Rational Responders # 11 - Premise 2

In previous posts I've listed the brain and the eye as ingenious biological adaptations present in living organisms. These useful biological components are evidence for an ingenious, powerful, creator God.

The living cell is another fascinating biological structure. Michael Denton states that if we were to magnify a cell so that it were large enough to cover the city of New York "What we would then see would be an object of unparalleled complexity and adaptive design." A continual stream of materials flow in and out of a cell. Denton says that the internal world of the cell is one of "supreme technology and bewildering complexity".

Denton goes on to say that if we were to see a magnified living cell "We would see endless high organized corridors and conduits branching in every direction away from the perimeter of the cell, some leading to the central memory bank in the nucleus and others to assembly plants and processing units....What we would be witnessing would be an object resembling an immense automated factory, a factory larger than a city and carrying out almost as many unique functions as all the manufacturing activities of man on earth....To witness such an act at a magnification of one thousand million times would be an awe-inspiring spectacle."

From Denton's book Evolution: A Theory In Crisis. (Adler & Adler, 1985, pages 328 & 329.)

Rational Responders # 10 - Premise 2

The eye is another incredible biological adaptation. The ingenuity of the eye is evidence of a master Designer. It is a complex image capture mechanism. Each eye has 125 million visual receptors.

In an 1861 letter to the great American biologist, Asa Gray, Charles Darwin admitted that "The eye to this day gives me a cold shudder."

Michael Denton in his book Evolution: A Theory In Crisis suggests that the momentary feeling of doubt experienced by Darwin is likely shared by most biologists .....
"... to common sense it does indeed appear absurd to propose that chance could have thrown together devices of such complexity and ingenuity that they appear to represent the very epitome of perfection. There can hardly be a student of human physiology who has not on occasion been struck by the sheer brilliance apparent in the design of so many physiological adaptions." (Adler & Adler, 1985, page 327.)

Rational Responders # 9 - Premise 2

"It is the sheer universality of perfection, the fact that everywhere we look, to whatever depth we look, we find an elegance and ingenuity of an absolutely transcending quality, which so mitigates against the idea of chance." - Michael Denton Evolution: A Theory In Crisis

The primary focus of my comments under premise 2 will relate to biological adaptations seen in living organisms and how these perfect, useful biological components are evidence for an ingenious, powerful, creator God. Much of the material that I will share on this topic comes from chapter 14 of Michael Denton's excellent book Evolution: A Theory In Crisis. (Adler & Adler, 1985.) I will share descrip- tions of a sampling of the biological adaptations described in chapter 14 which Denton aptly titled 'The Puzzle of Perfect'.

For example, Denton describes the extremely complex mammalian brain which has an incredible number of connecting fibres used to connect nerve cells within the brain. The total number of connections is a thousand million million. The brain is an ingenious and powerful biological adaptation.

Donald DeYoung said the brain has the "the greatest concentration of chemo-neurological order and complexity in the physical universe. It is a video camera and library, a computer and communication center, all in one. And the more the brain is used the better it becomes! A detailed picture of the human brain is slowly emerging, the origin of which seems entirely beyond comprehension from a naturalistic point of view. We see remarkable purpose and interdependence within the brain—every part works for the benefit of the whole."

Rational Responders # 8 - Premise 2

I attended college in the early 80s, before computers were common tools owned by your 'run of the mill' university student. We had a computer lab at my school but I never went in there because I was a broadcasting major. I knew of one student at my college who had a PC in his room, my friend Steve. It was fun to play 'Star Trek' on and I figured my friend Steve did engineering stuff on it because he was an engineering major, but I didn't know much more than that.

One day Steve showed me a few other uses for his computer that got me excited about them. He explained to me that by using something called a word processing program you could type class papers into the computer. The words appear on the screen. Make a mistake? You just back space over the word and retype it! No erasers. No liquid paper. Type your paper, check it out on the screen, and then print it out. The onscreen editing feature would save me hours and hours when typing term papers! In my estimation, computers went from being a novelty item used by engineering students to an ingenious and useful tool for anyone. I was hooked!

Another feature of Steve's word processor (WordStar) that excited me was the spell checker. You run the spellchecker and the program highlights the words that you've misspelled. This was too good to be true. I almost felt guilty using it! For me, Steve's computer was an ingenious miracle.

As stated in installment 3, the purpose of this series is to provide a list of supporting premises for the conclusion that there is a God and that God is involved in the world and wants to have a relationship with us. Premise 1 dealt with the 2nd law of thermodynamics and the requirement for design/intelligence and energy to arrive at the ordered complexity observable in our world today. My second premise delves into the incredible, ingenious, biological adaptations seen in living organisms. These perfect, astounding, useful biological components are evidence for an ingenious, powerful, creator God, just as Steve's ingenious word processing program is evidence for an intelligent software programmer. If there is a program, there must be a programmer.

An adaptation is the modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence under the conditions of its environment. In future installments these adaptations will be discussed more thoroughly.

Rational Responders # 7 - Premise 1

The 2nd law of thermodynamics is a well established and confirmed law of science. The natural tendency of things is to run down, to go to a state of disorder, unless energy and design are introduced into the system. The Bible alludes to this in a prayer to God recorded in the book of Psalms .....

I say, "O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days, Your years are throughout all generations. Of old You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end." (Psalm 102: 24 - 27)

The 2nd law and the resulting, eventual death of the universe is also addressed in Henry Morris' book The Long War Against God:

"The second law (decay of energy) recognizes that this power is always becoming less and less available to maintain the systems and processes of the universe. Thus, the universe must eventually die if the second law continues to function. Since the universe is not yet dead, it must have been created at some point of time in the past, with its tremendous power imparted to it then by its eternal Creator."

