John N Clayton Archives

December 30, 2024December 29, 2024

The Religion of Scientism

We get a lot of mail from skeptics and atheists who state that “religion is the opiate of the masses” and that they have no religion. Karl Marx made this statement, but it is not accurate. Britannica defines religion as “a human being’s relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, absolute, spiritual, divine, or worthy of special reverence.” That applies to the religion of scientism, which says that science is the only source of knowledge.

Many people hold to a human system of belief. Scientist Stephen Hawking made science fit the definition of scientism. Hawking wrote that “scientists have become the bearers of the torch of discovery.” As a science teacher and a person trained in the physical sciences, I understand that science has taught us many wonderful things, but it does not have all the answers.

You can learn many wonderful things outside of what science can measure or discover. Why did the universe come into being? What is the meaning of human existence? What happens after we die? What is the basis for morality? Why is there something instead of nothing? How did gravity come into existence? These are all questions science can’t answer. John C. Lennox, in his book God and Stephen Hawking, points out that what is going on in our academic world today is not science versus religion, but rather it is theism versus atheism. Many have adopted the religion of scientism.

The dictionary defines science as knowledge. Wikipedia defines scientism as “the belief that science and the scientific method are the best or only way to render truth about the world and reality.” We can be amazed by what science can do, but science cannot answer many essential questions.

Science has given us many ways to kill one another. War has affected us all, and science offers no answer as to how to stop it. In contrast, the teachings of Jesus Christ tell us how to stop war. Read Matthew 5-7 and ask yourself what the world would be like if everyone accepted and applied those teachings. Now, consider what the world will be like if we continue to allow greed, selfishness, and political ambition to control all of humanity.

Those who reject God and Christ’s teachings will embrace some other human belief system. Will we allow atheism and the religion of scientism to govern our future, or will we accept the message of Jesus Christ?

December 27, 2024December 23, 2024

Wildlife in Winter and Conifers

Wildlife in Winter survive because of conifer forests

Winter presents new challenges for all of us, but God has made unique provisions for wildlife in winter. One of the most interesting is the conifers and what they provide for birds.

Winter does not threaten northern birds because all the food and shelter they need is available in four conifers. Berries last through the winter on winterberry holly, Virginia creeper, and trumpet honeysuckle. Cedars have cones and attract insects like carpenter ants that birds eat. Cedar waxwings, golden-crowned kinglets, and pileated woodpeckers thrive on Cedars. Spruce trees have seeds that feed evening grosbeaks, fox sparrows, and juncos. Fir trees provide for nuthatches, chickadees, and spotted owls. Birds can open the cones of white pines to eat the seeds, with nutcrackers and crossbill finches being the most adept.

Conifers exist virtually everywhere on planet Earth, which means bird habitats are available everywhere. The survival of wildlife in winter is possible for birds, other animals, and the plants they depend on. While tropical areas might seem ideal for birds, winter offers freedom from most parasites and provides a host of food and shelter sources. Conifers grow at high elevations and high latitudes where other plants could not exist.

There is amazing diversity everywhere we look on our planet, providing a great testimony to the wisdom and design God has put into His creation. Genesis 8:22 indicates that summer and winter are built into the creation, and Psalms 74:17 tells us God is the creator of summer and winter. As we look outside here in Michigan, we see many birds thriving despite the snow and ice. The survival of wildlife in winter is based on the protection they have from the cold and the food that is readily available to birds in the conifers.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
Reference: Audubon magazine for winter, 2024 page 50. Also of interest is audubon.org/plantsforbirds.

December 26, 2024December 23, 2024

The Value of a Dinosaur Fossil

What is the value of a dinosaur fossil? In 2024, the current record price for a fossilized dinosaur skeleton is $44,600,000 paid for a Stegosaurus fossil nicknamed Apex. The fossil, found in Colorado in 2022, is 27 feet long and 11 ½ feet tall. Kenneth C. Griffin, who bought the Stegosaurus fossil, is loaning it to the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, which expects millions of visitors to come and see it. The previous record for a dinosaur fossil was $31,800,000 paid in 2020 for a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil named Stan, which is going to be displayed in Abu Dhabi. A T-rex fossil named Sue, on display in the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, sold in 1997 for a mere $8.3 million.

