DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

October 28, 2025October 27, 2025

Desertas Petrels Flying Into Hurricanes

Most sea birds stay ashore when they sense a storm is approaching. Frigate birds ascend to very high altitudes to avoid the strong winds of hurricanes. Albatrosses find calm in the eye of a hurricane. But not all birds see hurricanes as threats. For Desertas petrels, flying into hurricanes is a feast.

These small, agile seabirds with long, slender wings dive straight into the spinning air bands, reaching areas 124 miles (200 km) from the hurricane’s eye. In one study, a Desertas petrel was seen flying into winds over 60 mph and ocean waves taller than 26 feet. As a hurricane moves, these birds travel with it. Researchers have tracked Desertas petrels flying from Africa to the New England coast, over 7,000 miles.

This unusual behavior creates a feast for the Desertas petrels, key predators in the ocean. Hurricanes stir up life forms from depths as great as 3,280 feet. They also bring zooplankton and larger swimming prey up from the deep, allowing the Desertas petrels to feed and help maintain balance among different ocean life forms.

It’s easy for humans to misunderstand the careful design of ocean food chains. Without balance, a species could become overly numerous, consume all available food, and face extinction. Desertas petrels help maintain the balance of squid, octopus, cuttlefish, hatchetfish, and lanternfish. Francesco Ventura, a researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, has studied these birds in detail and has shown how they not only survive hurricanes but thrive in them.

We can learn many lessons from studying God’s creatures. We see how crucial it is for humans to care for ocean life without disrupting the balance, which ultimately affects our own food supply. Understanding how all life forms survive provides powerful evidence of God’s wisdom and design of our planet. We are not here by chance.

Reference: sciencedirect.com

October 27, 2025October 26, 2025

Alaskan Dinosaurs

We usually think of dinosaurs as reptiles that lived in tropical jungles, and were part of the ecosystem that produced fossil fuels like coal and peat. We even see articles about places like the Galápagos Islands referring to iguanas, lizards, and other reptiles, such as the Komodo dragon, as modern-day dinosaurs. The truth is that dinosaurs were unlike any modern creatures on Earth today, and there were Alaskan dinosaurs.

Alaska magazine reported on extensive fossil evidence of the northernmost dinosaurs that ever lived. During the time these dinosaurs existed, Alaska did not have a tropical climate, because many of the fossils were found in permafrost. The first fossil fragments of Alaskan dinosaurs were discovered in 1994 in the Talkeetna Mountains. In the Colville River watershed, researchers found fossils of a tyrannosaur called Nanuqsaurus, meaning “polar bear lizard.” In 2016, a hadrosaur fossil was announced, and in 2020, a velociraptor was displayed for the public. In 2021, Dr. Patrick Druckenmiller, the only vertebrate paleontologist in Alaska, published a paper in the journal Current Biology describing a dinosaur nest containing eggs with embryonic dinosaurs. Along with dinosaur fossils, large numbers of bird fossils and an early salmon ancestor have been found.

Discoveries of Alaskan dinosaurs reveal that they were adapted to thrive in a wide range of environments where modern animals, including humans, could not survive. Jurassic Park movies do not give a complete picture of the dinosaur world. God prepared the Earth for humans with purpose, intelligence, and design. Our planet was created with life in all environments, providing everything humans would need to survive, while also allowing humans to find and even synthesize these resources.

The discovery of dinosaurs, especially Alaskan dinosaurs, suggests that the human race is not a chance accident. The Creator had us in mind. God prepared Earth for human habitation so that we could fulfill His purpose. We were created for a purpose, and our world shows that we can know there is a God “through the things He has made” (Romans 1:20).

Reference: Alaska magazine for November 2025 (pages 38-40)

October 24, 2025October 23, 2025

Religious Holy Waters and Scams

There is almost no limit to what various religious hucksters will do to make money and persuade others to join their religious systems. Selling religious holy waters and scams is nothing new. The Bible records instances where deceivers tried to convince people to buy into their false claims.

