Evidence for God from Science Newsletter January, 2005

Greetings in the name of the Lord! This is the latest edition of the update for the Evidence for God website. Welcome to our new subscribers.

Contents (scroll down for descriptions)

News

I gave a talk on intelligent design and junk Deoxyribonucleic acid: the chemical inside the nucleus of a cell that carries the genetic instructions for making living organisms.DNA at Paradoxes Sunday School Class at Sierra Madre Congregational Church last weekend. I ended up spending three quarters of the time discussing the design of the molecular machinery involved in the basic biochemical functioning of the cell. At some point, I hope to get the presentation on the website as a basic primer in molecular genetics. Several other pages are in process, including one on global warming and another on whether the Bible says definitively that God created the universe in six 24-hour days.

Answers for Atheists

Immediately after the earthquake and tsunami struck Southeast Asia, atheists claimed that the massive loss of life was proof that there was no God. However, atheists seem to have forgotten some fundamental principles of earth sciences, which are absolutely essential for the existence of higher life forms. Tectonic activity (in the form of volcanoes and earthquakes) provide the only means of producing and keeping land masses from disappearing on a planet dominated by an active water cycle. The atheists' "natural evil" is actually an example of necessary design. More...

     Southeast Asia Earthquake and Tsunami- Where was God?
     http://www.GodAndScience.org/apologetics/tsunami.html

One of the most prominent atheists in the world, Professor Antony Flew, age 81, although a legendary proponent and debater for atheism for decades, has publicly renounced atheism and now proclaims himself to be a deist. Flew's abandonment of atheism came a result of his recognition of overwhelming evidence of design in the Deoxyribonucleic acid: the chemical inside the nucleus of a cell that carries the genetic instructions for making living organisms.DNA, and arguments that proceeded from big bang cosmology and fine tuning arguments. More...

     One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? - Antony Flew renounces Atheism
     http://www.GodAndScience.org/apologetics/flew.html

One of the most common reasons skeptics reject the existence of God is due to the presence of evil in the universe. They claim that a perfect God would not create a universe in which evil exists. Skeptics reason that since God created everything that God must have also created evil. They even cite Bible verses they claim indicate that the Bible says God creates evil. However, evil is not a created thing, and the Bible verses purported to support the view, do so only in the archaic King James translation. An examination of the original Hebrew text reveals that the English word "evil" is not the best translation based upon context. More...

     Did God Create Evil - Does the Bible Say So?
     http://www.GodAndScience.org/apologetics/evil.html

Biblical Authenticity

Two studies have been published that used high-precision radiocarbon dating (14C) methods to accurately determine the age of biblically-associated archeological sites - confirming the biblical narrative while refuting the theories of skeptical scholars. Many young earth creationist sites negate radioactive dating methods in general and radiocarbon dating in particular. However, the use of this method - recently calibrated against tree-ring growth - has led to strong support for the historical claims of the Old Testament.

Previous excavations of the biblical kingdom of Edom, conducted on the highland plateaus of Jordan, indicated that the region had been controlled by the neo-Assyrian empire during the eighth and seventh B.C. However, the Old Testament claims that David conquered the Edomites and placed garrisons there during his rule from ~1010 B.C. to 970 B.C. So, archeologists assumed that dating of the kingdom of Edom was at least 200 years later than the date given in the Old Testament. However, new archeological excavations have revealed copper ore-rich lowlands in Jordan - revealing a large eleventh century B.C. Iron Age copper production center and tenth century B.C. fortress. These early dates establish the existence of the Edomite kingdom at the time when King David and his son Solomon ruled over Israel, confirming the Old Testament account. More...

     Old Testament Dates of Edomite Kingdom Confirmed by Archeology
     http://www.GodAndScience.org/apologetics/edom.html

Pottery evidence from Jezreel, a royal citadel of the Omride Dynasty, which ruled over the northern Kingdom of Israel from 885 to 843 B.C., suggested that the older dates for key sites in Israel (e.g., Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer) might be much later than the time of King Solomon (second half of the 10th century B.C.). The implication was that archaeological layers traditionally associated with the monarchies of David and Solomon were too young to fit the biblical claims. However, new 14C dating from Tel-Rehov reveals that its destruction was accomplished between 940-900 B.C., which fits the biblical date of ~925 B.C. More...

     Old Testament Dates of Solomon and Egyptian King Shishak Confirmed by Archeology
     http://www.GodAndScience.org/apologetics/tel-rehov.html

Christian Life Issues

Most Christians know what the Bible says about sexual immorality. However, those who only accept secular views reject the Bible's teaching about morality. Are there good secular reasons for maintaining purity until marriage? Common secular "wisdom" says that living together in a "trial marriage" is a good way to determine if couples are compatible before marriage. However, the secular National Marriage Project at Rutgers University indicates that cohabitation is a bad idea, leading to an up to two-fold increase in subsequent divorce rates. The new page discusses this issue, along with other factors that contribute and detract from marriage success...

     Is Living Together Before Marriage a Good Idea?
     http://www.GodAndScience.org/doctrine/livingtogether.html

Can Christians use drugs? This almost seems like a no-brainer, but I have received a number of e-mails from young Christians asking this very question (and admitting their use of drugs). If the Church were doing a better job teaching what the Bible says about these issues, our kids would not be as messed up as they are. The new page examines what the Bible says about becoming intoxicated and being addicted, and what the Christian ought to be about. One visitor claimed that everything God created is good, and that this includes hemp. I have to admit that hemp is good - for making rope - but not for smoking...

     Is It Okay for Christians to Use Marijuana and Other Drugs?
     http://www.GodAndScience.org/doctrine/marijuana.html

Theology

There is somewhat of a controversy in Christianity regarding the identification of the Nephilim and sons of God mentioned in the Genesis flood account (Genesis 6:2-4). Are the sons of God the human offspring of the godly line of Seth or angelic beings (demons)? Were the Nephilim a race of giants that existed before and after the flood or is the word just a generic term describing large strong people? The answer to these questions are found on the new page...

     Who Were the Nephilim and Sons of God?
     http://www.GodAndScience.org/doctrine/nephilim.html

Aberrant Theology

The LDS (Mormon) Church is very good at public relations and has marketed its family-friendly emphasis (which I believe is sincere) successfully. The latest venture in public relations is a movie of historical fiction depicting the life and times of Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS Church. A review by Ben Duarte of Utah Gospel Mission reveals that the movie is probably more fictional than historical...

     Movie Review- The Work and the Glory
     http://www.GodAndScience.org/cults/workandglory.html

A list of new pages can always be found at:

     http://www.GodAndScience.org/new.html

Newsletter Info

This and previous newsletters are available online. Go to the URL below to read the current and past updates:

     http://www.GodAndScience.org/newsletter.html

Those are the most recent updates and changes since the last e-mail update. If you would like to see anything in particular at Evidence for God from Science, let me know. But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

In Christ,
Rich Deem

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http://www.godandscience.org/newsletters/2005-01.html
Last Modified January 29, 2005

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