What is the value of a dinosaur fossil that can command such enormous prices? Griffin says, “Apex offers a unique window into our planet’s distant past. The joy and awe every child feels coloring a Stegosaurus with their crayons will now be brought to life for the millions of people who have the opportunity to see this epic dinosaur in person.”

Are there religious or biblical connections to finding a dinosaur fossil? For some religious denominations, the answer may be negative. It is difficult to imagine how humans could exist with an animal of this size. As people look at this colossal dinosaur fossil they may be unable to accept the idea that humans and dinosaurs were contemporaries, and they would be right.

The Genesis account contains no Hebrew word that could be translated as “dinosaur” or “Stegosaurus. “Some people refer to “Behemoth” in Job chapter 40. The word “behemah” is used 51 times in the Bible, including Genesis 1:24-25 and refers to cattle. Stegosaurus was not a cow! “Remes” is also used in these verses referring to creeping creatures (also in Genesis 9:3) and is used 16 times in the biblical record. The “creation week” clearly refers to animals that the people of Moses’ time were familiar with, and that would not have included dinosaurs. The term “leviathan” (Job 41:1 and Psalms 104:26) refers to a great water creature, but Stegosaurus was not a water creature.

Dinosaurs were creatures God used to prepare the Earth for humans. Imagine the volume of plant material that Stegosaurus would have eaten every day. You can understand how they were instrumental in pruning the plants and spreading their seeds to provide the coal and mineral deposits humans would need. Like everything God does, the scale of what He did after Genesis 1:2 and before the Genesis creation week was massive. So, what is the value of a dinosaur fossil? We can join in the awe of seeing God’s plan as we look at dinosaur fossils like Apex, Stan, and Sue without feeling any doubt in our minds about the message of Genesis.

December 20, 2024December 17, 2024

Doctrine of the Rapture

A denominational teaching that has brought significant doubt about the integrity of Christianity is the doctrine of the rapture. There are several versions of this human teaching, and with every war in Europe or the Middle East, some people claim it’s the start of the tribulation, and the rapture is coming soon. The general idea is that Jesus Christ will come again to gather a chosen few during the tribulation and then return to establish a utopian physical kingdom in Jerusalem after a war destroying all other physical political systems.

In my lifetime, I have seen a variety of rapture teachings. Some extremes have involved preachers like David Koresh and Marshall Herff Applewhite. In 1997, Applewhite told his followers that God was sending Comet Hale Bopp, and their souls would ascend to a spaceship. More rational denominational preachers have used the doctrine of the rapture to support political activity.

Rapture teaching embraces the idea that after Jesus returns and establishes a physical kingdom in Jerusalem, there will be a time of bliss for a thousand years in which many more will be saved. Some versions say that will happen secretly with those who are part of that denomination. Another version is the claim that those who have died before the second coming will be raised and given a second chance.

The word “rapture” is not found in the Bible. The second coming of Christ is not a political event, will not be centered on a physical reign in Jerusalem, and will not be secretive in any way. Revelation 1:7 says, “… every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all peoples on earth will mourn because of Him.” Second Peter 3:10-12 tells us that the physical cosmos will be dissolved. Matthew 25:31-32 tells us that everyone will be judged. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that all of us are destined to die once and then to face judgment. Regardless of what version you may be exposed to, understand that the Bible does not support the doctrine of the rapture.

December 19, 2024December 17, 2024

Cardinals Are Redder in Winter

I thought it was my imagination that when the Christmas season rolled around, the cardinal that came to my feeder was more brilliant red than I had ever seen before. Then I received an article from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that made me realize what I observed was true – cardinals are redder in winter.

After the breeding season and when food is abundant, northern cardinals molt their feathers and grow new ones. During autumn molting, the cardinals look ugly, with areas of dark exposed skin and even some baldness. The ugly areas become covered with feathers tipped in gray. The gray feather tips wear off, exposing the brilliant red underfeathers. The birds reach the peak of brilliance by midwinter ahead of the spring breeding season.

The color change isn’t just for us to enjoy. It also attracts female cardinals. Studies at Cornell have shown that brighter red cardinals mate earlier and nest in better habitats, producing more offspring. The redness comes from carotenoids, pigments that occur naturally in foods such as red and purple fruits. Honeysuckle has red berries, as does dogwood and winterberry. All cardinals eat the same foods, but only the males reveal the pigments in brilliant reds.

