"I just wanted to express my appreciation for Otto Helweg's article ['How Long an Evening and Morning?' vol. 9, no. 3 (1995), pp. 8-9]. I am a biblical scholar by training and often lament how young-earth creationists typically miss the point of the creation narrative. I think Dr. Helweg hit it right on the mark."
Craig, Salisbury, N. C.
". . . Daniel 8:26 mentions the vision of the 'evenings and the mornings' (singular collective used as plurals), which refers back to the '2,300 evenings and mornings' (singular collective used as plurals) of 8:14, understood by Hebrews to be 2,300 24-hour days. Daniel 8:26, therefore, cannot be used [by Helweg in the article cited above] to argue against the meaning of a 24-hour day for 'evening and morning' in Genesis 1.
"In closing, it seems to me that to deny the simple meaning of a 24-hour day in Genesis 1 based on the argumentation of Dr. Helweg does not do justice to your position."
David, Dayton, Tenn.
". . . Flexibility is a characteristic of older languages; the ones that we, with our chronological snobbery, refer to as 'primitive' mix literal and metaphorical meanings with casual unconcern for the rule book [especially since no book existed]. Later writers invariably create and rely upon artificial distinctions such as that between 'literal' and 'metaphorical' and try to give single, well-defined meanings to expressions that bubbled over with different, sometimes even contradictory, senses to their predecessors.
Thus, the fact that 'evening and morning' still seemed to have a non-literal sense to the writer and readers of the book of Daniel (although they would not have understood the concept of 'non-literal') is convincing proof that it had at least as rich a sense to earlier peoples."
Charles, Buffalo, N. Y.
"Just a friendly correction in the Facts & Faith , 3rd quarter, 1995. On page 5, under the heading 'Hot New Evidence for the Big Bang,' you say, 'Rarely does The New York Times devote a precious page and a half to science.' Every Tuesday that paper uses one to three pages for science alone. (They are famous for this.)"
W. E., Uehling, Neb.
[We meant front-page space, but we failed to make that clear. Thanks for writing. K. R.]
"My wife and I lead the college & career ministry at [our church]. . . . We have found that people in our age group (18-30 years) are increasingly asking questions about the scientific validity of the Bible and are not just accepting the Christian status quo any longer.
"I have been reading your publications for several years now and have been able to draw on the knowledge gained from them to answer questions posed to me many, many times in my ministry. . . ."
Brian, Cypress, Calif.
". . . In a brief comment on the tome [The Creator and the Cosmos], it has laid a base under a lifetime of work (27 years in a lay position with Catholic Relief Services throughout the world). Through it I have laid to rest, with a profound sense of joy and fulfillment, many of the questions I pondered in the course of my work with the downtrodden and among the wonders of the planet. My gratitude. . . ."
Robert, Apache Junction, Ariz.
". . . My heart told me that Christianity must be provable, must be based in fact, and that God didn't require excuses. I could not surrender to the blind faith that was expected of me; there had to be something real. Even though I had experienced undeniable miracles in my life, my heart could not fully accept what my mind saw to be [possibly] false. It was by God's grace alone that I found and read The Fingerprint of God. It literally saved my Christian life. Finally I found a Christian viewpoint that made sense and that was based in scientific and biblical truth. I no longer had to pass off the scientific community as 'mad.' God was real, provably so, and closer than I had imagined. . . ."
Dan, Edmonton, Alberta
". . . I owe you a great deal of thanks for lifting a veil from my eyes, for showing me through science and the Bible just how great our God is as seen through His creation. I refer to your book The Creator and the Cosmos, which I found simply mind-boggling. It has brought me so much nearer to our heavenly Father. . . . It has put me on a whole new road of seeking Him more. . . ."
Ian, Glenvista, Rep. of South Africa
"I was watching Praise the Lord the other night and listened to your comments on the universe, the big bang, and the concept of time. I have searched for years, while reading my Bible, to find someone knowledgeable to share some of my theories and questions with . . . .
"My comment to those people who use the big bang theory to bypass God has been this: What makes you think God didn't cause the big bang? Being a lay person of limited knowledge, I find your facts most invigorating. They substantiate my thoughts while stimulating my thinking on other areas of interest. . . ."
Leland, Brunswick, Ga.
"Having just listened to your interview with Dr. Schuller this morning from the Crystal Cathedral, I was fascinated with your new insights into the creation of the universe and can hardly wait to know more.
"Unfortunately, at age 92 I am confined to a wheelchair in a nursing home and can no longer go to libraries and bookstores to find books to answer my wonderings; so I will be very grateful to have the book you mentioned sent to me. When I graduated from Brown University in 1926 with a Phi Beta Kappa key, I thought I was well educated. Now, at 92, I find I have just a smattering of knowledge, and I find my whole life has been spent wanting to know more. I am looking forward to your help in learning more."
Irene, Providence, R. I.
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