Take Two

Star Trek’s Prime Directive and Moral Relativism

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:54:36 GMT

Star Trek Into Darkness, the second installment in director J. J. Abrams’ reboot of the classic sci-fi franchise, warped into theatres this week—and in case you don’t care for spoilers, skip down to the next paragraph. The film begins with Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) violating the United Federation of Planets’ “Prime Directive” (surprise, surprise) by revealing the technologically advanced USS Enterprise to a primitive civilization during an effort to save First Officer Spock’s (Zachary Quinto) life.

Wikipedia explains, “The Prime Directive dictates that there can be no interference with the internal development of alien civilizations.” The motivation for this guiding principle is the belief that whenever a superior civilization attempts to improve a less-advanced culture, however good the intentions, the results are disastrous.

As the Star Trek franchise progressed, so did the Prime Directive’s applications. For example, in Star Trek: The Next Generation, the characters not only avoid influencing primitive societies with their technology, they also try to refrain from meddling in civil conflicts, correcting moral corruption, and even reversing natural disasters and epidemics that threaten to wipe out whole civilizations.

The Prime Directive’s moral implications provide a good example of what would happen if we took relativism to its logical conclusion. Moral relativism can be summed up by the catchphrase: “What’s true for you may not be true for me.” In other words, morality is subject to the ethics and values of an individual person or an individual society. While this belief is widely held today, it comes with serious drawbacks.

Star Trek’s Prime Directive demonstrates one consequence: that is, losing the right to judge or condemn another culture’s actions. In his book Without A Doubt, RTB philosopher/theologian Kenneth Samples elucidates,

The acceptance of ethical conventionalism (“whatever a person’s culture says is right is right”) means one culture cannot criticize the moral actions of another culture....Yet how can one accept a so-called system of morality that makes it impossible to bring ruthless people, such as the Nazis, to the bar of justice?

If Star Trek is anything to go by, such a form of relativism is not truly livable. Throughout the franchise, the characters’ own ethics clash with the Prime Directive—and sometimes triumph over it. Several characters argue vehemently against the Prime Directive. They question whether the Directive actually holds the moral high ground in all circumstances.

The issue boils down to the lack of an objective moral foundation. Christianity points to the God of the Bible as the one true source of morality. If we discover morality that stems from God, rather than determining it for our culture, or ourselves, then we can know for certain that some things are right and others wrong. We can enact justice, separate virtue from vice, and mend real deficiencies in our culture and others.

— Maureen

Resources: Check out these RTB resources for more musings on the nature of morality and ethics.

Without A Doubt (book) by Kenneth Samples
A World of Difference (book) by Kenneth Samples
“Thinking about Ethics” (five-part article series) by Kenneth Samples
“Is Morality Only in the Eye of the Beholder?” (article) by Kenneth Samples
“Magnets and Morality” (article) by Fazale Rana
“Getting Away with Murder” (Take Two)

The Great (and Lonely) Gatsby

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:59:16 GMT

“I felt a haunting loneliness sometimes, and felt it in others—young clerks in the dusk, wasting the most poignant moments of night and life.”

—The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless classic, The Great Gatsby, reveals a mystical tale of a man (Jay Gatsby) infatuated with opulence, obsessed with reliving the past, and secretly engrossed in loneliness. Through Nick Carraway’s eyes, we glimpse into the sparkling world of Gatsby and of the Jazz Age in post-war, pre-Great Depression America—a time when the country’s youth shunned traditional culture in pursuit of pleasure in gluttonous abundance.

The much-anticipated feature-film adaptation of Fitzgerald’s magnum opus hits theaters and perhaps new audiences today. As the trailers suggest, director Baz Luhrmann (Strictly Ballroom, Moulin Rouge, Romeo+Juliet) masterfully brings Fitzgerald’s palpable prose to technicolor life. (On a personal note, the merging of one of my favorite books with one of my favorite directors is almost more than I can bear.)

If the movie does justice to its source, it will bring to light the hopelessness of Gatsby’s lavish yet ultimately tragic life. His money does not afford him the opportunity to repeat the past nor to acquire what he longs for most: Daisy Buchanan.

Through much of the story, Gatsby remains drawn to the green light that shines from across the bay leading to Daisy’s home, and he clings to the hope of a future that lingers just beyond reach. In the end, Gatsby’s wealth, popularity, and charm prove inadequate remedies for his loneliness.

The same can be said about humanity’s deepest longings.

In part 2 of “All the Lonely Believers,” Kenneth Samples makes the case that humans are built with an internal need for transcendence and that this need suggests the existence of a “transcendental external reality (God) to fulfill this powerful internal need.”

“People will feel a deep-seated loneliness if they are alienated from God,” he says, which is a reasonable expectation if, as the Bible reveals, humans were created in the image of God. Samples expands on this topic by pointing to Christian philosophers Blaise Pascal and Augustine, both of whom argued that “human beings have a god-shaped vacuum within them.”

In Pensées, Pascal describes “this infinite abyss” that “can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.” In Confessions, Augustine offers this prayer to God: “man cannot be content unless he praises you” and “our hearts will find no peace until they rest in you.”

He believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther….And one fine morning—So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

-The Great Gatsby

Gatsby’s struggle serves as a poignant reminder of the frustration and despair that come with pursuing temporal pleasure. To believe, like Gatsby did, in the green light only to have it elude us is futile and pushes us farther away from what our souls crave.

–Sandra

The Inconceivable Misuse of Science Words

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:37:35 GMT

In the oh-so-quotable The Princess Bride, swashbuckling Spaniard Inigo Montoya calls out bossy Sicilian Vizzini on his overuse of the word “inconceivable.”

“You keep using that word,” Inigo says, “I do not think it means what you think it means.”

The same could be said about science terminology. A recent article on LiveScience.com laments the general populous’ frequent misuse of seven science words and phrases. The list includes, “hypothesis,” “theory,” “model,” and “skeptic,” among others. Blame for this lack of understanding, as we at RTB would agree, lies with poor science education.

In a discussion about the article on Science News Flash, RTB astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink describes this common misunderstanding as a “fundamental disconnect between the way majority of the population understands certain things and the way scientists understand certain things.” Part of the problem is the general public’s unfamiliarity with the history behind particular scientific terms.

Jeff points to a few examples of how the disconnect creeps into people’s response to science and scientists. To start, scientists do not view the big bang as some sort of uncontrolled explosion. Rather the theory suffers from a bad nickname that stuck despite its misleading connotations. Likewise, we often refer to Newton’s laws of motion—even though we now know “we can violate them when we go very fast...or in very strong gravitational fields.”

In the science-faith debate, it’s not uncommon to hear Christians use the “It’s just a theory” line to dismiss concepts such as the big bang or evolution—but this is one defense that we ought to put of the shelf. First off, this argument is rendered faulty by misunderstanding the scientific meaning of “theory.” The LiveScience.com article explains:

Part of the problem is that the word “theory” means something very different in lay language than it does in science: A scientific theory is an explanation of some aspect of the natural world that has been substantiated through repeated experiments or testing. But to the average Jane or Joe, a theory is just an idea that lives in someone’s head, rather than an explanation rooted in experiment and testing.

