John N Clayton Archives

October 2, 2024October 1, 2024

Suicide Prevention Services

September 2024 was “National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month.” Data on suicides among young people ages 15 to 24 is alarming. A group called Samaritans has provided suicide prevention services in Massachusetts for 50 years, and they released data for that state. They reported 596 suicide deaths in 2021, but since March of 2022, 3800 young people have accessed the Samaritan’s “Hey Sam” text line. They have volunteers in the 15 to 24 age bracket trained to dialogue with their peers struggling with thoughts of suicide.

It is good that individuals and organizations are attempting to provide suicide prevention services, but the Church needs to pay more attention to the needs of young people. Too many congregations assume that their role is entertaining young people rather than opening dialogues about our purpose in life and the importance of faith when life is rough. The “Does God Exist?” ministry offers free videos online, free postage-paid correspondence courses, and class teaching materials to assist the Church in providing answers to questions young people ask. We also welcome questions that we answer privately and online.

As the world plunges deeper into naturalism, greed, humanism, atheism, the break up of family, and denial of purpose for our existence, we can expect more frustration in the minds of young people. Some kids survive in spite of us, but suicide prevention services can’t address the needs of all kids. Jesus gave a pattern for life in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, and His teachings make sense to thinking young people. What they see in world leaders does not.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
Information from USA Today Network-New England. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the National Alliance on Mental Health provide phone and online help. You can dial 988 or online chat988lifeline.org. The Samaritans phone number, 877-870-4673, is available 24/7 for calls or text messages.

October 1, 2024September 29, 2024

Transgender Inmates

The rights of male prisoners who declare their “gender identity” is now female has raised new problems for those managing prisons. California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut have laws that allow transgender inmates to request transfer to prisons that match their sexual preferences. This results in male prisoners being transferred to women’s prisons simply by declaring that they are now women.

The California prison system has received 261 applications from intersex, non-binary, and transgender inmates to transfer to different prisons. In addition to transgender men requesting transfer to women’s prisons, transgender women have reportedly suffered sexual violence in men’s prisons. In California, a third of those seeking transfer are registered sex offenders. Female prisoners in Washington state and Pennsylvania have filed lawsuits against prisons allowing sexual harassment by transgender felons.

We see huge collateral damage from allowing a change in God’s design for males and females. The United States makes a significant effort to protect the rights of all citizens, but conflict results when the rights of trans citizens violate the rights of non-trans citizens. This problem goes beyond transgender inmates in prisons.

Government-sanctioned immorality has also affected college students who cannot have a dorm free of members of the opposite birth gender. Female high school girls cannot have a bathroom or locker room free of males who have gained admission to these facilities simply by claiming to be women. Competitive athletics has a growing number of trans females who are born males and are reducing the rights of girls to have success as athletes.

The aggressive action of the LGBTQ movement in America has moved the government to allow all of these abuses. We can’t ignore God’s design of male and female bodies without the kind of abuse we are seeing. Christ would have us treat those with gender problems with love, kindness, respect, and attention to their needs, but blind acceptance of all claimed transgender desires means others will suffer the loss of their rights.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
References: National Review and The Week for Sept 6/13, 2024, page 12.

September 30, 2024September 29, 2024

Caterpillars Appear to Be Defenseless

Most of us know that caterpillars are a significant part of life on our planet. They are a stage in many insects’ lives and a substantial food for many other life forms. Most caterpillars appear defenseless, so you might assume they are in danger of being wiped out, meaning there would be no more butterflies and moths.

Some caterpillars, such as those for monarch butterflies, have a poison defense. However, recent research has shown that caterpillars are not as helpless as we might think. They are designed with a defense mechanism called “electroreception,” which allows them to avoid being eaten by predator wasps.

The caterpillar can use the bristles that cover its body to detect the faint electric field generated by the wasp’s wing beats. Once it detects the presence of a wasp, the caterpillar assumes a defensive mode. It may remain coiled up with the bristles facing outward or even enter a biting defense.

