John N Clayton Archives

November 18, 2025November 18, 2025

Camels Are Amazing Animals

You might think a camel is a funny and awkward-looking creature. The fact is, camels are amazing animals. Consider the properties of a camel:

1) A camel can drink freshwater or saltwater. Camels can even drink water from the Dead Sea without harm because their kidneys filter it, removing the salt and turning it into fresh water.

2) A camel can eat thorns with no damage to its stomach or intestines because its saliva dissolves the thorns.

3) A camel has two sets of eyelids: one is thin and transparent, and the other is thick and fleshy. When a sandstorm blows in the desert, it closes the transparent eyelid to prevent sand from entering its eyes.

4) A camel can regulate its body temperature. If it’s cold, its temperature rises, and if it’s hot, its temperature drops. In the desert, temperatures can range from 120 degrees during the day to below freezing at night.

Camels are amazing animals, specially designed to live in the desert. There is no way that all of these abilities can come into existence by a “long series of beneficial accidents.” The camel’s amazing design provides thoughtful people with strong evidence for the existence of a creator God.

Reference: Our thanks to Gary W. Stephenson for sending us this information, taken from Quora.com.

November 14, 2025November 11, 2025

Electric Rays in the Ocean

The oceans are home to many ray species. Some are more familiar than others. Stingrays are found almost anywhere in shallow beach waters, and manta rays can grow to enormous sizes. Most rays have a stinger, which they use to defend against predators or attackers. Steve Irwin, the Australian conservationist, was killed while swimming next to a large manta ray. Rays are generally slow swimmers, so their stingers serve as their main defense. A lesser-known group of rays that don’t use stingers is the electric rays, also called torpedo fish.

Larger electric rays can generate an electric shock of up to 220 volts. That’s enough to electrocute their prey or stun an adult human. Researchers have observed a large white shark approach an electric ray and turn away when it came too close. Electric rays primarily use their electric power to capture prey while hiding beneath the ocean floor, waiting for prey to swim by.

God has equipped all living things with survival and defense mechanisms. Some can run at high speeds, others use camouflage, and some have venom or toxins. Electric rays are among the few that use high-voltage electricity. The variety of designs in living things shows evidence of a Designer.

Reference: Ocean Conservancy for winter 2025, page 3, and wikipedia.org

November 13, 2025November 11, 2025

Inside a Tree Trunk

There is so much about the everyday things in our lives that we don’t understand. When we see a tree, we have no idea what lives inside that tree’s trunk. Recent studies by scientists have found that inside a tree trunk there are entire communities of bacteria. A single mature tree hosts about one trillion bacteria, with different communities living in various layers.

What is especially remarkable is that some of the bacteria living deep inside a tree trunk are anaerobic, meaning they don’t need oxygen and produce methane. The outer layers of wood may absorb some of the methane, but more research is needed on that. The study’s lead author said that the inside of a tree trunk is more like a wetland, where anaerobic bacteria and methane producers thrive in low-oxygen environments.

Poets like Robert Frost and Joyce Kilmer have written famous poems about trees. While we admire the beauty of a tree and enjoy its leaves and their fall colors when they lose chlorophyll and turn vibrant, we often don’t think about what it takes to create them. In a desert, humans seek an oasis where conditions permit trees to grow. Most of the time, we take trees for granted and never consider what’s inside a tree trunk.

Genesis 1:12 tells us that God formed trees (the Hebrew word “ets”) as a special creation, separate from grasses or gymnosperms. That simple statement hides how complex it really is to make a tree trunk. As Romans 1:12 states, “We can know there is a God through the things He has made,” and the trees we see in our yard or garden demonstrate how much intelligence is needed to create a simple piece of wood.

Reference: Scientific American, November 2025, pages 20-21.

