Creation According to the History Channel

I just finished watching an episode of “The Universe” on the History Channel. I understand that the people who create these shows are surely people who discount the Bible. They consider my faith in that Book hilarity and can’t comprehend why I would believe such an outlandish idea as Creation. According to them, Genesis 1 is a fairytale that should be relegated to the dust pile of history. They mock my beliefs. I’m keeled over laughing at theirs.

I apologize in advance for the length of this post. I just wanted to show you the idiocy of modern “science.” The pictures are ones that I took of my TV while watching the show. Sorry for the flash reflected on some of them. I’ll put their corresponding statements in quotes. They may not be word for word, but they are very close. I’ll give my thoughts along the way. Get ready for the ride of your life…

First of all, this show should be rated “R.” Sorry, had to throw that one in there. Here’s what they had to say: “A billionth of a second after big bang, a bubble much smaller than a fraction of an atom forms.” What they’re asking you to believe is that all the material that makes up the universe today is contained inside a bubble much smaller than a fraction of an atom. No problem.

“This is the universe. It is unimaginably small and unimaginably hot.” Yet, somehow, they’ve imagined it. (Romans 1:21)

“The forces of nature (gravity, electromagnetism, strong and weak nuclear forces) combine to create a super force. Gravity splits off as the universe expands. As the universe expands, it cools, which somehow sets off a burst of energy that fuels hyper-inflation.” Somehow?

“This inflation locks in the uniformity of the universe.” See, you have to understand that the even temperatures of the universe could not be explained otherwise. Of course, the Creation account in the Bible would explain this uniformity, but that would be ludicrous.

“The universe is still less than a second old when the super force decays into the four separate forces of nature.”

“Less than 3 minutes after the big bang, the temperature of the universe has dropped to a mere 1 billion degrees Fahrenheit…cool enough for atomic nuclei to form.” (Hydrogen and Helium)

I love this one! “380,000 years later…light travels through the universe. The burst of radiation that Penzias and Wilson found happens now.”

“1 billion years after Big Bang, stars take shape, producing heavier elements like Nitrogen, Oxygen and Carbon as Hoyle had predicted.”

“Roughly 9 billion years later, matter and gravity combine to create a perfectly typical star. A circumstellar disc of dust remains that eventually accrete into an entourage of planets and moons.”

“One of these lumps of star dust has temperatures warm enough to allow water to form in the atmosphere. Liquid water gathers on the surface. Underwater, mysterious chemical reactions ultimately form life.” Mysterious?

“13.7 billion years after the Big Bang our universe is now 156 billion light years across.” Keep in mind that nothing travels faster than light. How did the universe spread 78 billion light years in every direction in only 13.7 billion years? I don’t know, but that’s why they had to come up with “hyper-inflation” that was mentioned earlier.

“The third planet from the sun is covered in carbon based life forms. Some are discovering what infinitely small specks they are in the grand scheme of things.”

I didn’t really need the History Channel to tell me that I’m an infinitely small speck in the grand scheme of things. God told me that. I don’t know about you, but I think I’ll stick with an idea that takes a little less faith. Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth…”

The Constitution

Article XIV Section 3(3): “At the option expressed in writing by the parents and guardians, religion shall be allowed to be taught to their children in public elementary and high schools within regular class hours by instructors designated or approved by religious authorization…”

 

 

That excerpt is found in the Philippine Constitution.  Why is there nothing like that in ours?

Free Speech*

I just can’t get enough of the fact that Liberals are all about free speech and expression of thought…unless the speech or the thought contradicts their beliefs. Such is the case with the Miss USA flap that is all over the news right now. Miss California simply stated that she believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. The backlash has been out of this world.

I have never been interested at all in the Miss America contest, but this twist has caught my attention. It’s really an example of a bigger issue.

I have read a few statements made by Miss CA’s attackers. By the way, be careful about going to the articles about this story on the web. Some of the pictures aren’t very modest, to say the least. Anyway, here are some of my favorite quotes:

(Before we get to the quotes…things like this are one of the main reasons my blog is entitled Thinking Preacher. I really wish people would think before they speak. Moving on…)

Shanna Moakler (former Miss USA and current Miss California director) said: “This is why we have judges at Miss USA, so we find the girl to rep us ALL.” This would be an impossibility. ALL the people in CA or the USA don’t see things the way Moakler does.

Moakler continued: “I don’t know how you can call a gay man or woman your friend and not want them [to] have the same joys as yourself. In my family we believe in equal rights for all…” Click here for a thoughtful explanation regarding the thoughtlessness of this statement.

