our way, we'll put you on your shelf
Another day, some other way
We're gonna go, but then we'll see you again
I've had enough, we've had enough
Cold in vain, she said
I knew right from the beginning
That you would end up winnin'
I knew right from the start
You'd put an arrow through my heart
Round and round
With love we'll find a way just give it time
Round and round
What comes around goes around
I'll tell you why
Dig it!
Lookin' at you, lookin' at me
The way you move, you know it's easy to see
The neon light's on me tonight
I've got a way, we're gonna prove it tonight
Like Romeo to Juliet
Time and time, I'm gonna make you mine
I've had enough, we've had enough
It's all the same, she said
I knew right from the beginning
That you would end up winnin'
I knew right from the start
You'd put an arrow through my heart
Round and round
With love we'll find a way just give it time
Round and round
What comes around goes around
I'll tell you why
Yeah!
Out on the streets, that's where we'll meet
You make the night, I always cross the line
Tightened our belts, abuse ourselves
Get in our way, we'll put you on your shelf
Round and round
With love we'll find a way just give it time
Round and round
What comes around goes around
I'll tell you why
Round and round
With love we'll find a way just give it time, time, time, time
Round and round
What comes around goes around
I'll tell you why, why, why, why
Round and round
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16 Jun 2012
There are things more important than the truth.
A hilarious film about the complicated relationship between a father and son who have chosen to dedicate their lives to the study of religious manuscripts which, evidently, have taught them very little about how to live. Hilarious and thought provoking.
The American
I do what I’m good at.
A perfect film that reminded me a lot of both a Hemmingway novel and a Samurai tale. Everything about this movie was perfect, inluding, of course, Clooney’s performance.
Marvel’s The Avengers
You people are so petty… and tiny.
As I’ve said many times before, I’m not really a huge fan of super heroes, but I did look forward to seeing this film. It was a lot of fun to watch, and it was great to see the heroes together on screen. It was also nice to finally see the Hulk done well.
The Adjustment Bureau
Who the hell are you guys?
An entertaining film about the nature of free will and destiny. In the end, the rules just don’t add up, but it’s a lot of fun anyway.
Recount
How hard is it to punch a paper ballot?
Not only did I live through this fiasco, but my son tells me that I’ve seen this film before. I don’t remember the film, but I remember the events very well. Dern, who I think is always fantastic, played Harris brilliantly. Roger Ebert thinks the most fascinating part of her character is that she wielded so much influence without seeming to know what she was doing. I agree that Dern played the part like that, but I think Harris was acting in real life too. She had to have had some idea what she was a part of.
Catfish
They keep you guessing, they keep you thinking, they keep you fresh.
I’m glad I pushed myself to make it through the first twenty minutes. It turned out to be quite a story. I’m not sure about some of the details, but that’s all I’m going to say.
Horrible Bosses
I don’t have sleeve gloves
Part sheer slapstick comedy, part raunch-fest. Inappropriate in the extreme. You’ve been warned.
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15 Jun 2012
Terri and I have had the house to ourselves this week. Billy and Becky are both travelling.
Billy was home from NYU for a few weeks before he went off to Germany for a while. In about ten days, he leaves Germany for San Francisco, and then he will return to us just before Independence Day. Becky has been in New Orleans helping with some reconstruction projects. She returns tomorrow.
It’s been about 15 years since it’s been just us for more than a day or two, and the last time we were in Haiti so it wasn’t exactly alone time. It’s been an interesting glimpse into what life might be like someday.
We’ve enjoyed it, but we miss both of them.
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14 Jun 2012
A couple of months ago, I received an unexpected package in the mail from Amazon.com. It was a book entitled Get Lucky: How to Put Planned Serendipity to Work for You and Your Business
I had no idea where it came from, but I was intrigued by the idea. I have always said I didn’t believe in luck, but the truth is that things happen to me all the time that many people would call lucky. It seemed this book might hold an explanation.
I was even more intrigued when I learned where the book came from. The previous month, I had decided on a whim to back a different Kickstarter project every day. Near the end of the month, Kickstarter just happened to introduce a new feature where you could follow other users. I just happened to learn about this feature because a friend followed me. I decided to pick my next few projects based on what friends were backing.
On the last day of the month, I just happened to find a project backed by a friend and I just happened to contribute less money to this project than to any of the other projects I had backed. The project seemed like a fun idea, but I just didn’t have more to contribute.