Secondly, and what I would consider more important as a Christian, the “it’s just a theory” jab also alienates and offends people. In discussions I’ve had with fellow believers regarding the origin of life, this off-putting line stops the conversation cold. Jeff points out that no one appreciates this kind of dismissive treatment:

I know as a Christian, if somebody comes up to me and says, “You know, I don’t have to listen to the Bible; it’s just a bunch of oral traditions somebody’s written down...it just can’t be what they said”—well, I quit listening to them because they...haven’t taken any care to understand my position. So how do I engage with somebody who doesn’t have any understanding and doesn’t seem to want any understanding?

This is not to say that we have to agree with the theory of evolution, but rather that we need to be more thoughtful and considerate when we question its validity. Jeff asks his listeners to imagine the impact the church could have if scientists viewed Christians as people who understood and respected their positions, even if we disagree.

Let’s hope such a scenario isn’t inconceivable!

— Maureen

Resources: Check out these RTB resources for more tips on engaging in the science-faith discussion.

“Turning Away Wrath” (Take Two)
RTB Live! vol. 13: Everyday Apologetics (DVD) with Kenneth Samples
“An Intellectual Code of Conduct, Parts 1, 2, and 3” by Kenneth Samples (Reflections)
“Explosive Debates Putting Out Fires and Dodging Verbal Bullets” (Take Two)
“A Spoonful of Vinegar” (Take Two)
“Why Can’t We Be Friends?” (Take Two)
“15-yard Penalty” (Take Two)

Spreading the Good News--With Love

Wed, 01 May 2013 23:06:45 GMT

Vibrant foliage colors, exciting festivities, and Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes all help make fall my favorite time of year. Although people often say Southern California doesn’t experience “real” seasons, the signs of change are here. Our founder, Hugh Ross, aptly describes autumn in SoCal in an upcoming ministry letter:

While the seasons here in Southern California are subtle, to those of us who live and work here the signs are very familiar. From the yellowing of the autumn light to the unmistakable marine layer that reaches deep into the valleys and canyons.

Another hallmark of autumn here at RTB is our jam-packed roster of upcoming events. With summer vacations over, the scholar team is on the road again. As we outline in our mission statement, “RTB exists to spread the Christian Gospel...” One way we do this is by sending our scholars out to participate in discussion and dialogue about the relationship between science and faith.

Engaging and Equipping

The RTB mission doesn’t stop at simply engaging scientists and other influencers at universities and churches. We also aim to equip and encourage everyday believers (like me and Sandra) to share, boldly and respectfully, the Good News with family, friends, colleagues, and even the blogosphere! We want believers to view apologetics as an important part of communicating with a skeptical world. But, as representatives of Christ, we also need to remember to value winning people more than winning an argument.

Christian apologist Carson writes on his blog, Reasons for God:

One of the habits which is all-too-common among “apologists” is a failure to listen. When we don’t ask questions, when we don’t give you [the listener] the space to share your thoughts and your heart, when we forcibly make our point whether or not you want to hear it, we do damage. It can be more about us sounding right than you experiencing love, care, and someone admitting that what happened to you was wrong.

This is why RTB includes “gentleness, respect, and integrity” among our core values. So to help Christians lovingly spread the Good News of Christ the Creator and Redeemer in their sphere of influence, we offer resources in various formats.

Debates on DVD: The RTB Live! series and other DVDs offer front row seats to lively science-faith discussions between RTB scholars and opponents such as Michael Shermer and Victor Stenger.

RTB Live! Vol. 1: The Great Debate: Hugh Ross and Victor Stenger
RTB Live! Vol. 2: UCSB Skeptics Forum: Hugh Ross and Fazale Rana with Harry Nelson and Kevin Plaxco
RTB Live! Vol. 10: Skeptics Forum: Hugh Ross, Fazale Rana, and Michael Shermer
The John Ankerberg Debate: Young-Earth vs. Old-Earth (featuring Hugh Ross and Kent Hovind)
The Great Debate on Science and the Bible (featuring Hugh Ross, Walt Kaiser, Jason Lisle, and Ken Hamm)

Tips for cogent reasoning: RTB philosopher/theologian Kenneth Samples always encourages believers to be careful thinkers who use sound logic and respectful rhetoric to present their case for Christ. Check out his blog, Reflections, and podcast, Straight Thinking, for series like “Logic 101” (blog) and “The Golden Rule of Apologetics” (podcast).

Brilliant blog posts: Okay, so maybe we’re not “brilliant,” but Sandra and I share a few nuggets of wisdom we’ve picked up from the scholars in these posts: “A Match Made in Heaven,” “Explosive Debates,” “Ballroom Lessons,” and “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”

As always, I hope these resources help you in your faith-centered conversations, no matter the topic. Who knows? Maybe you’ll see signs of change in the skeptics in your life.

— Maureen

Resources: Like the list of resources above, RTB’s fall itinerary is long. You can keep up with the scholars’ schedules (or book them to come to your area) at reasons.org/events. Highlights from this season’s travels will include:

Hugh’s Seattle Area Tour: From October 22–26, Hugh will tour the Seattle area speaking at various gatherings, including Mars Hill Church, Lake Sammamish Foursquare Church, the RTB Seattle chapter meeting, and a live radio interview on The Debbie Chavez Show.

Hugh and Fuz in Vancouver: November 3–8, Hugh and Fazale Rana will be in Vancouver, BC, for a round of lectures at venues like the University of British Columbia, Regent College, and Trinity Western University. They’ll also be participating in several scholar forums with Dennis Venema and Rob Tarzwell. These events are sponsored by the RTB Vancouver chapter.

Following the Vancouver tour, Hugh will be heading to Calgary, AB, for more engagements in his home country.

How Do We (and Our Kids) Know God Is Really There?

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:33:31 GMT

It’s common for RTB to receive book recommendations, manuscripts, and review copies of books. For the most part we’re unable to review them, but now and then someone on staff will spare some time to check out a book that catches their eye.

That’s precisely what happened with Melissa Cain Travis’ How Do We Know God Is Really There? (Apologia 2013). In this children’s book, Travis presents big bang cosmology from a biblical perspective. She holds an MA in science and religion from Biola University and a bachelor’s degree in general biology from Campbell University. She is also a Reasons Institute student and certified in Christian apologetics by Biola. Her book is the first in what will become the Young Defenders series, a collection of illustrated storybooks that teach the fundamentals of Christian apologetics to young children.

At first glance, a few of us on staff were skeptical that the heavy-at-times content (perhaps geared for teens) complemented the illustrations, which seemed geared for elementary-aged kids. But, in keeping with 1 Thessalonians 5:21, we decided to “test all things” by conducting a field report.

The field worker, in this case, was second grader Isabella (age 8). Isabella listened and giggled at some of the pictures. However, she became a bit impatient toward the end of the book (where the content gets heavy), even trying to flip forward to the next page. Still, she enjoyed the story overall and retained the gist of the apologetic points.

From an editorial perspective, I think some of the word choices could have been better—replacing more difficult words for simpler ones. And the story’s timeline was questionable. Thomas and his father accomplish a lot in one hour—from setting up a telescope (no small task), to retrieving a book from somewhere in the house, to engaging in a lengthy conversation about big bang cosmology. But, let’s be real. Editors aren’t the intended audience.

In this brief post-read interview, field worker Isabella offers her own thoughts on the book.

Did you like the book?

Yeah.

Was it boring?

No.

Did you learn anything?

That if something’s there, someone or something had to create it.

What were Thomas and his father doing?

Looking in a telescope at space.

And then what happened?

Thomas had some questions for his dad.