A source close to Moakler’s team said: “People in California, more so than most states, are particularly passionate about overturning Prop 8 --especially those in the pageant/beauty world.” The last seven words of this quote are undoubtedly true. The first fifteen words are idiotic at worst and pathetic at best. If people in CA are so passionate about overturning Prop 8, why did it pass?

Kudos to Miss CA, Carrie Prejean, for saying what she believes.

Oxymoron of the Week

"Faced with the reality that our system for imposing the death penalty can never be perfect, my conscience compels me to replace the death penalty with a solution that keeps society safe." -Governor Bill Richardson (NM)

Click here for more details on this story.

Catching Wild Pigs

A friend of mine sent me a great email.  It read as follows...

A chemistry professor in a large college had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Professor noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt. 

The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The  student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government. 

In the midst of his story he looked at th e professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?' 

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to

that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in The last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. 

Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity. 

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America . The government keeps pushing us toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc.. While we continually lose our freedoms -- just a little at a time. 

One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself. 
Also, if you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America , you might want to send this on to your friends. If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life then you will probably delete this email, but God help you when the gate slams shut! 

Keep your eyes on the newly elected politicians who are about to slam the gate on America . 

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"

Thomas Jefferson

Mayor, Mayor

Sam Adams, the new mayor of Portland, broke a major barrier when he took office.  He become the first openly gay mayor of  a major US city.

He recently held a press conference where he finally told the truth about a sexual relationship he had with a teenage ex-intern.  This was a relationship he blatantly lied about  a few months ago.  You can catch up on this story by clicking here.

The sexual orientation of Mayor Adams doesn't really interest me.  What bothers me about this situation is that anyone would even consider giving the mayor a pass on this issue.  He should resign immediately.  He shouldn't resign because he's gay.  He should resign because he had sex with an 18 year old and lied about it.

Consider this: What if a 40-something single male mayor of another major city had a sexual relationship with an 18 year old girl and lied about it.  If the truth about that relationship came out, people would be demanding his resignation...and rightly so.

Sam Adams has to go.

Liberals and Their Bumper Stickers

I live in the Portland area.  The picture of this car resonates with me.  In fact, I've probably seen this car.  If not, I've seen dozens like it.  The typical liberal who just has to get their point across.

As I was driving down the road today, I got behind a car that had two bumper stickers on it.  When I read them, I realized I had found the perfect example of someone who follows liberal logic and can't see the stupidity right before their eyes.  I'm just going to tell you what the stickers said.  You tell me if you see the oxymoron...and I can't emphasize "moron" enough.

One sticker said: "Respect humanity, vote progressive."

The sticker right above that said: "Keep abortion legal."

I'm speechless.

Bad Apple

I have to admit that I have been a big fan of Apple computer products since about 2003.  I have coveted owning a Macbook for quite a long time.  Their products are good and they just work.

However, Apple made a very bad decision this week.  They decided, as a company, to support the No on 8 campaign in the state of California.  If you don't know, Proposition 8 would amend the state constitution and ban gay marriage in California.  Apple, Inc. donated $100,000 to the campaign.  Here is the statement they posted on their website:

"Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8."

Let me say very clearly: The gay marriage issue IS NOT a civil rights issue!  Notice their proclamation that they were "among the first California companies to offer equal rights" to employees and their same-sex partners.  The fact is: Everyone in America has the same marital rights!  It is just as illegal for me to marry a man as it is for a gay man to marry a man.  Every gay man in this country has the same right I do to marry a woman.  We all have the same rights!

By calling this issue a civil rights issue, the proponents of gay marriage are (successfully) equating this battle with the battle for women's rights and racial equality.  The problem is, when women or black people didn't have the right to vote, that was inequality.  A white man had a right that a black man didn't.  A male had a right that a female didn't.

Another tech company you might be familiar with, Google, also came out with their support of gay marriage.  Co-founder Sergey Brin posted this on the official company blog:

"While we respect the strongly-held beliefs that people have on both sides of this argument, we see this fundamentally as an issue of equality. We hope that California voters will vote no on Proposition 8 -- we should not eliminate anyone's fundamental rights, whatever their sexuality, to marry the person they love."

Ah, the "love argument."  Sergey is a genius in many ways, but a fool in this one.  People who make this argument never think it all the way through.  What if I said that I want to marry my sister because I love her?  According to Sergey's logic, there's nothing that should stand in the way of that desire.  What if I told you I love my dog and I wanted to marry her?  What if I told you I love 3 women and I wanted to marry all of them?  There are laws against all of these scenarios and, believe me, they'll be the next to go.

These are common arguments offered by those who support gay marriage.  However, with just a little bit of logic, you see how easily these arguments crumble.

Let's just say that I have lost my appetite for an Apple.