In Acts 8:9-24, we read about a magician named Simon who convinced others of his powers by performing magic tricks they did not understand. When Simon saw Peter and John perform miracles, he tried to buy their ability. In Acts 19:11-16, seven sons of a Jewish priest saw Paul perform exorcisms. When they tried to duplicate that, the man leaped on them, overpowered them, and forced them to run away naked and injured. We might smile at these misguided attempts to scam people by religious charlatans, but the problem still exists today.

You can buy a variety of Holy Waters on Amazon.com. Some believe that water blessed by a Catholic priest can cure diseases or purify something unclean. In Islam, water from the Zamzam well is sold in Mecca for $64.99 for 5 liters and is said to work miracles and provide benefits. Water from the River Jordan, claimed to purify those who drink it and cure illnesses, is sold for $9.29 for 300 ml. For Hindus, the waters of the Ganges River are sold for $8.99 for 100 ml.

It is essential to note that the Bible never presents water of any kind as having any medical benefit. A popular country song by Carrie Underwood titled “Something In the Water” talks about baptism. The truth is, the power isn’t in the water; it’s in the blood of Christ, given for our sins. In Christian baptism, we are buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life. (See Romans 6.) Don’t waste your money on religious holy waters and scams. The salvation Christ offers is free because He paid for it.

Reference: Skeptical Inquirer, May/June 2023, pages 30-31, and Amazon.com.

October 23, 2025October 22, 2025

Adam’s Origin Update

Genesis 2:10-14 indicates that the “Garden of Eden” was located where four rivers flowed—the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. This region is called the “Fertile Crescent” by modern mapmakers and gets its name because of the rich soil that once supported abundant plant life, as the Bible states. In recent years, some anthropologists have claimed that humans originated in Africa, and detailed “trees” of human evolution are included in anthropology textbooks. By asserting that humans were created in Africa rather than Asia, this theory conflicts with the biblical account, leading many people to doubt the Bible’s accuracy. So, what is the truth about Adam’s origin?

As technology advances, two ancient skulls discovered in China have been reclassified, once again altering the anthropological understanding of human history. The Yunxian skulls initially labeled as Homo erectus are now identified as Homo longi because modern technology reveals they lack the traits of Homo erectus. In addition to Homo sapiens, there are two racial groups for human-like fossils—Neanderthals and Denisovans. The Denisovans are the older race, and the skulls found in China exhibit their features.

The biblical account of Adam’s origin is not at odds with this new information since the Bible does not specify a date for Adam and Eve. We do know that DNA evidence shows we are all related. “God has made of one blood all the nations that they should inhabit the whole Earth” (Acts 17:26).

Reference: science.org and scienceandculture.com

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025

Solar Reflectors in Space

Joshua chapter 10 records an incident in which the Sun stood still to provide light for “about a full day” so that Joshua could lead the Israelites to defeat the Amorites in battle. I don’t pretend to know the details of how that happened, but I have heard a suggestion that God provided a miraculous way to reflect the Sun’s light into the Valley of Aijalon until the victory was complete. From the perspective of someone in that location, it would appear that the Sun stood still. Now, a California-based company called Reflect Orbital wants to do something like that with a constellation of solar reflectors in space.

Reflect Orbital hopes to launch a 60-by-60-foot (18-by-18-meter) mirror into orbit in April of 2026 to test the idea. If the plan succeeds, they want to place 4,000 solar reflectors in space to orbit in a sun-synchronous orbit between the poles. They would follow the boundary between day and night, providing reflected light to areas in the twilight zone. Reflect Orbital says it could enable solar power generation during peak morning and evening hours, improve crop growth, allow people to work into the night, and provide emergency lighting for disaster zones. Reflect Orbital has applied to the FCC for a license, claiming they have the funding and have already received 250,000 requests for service.

Astronomers and those interested in wildlife are very concerned. For example, Robert Massey, Deputy Director of the Royal Astronomical Society in the UK, said, “The central goal of this project is to light up the sky and extend daylight, and obviously, from an astronomical perspective, that’s pretty catastrophic.” With 4,000 solar reflectors in space, each reflection could cover a 5-kilometer area where some agency has requested and paid for service. However, atmospheric scattering would reach an undefined surrounding area. For up to 100 kilometers, the mirrors would appear like very bright stars.