What were his questions?

How do we know that God is really there?

Then what did his dad tell him?

If you reverse something from the end then it will start from the beginning.

So can we do that with the universe? What happens with the galaxies?

Yeah. They will go closer and they’ll crash.

Then what happens?

There will be nothing.

What does that nothing mean?

That if there’s something, someone or something had to make it.

So who or what do you think made it?

God.

Because God’s outside of space and time and doesn’t have a body?

He doesn’t? That’s weird!

Clearly she has bearded Jesus in mind. But now, thanks to Travis’ book, she also has a basic understanding of how the big bang points to the biblical teaching of creation ex nihilo (creation out of nothing).

All in all, if you have a young child in your life, you might consider picking up How Do We Know God Is Really There? Considering the staggering reports that 85 out of 100 Christian teens eventually walk away from the faith, it’s never too early to prepare kids with sound reasons from science for faith in the God of the Bible.

–Sandra

Got older kids? Then check out Reasons Academy, RTB’s high school science apologetics program. You’ll also find an array of helpful resources at Educator’s Help Desk and short, content-packed videos at Through the Lens.

Pixels and Nucleotides: Artistry in the Details

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:42:34 GMT

We’re big movie fans in our house and we love to see how our favorites were made. While exploring the “behind-the-scenes” featurettes on our copy of Disney•Pixar’s Brave I stumbled across a little gem called “Wonder Moss.” In it, sets forest development artist Iñigo Quilez explains the complex mathematics used to create the film’s beautiful Scottish setting:

Most people think of mathematics as something boring and mechanical—but that’s not the way we see mathematics at Pixar. For us, maths are a tool to create images, movement, richness, and fun, actually.

He goes on to say that making a movie like Brave requires monitoring almost 200 billion pixels (each pixel is assigned three numbers that fine-tune its color). This film also required myriad mathematical equations to generate the rich, mossy backgrounds. For example, one equation controlled the thickness of a particular moss, while another controlled the moss’s movement, and so on. The amount of detail certainly dazzled this math-challenged English major.

Details in DNA

Even more dazzling is the detail inherent in DNA. As of October 2004, the Human Genome Project estimates human DNA contains 20,000–25,000 protein-coding genes (“a surprisingly low number for our species”) and 3 billion chemical base pairs (“the building blocks of the DNA double helix”). These numbers seem small compared to Brave’s pixel count—but the human genome is replete with astounding intricacies, all optimized to operate as efficiently and correctly as possible. In his book The Cell’s Design, RTB biochemist Fuz Rana writes, “Recent studies indicate that, like proteins, the structural features of DNA are also exceptional.”

For example, DNA is composed of fine-tuned nucleotides (specifically, adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, and thymidine). These nucleotides must be made up of the just-right components—and Fuz notes that these components “appear to have been carefully chosen for unsurpassed performance.” Then, in order to code for the appropriate proteins, the nucleotides must be arranged in the just-right sequences (codons) and, in turn, these sequences must be placed in the just-right spots along the DNA strand.

And that’s just the tip of the genetic iceberg. The world of DNA is vast and complex—and, as recently indicated by the ENCODE Project, we still have a lot to learn about it.

Thoughtful artists

When we look at the artistry in a movie like Brave, it’s abundantly clear that someone—indeed an entire team of people—put a lot of heart and many long hours into crafting the finished product. In the laboratory, the efforts to create an artificial life-form reveal that an inordinate amount of planning, expertise, and precision is needed to make even a simple bacterium.

Looking at the human genome, it seems apparent that more than mere undirected natural processes had a hand in creating such a detailed and vital element. Someone put a lot of thought and care into designing genetic material perfectly suited to be life’s blueprint.

— Maureen

Resources: For more on the design of DNA and other biochemical systems, check out these books from Fazale Rana.

The Cell’s Design
Creating Life in the Lab
Origins of Life (coauthored with Hugh Ross)

42: The True Story of An American Legend

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:43:28 GMT

Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York, April 15, 1947 — “The air was sparkling. The sunlight was warm. The band struck up the national anthem. The flag billowed in the wind.”¹

On this spring afternoon, a young baseball player sporting the number 42 would take first base and change the history of the game forever. The support and criticism following Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the “color barrier” in baseball served as a microcosm of the racial tension that persisted across the country in the 1940s. Nearly 66 years later, Jackie Robinson’s story unfolds onscreen in the feature film 42.

Whether reflecting on Jackie Robinson’s plight or on the fact that baseball’s best hitters fail to get a hit about twice as often as they succeed, Major League Baseball offers insight into America’s history and provides valuable lessons about everyday life. Issues such as social turmoil and immigration, personal failure and the importance of teamwork have all played out on the field. If so inclined, one could even draw apologetic value from the sport.

In the articles below, Kenneth Samples and I (both diehard fans of baseball and of the Los Angeles Dodgers, in particular) offer our perspective on the sport and the lessons it provides on and off the field.

How Baseball Prepared Me for Life – Kenneth shares his love of baseball and connects it with life lessons, including how to cope with personal slumps, setbacks, and failures.

Reflecting on Baseball and Life – Kenneth describes the analogy between baseball and daily life and provides a list of the unique features of Major League Baseball and why it has remained such a grand game.

Why Can’t We Be Friends? – I explain how an unpleasant run-in with a rival fan revealed the importance of seeking common ground with those who hold “opposing” team and worldview loyalties rather than fighting over our differences.

Still a Fan – I compare misconduct in the Dodger clubhouse with bad behavior in the church and how, despite the effect some Christians’ bad behavior might have on morale, such behavior shouldn’t dissuade the faithful from rooting for the home team.

Perhaps after reading through these articles, even nonfans can appreciate baseball as more than simply America’s pastime. At the very least, you might want to check out 42 in theaters, to see the cultural climate in the 40s through the eyes of baseball.

Ball fields once served as training grounds for justice and they continue to open doors for discussion of ultimate issues today.

–Sandra

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives,” —Jackie Robinson

***

1. Jackie Robinson as told to Alfred Duckett, I Never Had It Made: An Autobiography of Jackie Robinson (New York: Harper Collins, 1995): xxiv.

Oh, What a Rain: Earth’s Remarkable Water Cycle

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:42:22 GMT

A song I sing to my little daughter as I get her ready for the day goes like this:

If all of the raindrops
Were lemon drops and gumdrops
Oh, what a rain that would be!

I imagine that sort of “rain” would be more like a sugary hailstorm (à la Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs). While our Creator did not see fit to endow the skies with a candy dispenser, He did create a sweet water cycle perfectly suited to support life and human civilization.

Day two of the creation week (Genesis 1:6–8) provides a succinct description of the water cycle’s formation through the separation of the water on Earth’s surface from the atmospheric water above it. Based on what I can recall from grade school science class, the basics of this system include:

evaporation of water particles from Earth’s oceans and other bodies of water;
accumulation of water in the skies in the form of clouds;
precipitation of liquid and frozen water back to Earth; and
distribution of water via rivers, streams, etc., to rejoin the oceans and lakes.

And on it goes. This arrangement seemed simple enough when I was reading The Magic School Bus as a child—but RTB founder Hugh Ross points out in his booklet Genesis One that Earth’s water cycle is far more complex:

Such a water cycle demands intricate balancing of multiple factors: the physical characteristics of the Sun and Earth; the size, orientation, and average elevation of the landmasses; atmospheric composition, temperature, and pressure; wind velocities; and varied values of these atmospheric characteristics at certain altitudes above Earth’s surface. As precise as all these factors had to be to allow transformation of Earth’s atmosphere from opaque to translucent (light-penetrable), they had to be even more precise to permit a stable, life-essential water cycle.

