God Archives - Page 59 of 134 - DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

February 24, 2022February 23, 2022

Messenger RNA in Plants

Have you ever thought about how plants know where, when, and how to grow? Research funded by the National Science Foundation found that plants have messages packaged into their RNA. They send messenger RNA (mRNA) from cell to cell to coordinate their growth. How do the mRNA molecules know where to go and how to get there? They have an escort to guide them.

This all looks pretty complicated, and it is. The escort for the mRNA is a protein called AtRRP44a. Without this escort to guide the messenger RNA between the cells, the cells can’t coordinate their growth, and the plant can’t develop properly. This cell-to-cell communication allows the plant to have all the information it needs to grow successfully in a changing environment.

Rigid walls surround plant cells, so how can the messenger RNA go from cell to cell? The mRNA, escorted by AtRRP44a proteins, can cross the barriers through tiny holes called plasmodesmata. The plasmodesmata are nanochannels that allow RNA and proteins, hormones, ions, and nutrients to pass from cell to cell.

Dr. David Jackson, who headed up this research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, says, “…plants are very sophisticated. We think of them just sitting in their environment, not moving, but they’re processing a lot of information. The different parts of the plants are talking to each other, sharing whether they have a pathogen attack or if they need some nutrients.”

Have you ever wondered how plants know when to shoot up in the spring, how to not shoot up in the fall, and how to handle infestations by insects and fungus? The creation of plants with this highly sophisticated communication system of messenger RNA and escort proteins is difficult to comprehend.

The more we understand of the creation, the more we see God’s wisdom and sophisticated handiwork. These design features are not accidents but the product of incredible intelligence and creativity.

Reference: National Science Foundation and the journal Science.

February 23, 2022February 22, 2022

Grow Your Faith in God

In today’s world, many people are asking for more faith. Jesus never treats faith as a commodity. You don’t pour faith into someone like water in a glass. Faith is a part of our thinking and our education. Faith is something that needs to be fed and nurtured. What do you do to nurture and grow your faith, and what does Satan use to defeat your faith?

In Luke 4, we read of Satan’s attempt to destroy the faith of Jesus. The temptations that didn’t work against Jesus are the same ones Satan uses on each of us. The first thing Satan did was tempt Christ with physical cravings. Jesus had not eaten for 40 days, and He was hungry. Satan knows when we have physical cravings, and he works to offer destructive things to meet those cravings – be it food or drink or sex or emotional needs.

The second thing Satan offered Christ is political power. Today, we are expected to embrace political positions that fly in the face of God’s commands. We see recreational drugs, prostitution, abortion, euthanasia, and immoral lifestyles asking for our support and endorsement. We don’t see people in the entertainment industry or political figures resisting these destructive forces, and many are leading others to practice them.

The third temptation Satan presented is expecting God to interfere in the normal processes of life. Satan has sold a big lie about disease and the consequences of the choice of gender change. Jesus responded to Satan’s challenge to violate the law of gravity and expect God to step in and prevent it from working. Jesus responded to each of the temptations by quoting scripture. This third one was Deuteronomy 6:16, which says not to test God. Expecting God to violate the laws He created when we practice destructive behavior is not logical or reasonable.

We need to profit from the biblical account of Satan’s activity and follow the lead of Jesus. Our daily articles on this site and our video series available free on doesgodexist.tv present positive evidence to build faith. You can also grow your faith by reading the Bible. We recommend Romans 1:19-20, Proverbs 8, Psalms 19:1, and Psalms 139:14-15. We have the tools to build our faith, and we urge you to use them!

February 22, 2022February 21, 2022

Amazing Digestive System Design

The Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter for March 2022 has a great article titled “Your Amazing Digestive System.” It explains in great detail what happens to food from the time you look at it until it leaves the body. We take for granted what happens when we eat food, but the amazing digestive system is so complex that it is another extraordinary evidence of God’s wisdom and design. Consider the parts of the system as spelled out by the Tuft publication:

THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT: This tube runs from the mouth to the anus with a lining separating the food we eat from the inside of our body. Muscles and nerves control the speed of movement of the food, and nutrients are absorbed through the tube wall, which controls what nutrients are absorbed and how fast.

THE MOUTH: The smell and sight of food stimulate the secretion of saliva (which is why our mouths water), moistening and lubricating the food so we can swallow it. The saliva has an enzyme called salivary amylase, which begins to break down starches as the teeth grind the food into more digestible pieces.

THE ESOPHAGUS: This tube is about a foot long and connects the throat to the stomach. It has muscles to push the food along and a valve that opens to let the food enter the stomach.