Electroreception is common in aquatic animals, but this is the first time this predator-prey interaction has been recorded in land creatures. While most caterpillars appear to be defenseless, like all living things, they are carefully designed to have what they need to survive and prosper.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
Reference: “Warning Charge” in Scientific American, October 2024, pages 16-17

September 27, 2024September 24, 2024

Understanding God’s Nature and Dimensions

One of my favorite book titles and quotes is Your God Is Too Small, written by J. B. Phillips in 1953. The book’s theme is that humans are limited in understanding God’s nature. That issue continues today with questions concerning the spiritual realm. God is not a physical being, limited to physical dimensions. What does that mean?

We live in a three-dimensional world, meaning you can move up or down, left or right, straight ahead or behind you. In mathematics, we demonstrate this concept on the cartesian axes of x, y, and z, and we can plot each of those dimensions against time. You can go to the left or right, up or down, forward or backward at a certain speed until you arrive at a particular spot. Notice that each case requires the passage of time. You can’t put time on a cartesian axis because time is 4th dimensional. Just as God created the three dimensions, He also created the 4th dimension. We struggle with that concept because we can’t control the time dimension. It controls us.

The Bible describes God as a being outside of time, not limited by that dimension as we are. Psalms 90:4 (repeated in 2 Peter 3:8) tells us that “with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Revelation 1:8 and 11, 21:6, and 22:13 describe God as “the Alpha and Omega – the beginning and the end.” We realize that has enormous implications for understanding God’s nature. When we pray, God hears our prayer outside of time. Revelation 21:3-4 is easier to comprehend if we realize that without time, all the bad stuff relating to time, including pain, suffering, death, disease, and war, are gone.

If God is outside of time and created time, He exists in a dimension higher than time. There are virtually unlimited dimensions in mathematics, and here we are struggling with one we can’t perceive physically. The Apostle Paul got a glimpse of this and tried to describe it in 2 Corinthians 12:1-5. God’s answer to prayer is frequently not in the time frame we understand. Our concept of heaven and hell is badly distorted by not understanding God’s nature and the spiritual realm outside of time.

The people who heard Paul speak at the Areopagus in Acts 17:22-32 struggled with understanding God’s nature, and Paul challenged them to think. For many of them, and many in today’s world, their God was and is too small.

September 25, 2024September 24, 2024

Design and Structure of Victoria Waterlilies

If you were going to build a barrier between the atmosphere and the water in a pond or lake, what material would you use, and how would you construct it? The construction industry would probably use concrete or iron. The problem with these materials is that they are vulnerable to chemical degradation and changes in temperature. In recent years, we have seen bridges collapse after relatively short periods of existence. Bridge design is difficult because the atmosphere presents a different set of problems than those encountered in the underwater world. God has an answer to this issue, which we can see in looking at the design and structure of Victoria waterlilies.

In the Amazon River, the leaves of the Victoria amazonica waterlily can grow to 10 feet in diameter. These lilies have very large, flat green leaves that grow on the surface of the water. The submerged stalk can grow to 26 feet long at an inch per hour. For protection from underwater herbivores, the salk and leaf bottoms are covered with numerous small spines.

The very large leaves have a network of veins underneath that some have compared to “transverse girders and supports.” This lattice-like structure under the leaves allows the plant to hold air, giving the leaf great strength and buoyancy. If the weight is evenly distributed across one leaf, it can support hundreds of pounds.

Many times, people have copied the amazing designs we see in the natural world, and Victoria water lilies may be one example. You can see them in many botanical gardens in the United States and other countries. Everywhere we look, we see the wisdom and design of God in His creation. However, the most amazing thing about the Victoria amazonica waterlily is the system it uses to reproduce. We will look at that tomorrow.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
References: worldatlas.com and wikipedia.org

September 24, 2024September 23, 2024

Addictions Are Linked to Trauma

One of the significant symptoms of today’s decadent society is the massive amount of addiction we see in all age groups, races, and nationalities. Addiction treatment experts have been unsuccessful in dealing with addiction because they have not addressed the root causes of addiction. It is becoming more evident that all kinds of addictions are linked to trauma people have experienced.

