"Ardi" is Bad Science

Origin science (trying to discover where we come from, how the earth began, etc.) is a tricky endeavor. Neither of the two major camps in the conversation are unable to prove definitively how anything came into existence.

Evolutionary scientists cannot recreate the Big Bang in a lab, nor can they recreate any primordial soup or massive shock capable of bring nonliving matter to life.

Creationists cannot recreate the divine hand or voice of God in order to simulate their belief that God created everything in 6 literal days.

BOTH camps require significant amounts of faith to believe or follow! Evolution places the fullness of their faith in a non-intelligent, non-biased process that randomly eliminates the weak and evolves over millions of years. Creationism places their faith in an all-knowing, all-powerful, just, holy and perfect God that divinely created all of life and intentionally ordered all of its processes (as revealed in Scripture). COnsidering the ordered nature of the universe (earth's seasons, life cycles, the human body, gravity, orbital patterns, etc.) it seems to me that evolution and all its claims of randomness takes more faith than an intelligent, intentional Creator!
NOTE: There is a third camp - Intelligent Design - that is quite similar to creationism. They claim that life originated in a creator, but who that is and how it happened is still up for debate.

Since Evolutionary scientists cannot recreate the origin of anything, they are searching for the "missing link" - the transitional creature that is a hybrid (of sorts) of two totally different species, but connects the two genetically. The hope in finding such a link is that it will prove that man has evolved from another species. If they can find that, then it will be the foundation for their argument that all of life evolved from nonliving matter into what we see today.

This is why science's latest discovery "Ardi" (short for Ardipithecus ramidus) is causing such a stir. Evolutionary scientists are calling this the most significant find in evolutionary/biological sciences. There are problems with their so-called conclusions and reports, though.

1. The premise/hypothesis in which they work from will only allow for one conclusion.

2. This sort of science is less about reporting findings and more about taking a few, limited bone samples and drawing (or inferring) definite conclusions. For example, from the handful of bones they found of Ardi they have concluded that she walked upright, climbed trees (but didn't swing from them), and was ape-like (though they are unwilling to call her an ape or a human). The bulk of the scientific findings is gathered from digital recreations and not the actual fossils.

3. Reports are from a select few in the world of science and many within the field do not agree with their conclusions.

So who or what is "Ardi" then? According to Answers in Genesis:

Given the number and scope of the papers presented this week on Ardi, it will take some time before creationists are confident in our conclusions on Ardi and her kin. Based on our first look, however, the facts seem solidly behind the idea that Ardi was a quadrupedal ape with relatively little in common with humans (i.e., no more than most apes); the key basis for the alleged Ardi–human link (which even the authors are hesitant to confirm) is the idea that it walked upright—an idea that even evolutionists have criticized. And we can’t forget that all of these conclusions are inferred from digital reconstructions and fallible reconstructions of bones that were in very bad shape. Without having a live “Ardi” to observe, scientists will only ever be able to come to probabilistic conclusions about its characteristics.

To read more about this check out the following links:

A FANTASTIC ARTICLE FROM CREATION SCIENCE (ABOUT "ARDI")

ABC NEWS REPORT ON CREATIONISM AND EVOLUTIONARY SCIENCE CONCERNING ARDI

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Pic borrowed from MSNBC.
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Turns Out Our Hearts are Idol Factories

ABC News show Nightline has been doing a series on the Ten Commandments and their coverage of the Second Commandment ("no idols") is fantastic! In it they interview Pastor Mark Driscoll (from Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA) and some of the college students in his church about, what he calls, "the MOST relevant (to today's culture) of all the Commandments."

Check out the video interview (featured on ABC's Nightline News!) or read the article here:

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/10Commandments/ten-commandments-pastor-preaches-worship-modern-day-idols/story?id=8712532

This is a must read/watch!

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How to Fix Jon and Kate (We Can Learn From Them)

The circus that is Jon and Kate (Plus 8) just keeps getting bigger. This fiasco is like Gremlins (classic movie from 1984 for those unaware) and everyone keeps disobeying the rules:

1. Don't feed the Mogwai after Midnight (we've got 24 hour a day coverage of them and drop everything the moment they wish to give an interview - I think even the president has bigger hoops to jump through to get air time than they do)

2. No Water (ok, this one's a stretch but I'm sure most can craft a witty water joke to accompany this rule, ala "no more beach excursions, Jon," "Just say 'no' to yachts and girls in bathing suits, Jon,' etc.)