THE STOMACH: When food enters the stomach, gastric acid and digestive enzymes break down proteins and kill unwanted organisms. Stomach muscles contract and relax, reducing the food to a diluted paste.

THE SMALL INTESTINE: Most nutrients are absorbed here, including proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and micronutrients. This tube is about 20 feet long and an inch in diameter. The small intestine uses enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the gallbladder to break down the food. There are three sections to the small intestine, the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum, each absorbing different nutrients.

THE LARGE INTESTINE: Also called the colon, this muscular tube is three times wider than the small intestine but only about five feet long. The colon absorbs beneficial nutrients not previously absorbed. Anything the body can’t use is passed on to the rectum. The large intestine also absorbs water and has a complex organization of bacteria called “gut-microbiota.” Those microbes use fiber to produce beneficial compounds and produce many hormones required for our immune system.

Our amazing digestive system design defies any chance explanation. Each precisely designed part is an essential contributor to our ability to eat and digest food. It is no wonder that so many diseases can negatively affect the digestive system. It is hard to read all we know about this system and not be reminded of Psalms 139:14, “I will praise you, God, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works and that my soul knows very well.”

Reference: Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter

February 21, 2022February 20, 2022

Evidence of Life on Mars

The media has sensationalized the finding of organic molecules from Mars. For many people, hearing that something is “organic” means it is related to life. For example, in 1996, scientists reported on their study of a meteorite identified as ALH84001 found twelve years before in Antarctica. Characteristics of the meteorite indicated that it had come from Mars, and analysis showed that it contained organic compounds. Media reports immediately claimed that this was evidence of life on Mars at some time in the past.

Research on ALH84001 reported in January of 2022 shows the organic molecules probably came from the interaction of water and minerals and is not related to living organisms. Two chemical reactions known as serpentinization and carbonation can produce organic molecules when water and minerals react underground. Those reactions occur on Earth, and the researchers concluded that was most likely what formed the organic materials in ALH84001. Earlier researchers had made similar findings on a Martian meteorite named Tissint, which landed in Morocco in 2011.

Neither of these meteorites gives evidence of life on Mars. Organic molecules can form by abiotic (non-life) chemical reactions when water is present, along with the minerals that make up organic materials. Evidence shows that Mars is a place where abiotic chemistry has been very active, creating large amounts of organic compounds but no evidence of any form of life.

God is an incredible chemist. One reason many chemists are active believers in God is that they see the wisdom and creative design built into chemistry, making life possible. There is strong evidence that the laws of chemistry were fine-tuned for life, especially human life.

We may eventually find living things elsewhere in the solar system or other systems. However, finding organic compounds does not give evidence of life on Mars or anywhere else.

References: “Organic molecules in an ancient Mars meteorite formed via geology, not alien life” in Science News (February 12, 2022, page 10) and Science VOL. 375, NO. 6577, January 13, 2022

February 19, 2022February 15, 2022

Why Do Loons Migrate?

It’s a bird that isn’t great at flying and is awkward at walking on land, but it’s very skilled at diving. The common loon (Gavia immer), also known as the great northern diver, is an aquatic bird that somewhat resembles a large duck or small goose. Since flying isn’t their strong point, why do loons migrate?

Most birds have hollow bones to reduce their weight for flying. The fact that a loon’s bones are not hollow adds weight to facilitate diving but makes flying more of a challenge. Loons can dive as deep as 200 feet (60 meters) and stay underwater for three minutes. Because of their dense bones, they sit lower in the water than ducks or geese when they swim. The loons’ legs, located near the rear of their bodies, facilitate quick diving but make walking more difficult.

Loons are well-designed for catching fish and well-suited for life in the ocean, where they spend their flightless winters. When spring comes, the loons molt, shedding their gray feathers and growing black ones. They gain stiff wing feathers and begin exercising to build strength for the migration journey. After a couple of months of preparation, they are ready to fly hundreds of miles north to freshwater lakes, where they spend the summer.

Why should loons leave the oceans where they have an abundant food supply? Just think that they wouldn’t have to go through the changes necessary to fly to the northern lakes. They could also avoid the dangers involved in making the migration. They wouldn’t need the complex navigation methods they use to return to the same lakes where they originated. Why do loons migrate? Why not do what many northerners do when they retire and just enjoy life along the warm and sunny ocean shores?

The answer seems to be more beneficial to other living creatures than to the loons. Their departure from the ocean relieves pressure on fish populations in coastal marine areas. More than that, it helps to control fish populations in northern freshwater lakes. Loons return to the north to benefit the northern ecosystems. These birds are well-designed to fill a niche in the ecosystem that other life forms can’t fully meet.