Not only was the establishment of this life-sustaining system fine-tuned, but also its ongoing operation and maintenance appears designed to benefit Earth’s inhabitants. For example, the current arrangement of the planet’s continents ensures optimal distribution of precipitation across the globe. Moreover, plate tectonics helps maintain Earth’s liquid water supply and prevents our home from turning into another Venus or Mars—utterly barren and uninhabitable.

No wonder Scripture so often associates water with God’s provision and care. David declares in Psalm 65, “You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly.”

Thank God for those April showers!

— Maureen

Resources: For more on Earth’s remarkable water, check out the RTB resources below. Plus, keep an eye out for an upcoming Today’s New Reason to Believe series on water from guest author Dr. John Millam, starting May 20.

“The Rain Must Fall—But How Much and Where?” (article by Hugh Ross)
“An Ocean of Wonder” (article by Hugh Ross)
“Ancient Raindrops Help Solve Faint Sun Paradox” (Science News Flash podcast)
“Thankful for the Water Cycle” (I Didn’t Know That! podcast)

The Heart of Christianity

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:22:19 GMT

It’s no wonder Holy Week is so special to believers. As RTB theologian Kenneth Samples writes, “Jesus’ being raised to new life three days after His execution pumps the heart of the Christian gospel (doctrine), and is Christianity’s central supporting fact (apologetics).”

In previous years, we (Sandra and Maureen) have shared our thoughts on Palm Sunday, Lent, and Good Friday. This year we asked our fellow RTB staff members for their thoughts on or traditions for Holy Week.

The reality of God incarnate is overwhelming. He joined Himself with not only flesh and blood, but suffering and death, redeeming all of creation. Holy week is to me a “bright sadness.” – Sia, Ministry Care

My family and I like to walk through the week with Jesus. Each day we read what Christ did during that particular day of the week—we pick one gospel and discover together. What did Christ do on Palm Sunday? Palm Sunday night? Monday? And so on. – Krista, Reasons Academy/Institute

Here’s something my family does based on my Portuguese heritage. My grandparents make sweet bread every Easter and they put a hard-boiled egg in the dough and bake it. Whoever finds the egg in their bread gets a big box of Peeps marshmallows. Not very Christian or “Easter-y” but that’s what we do. – Brandon, Digital Outreach

What about you? How do you and your family recognize Holy Week and Easter, specifically?

For more RTB commentary on this special time in the Christian year, check out these resources.

Palm Sunday:

“Thoughts on Palm Sunday” (blog) by Maureen and Sandra

Good Friday:

“It Is a Good Friday” (blog) by Sandra
“Remember Me” (blog) by Maureen
“Understanding Lent” (blog) by Sandra
“Christ’s Cross: Its Four-Fold Distinctive Meaning” (article) by Kenneth Samples

Easter:

“Resurrection: What’s the Story?” (podcast) from Straight Thinking
“Resurrection: What’s the Historical Evidence?” (podcast) from Straight Thinking
“Resurrection: Humanity’s Greatest Hope” (podcast) from Straight Thinking
“If Christ Had Not Been Raised from the Dead: Reasoning through the Resurrection” (article) by Kenneth Samples
“Christianity’s Dangerous Ideas” (article) by Kenneth Samples

Salvation:

“God to the Rescue: Getting into Heaven by Grace, Not Works” (blog) by Kenneth Samples
“How Can I Get to Heaven?” (article) by Hugh Ross

Cowboys & Aliens & Worldviews

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:37:27 GMT

Last week’s Take Two discussed "A Match Made in Heaven"—the happy union of apologetics and evangelism. This week, I dare to suggest another happy union: Cowboys & Aliens. Classic Western and sci-fi. (Check out the trailer here.)

In just seven long-but-finite days, James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Han “Indy” Solo (Harrison Ford)—that’s how I choose to see ‘em at least—face off against a pack of extraterrestrial invaders. Commence “epic showdown for survival.”

Though the premise is clear to the moviegoer, the film’s characters aren’t sure what they’re fighting. Director Jon Favreau notes, “In the 1800s, nobody knows what aliens are. They think they’re demons.”

What’s ironic is that here in the real world, back in good ol’ 2011, there’s still no consensus on what to think of UFO and alien phenomena. Some say there’s a natural explanation for it all. Others entertain the idea of physical beings taking a road trip to visit us humans. And others, still, suggest the beings are spiritual in nature. (See here for details on the three hypotheses.)

There’s no consensus from a theological perspective, either. In a recent interview on The Janet Meffred Show, coauthor of Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men Kenneth Samples explains that “the Bible doesn’t say anything explicit about life in other worlds. It doesn’t necessarily deny it. [The topic] is all very, very rich and speculative, but Christians go back and forth.”

So, Cowboys & Aliens might offer more than just big numbers at the box office. It could cause viewers to think about the possibility of real-life aliens and how that idea fits within their particular worldviews. How does it fit within yours?

–Sandra

For RTB’s perspective on UFOs and aliens, check out:

ARTICLES

AUDIO

BLOGS

A Review of HISTORY'S The Bible

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:06 GMT

***Sandra and Maureen are taking a week off from blogging fun. They’ll be back to their usual schedule next week. In the meantime, please enjoy this guest post by RTB’s Dean of Online Learning (and former film reviewer) Krista Bontrager.***

In recent years, HISTORY has treated the Bible as a source for sensationalistic material, airing a steady stream of shows based usually on liberal scholarship. So it was with a fair bit of skepticism that I sat down to watch producer Mark Burnett’s miniseries The Bible. Yet the evangelical leaders supporting this project (not to mention the celebrity endorsements) made me hope for a pleasant surprise. Burnett (Survivor, The Apprentice, Shark Tank) and his wife, actress Roma Downey (Touched by an Angel), are the brains behind this project. Now that the series is three weeks in, I’d like to offer some brief comments.

Production Values

Despite the absence of big-name Hollywood stars, the casting is solid. One of the film’s more memorable performances is the slovenly and downright gross King Herod.

The project’s production value (costumes, sets, scriptwriting, etc.) reflects an insiders’ knowledge of how to make a quality independent film. Even so, the film doesn’t quite reach “epic” Cecil B. DeMille proportions. Many of the “large crowd” scenes look as if they only hired about 200 extras. The director then tried to “cheat the shot” by using close-ups to make the scope look larger than it actually was.

: One of a handful of wide shots: Nebuchadnezzar invades Jerusalem. I believe many of these soldiers toward the back are digital enhancements, not extras.

: Most battle scenes looked more like this: medium wide-shots showing a few guys with spears and shields.

The film does a decent job of accurately portraying the brutal nature of the ancient world. Even between battle scenes and kings killing people at-will, there is a fair amount of sword fighting, stabbing, and gouging. Thankfully, most of the violence happens offscreen. Still, this series would likely receive at least a PG-13 rating if released in theatres. I even shut my eyes several times and am still undecided about whether to let my almost-14-year-old watch it.

Accuracy and Artistic License

Some Christians have pointed out departures from the biblical narrative. For example, in the scene where David prepares to slay Goliath, David doesn’t visit a stream to collect five smooth stones; he simply picks them up off the ground. Though this is a tiny departure from Scripture, I don’t see this as being a huge issue of concern.

