DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

October 3, 2023October 2, 2023

Children Seeking Gender Reassignment

One of the most serious problems facing parents, schools, and churches is what to do with children seeking gender reassignment. This has become a political football, a money-making enterprise, a lawyer’s paradise, and a parent’s nightmare. Teachers deal with kids who are wearing several names and pronouns depending on what their day-to-day feelings dictate.

Those who promote gender reassignment confront unwilling parents with questions such as, “Do you want a dead daughter or a live son?” Studies show that the number of teenage girls with gender dysphoria has risen by 5,000% in seven years. This has become a massive money-maker for various groups, from Planned Parenthood to doctors and hospitals.

A British book by Hannah Barnes titled Time to Think provides a wealth of data on this issue in Europe, and it’s getting some attention in the United States. Here are some interesting facts from Barnes’ book:

*A large number of children seeking gender reassignment had other psychological issues. In one study, 97.5% had one or more disturbing issues, including having been in foster care, endured parental divorce or death, been abused, or endured personal trauma. Seventy percent had five or more difficulties of this kind. Twenty-five percent had histories of self-harm.

*Information given to children about sex change has been generally inaccurate. Kids have been told that puberty blockers would not affect bones, muscles, and brains or that effects were completely reversible. None of those assertions are true.

*Studies done since 2011 on the effects of puberty blockers in England showed no improvement in patients’ mental state. Sweden, Norway, and Finland have severely curtailed the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, saying that the risks outweigh the benefits.

There is a strong name-calling campaign against anyone who questions sex change. “Transphobic” has joined “homophobic” in the vocabulary of promoters of sex-change medications and surgical procedures. We are facing an uphill battle because greed and money are involved. The disintegration of God’s plan for the family and the selfishness and greed of adults have resulted in the use of children to satisfy adult issues. Working on children’s psychological problems is far better than throwing drugs and surgery at the needs of disturbed kids.

Reference: Time to Think by Hanna Barnes

October 2, 2023October 1, 2023

The Webb Telescope Tells Us About Creation

One of the most amazing technological advances of the past ten years has been the production and deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope. The magnitude of this advance is so enormous that National Geographic published a special issue in October 2023 titled “Space.” Tom Abel is a computational cosmologist who leads the National Geographic writers through what the Webb telescope has enabled scientists to understand about the creation process. Abel describes what the Webb telescope tells us about the creation of the elements necessary for life to exist. Here is his description from page 94:

“..the supernovae of stars up to hundreds of times the mass of the sun, transformed the universe. New elements were generated – oxygen to make water, silicon to build planets, phosphorus to power cells – and scattered throughout the expanse. The first stars also broke apart the atoms of the surrounding hydrogen gas, burning away the cosmic haze and making things transparent – a key time known as reionization. As the fog lifted, pockets of stars merged, swirling into bigger and bigger assemblages, including the seed of our own Milky Way.”

No scientist can explain the creation of space and time or the mass/energy that allowed these transformations to occur. However, what we are seeing is that, like Genesis 1, the Webb telescope tells us about creation. Understanding how God molded and shaped what He had already created is exciting and encouraging. Proverbs chapter 8 personifies Wisdom, saying, “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth (verses 22-23).” Wisdom then goes on to describe some of the things the Lord made.

Science is a great friend of faith, and as technology advances, our understanding of God’s work becomes more glorious and amazing. Psalms 19:1 finds David glorifying God by stating that the firmament (cosmos) shows His handiwork. Learning more about God’s power, and wisdom, strengthens our faith. Understanding more about God’s creation, causes us to glorify Him. It renews our conviction about our purpose for existing and helps us to realize how blessed we are to be created in the image of God.

Reference: National Geographic October 2023

September 29, 2023September 28, 2023

Helping Children Read – Imagination Library

Helping Children Read - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library — Dolly Parton

Many people talk about the problems in America today, especially those of children who grow up in poverty. However, few people do anything about those problems. Dolly Parton is a singer, songwriter, and movie actress who grew up in very poor conditions in east Tennessee. She saw that her father’s inability to read or write held him back and she set out to do something about helping children read.