So even though loons are not the best at flying and even less adapted for walking, they have what is needed to fill a niche in the ecosystem. Why do loons migrate? The loon’s migration may benefit other living creatures more than itself. How could natural selection explain this? According to the survival of the fittest, shouldn’t these birds survive and thrive doing their own thing rather than benefiting others? We don’t think natural selection fully explains the design of loons and their lifestyle. We suggest that the common loon is a testimony to the Creator’s wisdom of design in the life system we see all around us.

February 18, 2022February 15, 2022

No Life Without Water

Without water, life would not be possible. For that reason, astronomers are constantly looking for other locations in the universe where liquid water might exist. Only in such places could there be any hope of finding life. Whether life exists anywhere in the universe outside of planet Earth is a question people have asked for hundreds of years. Scientists still don’t know the answer, but everyone agrees that there could be no life without water.

The water molecule seems very simple. It is H²O–one oxygen atom combined with two hydrogen atoms. However, instead of bonding in a straight line (H-O-H), the two hydrogen atoms are on one side of the water molecule at a 104.5-degree angle from each other. That alignment gives the hydrogen side of the water molecule a partial positive charge, while the other side has a partial negative charge. Because of that, the positive and negative sides of water molecules attract one another and form hydrogen bonds resulting in a network of water molecules.

When water is in the gaseous state, the interaction between molecules is negligible. However, when it is in the solid form of ice, each water molecule forms a bond with four others, creating a lattice that causes ice to be lighter than liquid water. For most substances, the solid state is heavier than the liquid state. This unique property of water causes ice to float. Additionally, the low thermal conductivity of ice prevents the water below from freezing. If lakes and oceans froze from the bottom up, it would kill all marine life and ultimately all life on Earth.

If water molecules did not form hydrogen bonds, instead of boiling at 100 degrees C, water would boil at -100 degrees C. That would prevent life processes. Furthermore, because there is a 100 degree C difference between water’s melting and boiling points, life is possible in Earth’s wide range of environments. Water has the highest heat of evaporation of any known substance so that it remains liquid up to and even at its boiling point. It also has the second-highest heat capacity of any known substance, allowing its temperature to remain stable during heat fluctuations in the environment. Those qualities of water are also critical for life, meaning that there could be no life without water.

Water’s ability as a solvent makes it essential for the life processes of living cells. Likewise, water’s inability to dissolve oily substances is vital to create a strong “hydophobic effect.” Cell membranes, DNA, RNA, and proteins all contain oil-like regions. If the water in the cells could dissolve them, life would not be possible. In addition, the water molecule can participate in and enable chemical processes such as hydrolysis, reduction, oxidation, and others that are essential in living cells.

The bottom line is that there is no life without water and the fine-tuning of the hydrogen bonding in water molecules. With new scientific discoveries, we see fine-tuning for life in the cosmos and even in the cells of our bodies. Without that fine-tuning, life would not exist, and we would not be here. Accidental coincidences do not explain such incredible precision of design. We think the explanation goes beyond science and points to an intelligent Designer.

For much more on this, read chapter three, “The Chemical Anthropic Principle,” in Fazale Rana’s book Fit for a Purpose.

February 17, 2022February 15, 2022

Teachings of Mohammad and Jesus Christ

One of the ongoing struggles in the world today is the conflict between the followers of Mohammad and the followers of Jesus Christ. When science forced me to realize there is a God, I had no compelling reason to believe that the God who created time, space, and matter/energy was the God of the Bible. Looking for answers, I examined the teachings of Mohammad and Jesus Christ.

I got a copy of the Koran translated into English by N. J. Dawood, a Muslim, and published by Penguin classics. My Muslim friends have told me that no English translation is valid, but recent events in Pakistan have shown that my reading was the same as the mobs in Pakistan.

In addition to some scientific errors, the Koran has teachings that denigrate women. (See Women 4:34 and the Confederate Tribes 33:51-52.) It also commands violence. For example, The Spoils 8:37-41 commands Muslims to “make war on the Christians and Jews.” In Repentance 9:4-7, 9:14, and 9:122-125, Mohammad says to “make war on the Christians and Jews who dwell among you.” Let me hasten to say that my Muslim acquaintances are as disturbed as I am with these teachings and would never participate in them. The problem is with the teachings of Mohammad, not what all Muslims do.

However, recent events in Pakistan have shown that Muslims in that part of the world follow those teachings of Mohammad. On February 14, 2022, the Associated Press reported that a mob stoned a man named Mushtaq Ahmed, whom the accused of burning a Koran. When police tried to intervene, they were stoned and injured, and Amed was killed.