Each episode is preceded by an explicit disclaimer stating that this intended to be an artistic rendering of the Scriptures—and as anyone familiar with Hollywood adaptations of books knows, there is a certain tension between staying true to the original story and translating that story to the big (or small) screen. Overall, however, I think the filmmakers have done a remarkable job of remaining faithful to the key historical facts.

If I had to name the series’ weakest link, I’d have to say the overall storytelling. Obviously, a significant amount of pruning is inevitable in the attempt to fit the Bible into a TV miniseries. Viewers see a steady stream of historical events, stitched together by periodic and brief voice-overs. The unfortunate result is a story arc that often feels disjointed and characters that often seem one-dimensional, as we watch them sweep across the screen one after the other.

Also, given HISTORY’s target audience, it’s no wonder the series never explains the “why” behind all the stories of the Bible. Although that would certainly have increased the program’s appeal to me, I realize that the HISTORY audience isn’t necessarily interested in those kinds of theological questions.

Overall, Burnett and Downey are to be commended for their efforts to bring the story of the Bible to primetime television. In an age when Christianity is being pushed further and further to the margins of society, watching The Bible is a refreshing change.

–Krista

Additional resources:

“How to Watch a Movie,” Part 1 and Part 2 (Straight Thinking podcast)
As part of her church’s read-through-the-Bible campaign for 2013, Krista is currently producing a podcast series that goes through the entire Bible and explains how all the stories in the Bible tell the overall story of the Bible. The podcast, Points of Interest, is available on iTunes and on YouTube.

Beware the Ides of March—and Conspiracy Theories

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:57:19 GMT

O mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low?
— Julius Caesar, Act 3. Scene I.

The murder of Julius Caesar on March 15, 44 BCE, is one of the most famous assassinations in history. It resulted from a conspiracy of 60 Roman senators, led by Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus, in an effort to prevent Caesar from turning the Roman republic into a tyranny.

John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of President Abraham Lincoln was also determined to be the result of a conspiracy. (Ironically, Booth had performed in a well-reviewed production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar just months before killing Lincoln.)

Whether conspiracy is the “official” consensus or not, assassinations (such as JFK’s) often inspire conspiracy theories. UFOs and extraterrestrials and the 9/11 attacks form other topics ripe for speculation, with many Americans buying into various ideas of sinister government cover-ups and/or mysterious secret societies (The Da Vinci Code, anyone?). Christians in particular can also be susceptible to faulty ideas about the level of demonic activity’s influence in our world.

RTB philosopher and American history buff Kenneth Samples frequently addresses the issue of conspiracy theories on both his podcast (Straight Thinking) and his blog (Reflections). He acknowledges that “there are conspiracies” and that “governments have a tendency to cover up things” (he lists the Lincoln assassination and Watergate as respective examples). However, Ken cautions that such serious topics are a prime example of the need for careful, critical thinking.

In episode #156 of Straight Thinking, Ken, along with physicist and semiretired RTB scholar Dave Rogstad and podcast host Joe Aguirre, discusses the consequences—from wrongly slandering people’s character to devastating social agendas—that can result, at least in part, from buying into false ideas. Ken observes:

I think it’s fair to say that the Nazi [view] of the Jews...and then ultimately the “Final Solution” carried out by the Nazis—that all of this was based upon faulty conspiracy theories, and it ended up [with] 6 million people [dead]....It is a sobering thing to know that the Holocaust, at least in part, began with conspiracies about the Jewish people. We want to be very, very careful.

Clearly, in the age of the Internet and email, it behooves us to avoid swallowing and spreading sensational ideas, such as conspiracy theories, too quickly—before we’ve taken time to ascertain the truth. So, what are some ways we can evaluate the theories that come our way—whether they concern governments and assassinations or science and religion? Ken lists five questions that can test a theory for soundness and validity.

Coherence: Does the theory hold together foundationally?
Data: Does the theory comport with the facts?
Knowledge: Does the theory avoid unwarranted presumptions?
Competition: How well does the theory withstand counterevidence and viable challenges?
Verification: Is the theory open to falsification? If so, how?

Dave concludes the podcast episode with a passage from Proverbs to serve as a reminder of where God stands on the issue of truth verses lies.

There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:...
a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

All throughout Scripture, believers are instructed to love the truth and shun lies. Moreover, we are commanded to love God with all our mind. In other words, we need to use the brain the Creator gave us to think before we speak and click “forward.”

—Maureen

Resources: Ken often writes and talks about conspiracy theories and the need for critical thinking. Check out these resources for more on these controversial issues.

Reflections

“Thinking Through Big Government Conspiracy Theories”

Straight Thinking

Other

“Ideas, Ideology, and Islam” (article)
Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men (book) by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark

DNA and Proteins' Excellent Adventure

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:03:57 GMT

Perhaps you remember this scene from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure:

Bill: The truth is, Wyld Stallyns will never be a super band until we have Eddie Van Halen on guitar.

Ted: Yes, Bill. But I do not believe we will get Eddie Van Halen until we have a triumphant video.

Bill: Ted, it’s pointless to have a triumphant video before we even have decent instruments.

Ted: Well how can we have decent instruments if we don’t really even know how to play?

Bill: That is why we need Eddie Van Halen.

Ted: And that is why we need a triumphant video.

Both: Excellent! *air guitar*

At first look, this scene might not seem relevant to a discussion on the origin of life. But when you’re trying to explain mutually interdependent systems to a 16-year-old, you take what you can get. To the 16-year-old (my son, in this case), the idea that DNA and proteins (mutually interdependent) could emerge simultaneously on early Earth made as much sense as trying to get Eddie Van Halen on guitar by getting Eddie Van Halen on guitar.

Biochemist Fazale Rana explains that this mutual interdependence of DNA and proteins presents a “chicken-and-egg” problem (Which came first?) and raises questions about the origin of life. DNA stores genetic information and proteins catalyze chemical reactions. Both are essential for life to emerge. Yet because DNA and proteins are interdependent, both could not emerge simultaneously from a primordial soup, as the DNA–protein world hypothesis suggests.

Sounds pretty “bogus” from a naturalistic perspective. Yet evolutionists find a way around this conundrum by positing an RNA–world hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, life emerged from RNA (which simultaneously stores genetic information and catalyzes chemical reactions) then later evolved into the DNA–protein world.

However, in The Cell’s Design, Fuz explains the “most non-triumphant” difficulties with the RNA-world hypothesis:

It’s unlikely that the prebiotic chemical reactions identified in the laboratory for the production of ribose and the nucleobases [aspects of the RNA-world hypothesis] could take place on early Earth. And, even if these compounds did form, it’s unlikely they could assemble into functional RNA molecules. In fact, according to leading origin-of-life researcher Leslie Orgel, “It would be a miracle if a single strand of RNA ever appeared on the primitive Earth.”

To resolve issues with the RNA-world hypothesis, evolutionists now postulate a Pre-RNA world, which suggests life emerged from a still-earlier biochemical system. Fuz offers another resolution. If human designers and engineers often implement interdependent components simultaneously, then it stands to reason that a grand Designer would do the same to kick-start life on early earth.