Male cardinals are redder in winter because the genetics of the males and females are different enough to cause a color difference between the two sexes. Building a genome that produces this beautiful color is not easy. There are alternative ways males could attract females, as seen in other bird species.

Cardinals remind us that color and beauty are characteristics God has given us to enjoy. It was not an accident of some mutation that painted male cardinals red. We see amazing color in cardinals as well as peacocks, pheasants, painted buntings, parrots, splendid fairywrens, and lilac-breasted rollers, to mention just a few.

It is not your imagination that cardinals are redder in winter. Enjoy the beauty God has given us in His unique life forms in the sky.

December 18, 2024December 17, 2024

Food Shortages and Hunger

A recent document from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations shows the following data about food shortages and hunger on our planet:

1) Up to 757 million people faced hunger in 2023 – 152 million more than in 2019.

2) In 2023, 864 million people were food insecure, meaning they ran out of food at times during the year.

3) In Africa, 20.4% of the people are facing hunger.

4) 2.8 Billion people on our planet could not afford a healthy diet in 2022.

Human greed, selfishness, and ignorance cause food shortages and hunger. What should we do about it? In Matthew 25:35 and 42, Jesus invites those who gave the hungry something to eat and drink into His kingdom, while those who failed to do so are excluded. Jesus fed thousands of needy people. (See Matthew 14:13-21.)

Those of us blessed with adequate food and clean drinking water must reach out to those in need. We support 13 Christian organizations supplying food and water to needy people. Skeptics and atheists are not motivated to do this. If your belief system is “survival of the fittest,” you can write off the percentage of humanity in need and consider them “less fit.”

We can give you contact information if you want to get involved in Christian projects to provide food and water. Just email me at jncdge@aol.com. You can be part of the solution to the food problem.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
Reference: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

December 17, 2024December 16, 2024

The Value of Women

If you listen to media hype or read books written by skeptics, you might conclude that the Bible is a product of a bunch of men who wanted to keep women under their thumb. This desperate attempt to denigrate the Bible shows incredible ignorance of the value of women in the Old Testament and the teaching of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

The Old Testament portrays women as equal to men in every way. The creation account in Genesis 1:26-27 uses the plural term – “In the image of God created He THEM” – both men and women. The term “help meet” in Genesis 2:18 means one who would fill what is lacking in man. Modern translations use the term “helper.” The Bible describes men and women as having unique qualities of equal value. That is common sense, for how could a man produce offspring without a woman, and how could a woman become pregnant without a man?

The Old Testament does not portray women as merely glorified incubators. It called for men and women guilty of evil to be treated equally. (See Deuteronomy 17:2-7 and Numbers 5:5-7.) Proverbs 31:10-31 praises a woman who cared for her family and ran her own business. The laws of the Old Testament demanded that men were legally bound to care for their wives. Prostitution was forbidden, and kidnapping and rape were punishable by death. Women who were prisoners of war could be married or set free but never abused or sold. (See Deuteronomy 21:10-14, 22:25-29, 23:17.)

Jesus Christ treated women with respect and care, and the New Testament Church taught that women are equal in every way. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” It is true that politicians and selfish males have attempted to use the Bible to control others, but the Bible promotes equality and the value of women.

December 16, 2024December 15, 2024

Flamingo Complexity

The complexity of living things gives evidence of design rather than accidental chance. Flamingos that live in southern Florida, the Galapagos Islands, and throughout the Caribbean provide an example of that complexity. You have probably seen photographs of these five-foot-tall pink birds wading in shallow waters and using their long necks to find food. The pink color comes from pigments in their foods, such as brine shrimp and algae. The color is absorbed by body fat and deposited in the flamingo’s feathers. Flamingo complexity involves more than color.

Flamingos move their heads through the water because their tongues pump water into their bills, where comblike structures strain out their food. This activity helps purify the water and provides nutrition for the flamingos. Their legs are an engineering marvel. What looks like a backward knee is actually an ankle joint that can be locked. You would think that a bird with no talons and no sharp beak would be easy prey for various animals that live in coastal areas. The reality is that flamingos can rest and even sleep with their ankle locked while standing on one leg in the water far from shore, out of the reach of predators.