November 12, 2025November 11, 2025

Paranthropus boisei – The Media’s Man

A Reuters article by Will Dunham claims that bones linked to an extinct human relative have been discovered in Kenya. Soon after this article was published, we received emails asking if this supposedly disproves the biblical account of Adam and Eve. Paranthropus boisei is another example of the media seizing an opportunity to undermine the Bible. Let’s examine the evidence:

1) The fossils have been assigned to the species Paranthropus boisei. The first discovery of this species was made in 1959 by Mary and Louis Leakey, who described the specimen as “gorilla-like.” The brain volume is 450 to 550 cubic centimeters, which is chimp-sized. By comparison, the average human brain is 1,300 to 1,400 cc. In 1959, the media nicknamed Paranthropus boisei “Nutcracker man” because of its large teeth and powerful chewing muscles.

2) Hand bones of the specimen indicate it could make and use stone tools. Today, we know that tool use does not necessarily demonstrate a direct connection to humans. Even birds use tools to extract insects from holes, and monkeys break open coconuts with large rocks.

3) The fossils show that Paranthropus boisei could walk upright on two legs. Many animals can walk on two legs, including birds, kangaroos, some monkeys, and some dinosaurs. An erect posture has nothing to do with whether a fossil is from a human ancestor.

The biblical definition of a human is a life form created in the image of God. This is a spiritual likeness, not a physical one. In Genesis 2:7, we read, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.” The Hebrew word translated “formed” is “yatsar,” meaning to shape or mold, as an artist shapes a statue. If God used physical prototypes to house His spiritual creation, that is not a problem.

Paranthropus boisei has no bearing on the biblical account or the human spiritual nature in God’s image. This is simply another desperate attempt by the media to discredit the Bible.

Reference: reuters.com

November 11, 2025November 10, 2025

Apex Scavengers Have a Purpose

People often react with disgust when they see videos of hyenas eating decaying remains of a dead cow or deer. Vultures have long been viewed negatively because people associate them with feeding on the carcasses of dead animals. However, these apex scavengers have a purpose in the natural world. They help control diseases that could otherwise spread uncontrollably.

The list of diseases that apex scavengers help prevent is extensive. Diseases like anthrax, botulism, salmonella, E. coli, and rabies are just some of the illnesses that could be avoided if healthy populations of apex scavengers were maintained. Between 1992 and 2006, the use of a veterinary drug caused India’s vulture populations to crash. This led to an increase in feral dogs consuming carrion, resulting in over 48,000 rabies deaths from dog bites.

Humans generally see apex scavengers as evil and have often destroyed them. The Red List of Threatened Species, published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, states that 36% of apex scavengers are threatened or declining. Without their presence, smaller scavengers like rats thrive and spread zoonotic diseases that apex scavengers could help prevent.

Millions of people die each year from zoonotic diseases, and that number will rise if apex scavengers are eliminated. God created everything for a reason, and apex scavengers have a purpose. Their intentional destruction of scavengers (and predators) is a classic example of how human ignorance has caused human misery. When we look at the problems facing humanity today, many stem from the violation and misuse of the good things God created.

Reference: Discover magazine, November/December 2025, page 10, and discovermagazine.com.

November 10, 2025November 9, 2025

Human Hibernation Research

One of the most fascinating aspects of the natural world is how different animals survive the winter. Hibernation allows various animals to enter a state for weeks or even months in which their body functions slow down, and they return to normal when warm weather arrives. Researchers in medical science are exploring ways to induce human hibernation. Besides enabling long space journeys, it could also be very useful in treating heart attacks and strokes.

Among the animals being studied are Arctic ground squirrels and grizzly bears. Arctic ground squirrels have a body temperature of 99 degrees F (37 °C) from April to October. From October to April, their body temperature drops to 27 degrees F (-3 °C), and their heart rate can drop as low as one beat per minute. A hibernating brown bear doesn’t experience such drastic temperature changes. The bear’s temperature drops to around 90 degrees and stays at that level from November to March, then rises back to summer levels. The bear undergoes a 5-month period of torpor that conserves energy and supports normal functions. For female bears, this includes giving birth and nursing cubs.