As it turns out, chicken-and-egg systems do not pose much of a problem from a creation perspective. In fact, we might respond to such news much like Bill and Ted did in the scene above: Excellent! *air guitar*

–Sandra

Resources

The Cell’s Design

Origins of Life

Pieces of the RNA World Part 2

Pieces of the RNA World Part 1

A Fork in the Road Part 1

A Fork in the Road Part 2

Rescuing the RNA World? Part 1

Rescuing the RNA World? Part 2

Whales, Jellies, and Fish--Oh, My!

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:05:12 GMT

Ocean life is a wonder to behold, whether on a Discovery Channel show, at an aquarium, or in the ocean itself. My husband and I have developed an interest in marine animal parks and, fortunately, California offers several good ones. On a recent visit to SeaWorld San Diego we got up close to sharks, Galapagos penguins, flamingos, bottle-nose dolphins, sea lions, and the park’s star attractions, killer whales. Feeding and petting the bat rays was my personal favorite.

Visiting aquariums has made me more aware of the need for ocean conservation—but it was RTB’s articles and podcasts that finally helped me truly appreciate the importance of aquatic life and the biblical mandate to be good stewards of the Earth. Here I’d like to share the plethora of RTB resources on ocean creatures. The scholars and others comment on a wide range of topics, from the roles whales and otters play in climate control to the implications fish fossils and hybrid sharks have for the evolution-creation debate and more.

Whales

“Thank God for Whales” by Hugh Ross (article)
“Explosive Origins of Modern Whales Points to a Creator” by Fuz Rana (article)
“Did Whales Evolve?” with Hugh Ross and Fuz Rana (I Didn’t Know That! podcast segment, starts at 3:35)
“Convergent Buoyancy System Sinks Evolutionary Paradigm” by Fuz Rana (article)

Dolphins

“Dolphins Are Capable Sea Chefs, Scientists Say” with Fuz Rana (Science News Flash podcast, February 2, 2009)
“Are Dolphins Soulish?” with Jeff Zweerink and Hugh Ross (I Didn’t Know That! podcast segment, starts at 11:03)

Jellyfish

“Are Jellyfish Taking Over the Oceans?” with Hugh Ross (Science News Flash podcast, January 2, 2013)
“Biological Stirring of the Oceans” by Jeff Zweerink (article)

Fish

“Holy Fish Armor, Batman!” by Katie Galloway (article)
“Fish as Brain Food” with Fuz Rana, Patricia Fanning, and Jeff Zweerink (I Didn’t Know That! podcast segment, starts at 3:40)
“Ancient Mass Extinction of Fish May Have Paved the Way for Modern Species” with Fuz Rana (Science News Flash podcast, May 21, 2010)
“Fish Fossils Plug Hole in Evolutionary Theory” with Fuz Rana (Science News Flash podcast, July 14, 2009)

Sea Otters

“Can Sea Otters Help Combat Global Warming?” with Hugh Ross (Science News Flash podcast, September 11, 2012)

Sharks

“Hybrid Sharks: Evolution or Design?” with Fuz Rana (Science News Flash podcast, January 3, 2012)
“Big Bad Fish” by Maureen Moser (blog post)

Turtles

“Animal Magnetoreceptor Cells—Evidence of Design?” by Hugh Henry (article)
“Sea Turtle Compass” by Hugh Ross (TNRTB archive)

Oceans

“Oceans’ Salinity Changed” with Jeff Zweerink and Kevin Birdwell (Science News Flash podcast, May 8, 2012)
“Climate Change: The Oceanic Thermostat” by Kevin Birdwell (article)
“Why Does the Earth Have Oceans?” by Jeff Zweerink (article)

Conservation

“Oceans in Trouble: Are There Solutions?” with Hugh Ross (Science News Flash podcast, June 21, 2011)
“Save the Sharks!” by Maureen Moser (blog post)
“It’s Earth Day: What Are We Going to Do?” by Sandra Dimas (blog post)

Top 10 Science-Faith Conversation Starters

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:46:10 GMT

Tens of thousands of people are affected every day by this latest epidemic: the ironic hipster mustache. What may have begun as nothing more than a hairy badge for hipsters has transformed into a movement (fittingly called Movember) to “change the face of men’s health.” And it serves as a fine example of giving purpose to a trivial trend.

Another (not-so-trivial) trend, at least among believers, is a peripheral view of science and theology. Hugh reported that his recent university debate was more heavily attended by atheists despite the existence of several Christian groups on campus. The groups seemed “scared to engage” in the words of one attendee. Yet, in the groups’ fear, they missed a key opportunity to hear reasons why this conversation is so important, not only for evangelism but also for renewed confidence in who their Creator and Savior is.

The Christian groups’ absence highlighted a common tendency to shy away from science-faith discussion. So, too, did an article featured in Relevant titled “10 reasons why Christians should engage in the science-and-theology dialogue.” There are clear reasons to engage in this conversation, but some of us need help just knowing where to begin. So for our Thanksgiving special, Take Two offers our top 10 science-faith conversation starters.

Did you know the big bang was “discovered” long ago in the pages of the Bible? This cosmic beginning points to a God who cares so deeply for humanity that He created a cosmos for the benefit of humanity. (See “Nacho Average Discovery”)

It can be difficult to envision how God can be simultaneously near us and beyond us. But mathematics has found a way to illustrate this reality. This illustration helps demonstrate God’s character as all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present Caretaker. (See “Turtles and Transdimensionality”)

A full moon on a cloudless night is breathtaking. But did you know the moon formed as a result of a collision? God used this “beautiful disaster” to prepare the earth for life—specifically humanity. (See “A Stark Beauty”)

Did you know humans are the only creatures with an intrinsic ability to dance? This type of creative behavior is reflective of beings who are endowed with the image of God. (See “Let’s Dance”)

Sure, the Bible says we are created in God’s image. But did you know the fossil record reveals a sudden surge of creativity alongside the appearance of modern humans? This co-appearance of humans and culture stands in stark contrast with evolutionary models. (See “A Song for You”)

Rather than producing a clear evolutionary tree, the fossil record looks more like blades of grass, consistent with biblical creation. Events like the Cambrian explosion display hallmarks of a Creator’s involvement, such as sudden speciation and extinction events—sounds like Psalm 104:27–30. (See “A Long Time Ago in Our Very Own Galaxy...”)

Did you know significant archaeological discoveries support the Bible’s historic accuracy? Findings, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, increase confidence in the Bible’s reliability and inerrancy. (See “Sifting Fact from Fiction in Biblical Archaeology”)

Based on its own mechanisms, the evolutionary process can’t replicate its results. But did you know the natural world is replete with repetitious designs among unrelated organisms? Features like echolocation in bats and dolphins display convergence, a phenomenon that fits better within the biblical explanation for life. (See “Repeat Performance”)

Getting pelted with asteroids isn’t high on anyone’s list—but research shows an upside to such bombardments. Precisely engineered collision events during Earth’s early years helped path the way for life to survive and thrive on this little blue planet. (See “Blockbusters and Bombardments”)

At first, their work sounds like a scene from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, but synthetic biologists’ attempts to create artificial life are something to be thankful for. In addition to opening possibilities for exciting breakthroughs, the efforts to generate life in the lab vividly demonstrate that “even the simplest life-form cannot arise without the involvement of an intelligent, intentional agent.” (See “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Creating Life in the Lab”)

The hope here on Take Two is to provide accessible apologetics arguments—and perhaps help start a new trend of Christians engaging in science and theology discussions. Perhaps these conversation starters can be passed around the table along with the gravy this Thanksgiving.

