Posts Tagged ‘belief’

Evolution 2.0

January 11, 2016

There are two types of people. There are always two types of people.

One has great faith and belief that the Bible explains science, and specifically believes that the English translation “day” in Genesis 1 means literally a day as we define it–24 hours.

The other has great faith and belief in a particular view of “science” some call “scientism” derived from the writings of Charles Darwin in the “Origin of the Species.”

These are both faith positions based on an interpretation of their different “holy books.” They like to argue with each other. But no conclusion can ever be reached. They can’t even agree to disagree. Total conquest of the opponent is the only imaginable outcome.

A different view

Sorry to break the usual speaker’s trick, but there are really other types of people. I, for example, am trained in both science and the Bible. I don’t agree with either of the two positions. I believe that there exist a great many people like me.

I do not wish to argue any merits of either position. I’m merely introducing a book sent to me by a friend written by a man I know through business.

“Evolution 2.0: Breaking the Deadlock Between Darwin and Design” by Perry Marshall is a book of considerable scholarship written in a totally non-scholarly way. Marshall’s study began with a crisis of faith caused by the conflict of science and faith.

He’s an electrical engineer who took the approach of communication, information, and networking engineering to the study of the two views of evolution–showing the evidence for a type of evolution yet thoroughly debunking the scientism views of the avowedly atheist Darwinists such as Richard Dawkins.

If you are in neither of the two types of people and if you have an inquiring mind, I recommend the book. Not necessarily because I agree with everything he writes, but because it should cause you to think. And that is a good thing.

If you are in one of the two groups of people above (although the one type most likely does not read this blog), then don’t bother. It will just get your blood pressure up.

As for me, whenever there are two poles of a dichotomy, I automatically presume that there must be a more rational alternative. Then I set out to find it. Perry’s set out an agenda for my scientific reading for a while.

But as for my faith, it does not rest on this argument at all. My faith rests on my knowledge of the presence of God and of the resurrection of Jesus. Science for me is just an inquiry into trying to understand the mind of God who created all this wonderful life.

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Might As Well Relax

December 24, 2014

It’s finally here. Christmas Eve. All the worrying about did I get the right present for someone (or did I get presents for everyone I should have). The stress of coordinating family visits. It might as well be over. It’s too late now to worry anymore.

If you have little children around, just relax and enjoy their anticipation. They will be past that soon enough.

I have already gone to my Christmas church services. Maybe you’re heading out for Midnight Mass (I assume Catholics still do that–the church who ran the school I taught in one year was known throughout the area for its beautiful one). Back home, they’ll have a candlelight service with much singing.

If so, just relax and enjoy.

There’s a scene in Christmas Vacation where Clark’s dad says he got through the dysfunctional family gatherings “with a little help from Jack Daniels.”

Perhaps you can get by with just a few deep breaths.

There are readers of this blog who live in areas where the greater stress is not just family bickering but personal safety. I pray that your celebration is safe, as well as meaningful. It’s amazing to me what Christians in the US think is persecution which is so insignificant when compared to so many other countries of the world.

One of the titles for Jesus is Prince of Peace. As followers, let us all work toward fulfilling that promise of peace.

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Spiritual Discipline of Waiting

December 4, 2014

Do you remember being a child at Christmas?

The entire month of December? The night before Christmas?

My wife’s family (according to her) would open one present on Christmas Eve just to get a jump on Christmas. She couldn’t wait. Still can’t.

Luke, writing in his gospel, tells the story of two people who, upon seeing the baby Jesus, saying that they had lived their entire lives waiting to see the Lord’s Redeemer. Now they could die peacefully.

Advent. We’re waiting. Patiently.

We know the “rest of the story.” Yet, we wait in anticipation. Perhaps the deep realization of the Lord’s redemption in us will pop into our hearts.

Maybe we can start living as a true disciple of Jesus–instead of just saying we are.

Maybe we can stop waiting to act out our words–instead of playing one-up with words.

Maybe we can stop waiting to actually live–and go forth and make disciples, heal the sick, stop injustice.

Beckett wrote about Waiting for Godot–and he never appeared. We live in faith that God will appear. In us.

Waiting is required. Then when waiting is over, it is time to go. We wait at a red traffic light watching for green. When the light changes, we go.

When the wait at Advent is over, then it’s time to go forth and make disciples of the entire world.

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Healing Starting From The Heart

November 7, 2014

Wife got a new bread knife. It is sharp. Cuts bread, even thick crusts, as if it were warm butter. Cuts thumbs, too. Twice. I’m a slow learner. The last one was pretty deep.

I notice the healing is from the inside out. It also takes quite some time to heal.

Sort of like us spiritually. We need to heal from emotional and spiritual hurts also from the inside out. That is why Jesus was so concerned with the state of our hearts.

Jesus expressed to the Pharisees that it is not the food that defiles but what comes out from the heart. He also said that when we forgive, we need forgiveness from our heart. We should also love the Lord our God with all our heart. He condemned “hardness of heart.” On the road to Emmaus, the disciples hearts were burning. And “As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ ”

Just as we need to eat right, exercise, reduce stress to take care of our physical heart and improve healing, so we also need to feed our minds, exercise in prayer and meditation, and focus on God to set our spiritual heart right and heal our souls from the inside out.

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Is Belief Bad

May 13, 2014

Poor John Lennon. His songs are on background music at restaurants now. Last night I heard “Imagine.” Imagine there are no countries. Imagine no religions.

It was an honest emotion that Lennon acknowledged. He was in a time of wars, racial strife, hatred, religions fighting religions. Forty plus years down the road, things have not changed much.

The question is, can we really have a world where we just sit around and love each other? No other real purpose in life?

I guess many of us have moments when we wish problems would just go away and we can live quietly in peace.

The true triumph is when we can live at peace with ourselves in the midst of chaos. It is belief that holds us anchored during those times.

Few religions, if you probe deeply into the foundations, teach hatred, strife and conflict. Definitely I never was taught those values in any Christian education I’ve endured–er, experienced.

Truth is that there is evil in the world. Childlike wishing will not make it go away.

“Religion” (as I wrote yesterday) can be good or bad. But living in the Spirit and practicing “religion” in the Spirit is our foundation. That’s belief. And belief is necessary for a life that matters.

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