Light pollution is already a problem, increasing by 10 percent per year since the introduction of LED lights, causing fewer stars to be visible in the night sky. Light pollution is also linked to the decline of beneficial insect populations, as well as increased sleep disorders and depression in humans. In addition to affecting astronomical observations, the solar reflectors in space could disrupt migratory birds that depend on the stars for guidance.

Instead of dreaming about what humans can do, maybe we should carefully consider what we should or should not do. Anyone who has experienced the night sky in one of the rare dark sky areas remaining can appreciate the words of the psalmist David: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man that you care for him? (Psalms 8:3,4 ESV)

Reference: space.com

October 21, 2025October 21, 2025

Hammer Orchid and Thynnid Wasp

Ten species of hammer orchids (genus Drakaea) are found only in Western Australia, and each is pollinated by a specific wasp species in the Thynnid family. Each orchid has a fake model of the pollinating wasp carefully placed to attract the real wasps. It sounds like a clever practical joke, but the hammer orchid has a “dummy” labellum on a stem attached to a hinge that only bends toward the orchid’s flower.

Of course, the dummy on the stem resembles a female thynnid wasp in size, shape, and color. At the right time for fertilization, the hammer orchid releases a pheromone that mimics the female wasp’s scent. Thynnid wasps are unusual because the female is flightless and waits on a stem or grass blade for a male wasp to carry her away to a food source for mating. When a male thynnid wasp falls for the trick and tries to carry away the dummy, a hinge throws him backward into the orchid, dusting him with pollen.

The humiliated male wasp then leaves and might be fooled by another hammer orchid, where he deposits the pollen he collected from the first flower. The male wasp might repeat this process several times (assuming he’s a slow learner), which is the only way the orchid gets pollinated. If the trick didn’t work, the hammer orchid would become extinct.

Consider all the things that must go right for this trick to succeed:

1. The orchid must produce a labellum that resembles the female wasp in size, color, and shape.

2. The male wasp must be programmed to grab a flightless female and carry her away as part of the mating ritual.

3. The orchid must produce the right complex chemical pheromone to mimic the female wasp at just the right time to attract the male.

4. The hinge must move in the right direction and not be too weak or too stiff.

5. The stem from the hinge to the dummy wasp must be exactly the right length to coat the male wasp with pollen.

6. The male wasp must not be clever enough to learn from his mistakes.

Could the unique design of the hammer orchid have happened by chance, or is design a better explanation? Could it also be that the Designer has a sense of humor?

Reference: wikipedia.org

October 20, 2025October 20, 2025

Precisely Nothing – Is It Something?

What is “precisely nothing?” Theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss used that phrase in the preface of his 2012 New York Times best-selling book titled A Universe from Nothing. Krass at that time was a professor at Arizona State University and head of the Origins Project there. He later lost that position due to “moral failure,” and is now an anti-theist blogger. An anti-theist is more than an atheist. He does not believe in God, but also actively opposes faith in a creator. Like other anti-theists, he believes that faith in God is not just wrong, but destructive to society.

On what did Krauss base his statement that there was “remarkable new support for the idea that our universe arose from precisely nothing?” Krauss suggests that quantum gravity fluctuations could allow for “the creation, albeit perhaps momentarily, of space itself where none existed before.” Furthermore, “small-density fluctuations in empty space due to the rules of quantum mechanics will later be responsible for all the structures we observe in the universe today. So we, and everything we see, result out of quantum fluctuations in what is essentially nothingness…” He further writes that the universe arose through “a process whereby the energy of empty space (nothing) gets converted into the energy of something.”

Is what Krauss calls “precisely nothing” actually nothing? You may have the same feeling that I have that someone is trying to fool you into believing nonsense. When he writes that “getting something from nothing is not a problem,” I have trouble believing him. Perhaps I am simple-minded, but I prefer a simple explanation of why there is something instead of nothing. It’s explained in a video called a “Proof of God in 3 Minutes.” I encourage you to watch it by clicking HERE.

October 17, 2025October 16, 2025

Liberal, Missouri: A Strange Town

One of the strongest arguments for Christianity and the existence of God is that atheists lack a purpose for their existence. This may seem like a topic for philosophical debate, but in practice, atheism often leads to disaster. Skeptics might say it’s just my opinion, but there is historical evidence supporting this view. The story of Liberal, Missouri, is a clear example.

