In my first economics class at Illinois State University, my instructor said that if we learned the material presented in the class we would know more economics than 95% of the adults in the United States. One of the basic principles presented was that in a free market economy without impediments price is determined by supply and demand. According to ABC news, 75% of the adults polled in a recent public opinion poll blamed President George W. Bush for the high price of gasoline in the United States. Unless the President has some magical power over supply and demand, that supposition is patently absurd.
The reasoning of those polled seems to follow these similar lines. John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960. In 1963 because he had some political problems, he went to Texas to help his political fortunes. While he Texas, he participated in a political caravan in Dallas. During that caravan, his head got in the way of bullets killing him. Therefore, John F. Kennedy is to blame for his own murder. Isn’t that ridiculous? Yes. And it is just as ridiculous to blame President Bush for the price of gasoline.
Do I like paying almost $3.00 a gallon for a gallon of gasoline? No! I would much rather pay $.50 a gallon and get it free on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But, I doubt that will happen.
I also don’t like Bill Gates being a multi-billionaire. I also don’t like large corporate executives being paid millions of dollars a year. I also don’t like baseball, basketball, and football players among other athletes being paid millions of dollars a year. I also don’t like so called movie and TV stars being paid millions of dollars a year. However, I understand why they are—supply and demand. Our demand for those products is great and the supply seems to be limited. The result is high prices.
Wednesday morning I was in a local grocery store. Out of curiosity, I checked the price of selected products. T-bone steak was $8.99 a pound. The store brand milk was on sell for $1.00 per half gallon or $2.45 for a gallon container of the same brand of milk. Two other brands of milk were selling for $2.75 and $3.68 per gallon respectively. A select brand of fruit juices was on sell for $2.00 a half gallon ($4.00 a gallon). The regular price was $2.99 or more per half gallon depending upon the type of fruit juice selected. Orange juice was on sell for $2.50 a half gallon ($5.00 a gallon). The regular price was $2.99 for a half gallon. A 1.75 quart of a name brand ice cream was on sell for $3.55. If I did the math correctly, that translates into a price of $8.11+ for a gallon of ice cream.
In perspective, maybe the price of gasoline which also includes additional taxes is not so out of line after all. The problem is—we use a lot more gasoline that these other products. We also seem to have gotten use to the concept that we have some kind of magical right to low priced gasoline.
Some members of Congress are proposing a so called “windfall profits tax” on oil companies. According to tonight’s PBS stock market report, Exxon’s profit in the first quarter of 2006 increased 7% above the same quarter last year. Is that a “wind- fall profit”? Who decides what is and what is not a “windfall profit”?
According to the Peoria Journal Star (4/25/06, front page), Caterpillar Tractor Company “had a record first-quarter profit….”
“The profit-per-share was 48 percent above that of the first quarter of 2005 as sales and revenue increased 13 percent….” Should Caterpillar pay a “windfall profit tax”? In 1991, I had a 46% increase in investment income. Three other years in that decade, I had increases of more than 30% each year. Should I have had to pay a “windfall profit tax”? One of my clients went from zero investment income in 1990 to a paper net worth of over a million dollars by the end of the decade. (He lost over half of it when the tech bubble imploded.) Should he have paid a “windfall profit tax”? Select individuals win millions of dollars by selecting one correct set of numbers in an instant. Should they pay a “windfall profit tax”? When a baseball player receives a new contract that increases his salary by over 50% a year, should he pay a “windfall profit tax”?
In short, how can anyone possibly determine what is a “windfall profit”? They can not!
Yesterday (4/25/06), I posted a list of suggested readings as provided in the book The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. Lee Strobel is not and does not pretend to be a scientist. According to the book, he was an atheist who had been a newspaper reporter and who has a law degree.
One of the arguments proclaimed in the evolution-intelligent design (My position is that the intelligent design can only be from GOD.) debate is that no reputable scientist supports the argument that the universe and all that is within is the result of intelligent design. (Of course, the people who argue this define a reputable scientist as one who supports evolution.) My belief is that Christians should not “fear” any true scientific study. Since GOD is the first and greatest scientist as creator of the universe, all truly accurate scientific research must point to GOD as the CREATOR.
In the book, Lee Strobel discusses eight interviews he had with individuals who all have at least one PHD with scientific training. He interviewed one individual twice and one interview was with two individuals at one time.