3. No bright light (that's all that's in their faces - flash bulbs, camera lights, spotlights...)

I'm not here to be one of the millions to run their mouth to belittle, cripple, bash, humiliate and watch their family collapse even further. I am here to provide three steps for them (should they decide to stumble across this blog) to recover their family. These three steps will not only help save their marriage and family should they be willing, but can help yours as well...

1. STOP TELLING THE WORLD YOUR BUSINESS! Stop the interviews, stop justifying yourselves and stop letting us any further into your world! You owe us no explanation whatsoever. It is not the media's right, nor ours, to have full access to your life and at no point will the public's perception of your life ever be an asset to you finding healing.

2. STOP MANIPULATING. You both claim innocence and wish to be the victim when in reality you have both have cut, hurt, manipulated and crushed each other to oblivion! The only way you will ever have any semblance of hope is if you both stop trying to sway public opinion your way, take responsibility for your own part in your marriage's demise (to this point) and begin to forgive (healing will never take place in your lives or the lives of your children until there is forgiveness).

3. REGROUP! It is NEVER to late to turn around, right wrongs and rethink your game plan . This step is where you both, without name calling or finger pointing and admit you need help! Both of you claim to be believers, so seek the PRIVATE council of a trusted Pastor and ask him to help guide you through this process of renewal, healing, forgiveness, and hopefully restoration!

For the rest of the world who sit by and watch (often negatively and critically as if you would do better under such scrutiny), realize you are no different and your marriages are not immune to the struggles they face. Granted, they have some pretty unique circumstances, but at the heart of it they are still a man and woman, a husband and a wife, a couple with a story and people who hurt beyond words right now. The three steps I mention above apply to all couples - even the non-famous variety...

For us, the difference in our marriages is we do not seek to air our grievances on television - we do it in the company of our friends (with family members, guys with their guy friends, girls with their girl friends, and on many occasions husbands with other women and wives with other men). No, you do not air your laundry to the whole world, just your local world.

Just like Jon and Kate we are all manipulators. We all want it our way and when faced with extraordinary circumstances will do just about anything to get our way. So many times couples tell half truths or lies to coworkers, friends, family members and even strangers to make themselves look like the victim when the reality is both share responsibility in the collapse or falling apart of their marriage.

And just like Jon and Kate - it is never too late for couples who truly wish to find healing and even restoration to regroup and begin again. No foundation is so cracked or damaged that it is unrepairable. Start with a trusted pastor and see where God leads!

If you are a husband or a wife and your marriage is struggling or you are beginning to see stress fractures along the foundation of your marriage and you are not sure who to talk with, feel free to email me and I would love to talk with you through Email, by phone or however you would like. You can reach me at christianthechristian.c2@gmail.com.

EDITORIAL NOTE: I am aware that this seems a bit over-simplified and that not all marital problems are that easy to solve. However, that being said, most cannot truly begin to seek healing because they are too busy living in the past hurts of what was instead of what could be. Many couples punish themselves and do even greater damage when, instead, they could begin to take steps to: (1) worshiping God (even in the midst of the storm), (2) re-learning love and the true value of commitment and covenants, and (3) learning how to forgive and be free of hurt.

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A RADICAL MESSAGE FOR PARENTS: Settle for Less and Receive More!

This is one of the most powerful article's I've ever read on parenting teens. It is a must read for ALL parents of youth/children - either you have a teen or a soon-to-be teen. There are things that we all need to rethink when it comes to discipling and training our children and this article gives a great foundation to start!

I have read some of Paul Tripp's other books and now plan to add this one (Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens by Paul David Tripp) to my reading list, too - and encourage you to do the same! Here are a few quotes or excerpts from the article (read it in full here - it's a little lengthy, but take the time, please! You will not be sorry for the investment of time):

" What often gets in the way of parenting teenagers is the idolatry of their mother and father."

