John N Clayton Archives

May 30, 2025May 30, 2025

Only Humans Can Sing

The claim that animals sing just like humans is based on misinformation. Only humans can produce music, a fact supported by both definition and experience. A dictionary definition of music is: “The art of arranging sounds in time that expresses ideas and emotions to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre.” The dictionary also gives the following definition of singing: “The use of the human voice to provide a succession of notes to produce a desired effect.” Only humans can sing.

Music has a proven effect on humans. My son Timothy was born with multiple handicaps. He was blind, severely mentally challenged, and had cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and schizophrenia. What Tim did not have was a problem with his hearing. If we put on a record of one of his favorite artists, he would smile and sit quietly through the entire record.

The Bible records the effect of music on humans. King Saul was mentally disturbed. The one thing that gave him peace was David and his harp (1 Samuel 16:14-16). The Old Testament includes many references to the role of music. In Daniel 3:5-15, we read that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, used music to call people to worship his gold image. In Ecclesiastes 2:8, we read that Solomon had singers serving him. In Nehemiah 12:27-28, we see that singers and players celebrated the dedication of the restored Jerusalem wall. The Psalms are songs, and many of them refer to making music.

Music has played a significant role in Christianity. Ephesians 5:19 tells Christians to “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” A psalm is a current expression of needs. A hymn is a song of praise to God. Spiritual songs are songs that instruct or motivate. In recent years, Bill Gaither and others have popularized gospel music.

Can animals do these things? The answer is no. Only humans can sing. Animals make sounds and “songs” for survival purposes. Dogs bark, cats meow, and birds “sing” for survival reasons. Whales in the broad expanse of the ocean contact one another by emitting low frequencies that travel long distances. A cardinal sits outside our window and “sings.” But what is he actually doing? He is saying to all other cardinals, “Stay out of my territory and away from my mate or else.” He is not creating music.

Animal communication is a demonstration of God’s design and wisdom, but only humans can sing as a product of our spiritual nature in God’s image. Humans need to sing and make music. See Colossians 3:16 and Hebrews 2:12. God created us to enjoy the gift of music and use it to honor Him.

May 29, 2025May 28, 2025

Nighttime Pollinators Are Essential

There is considerable media discussion about the plight of bees, attributed to the use of insecticides and to climate change. The media overlooks the fact that bees and butterflies are primarily daytime pollinators. Of the approximately 350,000 flowering plant species, some depend on nighttime pollinators.

The long list of nighttime pollinators includes moths, cockroaches, beetles, slugs, snails, and bats. Many people consider them to be pests, especially cockroaches and beetles. For this reason, they target pollinators by applying chemicals to control them. The result is that desirable plants fail to reproduce and die out.

The answer to this problem is helping people understand the importance of being cautious about what they apply to their plants and why. Christians believe that God has designed all ecosystems, and good stewardship requires protecting what He has given us. People who reject God’s design for life are engaged in chemical warfare, in this case, against nighttime pollinators.

Reference: BBC.com “Where bees won’t go: The unloved pollinators of the underworld.”

May 26, 2025May 25, 2025

Microplastics and Dementia

You may have noticed that dementia is much worse today than it was in the past. Part of that is probably due to people living longer, but life expectancy has not increased enough to fully explain the growth rate of dementia. Perhaps there is a connection between microplastics and dementia.

Researchers from the University of New Mexico have found an amazing correlation between dementia and the concentration of microplastics in human brains. A study of specimens from autopsies found that the brains of people with dementia had as much as five times more microplastics than normal brains. Comparisons of brain tissues from 2016 and 2024 show 50% higher concentrations in the 2024 samples.

Global plastic production doubles every 10 to 15 years, so the problem is only going to get worse. The human brain is designed with a barrier between blood vessels and brain tissue, but some people have weak blood-brain barriers. Skeptics suggest there is a design failure in the human brain because it evolved by chance over time. A better explanation involves human failure to protect our health.

The fact is that pollution is apparently a significant cause of dementia. Like cancer, brain problems are linked to human greed and a failure to use what God has given us as a tool for successful living. Reducing the flow of microplastics into the environment is going to be an uphill battle because cheap alternatives to plastics are not available. Meanwhile, more studies are needed on the connection between microplastics and dementia.

Reference: Nature Medicine at nature.com

May 22, 2025May 20, 2025

I WAS an Atheist

Yesterday, we looked at John N. Clayton’s answer to the question, “Were you really an atheist?” He said, “I WAS an atheist,” and explained two points about why. He concludes here with two final points:

My third point is that you cannot scare faith into a person. I have heard people say, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” That is not true. I have seen atheists who went through the worst of combat experiences continue their belief that there is no God. I had a few experiences as an atheist where I thought my life was about to end, and it never scared me into believing in God.