He gives the academic training of each of the eight individuals. For my purposes, I will briefly highlight three of these individuals. The conclusion that must be reached is that it is absolutely incorrect to declare that no reputable scientist supports the concept of intelligent design.
Stephen C. Meyer has degrees in physics and geology. He has a “master’s degree in the history and philosophy of science” from Cambridge University focusing “on the history of molecular biology, the history of physics, and evolutionary theory.” He also earned his PHD from Cambridge University. “… His dissertation analyzed the scientific and methodological issues in origin-of-life biology….” (Page 71)
Guillermo Gonzalez graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona with degrees in both astronomy and physics. (I selected him as one of the three because I am from Tucson and attended the University of Arizona—astronomy is an important and prestigious department within the university.) “… He later earned his master’s degree and doctorate in astronomy from the University of Washington at Seattle. Now an assistant professor at Iowa State University, his research centers on low and intermediate mass stars and theories about stellar and planetary evolution.” (Page 159)
Michael J. Behe “received a degree in chemistry with honors from Drexel University and a doctorate in biochemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. After post-doctorate research at the University of Pennsylvania and the National Institutes of Health, he joined Lehigh’s faculty in 1985.” (Page 195)
Are there reputable scientists who support the concept of intelligent design? Yes. Are there reputable scientists who support the concept of evolution? Yes. However, only one or the other concept is correct (or they are both wrong). The Bible declares that GOD created all things from the universe to man. I have no doubt that HE did. All true science declares the same thing. The ORIGINAL SCIENTIST—GOD—is the CREATOR of all things!!!
On 10/29/05, 10/31/05, and 11/1/05; I wrote a three part series entitled “Evolution and GOD.” I was asked “Where can I find more information.” On my 11/12/05 blog, I listed some additional sources including The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. I had not actually read the book but it was recommended as a good scientific source of information. I asked for and received a copy of the book for Christmas and finished reading it in March.
It was an interesting and informative read. One of the attributes of the book is that the author also gave a list of suggested readings after most of the chapters. Tonight, I am also providing these suggested readings from the book if you are interested in further sources in this area.
At the end of Chapter 3: “Doubts about Darwinism” page 67.
Denton, Michael. Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, Bethesda, Md.: Adler & Adler, 1986.
Hanegraaff, Hank. The Face that Demonstrates the Farce of Evolution, Nashville: Word, 1998.
Johnson, Phillip. Darwin on Trial, Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, second edition, 1993.
Wells, Jonathan. Icons of Evolution, Washington, D.C.: Regnery, 2000.
At the end of Chapter 4: “Where Science Meets Faith” page 91-92.
Dembski, William. The Design Revolution: Answering the Toughest Questions about Intelligent Design, Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 2004.
McGrath, Alister. Glimpsing the Face of God, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2002.
Meyer, Stephen C. “Evidence for Design in Physics and Biology.” In Science and Evidence for Design in the Universe, eds. Michael J. Behe, William A. Dembski, and Stephen C. Meyer, San Francisco: Ignatius, 1999.
------- . “Modern Science and the Return of the God Hypothesis.” In Science and Christianity: Four Views, ed. Richard F. Carlson, Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 2000.
Moreland, J. P. Christianity and the Nature of Science, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1989.
Witham, Larry. By Design: Science and the Search for God, San Francisco: Encounter, 2003.
At the end of Chapter 5: “The Evidence of Cosmology” page 123.
Craig, William Lane. “Design and the Cosmological Argument.” In Mere Creation, ed. William A. Dembski, Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1998.
------- . Reasonable Faith, Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, revised edition, 1994.
------- , and Quentin Smith. Theism, Atheism and Big Bang Cosmology, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Moreland, J. P. and Kai Nielsen. Does God Exist? Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus, 1993.
At the end of Chapter 6: “The Evidence of Physics” page 152.
Collins, Robin. “The Argument from Design and the Many-Worlds Hypothesis.” In Philosophy of Religion: A Reader and Guide, ed. William Lane Craig, New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 2002.
------- . “The Evidence for Fine-Tuning.” In God and Design; The Teleological Argument and Modern Science, ed. Neil Manson, New York: Routledge, 2003.