Speaking of the holiday, we have a few favorite Turkey Day “trends” of our own. Maureen and her husband spend the holiday catching up with his family around the turkey. (And this year they’re hoping to talk everyone into a group trip to the cinema for the new Muppets movie.) Sandra and her crew split their holiday, spending half of the day serving Thanksgiving Dinner-in-the-Park and the other half with extended family.

What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

– Maureen and Sandra

For Your Consideration

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:26:59 GMT

Cinephiles everywhere will salivate this Sunday as they tune in to watch the 85th Academy Awards. Part of the fun for viewers is picking a winner worthy of a tiny golden man.

While we here at RTB might never win an Oscar for feature-film endeavors, we do have a few new podcast features to offer for your consideration. Listeners of the I Didn’t Know That! podcast might be familiar with our longstanding segment, Stump the Scholar. But if you missed the last couple of episodes, we unveiled several new segments for your listening pleasure.

Here’s a quick rundown for those who didn’t know about these new (and classic) segments.

Behind the Scenes

If any segment could fall under the category of comedy, it would be this one. Producer Andrew pulls snippets of our off-air banter, offering listeners a candid look (or listen) at what happens when we’re off the air. The segment from this week’s podcast includes, among other things, deep thoughts and hearty giggles from Fuz Rana. You’ll find it at around 31 minutes into the episode.

Bizarre Science

It’s wonderful when scientific discoveries offer apologetic value, but even without the connection to faith, science is just plain cool—and sometimes bizarre, as the scholars explain. In the first two installments, Jeff sheds some light on ever-mysterious black holes and ponders the question, “How fast do we move in time?” You’ll find them at approximately 45 minutes and 10 minutes, respectively.

Elevator Apologetics

Quick—You’ve got 10 floors and 60 seconds in an elevator to answer an apologetic question. How do you respond? Thinking quickly on their feet, the scholars offer brief replies to common science-faith questions. See how Hugh fares when faced with the question “Isn’t it arrogant to assume Christianity is true and all other religions are false?” You’ll find it at 21 minutes.

Stump the Scholar

This portion of the podcast (initially hosted by Beth, now hosted by yours truly) evokes fear and trembling from the scholars (not really) as I attempt to stump Hugh, Fuz, Ken, Jeff, and Dave with various trivia. Find out if they were successfully stumped in the latest episode at 56 minutes. (Rumor has it Fuz accuses the host of a breach in etiquette.)

***

Take a listen to the new segments and let us know what you think. Which would you nominate for Best Segment? No statuettes will be handed out, but it’s always good to know what listeners think of our latest work. We hope there are a few “winners” in the bunch (and no tear-jerkers).

Speaking of winners, “Average” Joe Aguirre and the scholars close the Q&A portion of every episode by awarding a resource winner from among the questions selected for the podcast. If you’d like a chance to have your science-faith question answered live on the podcast (and to be in the running to win a resource), email ask@reasons.org—and be sure to keep it succinct.

As for the Academy Awards, I’ll be watching with friends and family, complete with movie-themed costumes and cuisine. (Life of “Pie” cupcakes? Yes!) What about you? Who are you rooting for?

–Sandra

Resources

Here are some fun (and informative) movie-themed resources from RTB:

“How to Watch a Movie Part 1” and “Part 2” with Kenneth Samples, Dave Rogstad, and Krista Bontrager

“Top Five Abraham Lincoln Movies” by Kenneth Samples

“Pi’s Path to God” by Maureen Moser

A Trip to Hell with Screwtape

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:14:26 GMT

In describing the process of writing The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis said, “I never wrote with less enjoyment . . . The work into which I had to project myself while I spoke through Screwtape was all dust, grit, thirst, and itch.” Nevertheless, Lewis’ book of diabolical epistles remains one of his most popular works, as Fellowship for the Performing Arts’ successful and highly praised stage adaption proves.

Starring Max McLean as the eponymous demon, The Screwtape Letters opened off-Broadway in New York City in 2006 and has continued to play to sold-out theatres across the country. I had the opportunity last Saturday to attend a performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Having never read the book (not for long!), I entered the theatre with fresh ears. The glowing reviews tell the truth: this is a wonderful production.

Dressed in a garish smoking jacket, Screwtape paces about his macabre office discussing various techniques of temptation in letters to his nephew Wormwood, a junior tempter eager to lure his first “patient” down the road to Hell, where the demons wait to feast on the human’s soul. Toadpipe, a nimble but mute fiend, takes down dictation. The play is, essentially, a 90-minute monologue, but it’s never boring. McLean delivers a powerful performance, at times witty, at other times repulsive, but always riveting.

It’s surprising how relevant Lewis’ work remains more than 50 years after its publication. Writing from the demonic point of view brings to light, albeit somewhat humorously, the seriousness of spiritual warfare. Satan and his hordes hate humans and hunger for their destruction. Peter warns believers, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

In keeping with this description, Lewis depicts Screwtape as a ravenous creature looking for every opportunity to prevent his patients from forming “the fatal habit of attending to universal issues and withdrawing his attention from the stream of immediate sense experiences.” Screwtape cautions his green nephew not to allow his patient to think, reason, ponder, or read science! The aim is to keep the man from discovering God’s truth and offer of salvation. Some methods of distraction include gluttony, vanity, pride, and lust.

One such distraction RTB frequently addresses is astrology and the seeking of “secret knowledge.” When recent headlines declared dramatic changes in the Zodiac signs, RTB founder Hugh Ross commented on Science News Flash,

The apostle Paul strongly warns us to avoid that [astrology and other forms of ‘secret knowledge’] because the only way it can have any reality is if you’ve got a demonic connection. There are beings out there that are more powerful than we; there are beings out there that are not subject to the space-time limitations of the universe. So they can do things in your life that look really amazing. But it’s not reliable...Their motive is to guide you away from the real truth and away from the real One who will save you for the rest of eternity.

Satan can make vices and sin look so attractive, even laudable. The thing I love about Lewis is his ability, throughout his fiction works, to strip away the allure to show what Hell really offers. At one point in the performance, Screwtape preaches demonic propaganda, his voice rising until he is nearly screaming, “An ever-increasing craving for an ever-diminishing pleasure is the formula. It’s more certain, it’s better style to get the man’s soul and give him nothing in return!”

Christ understood this deceptive ploy when the devil tempted him in the desert. Though Satan offered him rewards that would make most human mouths water, Jesus saw their worthlessness in light of eternity and rejected them. God promises help in resisting temptation. Paul reminds us of God’s faithfulness in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “he will not let you be temptedbeyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

And fortunately, for those moments of weakness, there is also forgiveness.

— Maureen

Check out the website for The Screwtape Letters for tour dates. If you have a chance to see it, go!

Resources: Hugh addresses the serious dangers of demonic influence in the book Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men (coauthored by Ken Samples and Mark Clark).

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:59:37 GMT

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

— Lamentations 3:22–23

These verses, from a book whose title refers to “the act of expressing grief,” influenced the lyrics of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” A staple of church hymnals, this beautiful song celebrates the goodness of God in the lives of believers. It has lately become a favorite of mine as I’ve paid closer attention to the words. One verse of the hymn declares:

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

How often are we directed to look to creation as evidence of God’s character? Scripture points regularly to nature to help illustrate the Lord’s might, power, faithfulness, love, and myriad other wonderful qualities. Psalm 104 praises the Creator’s “splendor and majesty,” greatness and power, and provision of sustenance for plants, animals, and humans. Psalm 147 points to God’s faithfulness displayed in nature and then encourages readers to put hope “in his unfailing love.” Romans 1 even declares that God’s truth and qualities are revealed so clearly in creation that the wicked are “without excuse.”