The effectiveness of these and other hibernation strategies is clear. Small animals like squirrels can’t store enough body fat to survive the winter, but bears can accumulate enough fat to sustain them for five months. Bears lose this weight so that when they emerge from the den at the end of winter, they are very lean and very hungry.

Medical scientists are investigating how to induce human hibernation because it could extend the window for critical care of stroke and heart attack patients. The research focuses on how humans might benefit from changes in body temperature to fight various diseases. Like everything else, we aim to develop medical treatments by learning from what God has already created.

References: nationalgeographic.com and wikipedia

November 7, 2025November 4, 2025

Religion Is Essential for America’s Survival

Can a political system survive without religion? The founders of America and the writers of the Constitution did not think so. George Washington wrote, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to a political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” The question for us is whether America survives as our population and our leaders increasingly reject religion and embrace immorality. Our founders clearly believed that religion is essential for America’s survival.

John Adams, our second president and who helped Thomas Jefferson draft the Declaration of Independence, wrote, “We have no government in power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion.” It’s clear why religion is essential for America’s survival when you look at the Declaration of Independence, which states that our rights are endowed by the Creator and that all men are created equal. The atheist claims that men are not inherently equal and that only the fittest survive. Historically, slavery was justified by whites who argued they were superior and that people of color were inferior at birth. Any honest reading of the biblical account shows that since all humans are made in the image of God, we are inherently equal.

Religion is Essential for America’s survival, and the architects of our modern society understood that the vital foundation of any stable political and economic system relies heavily on religion, morality, family life, and love. A society that lacks these core elements will eventually fall apart, and we are witnessing that collapse accelerate today. Making America great again depends on restoring its moral health. Christ laid the foundation for stability when He sacrificed Himself for the Church, emphasizing its importance. That’s why the “Does God Exist?” program works tirelessly to share the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

November 6, 2025November 4, 2025

Hardwired for Moral Behavior

A question that evolutionists and naturalists cannot answer is why even atheists follow a moral code. I have seen this personally in my family. My father was an atheist, a philosophy professor, and a disciple of the philosopher John Dewey. He wrestled with the question of morality throughout his career. The truth is that my father was a very moral man. He never cheated anyone, taught his kids to be honest, never plagiarized or misrepresented a colleague’s or student’s work, never cheated on his taxes, and, as far as I know, was completely faithful to my mother. When I became a Christian, I asked him why he was so moral and honest, and he simply said, “I don’t know.” Is it possible that humans are hardwired for moral behavior?

An article in Scientific American by Elizabeth Svoboda titled “The Neuroscience of Morality” provides substantial evidence that morality is not learned or a product of evolution. Svoboda noted that physical disgust and moral disgust are “uniquely connected.” A key statement in the article is, “When we first become aware of an ethical violation, we’re hardwired to react much as we might to a steaming cow pie” (A cow pie is a pile of manure left by a cow). However, the article suggests there is a slippery slope: once you start acting immorally, such as by lying or cheating, it becomes easier to continue. Conversely, when people act morally in tempting situations, it becomes easier to have moral courage next time.

Titus 1:2 states that God cannot lie. Since we are created in the image of God, we are hardwired for moral behavior, including telling the truth. A child can learn to lie, but as a parent, I could look into my young child’s eyes and tell whether they were being honest. By the time kids become teenagers, they have learned to lie so convincingly that only a polygraph can reveal the truth. When adults are conditioned to lie, they often become unstable and may need psychological help.

The scientific evidence is clear. Humans are unique in many ways, but one key feature is that we are hardwired for moral behavior, which stems from being created in the image of God. Animals, however, do not have a moral code because they are not created in God’s image.

Reference: “The Neuroscience of Morality” by Elizabeth Svoboda in the November issue of Scientific American (pages 32-39

November 5, 2025November 4, 2025

Clarifying the Neanderthal Description

The first Neanderthal fossil was found in 1856. Later discoveries in Germany revealed complete skulls and specimens with a long, flat skull, a rounded brow ridge (supraorbital torus), large eye sockets (orbits), and brain sizes of 1640 cc in males, which is larger than most males today. The most influential specimen was La Chapelle–aux–Saints (the old man), discovered by French paleontologist Marcellin Boule, who described it as a hairy, slouching, ape-like creature. That description of Neanderthals endured for many years, but newer discoveries are clarifying the Neanderthal description.