Ms. Parton did very well in the entertainment world and has used her money in constructive ways. In 1995 she started a program called Imagination Library in which she offered free age-appropriate books to every child in her home county. Every child received a free book each month until they were five years old with no strings attached. The program caught on and has spread throughout the United States, The United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Over 2.5 million children have received 211 million books through the program. United Way and the Lenawee Community Foundation distribute the books here in southern Michigan.

Studies on child development have shown that the most critical time is between 0 and 3 years old. The Imagination Library has had spectacular success in motivating and helping children read. One of the problems in teaching people what the Bible says is that a significant percentage of our population cannot read or don’t like to read. We can change that by helping a child learn to love books by developing reading skills at a young age. There have been other approaches where Christians teach reading using the Bible as a text.

One way to attack the problems in America is to develop a desire to read in every citizen. Many people who can’t read must rely on others to tell them what the Bible says, leaving them prone to misunderstandings.

You can learn more about the Imagination Library at imaginationlibrary.com

September 28, 2023September 27, 2023

Birds Use Spikes to Protect Their Nests

One of the exciting examples of design in the living world is the nesting behavior of birds. We have previously reported on data about birds that nest in peculiar places to protect their eggs and their behavior to thwart predators. We have all seen birds building nests in cliffs or under roof structures, but predatory birds like eagles and hawks can still land on the nests and eat the eggs or baby birds. Scientists have discovered that some birds use spikes to protect their nests from even bird predators.

Researchers in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Scotland found nests in which birds have used long spikes to make it difficult for predators to get to their eggs or chicks. One crow’s nest in Antwerp, Belgium, had 1500 long, sharp spikes. They would make reaching the nest’s occupants extremely difficult for any hawk or eagle. It would also deter other predators, such as cats.

The nests of carrion crows and Eurasian magpies have been found with spike defenses. These birds have used whatever sharp objects they can find in urban areas to build their fortress, including plastic pieces, nails, screws, and knitting needles.

Birds use spikes to protect their nests because God has built into the DNA of various bird species the ability to do unique things to survive. The more we learn about the natural world, the more we should be amazed at the intelligence and design behind all kinds of life on Earth. “We can know there is a God through the things He has made (Romans 1:20).

Reference: Science News September 9, 2023, page 4.

September 27, 2023September 26, 2023

Protection from Incoming Space Objects

One of the exciting features of our planet and solar system is how they are built for life. The cosmos contains a lot of material left over from the creation process, and we have learned that volcanic eruptions and asteroid impacts can eject material into outer space. Fragments that appear to be cast off from Mars have been found on Earth. The need for protection from incoming space objects like asteroids or comets is becoming more evident as scientists discover the enormous amount of damage done by the few collisions Earth has sustained.

Most people have heard of the asteroid collision scientists believe caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. However, evidence exists of earlier collisions that shaped and molded our planet. The recent experiment to alter the path of an asteroid by slamming a spacecraft into it shows the concern many have that an asteroid could crash into Earth and wipe out all human life.

During the last week in August of 2023, NASA’s Juno spacecraft confirmed an amateur astronomer’s report of seeing an object slamming into the surface of Jupiter. This is the third recorded sizable object impact on Jupiter, creating a fireball visible from Earth. In 1994, astronomers observed fragments of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet hitting Jupiter, and in September 2021, astronomers observed another collision.

Jupiter is strategically located and so massive that its gravity draws in asteroids, comets, and other materials that would cause a major disaster if they struck the Earth. Some objects don’t actually hit Jupiter, but they come close enough that Jupiter’s gravitational field slings them out of the inner solar system. Journalist Passant Rabie wrote on Yahoo News, “The solar system’s gas giant certainly knows how to keep peace in its cosmic neighborhood.”

We suggest that when God designed and created the solar system, He gave Earth protection from incoming space objects, which has kept humans safe for our entire history. Between Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus, it is almost impossible for a large object from outside the solar system to hit our planet.

The number of things that had to be “right” for our planet to support life is enormous. The more we discover, the less likely it is that pure accidental chance can explain them. A better explanation is, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalms 19:1).

September 26, 2023September 25, 2023

Preparing for Winter – How Do They Know?