Statistics show that more than 40% of people with opioid addiction report some type of childhood abuse or neglect. Of addicted women, 41% report having been subjected to childhood sexual abuse. Other studies have shown that at least 85% of all people who have an addiction have had at least one adverse childhood experience, and the risk increases with each additional experience. There is also a high correlation between PTSD and addiction, with 58% of PTSD sufferers having a substance abuse addiction.

All of the drug therapies and socialization efforts we can offer do not undo the past. We will never stop wars as long as greed and selfishness dominate and humans practice survival of the fittest. Addictions are linked to trauma, and this is where authentic Christianity (not denominational religion) can make a difference. The biblical design of the nuclear family is the best tool we have for most of addiction’s challenges.

Ephesians 5:21-6:4 speaks of submitting to one another in the fear of God. Husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the Church, and love them as they love their own body. Wives are told to respect their husbands. Fathers are to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Colossians 3:21 warns fathers not to provoke their children to anger. As people base their conduct on skepticism, atheism, and naturalism, we can expect addictions to increase.

Following the teachings of Jesus Christ is not only a key to eternal life but also to life on Earth, free of the addictions linked to trauma. Chemicals cannot help people find meaning and purpose in life, but Christ and His Church can.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
Reference: “New Treatments Address Addiction alongside Trauma” by Maia Szalavitz in Scientific American magazine for October 2024, pages 45-51

September 23, 2024September 22, 2024

Creation and Evolution Are Not the Same

Creation and evolution are two different things. Evolution does not attempt to answer creation. Evolution assumes creation. Evolution assumes that time, space, and matter/energy have been created. It assumes that matter/energy has formed galaxies, stars, planets, moons, comets, asteroids, etc. It assumes that in the Milky Way galaxy, a G-2 star came into existence with a planet that had water and all the parameters needed for life. Evolution then assumes a set of chemical reactions occurred that produced the precursors of life and that life itself came into existence. Once all of this has been assumed, evolution attempts to explain how that life may have changed into what we see on Earth today.

Both atheists and denominational writers confuse creation and evolution. The problem is that many religious people believe that God created all living things precisely as they are today, even though we can see evolution happening in our lifetime. Meanwhile, many atheists assume that if you believe in creation, you are a follower of several highly publicized denominational programs involving creation museums and carnival-like entertainment venues.

Many churches take busloads of young people to those creationist venues, assuming it will build their faith. For a large percentage of the young people, the reverse is happening. We get letters, emails, and phone calls from teenagers who are struggling with their faith and leaving the church of their parents because they see the bad science and poor Bible understanding associated with the creationist materials. This confusion becomes even more destructive when the church they attend takes a dispensational approach to the return of Jesus involving conflict, war, politics, and a restoration of David’s throne on Earth.

Creation and evolution must not be confused. Genesis 1:1 uses the Hebrew word “bara” to describe creation. Bara refers to something that only God can do. Genesis begins with: “Reshith Elohim bara shamayim erets.” The Hebrew words simply mean that God created time, space, and matter/energy. Quantum mechanics has verified that time itself is a created thing. Colossians 1:16 and John 1:3 show why “Elohim” is plural in the Hebrew of Genesis 1. This is actual creation. You can argue about current evolutionary theories, but that is not creation. Our ministry work involves the creation, but we do not espouse the “creationist” position or support the denominational teachings associated with it.

September 20, 2024September 17, 2024

Understanding the Relationship Between Science and Faith

Many people have bought into the belief that science has the answer to every question humans can ask. The idea promoted by the media and various organizations is that science is the only answer to all human problems. Some of humanity’s major problems today are caused by not understanding the relationship between science and faith.

Science can’t show us how to cope with personal challenges caused by Alzheimer’s, dementia, paralysis, brain damage, or mental illness. Theology and faith can provide essential answers when facing life’s challenges. The dictionary defines theology as the study of the nature of God and religious belief.

In the September 2024 issue of the Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation, James C. Peterson made the following comment that we believe is essential for understanding the relationship between science and faith:

“Theology serves science well when it reminds science that science is very good at what it does but only at what it does. There is no scientific basis for claiming that science is the sole way to apprehend reality. Such is the ideology of scientism, not science. Science seeks to recognize causal connections between material entities. It does not have the tools or expertise to do else, even to pronounce that it is a good thing to study science! Much that is real is not accessible to scientific verification.”