Today, we know that Neanderthals were a distinct race of humans. An archaeologist named Lutz Kindler, from the MONREPOS Archaeological Research Center in Germany, reports that Neanderthals operated a “Fat Factory.” In what is now eastern Germany, Neanderthals broke and crushed the bones of large mammals to extract valuable bone marrow and fat, which they used as a food source.

Evidence indicates that Neanderthals planned hunts, transported carcasses, and rendered fat, understanding its nutritional value. On the site, researchers found more than 100,000 bone fragments from at least 172 large mammals, including deer and horses. Many of the bones show cut marks and signs of intentional breakage, indicating deliberate butchering rather than just leftovers from a hunt. Researchers also found evidence of tool use and fires in the area.

In the past, Neanderthals were thought to be a missing link in human evolution from monkeys. However, as new discoveries are clarifying the Neanderthal description, we see that they were a race of humans, not related to monkeys or apes. Fossil specimens with “pithicus” in their names form part of the evolutionary tree for monkeys and apes, but humans are separate and distinct.

The Bible describes humans as created in the image of God (Genesis 1: 26- 27), referring to our spiritual nature—our soul. Acts 17: 26 tells us we are all of one blood, and Galatians 3: 28 states that when we are in Christ, we are all one. The evidence contradicts attempts to portray humans as “naked apes.”

References: Science Alert for July 6, 2025 and Wikipedia.

November 4, 2025November 3, 2025

Transgender Detransitioners and the Church

One criticism often leveled against our ministry is that we are religously biased against the transgender community. However, this criticism is flawed on several points. First, our ministry’s primary concern is solely with whether the biblical record is accurate. Second, physical evidence indicates that transgender medical treatments can be harmful and are often influenced by political and financial motives rather than the best interests of young people. The transgender movement also tends to dismiss transgender detransitioners—individuals who regret their choices and wish to revert to their birth gender.

Scientific evidence clearly shows that the transgender movement is misguided, but this information is not readily available to young people, their families, or the public. Studies reveal that 85% of children who once desired to be the opposite sex during puberty eventually outgrow those feelings. When not encouraged to transition, 17 out of 20 children with gender dysphoria resist the urge to transition. According to the American Psychiatric Association in 2013, gender dysphoria affected only 0.014% of boys and 0.003% of girls. A 2021 study in Pennsylvania found that 9.2% of public high school students did not identify with their biological sex—an increase of about 900% in less than ten years.

When children are encouraged to transition, many will eventually regret that choice and may seek acceptance from the Church community. The challenge for Christian congregations is how to respond to transgender detransitioners who come to the Church. In Old Testament times, nations at war with Israel practiced castration of captives. Historians note that captives were often castrated to serve as court servants, cutting them off from their families, ancestors, and culture, while ensuring they could have no descendants. They were left with no identity other than that of servants to their new masters.

In the Torah, eunuchs are not allowed to serve in the priesthood (Leviticus 21:20) or to worship with the assembly (Deuteronomy 23:1). In the New Testament Church, we see acceptance of eunuchs. Acts 8 describes the conversion and baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch after Philip explained the meaning of the prophecy of Jesus in Isaiah 53. If he had advanced the scroll a couple of turns, he might have read Isaiah 56:3-5, where God shows compassion for eunuchs.

Christians must love and care for all people in need while also teaching children and their parents about the destructive effects of the transgender movement. Congregations need to address this issue similarly to how they handle the dangers of destructive drugs. Preventive education is part of a Christian’s duty, but showing compassion and love to those harmed by evil in today’s world is also a core teaching of Jesus Christ. Transgender detransitioners need to understand that God loves them.

Reference: “Detransitioners in Your Church Doorway?” By Jonathan P. Clemens in Eikon, volume 4, issue 2, fall 2022