In a separate incident, a couple with four children in Punjab, Pakistan, were accused of sending written text messages criticizing Mohammad. Neither of them can read or write, but the mob tortured the husband and threatened his wife with sexual assault. They put the couple in prison for seven years and gave their four children to relatives.

As a man convinced that God exists, I could not embrace a book that taught things I knew were destructive and untrue. When I read the teachings of Jesus Christ, I saw a plea for peace, love, and non-violence. He elevated women and refused to return evil for evil. I saw the striking contrast between the teachings of Mohammad and Jesus Christ.

If you have doubts about the teachings of Christ and Mohammad, I would encourage you to get a copy of the Koran and read all of it. Then read Matthew through at least chapter seven. Compare the teachings of Mohammad and Jesus Christ. I am thankful that most Muslims I know do not accept Mohammad’s call for violence, his embracing of polygamy, or the abuse of women. Although there are many good things in the Koran, it also calls for a cultural dependence on violence and servitude. It fails to deal with what can change the world and make it a better place.

We have a chart listing difficult passages in the Koran, which you can read or download HERE.

Reference: Associated Press for 2/14/22 reported in the South Bend Tribune, page 8 A.

February 16, 2022February 15, 2022

Mob Rule Mentality

One of the worst characteristics of humans is the capacity to allow mob rule mentality to destroy clear thinking, evidence, logic, morals, and kindness. Evolutionists point to the similarities between human mob behavior and the gang behavior of wolves, meerkats, monkeys, and killer whales as evidence for their theories. There is no question that humans can act like these animals, but these animals cannot behave in the way Jesus taught us to live.

The Bible is not ignorant about this issue. In Acts 7, you can read the account of a man named Stephen, who was accused of blasphemy by a group opposed to Christianity. The group’s claims were false, and Stephen made a defense of his activity. However, rather than consider the evidence and think about what he said, the mob “ground their teeth at him in rage.” Then “they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed at him, dragged him out of the city … and they stoned Stephen.”

Another biblical example of mob rule mentality is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In Mark 15, we see Pilate trying to reason with the crowd. Yet, in typical mob behavior, the same people who had honored Christ not long before cried out for His crucifixion.

In Acts 19, the teaching of Paul in Ephesus caused resistance from the followers of the goddess Diana (Artemis). This resulted in a mob action endangering Paul’s life and forcing him to leave Ephesus. When mob rule mentality takes over, people ignore logic, evidence, and knowledge. The result is always destructive. If you examine the biblical examples, you will see that there are people feeding the mob lies, false information, and emotionalism.

So here we are in 2022, and mob rule mentality is still around. Mob rule dominates American politics. It isn’t just the January 6 mob that is at issue here. Both political parties have been guilty of being driven by mob rule. The irrational and anti-science mob rule over vaccines is killing people and bringing significant economic damage to the United States and Canada.

I have a friend who was active in a religious crusade by a well-known evangelist. Her job was to go forward when the evangelist extended an invitation to come to Christ. She and ten of her friends were paid to respond to the invitation. The reason was that once people started coming forward, others would follow. I have seen young people at a youth rally or a Christian camp come forward because “everyone else was coming forward.” These may be trivial examples, but they have long-range effects on people’s lives.

The Church must not adopt a mob rule mentality. We must not ask people to follow a human leader or blindly do what others do. Biblical conversions were primarily one-on-one. Even when Peter preached to the people in Acts 2, the plea that he and all the apostles made was to individuals (see Acts 2:37). Individuals responded for themselves and were baptized. The first-century Church was not a mob but individuals meeting in people’s homes (Acts 2:46).

Christians need to avoid being influenced by mob rule mentality, whether it’s a political mob, a religious mob, or a nationalistic mob. Paul wrote, “..study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands. That you may walk honestly toward those who are outside …” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).

February 15, 2022February 14, 2022

The Contrast Between Forests and Cities

Genesis 1:11-12 describes Earth having three kinds of plants which most versions translate as grass (“deshe” in Hebrew), herbs (“eseb” in Hebrew, meaning a non-woody plant with seasonal foliage such as most vegetables), and fruit trees (“ets” bearing fruit “peri” in Hebrew). Genesis 2:9 tells us that “the Lord God made every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food.” The first mention of cities in the Bible is in Genesis 11:1-9 with the Tower of Babel. Then in Genesis 13:12, Lot chooses to live “in the cities of the plain,” Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible shows a contrast between forests and cities.

The habitat of early humans described in the first chapters of Genesis is very different from the cement-paved cities filled with massive structures that we see in the western world today. The construction of cement jungles has brought on an enormous number of social problems as well as pandemics and nutritional issues. As we see the contrast between forests and cities, we are slowly beginning to understand that God’s original design works best.