What finally changed my parents’ belief system was their response to Christians who ministered unselfishly to them when they could no longer take care of themselves. An atheist views death as part of life. What does not make sense to an atheist is someone who sacrifices when there is no personal gain for themselves. Survival of the fittest can explain death, but it cannot explain altruistic service to others. When my wife and I decided to keep and raise a multi-handicapped baby we had adopted, my parents were enraged. Our action violated their position, producing a major breach in our relationship for many years.

My fourth point is that helping someone out of atheism is never a fast process. I was never in a church building or worship service of any kind until I was nearly twenty years old. Hearing words like “Jesus Christ” used in any way but profanity was very strange to me. Prayer was a meaningless waste of time in my view.

When science forced me to recognize that my atheistic assumptions about the cosmos were inadequate, I started doubting my atheism. It was seven years until I was finally willing to ask questions and share my struggles with someone else. My father was not willing to discuss his atheism until he was seventy years old and faced leukemia. My mother was ninety years old before she would rationally discuss the existence of God.

People do not get out of atheism overnight, but if they accept the evidence and get to know God, their faith will be on fire like no person of inherited faith will ever be. I WAS an atheist because I inherited that belief system. Now I have my own faith, which is supported by evidence that I can see, and it is much better and more fulfilling.

May 21, 2025May 20, 2025

Were You Really an Atheist?

Were you really an atheist? People have asked this question incredulously, as if they couldn’t believe someone like me existed. Some will say, “I don’t think atheists really exist.” I have four points in answer to this challenge.

My first point is that I was an atheist for the same reason many people are believers. I inherited my atheist faith. Most Catholics are Catholic because they were born into a family with that conviction. My parents were atheists, so that is what I was. They indoctrinated me to believe that religion is a destructive and ignorant system that no intelligent person would believe. Ask yourself why you are what you are religiously. If you are what your parents were, is it because you have studied it and know it to be true, or have you just accepted the family faith as the line of least resistance?

My second point is that I did not doubt that there was no God. My only exposure to religion was negative, and my parents took advantage of every opportunity to reinforce the belief that religion was wrong and destructive. My father taught for several years at Talladega State Teachers College, an all-black school in Talladega, Alabama. I remember crosses burning in our front yard. I remember doctors refusing to give us quality medical treatment because of my father’s occupation. I remember my mother being refused service in a restaurant because we were sitting with a black member of the college faculty. Every time something like that happened, I was told that the prejudice was due to religion.

When newspapers carried the story of a religious figure doing something wrong, my parents told me that is what religion produces. Today, there are many examples of actions by religious people doing things that reflect badly on religion. That is why our ministry focuses entirely on scientific evidence for God, not on what “religious” people do. Many of today’s atheists are former Christians or even ministers of churches. They have seen people who are supposed to be Christians do destructive things, and they have thrown the baby out with the bathwater.

These two points are adapted from John N. Clayton’s book Frequently Asked Questions © 2007. John has two more points in answer to the question “Were you really an atheist?” We will look at those tomorrow.

May 20, 2025May 19, 2025

Our Pets Don’t Have Souls

Domestic animals make our lives full and sometimes are our best friends. Some people ask whether animals go to heaven, or say they won’t be happy in heaven if their pet isn’t there. Saying that our pets don’t have souls is very emotionally loaded.

I am an animal lover and have had eight dogs and three cats, all of which I loved dearly. I know what wonderful companions animals can be and how much they can enrich our lives. I also know that for some people, animals have been their primary link to sanity. People have called dogs “man’s best friend” because they don’t have the limitations of many humans. Animals trust, obey, remain faithful, are always truthful, always positive, always loving, and are always there. Our human relationships are likely to fail all these tests. Animals frequently serve as the needed equilibrium for people who have been hurt in their human relationships.

Please think carefully about the previous paragraph. It is a severe indictment of the Church. When I hear someone say that their dog is the only friend they have in the world, I know the Church has failed them. God intended for the Church to be the one force in our lives that would never let us down, but that has rarely been the case due to human weakness.

With those things in mind, the fact is that animals are not humans. The Bible makes it clear that humans are uniquely created in the image of God, giving us characteristics that animals don’t have. Our pets don’t have souls and are not the final answer to the isolation some of us feel.

When we are in heaven and no longer bound by time, will we be able to go back and revisit the animals that blessed our lives? I have no idea, but I believe our priorities and relationships will be different then. The Church often fails to support people who are hurt, isolated, lonely, and unfulfilled. I hope we will begin to do a better job of healing them with our love, compassion, and fellowship.

May 19, 2025May 18, 2025

Upside-Down Trees – the Baobabs

Our fourth quarter 2024 printed publication contained an article about the very unusual baobab trees that grow in Madagascar, Africa, and northwest Australia. These “upside-down trees” can live 2,000 years or more and grow to huge sizes. They have a pyramid shape with a large trunk that stores vast amounts of water, but they have no limbs or leaves except at the very top. Baobabs are essential to the lives of bats and birds.

Baobab trees are unusual because they have no genetic connection with gymnosperms like pine trees and modern seed trees like oaks or maples. They are also not related to palm trees, which are not true trees.