"The book of Proverbs is very clear in reminding us that teenagers don’t usually hunger for wisdom and correction. I’ve never had one of my kids say to me, “As I was riding the bus home from school I was thinking, ‘Dad, you’re a really wise man. I’d just love to sit at your feet and drink in some more of your wisdom,’ or ‘Dad, I realize that when you correct me you are showing me your love. Would you like to correct me some more?’ ” So what should be my goal here? As a parent I realize that wisdom is crucial to pleasing God, and yet it’s not the thing for which my teenager tends to hunger. So now I’ve got my job description. It’s to sell my teenager something that he is not seeking. And so I decide that I’ll model being a wise man. I want to show him that wisdom is a beautiful and wonderful thing. And I want to sell wisdom to him so that he becomes a really keen consumer. The point I’m making is that in each area of teenage struggle there’s wonderful parental opportunity.

Another characteristic of teenagers is that they tend to be very legalistic. They don’t particularly love God’s law, they frequently debate the boundaries and they’re very boundary oriented. I tell people that if God’s law is like a fence, then my kids grew up with fence marks on their faces. As teens they were always pressing against the fence. Now you don’t solve the problem of teenage legalism by debating where the boundary is. Why? Because a child who is pressing his face against the fence is believing a very significant lie. The lie is that the good stuff is out there and God is keeping him from it. What I need to do is turn his body to the inside of the yard and show him the glory of what God has called us to."

"We also must realize that every teenager is a sinner and is trying to learn how to live in God’s world, learning what it means to be godly and learning the dangers of sin. There’s no possible way that that won’t have a huge impact on my life. And that’s why people don’t like their teenagers."

Read the full article here.

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The Country's Recession and a Great Awakening

The Associated Press released an article today (by Rachel Zoll) stating that the country's financial woes are not only affecting private religious schools and religious congregations across the country, but they are changing the religious face of the country altogether. Referencing the popular topic of "the declining church," it begins with the following opening lines:

"Organized religion was already in trouble before the fall of 2008. Denominations were stagnating or shrinking, and congregations across faith groups were fretting about their finances. The Great Recession made things worse."

To be clear, all things in the article are not one-in-the-same.

• Religious schools are not churches (one's success/failure does not dictate the outcome of the other; not to mention they both serve different purposes).
  
• All congregations are not the same (the article discusses religions and Christian denominations as if they are all the same).
  
• People relocating to another area (and thus another church) is not the same as leaving the faith altogether.
• Churches are not programs/ministries
  
• Churches are not extra church/para church organizations (seminaries/schools, Mission organizations, etc. are not the church - they serve the church, but are never ever to be the church)

Is this is this being nit-picky? Isn't this already obvious? No - at least to the author of the article it's not. Church (that being the institution created by Christ, Himself) is not about money or business... even without a building, new programs or fancy sign outside of the building, the church and its purpose still exist. Declining finances does not equal a bankrupt faith. Not only that, but the real "business" of the church is actually MULTIPLYING! Leading people to God is the real business of the church, not exciting programs or ministries.

Rachel Zoll makes an ever-so brief mention of this toward the end of her article (in addition to the money portions where she states that in some communities, giving has gone up) about the real business of the church, but also sells short the movement of God:

"Clergy in different communities say worship attendance has increased with people seeking comfort through difficult times, although no one is predicting a nationwide religious revival."

Why not anticipate a religious revival? Or better yet - an Awakening in a dying and apathetic country so consumed within itself that it has lost its direction.

What the church is seeing now is people who thought they had no need of God because they had nice houses, two cars (or more) per family, a full refrigerator, investments, 401k's, expensive coffees and plenty of credit to spare are watching their lives slip away with the sand.

People are returning to churches and God because they realize now that even with all their plans there are elements outside of their control and only God is infinite and sure. Only God is faithful from beginning to end. God is the only solid foundation that can never be stripped from people. Realizing this, people are returning to Him.

Want to read more about the peril or hard heartedness of financial "security"? Or about the joy of true security in the One True God? Checkout these passages:

"You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. ¹⁸ So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see."
(Revelation 3:17-18)

"“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law."
(Matthew 7:24-29)

Because of our sense of security in being able to do things ourselves without help (saying "look what I did!"): "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
(Matthew 19:23-24)

For those who are True Followers of Christ, we have this promise: "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:38-39)

Even in the midst of suffering, loss, doubt, hurt, or uncertainty the Bible tells us there is great hope and comfort in Him who never fails us. Even if the worst should happen, there is great peace in knowing that no one (not even death itself) could strip us away from God!