Preparing for Winter – How Do Living Things Know?

The ability of plants and animals to achieve maximum survival success in changing seasons is quite interesting. Here in Michigan, our winters can arrive suddenly and forcefully. It may be 75 degrees one day and below freezing the next. It was quite warm in early September, but many trees were already preparing for winter. The leaves of our sumac trees became brilliant red and started falling off the branches. As we approach the end of September, some species of maple trees are changing colors and dropping their leaves.

Several species of birds have left Michigan, heading south for the winter. We live on a river where we see a massive increase in fish activity. There is also a significant increase in the activity of insects, with some butterflies, such as monarchs, heading south in groups. The number of cocoons in our bushes and in our house has accelerated, and some species of bees and wasps have become more aggressive.

The big question is how living things seem to know it’s time to start preparing for winter, even when there is no significant temperature change. There have also been no clues from other weather factors like humidity, rainfall, wind velocity, and direction. The scientific evidence shows that living things pick up on less obvious signals that say, “Winter is coming, and you need to prepare.”

Some living things sense the length of daylight, telling them to prepare for winter. Another factor is the angle of the Sun’s rays, which controls what kind of light reaches Earth’s surface. The Sun’s light contains a variety of wavelengths. The higher energy wavelengths are refracted and scattered more than the longer, lower energy forms. The sky is blue because blue light has higher energy than the rest of the visible spectrum and thus is scattered and refracted more. The next highest energy wavelength is green. Plants are green because they reflect that color, protecting them from the next highest energy of light that reaches Earth’s surface.

As the Sun gets lower in the sky, wavelengths we can’t even see, such as ultraviolet, are refracted and scattered away from the surface. Living things detect that change and start preparation for winter. Explaining how this system of life came into existence is a real challenge for those who deny God’s creation of our planet and the life on it. It’s a joy to see the things God has made testifying about His intelligence and design as they start preparing for winter (Romans 1:20).

September 25, 2023September 24, 2023

Colonizing Space – Does it Make Sense?

“Why We’ll Never Live In Space” by Sarah Scoles is the lead article in the October 2023 issue of Scientific American. This question is relevant with NASA proposing plans to establish colonies on the Moon and Elon Musk claiming that SpaceX will colonize Mars. Scoles points out that Biosphere 2, where people entered to live for two years, revealed that an encapsulated environment didn’t produce enough oxygen, water, or food for the inhabitants. Later experiments ran into psychological and personal conflicts for those involved. There are similar experiments planned in the United States, Kenya, Israel, and Oman. Does colonizing space make sense?

The problems of trying to survive in space are enormous. Scoles points out that studies of astronauts after spending some time in space show significant physiological damage. Immune systems falter, muscles shrink, and bone loss is so great that it outpaces bone growth. Eye damage, called neuro-ocular syndrome, is associated with space flight.

Radiation from various sources is the biggest problem of being in space. The Sun sends out a variety of radiations, all of which damage human tissue. The radiation of galactic cosmic rays is very difficult to stop. Followup reports on Biosphere 2 show many human problems in a self-contained environment. Those problems are not only physical issues of providing essentials for life but also psychological, social, and even re-entry issues. Medical studies of astronauts in the space station show significant physical and genetic damage. However, these studies involve fewer problems than would be faced in outer space. Biosphere 2 was on Earth, and the International Space Station is in low Earth orbit, where there is still some radiation protection.

When God created Earth, He gave us a more unique place than most of us realize. Science fiction ignores many issues involved in colonizing space. Even if we could overcome all of the obstacles, doesn’t spending tax money to address the challenges on this planet make more sense than sending a few people to Mars? We still have much to learn about life on Earth, and we need to work together to improve the lives of people on this planet. The teachings of Christ give us tools that enable us to do that.

Reference: Scientific American

September 22, 2023September 19, 2023

Attacks on People of Faith

If you read news reports other than the mainstream media, you have to be disturbed by recent stories about government attacks on people of faith.

One article told the story of an August 11, 2023, police raid on a private newspaper in Marion, Kansas. This small-town newspaper had written stories about government abuse of religious freedom and the immoral actions of public officials. The justification for the police raid was that they were seeking the names of sources of information leaked to the newspaper.