Atheist Ads

Please help me understand how this works.  A group of atheists are organizing to place anti-God ads on buses in London.  How do you place an ad against Someone you don't believe exists?

A hilarious part of the linked article states that there is "preferential treatment given to religion in British society."  Wow.  Seeing that Europe is one of the greatest bastions of secular liberalism in the world today, I find that very hard to believe.

Right-Wing Media Bias?

I have to admit that I don't listen to a lot of left wing TV or radio.  However, I've been giving myself a good laugh every now and then and checking it out.  I don't know if this is a new charge (I've been told it isn't), but I've heard for the first time that the media is bias to the Right.  Barack Obama made this charge in an interview recently.

This idiocy further proves that people on the far Left truly live in a fantasy world.

Having heard this charge, I figured I'd check to see if it was true.  By the way, "truth" is a value the Left has no interest in.  I went to several of the mainstream media web sites to see what headlines they had about Sarah Palin.  She is the most popular figure on the Right at the moment, so I figured she'd be a good litmus test.  Here is what my research uncovered:

• Newsweek.com
• Headline: Bristol's Choice
• Tag Line: Republicans and the illusion of reproductive choice
• CNN.com
• Headline: Pastor: GOP Downplaying Palin's Pentecostal Past
• New York Times
• Headline: To Have (as a Running Mate), and to Hold (Politely)
• MSNBC.com
• Headline: McCain, Palin Criticize Obama on Earmarks
• Tag Line: Palin's home state remains largest per-capita consumer of federal funds

Do you need any more examples?  These are the headlines right now.  I'm looking forward to see how the mainstream media "endorses" the Republican ticket over the next two months.  When I listen to the Left make moronic claims like this, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.  These people make up almost half my country!  They are completely out of touch with reality and two of them are running to lead this nation.  Scary.

Incomprehensible Lack of Intelligence Coming from the Left

Will Dudding put a very thought provoking post on his blog.  You can read it here.  We are in the middle of the political cycle so the fodder is readily available.

The thing that never ceases to amaze me is the continual stupidity that flows from any source that leans to the Left.  There seems to be no thought process involved in what they are saying.  They never think through their positions or statements and consider the end of their thought.  They simply spew things that sound good and make a partisan crowd cheer.  Their views and statements are vapid at best and moronic at worst.  Here is a recent example from Presidential hope-not, Barack Obama.

In response to statements made by President Bush (which weren't necessarily directed at Obama), Barack said that "tough talk" on the part of the Republicans isn't working in dealing with terrorists and their state sponsors.  That statement begs the question: "Will weak talk work, Mr. Obama?"  Obama also stated that Bush hasn't made America safer.  This one really gets me!  Since 9/11, America has not been attacked one time.  How much safer could President Bush make our country in the last 7 years?  He has a perfect record!  100% effectiveness in making us safe!  Does Barack think about that before making statements like this?  No.  Why?  Because he doesn't think very much.  That much is clear.

Time for Celebration?

A wedding ceremony is an obvious cause for celebration. Two people are starting a brand new life together. Two families become one. Dreams are big. Joy is everywhere. A wedding is an exciting event for all involved. Marriage was God's idea. It's His institution and He has something to say about it.

Genesis 2:24, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

Matthew 19:6, "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

As far as our culture is wandering from God and His Word, I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this piece of news. Things are bad when we're celebrating the demise of God's plan.

Duh

Only a Harvard University economist could come up with this.  It actually took two of them!

God Have Mercy on America

Last Sunday morning, Dr. David Gibbs III preached for our Sunday morning service. His sermon was a testimony/message wrapped around the Terri Schiavo case. Dr. Gibbs is an attorney for the Christian Law Association. He was the lead attorney for Terri's parents as they fought to preserve her life. What we heard last Sunday was beyond powerful. I've never heard a message that made me so burdened about the state of our country. I strongly suggest taking 35-40 minutes and listening to it. Click here and find the Sunday morning sermon from February 24th. The title is "Fighting for Dear Life."

Pray for our country.

The Pursuit

I was thinking about our Declaration of Independence this morning and specifically about the famous statement: "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." As the differences between Republicans and Democrats are made blatantly obvious during this election season, a thought came to me. Liberal philosophies and politics has a tendency to feed a great character flaw in our society. That character flaw is the attitude of entitlement.

Nobody that I know would say we don't have the right to life, liberty and happiness. However, the welfare mentality that is prevelent on the Left has removed the idea of pursuing happiness. Our founding fathers were extremely wise. They understood that happiness is a right, but that it also takes work to achieve. We live in a day where more and more people want their retirement, health care, education, groceries, etc. taken care of for them. We are entitled to it after all. Our culture needs to regain the character trait of pursuing the happiness they have the God given right to enjoy.