One of our followers sent me a letter about the article. She said it brought back memories of her childhood in Rhodesia and the story of the upside-down trees. She wrote:

“My family often camped out in the ‘bush,’ and no matter where we went, there were always baobabs. I must have seen a hundred or more over the years, but I never saw one with leaves and flowers … The Matabele, an African tribe in the Bulawayo area, had a great tale about why the trees look upside down and dead. When the baobabs were created, they were very proud of their size and beauty. They bragged to the other trees and became arrogant and annoying. The gods heard about their boasting, so they turned the baobabs upside down, and what we see are the roots.”

That is an interesting tradition with a great message about pride and boasting. We appreciate that our friend shared it with us. Despite the pagan story explaining the upside-down trees, we know they are not punishment, or an accident created by chance and without purpose. They are part of God’s amazing design for life on this planet.

If you are not on our mailing list and would like to read the article in the Does God Exist? 4th quarter publication, you will find it on our website doesgodexist.org. We also featured these trees in an earlier post on this website.

May 16, 2025May 13, 2025

Take It Easy and Live Longer

It’s an animal that can live for 500 years. The ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) is a clam native to the North Atlantic. They exemplify the slogan “Take it easy and live longer.”

The ocean quahogs living in deep, cold waters farther north live the longest. Those in the southern areas tend to have much shorter lives. Since these mollusks add one growth line to their shells each year, it’s possible to determine the age by counting the lines. The oldest reported specimen found in 2006 was 507 years old. That means this clam began its life shortly after Columbus discovered the Americas. Who knows how much longer it might have lived if it had escaped capture.

Ocean quahogs and a few other animals, such as tortoises, have a quality that scientists call “negligible senescence.” What that means is they don’t show signs of aging. Scientists are still trying to discover the factors that allow some animals to live long lives without apparent aging.

We suggest that one factor is obvious. “Take it easy and live longer” is demonstrated by the long-lived creatures with an unhurried and unstressed lifestyle. Perhaps we can learn something from that. The Creator had a reason for setting aside a time of rest.

May 15, 2025May 13, 2025

Dancing Frogs in India

If you can imagine a male frog sticking his leg up and waving his foot to attract the attention of a female frog, then you have a mental picture of “dancing frogs” (Micrixalus). Several species of these frogs live in the Western Ghats Mountain Range of India. Although these dancing frogs can’t dance like the cartoon version, with top hat and cane, they are gifted at sticking a leg out.

During the mating season, the male dancing frogs will find a prominent rock along the stream and puff out their white vocal sacs. Then they tap their hind foot on the rock and wave it in the air when they see a good-looking female frog approaching. They sometimes wave their foot when another male comes along to tell him, “This is my territory, and you better move along, buddy!” The frog may use alternate hind legs to perform this “foot flagging” while at the same time expanding its vocal sac to call out to the females. It’s a frog-style song and dance routine.

After mating, the female uses her hind legs to dig a hole in the streambed to bury the eggs. Dancing frogs are vulnerable because of habitat loss, but India has created some protected areas in the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot. We are continually amazed at the diversity and creativity in the beautiful system of life God created. We even find it entertaining.

May 14, 2025May 13, 2025

Why We Have Four Gospels

When I was an atheist, it seemed ridiculous to me for there to be four accounts of the same story. Why not have one good account instead of four shoddy ones? The answer to why we have four gospels did not come to me for many years.

The old explanation that four different witnesses reported different things did not hold up well. Having one complete account made more sense to me. I finally came to see why we have four Gospels is because of the readers, not the writers. One of the problems that many Americans have with the Bible is that they assume it was written for Americans. The Bible is not an American book, and it is not about Americans.

We have three synoptic gospel accounts written by different authors, specifically designed for different groups of readers. In spite of that, there is an amazing accord between them. The synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke give a general view, or synopsis, of the events of Christ’s ministry.

The scholars who study the gospels tell us that 606 of the 661 verses of Mark appear in Matthew and that 380 of the verses of Mark are found in Luke. Mark is the oldest and shortest of the synoptic gospels. Matthew is very Jewish and contains much material that would be of interest to the Jewish culture, as well as covering the material in Mark. Luke was a well-educated Greek and a physician. His writing does not contain the Jewish slant of Matthew, and his approach would appeal to the Gentile, or Greek, population.

The Gospel of John is not synoptic but evangelistic. John’s purpose is to convince his readers that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. The very nature of Jesus as the logos in John 1:1 is expanded and carried throughout the gospel. Much of the information in John is not in the other Gospels, because it has a different purpose and intent. It is an apologetic gospel to address the skeptic and the uninformed.

Suggesting that the reason why we have four gospels is to prevent details from being left out is a vast oversimplification. The four gospels together give us a logical, reasonable, and essential understanding of what and who Jesus was and what He came to do. The Bible gives us an accurate record of the gospel.