Flamingo complexity also involves their efficient reproductive system, with monogamous pairs producing one egg a year. They build a mound away from the shore and take turns incubating the egg by sitting on the nest mound. During incubation, the flamingo will frequently stand, stretch its wings, preen itself, and carefully lift and turn the egg with its bill. The incubation period is between 27 and 31 days.

The more we learn about the unique design of various birds, the more we have to doubt that this is the product of blind opportunistic chance. In Job 39:13-30, God challenges Job to explain the unique characteristics of birds, including the ostrich, stork, hawk, and eagle. If flamingos lived in Job’s area, they surely would be included as an example of God’s wisdom and design.

December 13, 2024December 11, 2024

Denominational Creationism Doctrines

One of the most destructive forces in the Lord’s Church today is denominational creationism. The list of big-dollar efforts by denominational churches continues to grow, and their message continues to destroy the faith of well-educated young people.

The “Does God Exist?” ministry reaches out to people who have lost their faith, left the Church, or are associated with megachurches that are not focused on the Bible. We receive many requests from parents whose children have left the Church, and a major part of our work is to reach out to these young people. Many have lost their faith because of things like the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter. Many church leaders fail to understand the issues involved and organize bus trips to these creationist presentations.

Among the issues are claiming the universe or planet Earth is 6,000 years old, suggesting that Noah had baby dinosaurs on the ark, saying that nothing died until Adam and Eve sinned, and saying that the flood of Noah caused all geologic features on Earth. Though they claim to be presenting the biblical account, their message ignores what the Bible actually says. Furthermore, the denominational creationism message is cleverly worked into their dispensational teaching that Jesus will return as a political figure, restoring David’s physical throne by force in Jerusalem and ruling on Earth.

This confusing message is a factor in the loss of young people from the Church. On the doesgodexist.org website, you can read a free booklet titled “God’s Revelation in His Rocks and His Word.” It goes into the biblical problems with this creationist teaching.

The cost of these creationist entertainment venues and the amount of money spent by those who visit them should raise questions in the minds of church leaders. We need to take the Bible literally and use the resources God has given us to meet the needs of people spiritually and materially worldwide. Supporting denominational creationism and teaching their doctrines in Bible classes does not do that.

December 12, 2024December 11, 2024

Sentient Beings and Purpose

A columnist featured in papers across the country is an animal doctor named Dr. Michael Fox. Dr. Fox believes that humans are not the only sentient beings, echoing the writings of those who deny that humans have any special properties or any right to use animals. This opposes the biblical view of humans and what God intended humans to do and eat. In Genesis 9:3, we read, “Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”

The dictionary tells us that “sentient” comes from the Latin word meaning “feeling,” and it describes things that are alive, able to feel and perceive and show awareness or responsiveness. Having senses makes something sentient, or able to smell, communicate, touch, see, or hear. Dr. Fox and others cling to the idea that everything fits that definition, even applying it to nonliving objects: “atoms and stars … with their consciousness evolving with increasing complexity and individuation.”

Where do claims like Dr. Fox’s lead? First, it denies humans’ needs to enable them to survive. What do you eat if everything is equivalent and equal to human beings? Even if this concept is applied only to animals, you have an impossible situation. The world population of humans requires the consumption of proteins and minerals that we can’t obtain from a diet of only plants.

The most crucial aspect of understanding humans as unique sentient beings is that it gives purpose to life. Sentient beings can perceive, show awareness, and respond. Animals like dogs have senses designed for survival, including seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, and communicating. They do not have an awareness of self or a way of understanding that their existence has a purpose. They have no concept of a life beyond their present existence.

All humans need to take care of the world in which we live. That means caring for animals and plants in such a way that they thrive. Christians have a special reason for doing this because our Creator has challenged us to “take care of the garden (the planet)” (Genesis 2:15). We find this concept throughout the teachings of Jesus. Over and over, Jesus called us to love one another. The Greek word used for love is “agape,” meaning “to consider of enormous value.” We CAN love our enemy (Matthew 5:43-45) if we understand that our enemy is a unique being created in the image of God. Our enemies, like ourselves, are sentient beings with a purpose for existing.