Off subject: why is "Brit Stripped of Custody Rights" the 3rd of 3 major headlines on Foxnews.com right now? Do that many people really care? Sad.

Just Say it Already!

A friend of mine sent me this email today. Enjoy...

To All My Democrat Friends (few that there are):

Please accept with no obligation, implied or explicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

To All My Republican Friends:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The Generation Y Worker

While I was on a break at work the other day, I picked up a magazine called Oregon Business. As I flipped through the pages of a publication I didn't really want to read, I came across an article that caught my attention. The title went like this: "How to satisfy the Generation Y worker." That statement struck me as backwards so I began to read.

One of the first things I learned was that I am a member of Gen Y. According to the article, this is the generation born between the late 70's and 1990. I was born in 1980.

Please understand something, I know that a lot has changed from the generations of the World Wars to my generation. One of those things is character. My generation lacks it. What I didn't realize is the degree to which it is lacked and how proud Gen Y is about it. In fact, it is something that should be accepted and catered to by previous generations according to the article I read. Click here if you would like to read the article yourself, but be ready to fight the gag reflex.

The article refers our "high self-esteem" that "results from years of parental encouragement." The author warns companies that "club membership isn't enough for these workers; they need reasons to feel loyal to a company." A few tips are then provided to help businesses attract and retain Gen Y workers.

Here are the tips:
1. Provide mentoring
2. Allow autonomy
3. Embrace current technology
4. Be flexible

Here's my take: as I said earlier, the whole premise of the article is totally backwards. When I saw the title, the first question that came to my mind was, "Since when is it the responsibility of the employer to satisfy the employee?" Isn't it the duty of the employee to satisfy the employer? That's why the employer hired him/her, isn't it? I'll tell you the only thing that should be necessary to satisfy any worker: a paycheck. The nature of this article and how it reflected on my generation literally made me sick to my stomach.

I wonder what Gen Z will be like...

Suing God

This is very interesting. I don't even really know what to say. At least the man believes in God. Of course, my belief in God would make suing Him the last thing I'd ever do.

University of Vermont Adds 'Gender Neutral' Bathrooms

When I read this article, I didn't know whether to scream or cry. The University of Vermont has added, as a part of recent renovations, bathrooms for transgendered individuals. Let me start out by saying that the blending of the sexes in any society is a sin against our Creator. (He is your Creator, whether you want to acknowledge it or not.) It is also a tremendous mistake when branches of the government (a state college) or other parts of society begin to accommodate such behavior.

My favorite part of the story is the quote from Annie Stevens. She is the assistant vice president for student and campus life at UVM. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that she's a liberal. I know it's a reach, but I think I nailed this one.

Here is her brilliant statement: "It's about inclusivity and accessibility and the importance of meeting all people's needs, not just a few."

Keep in mind, we're talking about the need for 'gender neutral' bathrooms, not just bathrooms for men and women. Here's my question: What percentage of society is transgender? Is it 1%? 2%? I think 5% would be a ridiculously high estimation. In any case, that means at least 95% of the American population is NOT transgender. Yet Ms. Stevens believes that having separate bathrooms for men and women only meets the needs of "a few." Brilliant.

I am in awe of the lack of intelligence among those whose task it is to offer "higher education."

----------

Addition:

I was discussing this article with my mom and she made a great point. Ms. Stevens implied that these 'gender neutral' bathrooms were a necessity to "meeting all people's needs." My mom pointed out that having male and female bathrooms actually does meet all people's needs. Everyone is either male or female...even if they haven't figured out which one they are.

A Fundamental Difference

I just read an article on Yahoo news about CNN's upcoming six-part documentary on religious fundamentalists. The documentary covers Jews, Muslims and Christians. Obviously, you can't stereotype each group by the examples studied in the documentary, but you probably will get an idea of the differences.

Personally, I wouldn't put a whole lot of stock in a CNN documentary on religion. The lady overseeing the project is apparently a well known and well respected journalist. Her name is Christiane Amanpour.

You might ask why I doubt the integrity of this documentary. The answer lies in a question from Amanpour referred to in the aforementioned Yahoo news article. When interviewing a fundamental Christian, she noted that young ladies received encouragement to wear long dresses. She then asked how they were any different from the Taliban. (Of course, strict Muslims have strong dress codes for women.)

You have no idea how bad I wish Amanpour would have asked me that question. Here is the answer: Fundamental Christians don't send suicide bombers to kill masses of innocent people.

I totally understand how she could miss that one. Anyway, that kind of unintelligent question is the reason for my lack of faith in this documentary.