What I didn’t know at the time was that this project just happened to be the brainchild of the Thor Muller and Lane Becker – the authors of Get Lucky. The project had nothing to do with the book, and as far as I know the book had never been promised to anyone as a reward for backing. What the authors decided to do, I presume, is send it to everyone as a surprise reward. It was a fantastic idea, if you ask me, because it is serendipity in action – especially since it showed up on the first day it was available on Amazon.com
The premise of the book is that luck is not random. One can learn certain skills that will maximize the likelihood that good things will happen. I have no idea how solid the “science” of it all is, but it rings true for me in a big way.
The authors present the creation myths of several startups and big ideas, and point out where these skills were responsible, at least in part, for bringing about serendipity.
The book did not disappoint. It was fun to read, inspiring, and thought provoking. I highly recommend it.
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13 Jun 2012
About a month ago, I decided to start a regular post on the topic of science and religion, and I thought it made sense to start with a series about creation and evolution.
I know that sharing my opinions at this stage might take away from an objective review of the issues as we move forward, but I also think that some might benefit from knowing where I stand on the issues right up front.
As I think I have made clear already, my opinion on these matter may change over time, but as of this moment, this is what I believe …
- I believe in God, because I do. I don’t think the evidence for His existence is sufficient to believe. I simply believe.
- I believe the Scriptures are inspired by God Himself.
- I believe nature is also God’s revelation.
- I believe God created the universe approximately 14 billion years ago.
- I believe the events described in Genesis 1:2 immediately followed the events described in Genesis 1:1.
- I believe in the Big Bang – the universe started in an extremely hot and dense state, some 14 billion years ago, and that it has been expanding ever since.
- I believe that the days of creation are chronological.
- I believe that the durations of each day are not necessarily equal, and that they represent very long periods of time (millions and millions of years).
- I believe that galaxies and solar systems formed over billions of years. I accept astronomical evolution.
- I believe the current geology of the Earth is a result of billions of years of geological evolution.
- I believe the Earth was seeded with life intentionally by God. He may have chosen to do so via fiat, or chemical evolution may have played a part. I have no idea.
- I believe atheism is not a prerequisite to believing in evolution
- I believe there is overwhelming evidence for biological evolution.
- I operate under the assumption that all life on Earth evolved from a common ancestor.
- I think the fossil record supports either special creation by God at different times during the history of Earth, or in some kind of non-Darwinian evolution from one species to another.
I think those last three points deserves some explanation. I have no philosophical or theological bias against biological evidence. As a matter of fact, I agree with Charles Darwin’s view of this idea.
There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved.
My area of interest is cosmology, astrophysics, and theology. I have read extensively on the theory of biological evolution, but mostly from a philosophical standpoint. I simply do not have the expertise in biology to make an informed decision. I have also studied Scripture for many years, but I don’t know enough to say for sure whether I think God uses biological evolution as a means for creation. I would have no problem with it if He did, I just simply don’t know.
Labels
For those of you who would prefer I label myself in terms of the current debate …
- I reject the supposed physical evidence of a young earth as pseudoscience.
- I think organizations like Answers in Genesis and the Institute for Creation Research spread misinformation and lies.
- I reject “flood geology” as pseudoscience.
- I think “Creation Science” is not science at all.
- I think intelligent design is not science.
- I subscribe to some kind of old earth creationism – probably progressive creationism, but I don’t rule out theistic evolution (in fact, as mentioned above, I rather like the idea)
- I reject the gap theory and hold to a “day age” view of Genesis chapter one, though I have no theological opposition to suggestions that the days of creation represent days of revelation instead of the actual days of creation.
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12 Jun 2012
I’m disappointed the Devils season ended the way it did, but they really made it exciting there at the end. I really thought they might pull it out and come back from being down three games to none. It was not to be.
And how about those Mets, huh? What’s the deal there? Things started off very nicely. I tried not to talk too much about it, but I was really starting to think this might be our year. They’ve lost six of their last seven games, and it’s starting to feel familiar again.
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05 Jun 2012
I woke up with no topic for today’s post. I went searching for ideas, and two jumped out at me – My love affair with … and My five favorite websites.
So, here are 9 Internet services that I absolutely love.
Dropbox
Dropbox is drop dead simple. It just works. I’ve paid for Apple’s .Mac/MobileMe/whatever for a long time. I always wanted to love the iDisk part of it, but I couldn’t – because it didn’t work. Dropbox works exactly as advertised, and you can share it with your non-technical friends and they get it.