Peterson goes on to say that apparent contradictions and anomalies are important opportunities to better understand what is true.

We recently received a letter from a man who stated that prayer was useless and something he would no longer do. This is a classic example of not understanding what prayer is for, what it does, and how it helps us. He said he did not want to pray because when he prayed for there to be no rain, it didn’t do any good. It rained anyway. I asked him what he would expect God to do when one person prayed for no rain while a farmer prayed for rain.

Understanding the relationship between science and faith and what theology really means is essential for atheists and religious people. Peterson explains this relationship well.

September 19, 2024September 17, 2024

The Importance and Design of the Oceans

Those of us living in a landlocked place may not think about the importance and design of the oceans. They cover 70% of Earth’s surface, and life could not exist without them. The more we learn about the oceans, the more we appreciate their role no matter where we live.

How much the oceans have changed and altered life on our planet became more apparent with a study published by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science on August 26, 2024. Scientists in South America and Africa discovered that dinosaur tracks on both sides of the Atlantic matched in age, shape, and geological context. The tracks are on the elbow of northeastern Brazil in South America and Cameroon in Africa. This verifies that at the time of the dinosaurs, the two continents were joined together in a supercontinent called Gondwana, which had broken away from a more massive landmass called Pangea.

Reconstructing the history of the continents reveals the importance and design of the oceans in the past and still today. Water is essential for life to exist. However, most of us may not understand that over 50% of the oxygen we inhale is produced in the oceans. Preparing an environment in which humans can live and breathe is not easy. Oceans have been a tool God has used to prepare the Earth for humans.

When we read the biblical account of the preparation of the planet for life, we note that Genesis 1:2 indicates that God’s spirit was active in the waters. In Genesis 1:6-10, we see more information about the importance and design of the oceans in forming Earth’s ecosystem to support human life. The first chapter of Genesis tells us that God established water in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere and gathered the waters in one place and the land in another (verse 9). The first ten verses of Genesis 1 deal with the forming and shaping of the land, with water being a major focus.

Just as the oceans have been essential to preparing Earth for humans, we humans must take care of them. We must manage the design God built into them for our own well-being, no matter where we live.

September 18, 2024September 17, 2024

Effects of THC on the Human Brain

The human brain is the most complex computer in the world. In one study trying to understand brain health and disease, scientists identified 3,313 different types of neurons in the brain, but there is much more to learn. Other studies have examined the effects of THC on the human brain. THC is the primary psychoactive chemical in marijuana (cannabis) plants.

One study of teen health in Australia and New Zealand dealt with the effects of THC on the human brain regarding depression and suicide. It showed that adolescents using cannabis were 2.5 times as likely to have depression and three times as likely to have suicidal ideas than those who did not use cannabis.

A study of adults who used cannabis daily showed there was five times the risk of psychosis compared to non-users. A Canadian study has shown that emergency department visits for cannabis syndrome increased by a factor of 13 between 2014 and 2021. Despite today’s concentrated cannabis products, science does not fully understand the effects of THC on the human brain, so users have become the test subjects.

Humans have long used breeding to increase desirable features in animals, such as dogs, and plants, such as corn. They have used the same methods on marijuana plants to increase the content of THC. The result is that today’s marijuana has a much more potent effect on the human brain. In 1995, the total THC by weight of marijuana was around 4%. Today it is 20% or more. Concentrated cannabis products can have THC content as high as 95%. Teen exposure to THC can lead to long-lasting problems with memory and learning. Use by teens is more likely to lead to addiction than adult use, and cannabis addiction is linked to schizophrenia.

Recreational drug use has a long history, but there is very little research available on the long-term effects of cannabis and the effects of THC on the human brain. The Christian concept of the human body as the dwelling place for God’s Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16) advises against activities that harm our health. God speaks to us in verse 17, saying that if anyone defiles the temple of God (our body), there will be severe consequences. We are seeing that promise carried out in the adverse effects of cannabis use.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
References: “Transcriptomic diversity of cell types across the adult human brain” in the journal Science, and “The teen brain is especially susceptible to the harms of THC” in Science News magazine