Archaeologists have a new airborne laser research tool called LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). It enables them to see through the canopy of vegetation, and they are discovering ancient cities hidden by the rainforests. Researchers are finding causeways, hydrological networks, massive structures, and elaborate ceremonial centers. They are seeing the remains of the Maya in South America, the Angkor in Cambodia, and an area called Kuk Swamp in New Guinea.

In these ancient cities, palm trees, Brazil nuts, sugar cane, bananas, and many tropical fruits were harvested from trees that surrounded dwellings. In addition, people grew small patches of maize and millet between the trees. Today, we are beginning to insert green spaces into our cities, and new varieties of plant products are showing up in our grocery stores.

Archaeologists have found evidence of millions of people living in cities in the Amazon basin, Africa, and Asia. The first attempt at farming in Britain was some 6,000 years ago, but in the Fertile Crescent, farming dates back to 11,000 years ago. The Fertile Crescent is the biblical location of the Garden of Eden, which brings us back to God’s original plan for human habitation.

A failure to properly use all the resources God has given us has brought pain, disease, and hunger throughout history. As we see the contrast between forests and cities, we come to appreciate the blessing of the resources God originally created.

Reference: “Rethinking the Jungle” by Matthew Symonds in Current World Archaeology Magazine (#110) for December 2021/January 2022. Symonds shows that the jungle can support massive human populations without all the ills of modern agriculture and city dwelling. His approach is evolutionary, and much of the article comes from a new book by Patrick Roberts titled Jungle: How Tropical Forests Shaped the World – and Us (Viking/Penguin 2021, ISBN – 978-0241472743).

February 14, 2022February 13, 2022

God’s Original Plan for Marriage

Marriage is perhaps the most abused institution God has given us. Historically, people have used marriage for political purposes or as a national defense strategy. One way for a ruler to make peace with a rival king was to marry his daughter. The Bible describes cases of that, and they turn out to be a disaster. People sometimes use polygamy and arranged marriages to cement agreements of all kinds. They have strayed from God’s original plan for marriage by doing so.

Men have used marriage to denigrate and abuse women. They thought of women as possessions and baby machines but nothing more. In some cultures, you could show how wealthy you were by the number of women you controlled. Concubines were common among rulers in the ancient world. Even today, you can buy a wife online or through marriage brokers, and for some women, it has been a path to U.S. citizenship. In recent times, marriage has expanded to include all kinds of relationships, including homosexual and animal relationships.

It is no wonder that God’s original plan for marriage with a man and a woman is becoming less and less recognized in the world today. Genesis 1:27-28 makes it clear that men and women are equal. It is hard to misunderstand when it says, “…in the image of God, male and female He created them.” Passages like Galatians 3:28 point out that there is no distinction between races or sexes in the eyes of God. As far as value, we are “all one in Christ Jesus.”

Genesis 2 elaborates on God’s original plan for marriage between a man and a woman. In verse 18, God says, “It is not good for man to be alone,” and He created a “helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:24 concludes this relationship by saying, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh.” The Hebrew word translated “cleave” means “adhere to.” This word refers to closeness, such as your tongue cleaving to the roof of your mouth (See Palms 137:6 and Job 29:10). This is not talking about a sexual act but a close relationship.

If a person’s view of marriage is that it is just a sexual relationship, then every person who engages a prostitute is married to her. Some marriages have failed because sex is the only thing the two individuals have. Marriage does fulfill the biological drive built into humans (See 1 Corinthians 7:2-), but that cannot be the sole basis of a marriage, or the relationship will not be what God’s original plan for marriage was designed to be. Becoming one and adhering means having a relationship that is so close that each one’s big concern in life is for the well-being of their mate. That kind of relationship blesses everyone, including children and family.

The New Testament tells us to conform to the laws of the land (1 Peter 2:13-15 and Romans 13:1-2), but the state may recognize relationships that God does not. Some people may want to marry their dog, cat, or chimpanzee, but God does not recognize such relationships. Cohabitation is not marriage and fails to bring the kind of blessings marriage brings. Studies show that cohabitation does not produce lasting relationships. Even though the LGBTQ community has adopted its own concept of marriage, the evidence does not indicate that it offers the stability and closeness God wants us to have.

As one who has been married for 61 years at the time of this writing, I can tell you that God’s system of marriage works. Jesus dealt with this issue many times. In Matthew 19:4-5, He repeats the message of Genesis. His critics asked why Moses allowed a perversion of God’s original plan for marriage. Jesus’ response was, “Because you knew so little of the meaning of love, but it was not intended that way at the beginning” (Phillips translation). How true that is in today’s world.