------- . “A Scientific Argument for the Existence of God: The Fine-Tuning Design Argument.” In Reason for the Hope Within, ed. Michael J. Murray. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1999.
------- . “The Teleological Argument.” In Rationality of Theism, ed. Paul Copan and Paul Moser. New York: Routledge, 2003.
Dubay, Thomas. The Evidential Power of Beauty, San Francisco: Ignatius, 1999.
Leslie, John. Universes, New York: Routledge, 1989.
At the end of Chapter 7: “The Evidence of Astronomy” page 192.
Denton, Michael. Nature’s Destiny, New York: The Free Press, 1998.
Gonzalez, Guillermo and Jay Wesley Richards. The Privileged Planet, Washington, D.C.: Regnery, 2004.
Jastrow, Robert. God and the Astronomers, New York: W. W. Norton, second edition, 1992.
Sampson, Phillip. Six Modern Myths, Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 2000.
Ward, Peter and Donald Brownlee. Rare Earth, New York: Copernicus, 2000.
At the end of Chapter 8: “The Evidence of Biochemistry” page 217.
Behe, Michael J. Darwin’s Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution, New York: Touchstone, 1996.
------- . “Darwin’s Breakdown: Irreducible Complexity and Design at the Foundation of Life.” In Signs of Intelligence, eds. William A. Dembski and James M. Kushiner, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Brazos, 2001.
------- . “Evidence for Design at the Foundation of Life” and “Answering Scientific Criticisms of Intelligent Design.” In Science and Evidence for Design in the Universe, eds. Michael J. Behe, William a Dembski, and Stephen C. Meyer. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2000.
------- . “Intelligent Design Theory as a Tool for Analyzing Biochemical Systems.” In Mere Creation, ed. William A. Dembski, Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1998.
At the end of Chapter 9: “The Evidence of Biological Information” page 245 and 246.
Meyer, Stephen C. “The Cambrian Information Explosion: Evidence for Intelligent Design.” In Debating Design, eds. Michael Ruse and William Dembski. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
------- . “DNA and the Origin of Life: Information, Specification, and Explanation” and “The Cambrian Explosion: Biology’s Big Bang.” In Darwinism, Design, and Public Education, eds. John Angus Campbell and Stephen C. Meyer. Lansing Mich.: Michigan State University Press, 2003.
------- . “Evidence for Design in Physics and Biology.” In Science and Evidence for Design in the Universe, eds. Michael J. Behe, William A. Dembski, and Stephen C. Meyer. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1999.
------- . “The Explanatory Power of Design: DNA and the Origin of Information.” In Mere Creation, ed. William A. Dembski. Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1998, 113-47.
At the end of Chapter 10: “The Evidence of Consciousness” page 272.
Cooper, John W. Body, Soul, and Life Everlasting, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1989.
Habermas, Gary and J.P. Moreland. Beyond Death, Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 1998.
Moreland, J. P. “God and the Argument from Mind.” In Scaling the Secular City, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker 1987.
------- . What is the Soul? Norcross, Ga.: Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, 2002.
------- . and Scott B. Rae. Body and Soul, Downer’s Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 2000.
Taliaferro, Charles. Consciousness and the Mind of God, Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1994.
Witham, Larry. “Mind and Brain.” In By Design: Science and the Search for God, San Francisco: Encounter Books, 2003.
What does the New Testament of the Bible have to say about being saved, salvation, eternal life, and Heaven and hell? Quite a lot. More than I can cover in one post. Consequently, I’ll only give a small selection of appropriate quotes. I would encourage everyone to do their own intensive study. There is nothing like doing your own investigation and not letting others lead you along the wrong path.
“’I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell (my underline).’” (Spoken by JESUS, Luke 12: 4-5)
“Jesus answered, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, (my underline) you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent (my underline), you too will all perish.’” (Luke 13: 2-5)
“Someone asked him (JESUS—my addition), ‘Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?’
“He said to them, ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’
But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers (my underline)!’’” (Luke 13: 23-27)
“’For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed (my underline) in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.’” (Spoken by JESUS. John 3: 16-19)
“’For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes (my underline) in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’” (Spoken by JESUS. John 6: 40)
“’Now this is eternal life: that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ (my underline), whom you have sent.’” (Prayed by JESUS. John 17: 3) [Don’t know GOD and JESUS; can’t have eternal life. JESUS’S definition of eternal life.]