I have the free storage and that’s enough for me. I don’t keep everything in it. I use it as my storage for many iOS apps that require syncing, and I keep a support folder there so most of what I am working on right now lives there. I jump between many computers and mobile devices and I always have the files I need.
Evernote
Though I do have several different notebooks for writing ideas (lot of good that did me today, right?), I use Evernote pretty much as it’s advertised – it’s my external brain. Anything that I know I want to keep that doesn’t have a “right place” goes in Evernote. I’ve paid for the premium service for years. It’s well worth the price.
If this, then that
I recently discovered ifttt.com, and I love it. With it, I can have certain events on some webservices I use trigger actions on others. For example, every time I like a video on Vimeo, it is posted to Tumblr. They’ve added a couple features over the last week that I am really excited about. I plan to write more about those soon.
Kickstarter
Another recent discovery, Kickstarter has changed my life. I kid you not! It’s crowdsourcing for creative projects, and it’s an idea that had to happen eventually. Very, very well done!
IMDb
I’m a big fan of movies, and I love being able to cure that “hey, where do I know that guy from?” with IMDb. The iPad app probably gets more use than any other app on my iPad.
turntable
I love this website so much that I’ve restricted use to only Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I check in to hair metal Fridays every week and we rock out together. It’s fun to spin the tunes, listen to the music, and chat a bit about music, family, and work.
flickchart
I haven’t used this as much lately, but I had to mention it since it is one of my favorite finds over the last few years. I’ve written about this one before.
HBOGO
If it were not for this service, I would have ditched HBO long ago. Using this service, HBO subscribers can view any episode of any HBO original show, any movie showing that month on HBO, as well as a large collection of other movies. A subscription is certainly more expensive than a streaming only plan with Netflix, but given that HBO has some of the best original TV programming available today, this service makes it very much worth it. If you watch TV in batches like I do, you could cancel and resubscribe occasionally and save money that way.
When I discovered Twitter in 2006, I thought it would certainly change the world. It didn’t evolve quite the way I had imagined, but there is no doubt it has had a tremendous impact on the web and modern culture. My enthusiasm started to wane as the service became more popular, but I had to include it here, because I still get a tremendous amount of value out of it.
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02 Jun 2012
The first film on my list this week features the phrase “life is brief.” The phrase is uttered several times in word and song throughout the film. I mention it for two reasons. One, because it’s true – life is very brief indeed. Second, because it reminds me of our trip to Italy.
We were in Florence, the city I had always wanted to see. While I certainly did enjoy the art and all the things I’ve always wanted to see, the rest of the experience was much more “touristy” than the rest of the trip (and more than we enjoy). It was also where we ate the only meal we didn’t really like. In response to my complaints, the manger of the restaurant kept using the phrase “life is short, leave it!”
and now for this week’s movies …
Ikiru
I don’t know what I’ve been doing with my life all these years.
A masterpiece film that addresses the question of living without really living. A brilliant film I could watch again today.
Punch Drunk Love
You can go to places in the world with pudding.
A bewildering cacophony of colors, light, and unexpected events. Excellent performances by Adam Sandler, Emily Watson, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Very well done.
Being Elmo
The thing that people love about Elmo, is he needs them.
A fascinating story about the puppeteer who is Elmo. A must-see film.
Meek’s Cutoff
We’re not lost, we’re just finding our way.
An excellent film depicting the journey of a small group of families headed West to claim their fortune. Certainly the most realistic take on this I’ve ever seen.
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01 Jun 2012
I’ve been working on these 12×12 challenges (or 12ers) every month in 2012.
Well, in every month but May. Not only did I not follow through on a goal for May, I didn’t even set one. I had one thing in mind for several months in a row, but I kept pushing it back for new ideas. On the first of May, I decided on a new idea right away. By the next day I had changed my mind and thought I’d come up with something better. Never did.
To top things off, I also dropped the ball on the 750words.com challenge again (though I did have a 28 day streak at one point April to May (interestingly enough, I missed the 19th of both months – that’s where my sticking point is I guess (thought I did have a 28 day streak at one point between April and May).
In June, I’m finally going to get to that idea I keep putting off.
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28 May 2012
Freedom Ain't Free!
Today we pause to honor those who have fallen in service to our country. It’s a reminder that freedom comes a a very high price indeed!
image by Celine Aussourd
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26 May 2012
Rashomon
I just don’t understand.