RTB founder Hugh Ross excels at pointing out the ways creation testifies to God’s “faithfulness, mercy, and love”—with a scientific flavor. For example, Earth’s biodiversity and greenhouse gases are delicately balanced to counter the effects of the Sun’s increasing luminosity. Our unique Moon was likely formed through a perfectly timed and placed collision between Earth and a Mars-sized object. On a microscopic scale, bacteria, despite their bad reputation, benefited all life by helping prepare the planet for more advanced creatures and today they adapt to clean up natural and man-made messes (such as the BP oil spill).

In other words, humanity’s environment is fine-tuned for our civilization to thrive and for God to achieve His good and perfect will. In his book Hidden Treasures in the Book of Job, Hugh puts it this way, “The mind-boggling age and extent of the universe and the unfathomable intricacies of even the tiniest entities within it all proclaim that God has mind-boggling and unfathomable plans and purposes for it—and for humanity.”

To me, the evidence of God’s care and love in creation make it all the easier to sing and believe the final verse of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth;
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow;
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.

— Maureen

Resources: Discover more about God’s design of and purpose for creation in Hugh’s unique book Hidden Treasures in the Book of Job

Grand by Design

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:41:31 GMT

It’s as busy as Grand Central Station. This New York landmark, correctly referred to as Grand Central Terminal, is often thought of as the epitome of chaos. Rightfully so. I happened to be there on its 100th birthday, February 1, 2013. The terminal teemed with performers and cameras, with local commuters undeterred from their path, and with overwhelmed tourists trying to soak it all in. Displayed above the chaos: an astronomical mural framed by intricate architecture.

I exhaled slowly and thanked God for the quiet reminder of his handiwork. Then I looked with new eyes at the hectic scene on the ground. All around me literal signs whispered “Grand by Design,” as if offering a silent confirmation that underneath all the busyness and chaos is intentionality, order, and design.

A train station with 67 tracks is busy enough, but when we look up at the sky, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the “muchness” of it all. Astronomers estimate that perhaps billions of planets exist in our galaxy alone, not to mention what’s yet to be detected in other galaxies. It’s all so much to take in, and yet every brush stroke in the night sky canvas reveals God’s handiwork.

From the placement of our planetary neighbors who shield our planet from harmful impacts, to the just-right ratios of elements to support advanced life, the grand-by-design features of our universe point to the skillful hand of an Artist.

Astronomer Hugh Ross lists five recent examples (discoveries) that reveal a solar system that is not only fine-tuned but also rare.

The abundance ratios of carbon, sodium, magnesium, and especially oxygen relative to iron in our Sun must be fine-tuned for advanced life to be feasible.
Our Sun must have the just-right elemental composition to maintain the kind of atmosphere and geochemical cycles necessary to sustain life for billions of years.
Our solar system’s primordial planets must be exposed to a certain kind of supernova (exploding star) in order to have established the just-right amount of rare-earth elements to sustain life.
Our planet must have a long history of strong plate tectonics for appropriate nutrient recycling (necessary for life) to be possible.
Earth must have enduring, continuous, and aggressive silicate (rocks comprising 95 percent of Earth’s crust) weathering to sustain life. This weathering removes greenhouse gases from our planet’s atmosphere to compensate for the Sun’s increasing luminosity (brightness).

Hugh explains that, “These five studies establish that habitability lifetimes in the billions of years demand such a long list of exceptionally fine-tuned planetary characteristics as to defy naturalistic explanations.”

And they represent just a few examples. There are plenty more in “Fine-Tuning for Life in the Universe,” “Fine-Tuning for Life on Earth,” and elsewhere.

In the search for life on other planets, astronomers have found that our solar system and planet reveal order amid so much “chaos.” Other planetary systems fall short of meeting the requirements for a planet that can sustain advanced life. As the search for life-friendly planets continues, we expect astronomers—who enjoy a viewing platform akin to that of a bustling terminal—will find more evidence that our home planet is grand by design.

–Sandra

Resources:

See the Design and RTB’s Creation Model topic pages for more on the grand design revealed in nature.

You’ve Got a Friend in Me

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:24:12 GMT

Over the last several months my family has faced a number of challenges—ranging from specific illnesses and injuries to general life hurdles. Through it all we’ve been surrounded by the loving support of family and friends. Whether through encouraging Facebook comments, prayer groups, or meals and flowers, everyone has a different way of letting us know they are standing with us.

Even an introvert like me has to admit that community is vital to human health—physically, mentally, and spiritually. The Bible’s been declaring this message for thousands of years. In the very beginning, the only thing God noted as “not good” about His creation was Adam’s loneliness—so He created Eve. Acts 2:42–47 describes the fellowship of the early church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer....All the believers were together and had everything in common.” God Himself lives in community through the Trinity.

RTB founder Hugh Ross kicked off 2013 with two Science News Flash podcasts about research that supports the necessity of fellowship. (Listen to “Gratitude Can Improve Your Life” and “Rejoice with Those Who Rejoice.”)

Saying “Thank You”

It’s no secret that an attitude of gratitude is good for us. Scripture teaches this (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18) and scientists have found that gratefulness can improve your autoimmune system and result in better sleep. A Yahoo! News article pointed to scientific studies that show we gain even more advantages from thankfulness—at the same time, passing along the blessings—when we share our reasons for gratitude with others.

In other words, we get better results from communicating gratefulness to others, instead of just keeping it to ourselves. Hugh notes that scientists have also observed the opposite effects when studying people who do not practice gratitude. Moreover, gratitude also impacts our ability to forgive people for their offenses against us.

Best of the Times and Worst of Times

For decades researchers have found that providing help to someone in a difficult circumstance can produce at least three different reactions: positive, neutral, or negative. The reason for these varied responses remained a mystery until a new study, titled “Safely Test the Alarm,” shed light on this puzzle.

The paper reveals that providing support in good times—not just bad times—is key for a consistent positive outcome from help offered in difficulties. In other words, someone who is suffering is more likely to respond positively to proffered help if the helper has been there for happy times, too. Hugh makes a connection between this research report and the biblical instructions to “Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.” He speculates that people need to see consistent and genuine participation in their lives on the part of family and friends.

In other words, we need to invest fully in each other (even if that investment looks different for different relationships). For my own family, we received just as much support and love upon the birth of our daughter as we have during the more recent challenges—and from many of the same people.

There’s a lot to garner from these studies. Hugh comments in the gratitude episode,

I’m encouraged as a Christian and as an astronomer, that there are people actually trying to put these biblical ideas to the scientific test...What’s fun for me is that there’s now scientific studies backing up what the Bible’s been teaching for thousands of years.

What stands out to me is how much we need each other. Humans are meant to live in healthy, loving relationships. Isolation and anonymity seems to lead to the nasty, ungracious comments about “other people” I’ve seen online. Of course we all need solitude from time to time or perhaps we need to rethink certain friendships, but without “other people” we miss out on some pretty awesome physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual perks.

— Maureen

Resources: Get more Bible-based insights into science headlines with our flagship podcast, Science News Flash.