If you have questions about how to be a follower of Christ - about sin, forgiveness, real love, mercy, second chances and all the amazing things God is - feel free to comment or email me at christianthechristian.c2@gmail.com.

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The Jewish Yom Kippur and Christianity

Today is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement (seen in Leviticus). While it was the day in which their sin was atoned for through sacrifice, today it is observed through fasting.

Being that Christianity is rooted in the Jewish faith, does Yom Kippur have any significance for us? Absolutely!

Here is a great article on the relevance of the Jewish calendar's Holiest Day for Christians: "Yom Kippur: The Day".

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Jennifer Love Hewitt is Skinny(ier) - You Should Be, Too

Apparently congrats are in order for Ghost Whisperer actress Jennifer Love Hewitt because she has shed the few, apparently 'unsightly,' pounds that stunned the world when she had the audacity to show up at a beach in a bikini about a year ago. It was a real controversy, indeed. How could the typically very slender J-Love let herself go in such a way? It was tragic! Major news outlets around the globe even reported on it (Fox News, CNN, Chicago Tribune, etc.). Devastating.

In case you missed it ladies and gentlemen, that was sarcasm.

Jennifer Love Hewitt was not a fan of having unflattering - not to mention invasive! - pictures of her splattered all over the world (rightfully so) and so she decided to lose the weight "for health reasons" (at least that was her claim initially). Now that she's lost the weight, however, she celebrates by gracing the cover of the oh-so-health-conscious SHAPE Magazine (key articles in her month's issue: "Bye Bye Belly Flab", "Take An Inch Off Your Hips", etc.). No mention of the increased health benefits in the article - just that she has more confidence as she walks through the world.

I have no problem with weight loss, looking nice or trying to be healthier. My problem is with the air-brushed, unrealistic standards by which women (JL Hewitt included) torture, er set for, themselves. What a shame. Most women are so busy gawking at the mirror as they suck in their stomach and sigh that they miss the big picture.

Who does GOD say you are? What does your husband say about you? (only for those married) How are you doing leading other women/girls to major on the majors in life (honoring God, worshipping Him, loving others, caring for their families, etc.)?

TRUTH: Women openly insult this Hollywood culture ("a size 2 isn't fat!"), then like JLH go home and stare at the mirror in disgust. Those that are losing weight or staying trim do so (almost always) for feeling better about themselves than actual health reasons. That breaks my heart. Women miss it, time and time again! Sadder, yet, is that every woman KNOWS that looks eventually fade, but instead of focusing on the things that matter they spend their "youth" (teens-50's) trying to: (1) remain young looking/beautiful, (2) keep from looking older (one of my teen girls one time told me, in her own words, "ugggh I never want to get old. If I were ugly I'd kill myself." While she were semi-joking, the truth in that statement is unmistakable), or (3) turn back the clock ("hide those wrinkles, hide that cellulite, wear what's fashionable - just like those Sex and the City girls, and flaunt it while you got it!").

Women/Teens, checkout the following passages on the beauty of a real woman. Trust me, Hollywood, personal trainers, and Supermodels have NOTHING on this!!!

Proverbs 31:25-31 (The Virtuous Woman/Wife)

Titus 2:3-5

WOMEN, HUSBANDS, TEENS and especially PARENTS: There is no one way to combat this epidemic that is plaguing this body-obsessed culture. A few things to consider though: (1) in complementing our daughters, do we spend more time talking of their beauty or their virtue?, (2) Moms, do you teach a hypocritical/contradictory message (tell your daughter not to obsess about her looks, but then she watches you spend hours getting ready and worrying about your body image or reading magazines that focus on the shallowness of a woman)?, (3) Husbands, as much as you compliment your wife on her stunning beauty, do you take time to honor her for the amazing woman of God that she is? (4) Do your children/teens hear you (dads) compliment their mom with words of honor, praise and value for her virtue?

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Image borrowed from: wallpapersmania.com
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Teen Sexuality

I came across one of the best articles I've read, to date, on teen sexuality (especially girls and their fashion). This is not a "Christian" article, but it deals very well with the overly sexual culture we live in today. Even more interesting is that it was published by a company in the UK (for those who always argue that those overseas... most notably Europe... are far more in touch with their sexuality and do not see it like we do).

This article is a MUST read! Very good. "Lost Youth: Turning Young Girls into Sex Symbols"

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