A great film which explores human nature and the tendency we all have to be dishonest. Like much of Kurosawa’s work, the influence on other films has been widespread.
A Separation
What is wrong is wrong, no matter who said it or where it’s written.
A fantastic film which explores the overlap of logic, faith, and emotion. Not at all what I expected, but very well done.
Fish Tank
So you keep sayin’ But you’re nothing to me. So why should I care what you think?
A disturbing look into the life of an angry and lonely young girl. The film touches on very mature and complicated moral issues. Not a feel good movie, to be sure.
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24 May 2012
- The Definitive Christian Review of The Hunger Games « YINKAHDINAY
- "Was the violence gratuitous and overly graphic? That depends what you’re measuring it against. Compared to the Berenstain Bears or the Hardy Boys, yes, it was way over the top. Compared to Ehud’s exploits in Judges, not so much." Very well said.
- The devaluation of everything: The perils of panflation | The Economist
- I never really thought about how all of this is a symptom of the same problem. It is happening in every area, and we don’t notice.
- Spirit Airlines, Where "Dying Of Cancer" Equals "Not Following The Rules" – The Consumerist
- I absolutely hate it when companies hide behind policies and the "if we do it for you …" defense. Policies exist to protect the airline from unpredictable loss, but they can be broken on a case by case basis. Give the guy his $197 back and get back to important business.
- Analytics Reveal 13 New Basketball Positions | Playbook | Wired.com
- There are fewer things I enjoy more than the intersection of sports and math. Excellent stuff!
- The Campus Tsunami – NYTimes.com
- Things are changing, and it is going to happen quickly!
- How far some parents go to get a job . . . for their kids – USATODAY.com
- No doubt some kids don’t want a job, but I think this problem stems from parents who try to do too much for their kids through their entire lives. Some kids probably don’t realize it’s okay for them to take initiative.
- Are you neglecting your kids because of your smartphone? – The Globe and Mail
- A very real danger. Fortunately, I didn’t get a cell phone until about the time my kids were both ready for one. All four of us are using our phones a lot, and I think we’ve cultivated an environment where it’s okay to use them in moderation. All four of us are also averse to interruptions so we tend not to use them during dinner, etc.
- VP of Palo Alto’s SAP Arrested in LEGO Bar Code Scam | NBC Bay Area
- There are so many things I love about this story. I know people steal for other reasons, but LEGOs are expensive, yet so very desirable. It is no surprise that people go to such lengths to steal them. It also tells you something when you can lower the price of an item and the cashier doesn’t notice. Perhaps the item is overpriced to begin with?
more
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23 May 2012
God reveals himself in two ways – special revelation and natural revelation. Most Christians agree that Scripture is a reliable means of learning about God and His will. What we must remember, is that Scripture supports the notion that natural revelation is also reliable. I believe both are infallible, and I am willing to concede Scripture is inerrant for the purposes of this discussion.
If both revelations are given by the same God, it follows that …
- both are equally reliable
- both are comprehensible
- both are subject to misinterpretation
- if both are interpreted properly, there cannot be a contradiction between the two
If there is an apparent contradiction between the two, the error must be in the interpretation of one or the other.
I can’t really do a better job of explaining this than John Piper does in the video embedded below. His comments are in response to a question about the age of the Earth. I’m not going to get into that yet, but he does a fantastic job defending the infallibility of natural revelation.
All of truth is God’s truth.
The sacred Scripture itself tells us that God reveals himself in nature.
The church’s understanding of special revelation, or the bible, has been corrected by students of natural revelation – with the Copernican revolution. Both Calvin and Luther rejected Copernicus as a heretic.
I think we can learn from non-believing scientists who are studying natural revelation. They may get a better sense of the truth from their study of natural revelation than I get from ignoring natural revelation.
I believe that both spheres are God’s spheres of revelation and that truth has to be compatible.
Piper comes to the same conclusion I do. If there is an apparent contradiction between the two, the error must be in the interpretation of one or the other. It might be the scientist, but it also might be the theologian.
I think it’s worth noting that we all interpret Scripture in light of what we know all the time. The Copernican revolution is a glaring example, but we do it all the time with the small stuff. The Bible tells us that the sun rises and that a bat is a bird. Most of us interpret that in light of what we know to be true. I don’t know anyone who claims that bats really are birds because the Bible says so. I also don’t know anyone who claims that there are only, and exactly, 1000 hills on Earth wi.
Is natural revelation infallible? I say yes. What do you think?
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