A group called “Reporters Without Borders” has written several reports of violence or intimidation of news reporters who wrote articles on government actions that violated the rights of private citizens. One such story was the case of Joe Kennedy, a coach in Bremerton, Washington, who knelt at the 50-yard line and prayed silently for 10 seconds after a high school football game. Kennedy was fired because the school system had banned any prayer on school property.

Joe Kennedy did not encourage his players to participate in the prayer, and he prayed after the game was over. He sued the school system. His case went to the Supreme Court in 2022, and the court agreed with Kennedy. The fact that the school system tried to stop prayer of any kind indicates where America is headed.

Students of American democracy and the intent of the founding fathers will recognize the abuse of government attacks on people of faith. Such attacks are not limited to the government. We have had phone calls from people threatening us for what we publish on this website. Freedom of the press and religion are enshrined in the First Amendment, and as America turns away from God and freedom, Christians face attacks on their faith.

Reference: Elizabeth Colton in articles in the South Bend Tribune for August 27, 2023, page 12A, and Jeff Graham writing on September 3, 2023.

September 21, 2023September 19, 2023

Social Media and Gun Violence

As an incredible number of people are being shot, we tend to blame everyone, from gun manufacturers to child abusers. We also seem to feel this is someone else’s problem until it affects our loved one and perhaps even takes their life. In July 2023, the United States Surgeon General issued a call to action about social media’s corrosive effects on children. The 25-page report warns of a “profound risk of harm” to young people who spend hours a day on their phones. Evidence shows a connection between social media and gun violence.

We must look at what our children are exposed to on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok. Children can be seen on those sites posting photos or videos of themselves with guns and stacks of cash. Sometimes, kids call out rivals, resulting in deadly violence in schoolyards and on street corners. Desmond Patton at the University of Pennsylvania has been studying the relationship between social media and gun violence and has posted his results, which are of interest to researchers, community leaders, and police across the country.

In an August 25, 2023 post by Liz Szabo on Oona Tempest/KFF Health News, social workers have described social media “as a relentless driver of gun violence” in Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Washington D.C. We urge parents, churches, and individuals working with young people to take an interest in what social media their kids are being exposed to, and how much time they spend on it.

The importance of following God’s instructions to parents cannot be over-emphasized. Being a parent or a youth worker can be exhaustive, but raising kids to be law-abiding followers of Jesus who care about others and want to improve the world is worth investing time and money.

Reference: KFF Health News

September 20, 2023September 19, 2023

Honey Buzzard Migration

The more we learn about bird and insect migrations, the more we are astounded by how they do what they do. Chance explanations fail when the migrations become complex. The honey buzzard migration is another example of an incredible migration that defies chance explanation.

Researchers using a satellite tracking system in Finland released data on a bird known as the European honey buzzard. This bird actually does eat honey and will search out the nest of bees and hornets to find its food. Scientists knew that this bird spends its austral summer around the town of Reitz in Free State, South Africa, where bee nests are abundant. They tracked the honey buzzard migration as it left Africa on April 20th and arrived in Finland on June 2nd at the time when, once again, its favorite food was available. This bird enjoys summer twice by its migration, securing food and avoiding winter, but its route is very complicated.

You might think the honey buzzard would just head north, but that would involve going over dangerous landforms and climate irregularities. Instead, the bird makes a 90-degree turn at the source of the Nile River and follows it. When the bird reaches the end of the Nile, it returns to the same longitude line where it started, avoiding the Mediterranean and the Sudan to eventually reach its destination in Finland.

Honey buzzards cover 10,000 kilometers in 42 days, averaging 230 kilometers daily. If you want to see honey buzzards attacking a bee nest, do a word search on the web, but don’t expect an explanation of its migratory route. The honey buzzard migration is programmed into the bird’s DNA, and how the program got there is another example of design by intelligence. Instinctive drives defy chance explanations because they involve a changing Earth with landforms and climate factors that happen too fast for gradual accommodation. We suggest that honey buzzard migration is another evidence of God’s design for all life forms in the creation.