“’Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2: 36-37)
Peter replied, ‘You don’t have to do anything! Every one of you will be saved!’ WRONG!!! WRONG!!! WRONG!!!
The Bible actually states, “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you (my underline), in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 2:38)
“With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves (Actions are required on our part—my addition and my underline) from this corrupt generation.’ Those who accepted his message were baptized and about three thousand were added (my underlines) to their number that day.” (Acts 2: 40-41)
“Although he (JESUS—my addition) was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (my underline) and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5: 8-10)
“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him (my underline), because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7: 23-25)
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (my underlines).” (Hebrews 9: 27-28)
“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God (my underline) lives forever. (1 John 2: 17)
“Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life (my underline) in him.” (1 John 3: 15)
“Anyone who believes in the Son of God (my underline) has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (my underline).” (1 John 5: 10-12)
“In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire (my underline).” (Jude 1: 7)
“He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death (my underline).’” (Revelation 21: 6-8)
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of Life (my underline).” (Revelation 21: 27)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people (my underline). Amen.” [The last paragraph in the New Testament and Bible] (Revelation 22: 21)
Are these Biblical verses that support the belief that all people will eventually be saved? I don’t think so. Study the WORD of GOD and make your own decision. It is the difference between salvation and being lost eternally. We do have a responsibility. Don’t be lulled into the “not responsible” lies that are prevalent in today’s society. This is the ultimate choice of choices in life. Don’t make the wrong choice!!!
Belief will make it so?
The Peoria Journal Star published an article in its Faith and Values section entitled “Living in hope for salvation for all” by Paul Isom. He “is a minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).” (3/18/06, page D5) The first sentence of his last paragraph declares “I believe God will save everyone eventually.” His last sentence declares “I choose to trust God and live in hope for the salvation of all, and I will continue to pray for that.”
Wow!!! What a concept if true!!! It doesn’t matter if we don’t believe in GOD. It doesn’t matter if we don’t accept JESUS’S death on the cross to redeem us from our sins. It doesn’t matter if we have murdered a number of people. It doesn’t matter what we do in our life. It doesn’t matter if we don’t repent of our sins. It doesn’t matter if we don’t confess JESUS is our LORD and SAVIOR. It doesn’t matter if we are not baptized into HIS kingdom. It doesn’t matter if we are not obedient to GOD’S WILL. No matter what occurs, he believes that “God will save everyone eventually.”
Unfortunately, I don’t think most Christians agree with his belief. Unfortunately, what he believes is not necessarily true. Unfortunately, such a belief, if not true, can mislead people to their eternal detriment. Unfortunately, he does not give one scripture from the Bible to support his belief.
He does state that “I will agree with anyone who says that certain passages of the Bible appear to teach eternal, torturous hell.” Notice the word “appear.” He will not accept that the passages teach just what they “appear” to teach. All of those who accept that position have obviously misread the passages.
How does he support that notion? He uses the concept of “misapplication by association.” His quote declares “The Bible can and has been used to prove just about everything.” Thus, because others have misused passages of the Bible, these passages must also be misused. Of course, the problem with that argument is that it is meaningless. If it were not, then nothing from the Bible can be taken as truth because any part of the Bible can and probably has been misinterpreted by someone. It is a circular and invalid argument!
He further declares “I take as my key idea that God is love. God is also sovereign over all creation.” I agree completely. But, from his argument in relation to “misapplication by association” he can’t use that as justification for his belief. He could be misapplying (and he is) the concept of love and sovereignty as taught in the Bible.
In fact, all of his arguments presented are rationalizations without a single scripture to support each rationalization. But then, how can he quote scripture when “The Bible can and has been used to prove just about everything.”
Here is the crux of the matter. His belief is irrelevant. My belief is irrelevant. What is relevant is the WORD of GOD and GOD’S WILL. I believe the Bible is the WORD of GOD. He does not seem to base his belief on what the Bible declares relying rather on his own reasoning power. If you want to know the truth, I would suggest your own intensive study of the Bible. Don’t take his word for the truth. Don’t take my word for the truth. Study the Bible with an open heart and reach your own conclusion—your very soul depends upon it. (To be continued.)