On October 26, 1880, George H. Walser, an Illinois lawyer and self-described “freethinker,” filed a plan for a town in Missouri. The town would be divided into eight blocks, with 25 commercial lots, 57 residential lots, and a city park. Anyone wishing to join the “freethinker” town had to agree that no church, Christian, or believer in God could live there.

The story of Liberal, Missouri, along with the supporters and opponents of Walser’s town, was documented in a book by James Proctor Moore titled This Strange Town–Liberal, Missouri, with the subtitle “A History of the Early Years 1880 to 1910.” Sadly, the book is now out of print, but it describes what happened in Liberal. It clearly shows that without belief in God, there is no reason for anyone to be moral, and without morality, everything falls apart.

Today, Liberal, Missouri, still exists, with a population of 629 residents according to the 2020 census. However, it is no longer an atheist or “freethinker” town. As reported on churchfinder.com, it now has six churches.

Looking at what is happening in America today, we see a repeat of the events in Liberal. Over 40% of Americans, when asked about their religious beliefs, say “none.” As a result, America is turning into a nation without moral values. Will we learn from history, or will we repeat it?

References: Wikipedia.org, churchfinder.com

October 16, 2025October 16, 2025

LDS Church and Mormonism

Russell M. Nelson became president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in 2018 at the age of 93. After serving for 7 years, Nelson passed away on September 27, 2025, at age 101. He was an outstanding surgeon and a pioneer in human open-heart surgery before rising through the ranks of the LDS Church. During his leadership, Nelson implemented many changes to the LDS Church and Mormonism. These included removing the name “Mormon” from what members of the church can call themselves.

Other changes Nelson made included rejecting the Boy Scouts after they admitted openly gay members, while lifting some restrictions on LGBTQ members of the church. He also promoted the LDS Church’s acceptance of people of color, which, until 1978, was not permitted. Racism runs counter to the teachings of the Bible. Galatians 3:26-29 clearly states that there are no racial, gender, or national distinctions among Christians. Romans 1:24-27 emphasizes that God’s plan for sexual expression is to be within the exclusive bond of a man and woman in marriage. Romans 6 leaves no doubt that God desires His children to be free from sin.

Over 40% of the American population identifies as “none” when asked about their religion. Much of this is because churches have moved away from the idea of dying to sin to live a new life. Like the LDS Church and Mormonism, many American denominations teach beliefs that come from leading theologians rather than the Bible. The real answer to faith is the “Restoration Movement,” which teaches “we will speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent.” This isn’t just a catchy phrase; it is the only answer to the challenges Christians face today.

Reference: Wikipedia.org Here and Here

October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Archaeological Discoveries Supporting the Bible

Our Beyond Reasonable Doubt video series faces a challenge: it can’t keep up with new archaeological findings. The fall issue of Biblical Archaeology Review announced two new archaeological discoveries supporting the Bible.

The Jordan Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported an inscription carved into a desert rock face in southern Jordan. The inscription features two cartouches, which are Egyptian hieroglyphic oval shapes containing the names of royalty. In this case, they display the name of Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses III, who reigned from 1186 to 1155 BCE. One column shows his birth name, while the other shows his throne name and title. Other cartouches of Ramesses III have been found in the Sinai, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, indicating the Egyptian-Arabian trade route. This is the first one discovered in Jordan.

The second find is a report from Matthew D.C. Larsen about discovering what is called the Boudrouml prison in Corinth. The existence of the Boudrouml prison has been known since the early 20th century, when Herbert F. deCou first excavated it. However, newly found inscriptions carved into the pavement by prisoners offer insights into life in Roman prisons. The spelling and grammar errors in the inscriptions reveal the prisoners’ lack of formal education. These messages also show boredom, rage, and personal devotion. One inscription reads, “Lord, do not show mercy on the one who threw us in here.” The evidence of Roman prison life aligns with what the Bible describes regarding Peter and Paul’s imprisonment.

As archaeologists continue their excavations and new technologies analyze the findings, they find more archaeological discoveries supporting the Bible. Those who try to cast doubt on the biblical record will find themselves at odds with the evidence.

References: Biblical Archaeology Review and the Beyond Reasonable Doubt video series