Rational Responders # 6 - Premise 1

The problem of the existence of complex organisms in a world where the natural tendency of things is from a state of order to disorder is noted in Ravi Zacharias' book The Shattered Visage:

"...how do biological systems climb the ladder of intricacy and order, while the natural world descends to entropy and disorder? Scientists have attempted to deal with this conundrum in their studies in dissipative structures, which show that biological organisms maintain their structure at the expense of the system, returning heat to the environment. However, as other scientists point out, this still does not explain nor answer the question of how it was that such highly ordered systems as living organisms could ever have come into existence in a world in which irreversible processes always tend to lead to an increase in entropy and thus, to disorder."

Zacharias then goes on to describe a seminar that he sat in under eminent theoretical physicist John Polkinghorne (a colleague of Stephen Hawking). Polkinghorne was "... commenting on the built-in factors within this universe, with particular reference to Quantum Theory, he said, with a grin, 'There is no free lunch. Somebody has to pay, and only God has the resources to put in what was needed to get what we've got.' " (Pages 41 and 44, Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc., Brentwood, Tennessee, 1990.)

Only God has the resources to generate the level of complexity observable in the universe!

Rational Responders # 5 - Premise 1

Stephen Hawking discusses the 2nd law of thermodynamics in his book A Brief History of Time:

"The explanation that is usually given as to why we don't see broken cups gathering themselves together off the floor and jumping back onto the table is that it is forbidden by the second law of thermodynamics. This says that in any closed system disorder, or entropy, always increases with time. In other words, it is a form of Murphy's law: Things always tend to go wrong! An intact cup on the table is a state of high order, but a broken cup on the floor is a disordered state. One can go readily from the cup on the table in the past to the broken cup on the floor in the future, but not the other way round." (Page 144, Bantam Books, New York, 1988.)

As stated in the previous posting, the only way to circumvent the second law is to introduce energy and design into the system. Complex structures like the sun, a cell, a strand of DNA, or an eye must have their origin in a powerful God who has a vast amount of energy and design ability at his disposal.

To quote Henry Morris: "Local and temporary increases in complexity are only possible when driven by designed programs and directed energies, neither of which is possessed by the purely speculative notion of vertically-upward evolution."

Rational Responders # 4 - Premise 1

I have to confess that massive office towers impress me. I've lived pretty close to uptown Charlotte for more than 10 years and whenever I'm in the city I still think they're pretty cool. They're awesome and they seem like they're going to last forever.

But they won't. Their natural tendency is to wear down and become more disorderly. They require on-going repair. This downward trend is described by a law of physics called the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics.

In the Smithsonian Institution Journal in 1970 Isaac Asimov described the 2nd Law this way ...

"Another way of stating the second law then is, 'The universe is constantly getting more disorderly!' Viewed that way we can see the second law all about us. We have to work hard to straighten a room, but left to itself it becomes a mess again very quickly and very easily....How difficult to maintain houses, and machinery, and our own bodies in perfect working order: how easy to let them deteriorate."

So the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics says that the natural tendency is for systems to go from a state of order to a state of disorder. However outside influences can fight against the 2nd Law, for a time, and win! What are those outside forces that can make things go from disorder to order? They are energy and design. If my daughter's room is a pigsty she can expend energy to clean it up (carrying dirty clothes to the hamper). She can utilize intelligence (design) to eliminate the disorder. She's smart enough to know that the clothes go in the hamper, that books go on the shelf, and the sheets are to be laid across the bed before the comforter.

The natural progression of all things is to a state of disorder and yet we have complexity in the universe. The solar system is a complex system. The earth is uniquely capable of supporting complex biological forms. The human brain is a complex computer. Where did the complexity in the universe come from? Energy and design were a necessary ingredient for a universe with complexity.

I believe that there is a God who is interested in the world because there must have been a force of energy and design to have created a universe with complexity in the first place.

Rational Responders - Installment 3

In the previous installment I shared a high level view of logic. We discussed conclusions and how to evaluate the truth of conclusions based on the strength of supporting premises. The primary purpose of this series is to provide a list of supporting premises for the conclusion that there is a God and that God is involved in the world and wants to have a relationship with us. Beginning with the next posting I will begin laying out those premises.

Before I start, however, I would like to make a comment about the organization 'The Rational Response Squad' whose stated purpose is to 'free humanity from the mind disorder known as theism'.

When I first learned of the Rational Response Squad website I though it might be interesting to visit their site and to learn about the reasons or premises that the group holds for their belief that there is no God. I went to the site expecting to see a 'rational', logical list of evidence for the non-existence of God. They pride themselves in being rational, right?

Let me credit them with having an interesting, in your face approach. How many STRONG premises did I find on their site for accepting atheism? None. How many premises at all? None.

The site lists their top 10 contributors. They have links where you can make contributions. They have a pile of Google adds. There is a posting that attempts to thoroughly outline the number of times the Bible records incidents where God killed people, however the numerous biblical references in the posting might lead one to conclude that the writer believes the Bible is true. There is also an encouragement by the group for individuals who are atheists to record YouTube videos stating that they don't believe in the Holy Spirit. A lot of colorful stuff .... but not a single premise.

My next posting will delve into premises that support Christian theism.

Shooting Off Our Mouths - Rob and Randy - Part 2

This series of posts contains an instant messaging conversation that I had with my friend Randy ...

Rob: Hey Randy, here is a question about teaching the Word and just letting the Holy Spirit do the rest. What do you think of this scripture from 1st Corinthians 13:2: 'If I have {the gift of} prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. '

Randy: First, I do not think those gifts still exist, but love should still be the most important thing in everyone’s life. If you are selfish and not willing to give of yourself, you will never understand what Christ really expects from your life. At least it was that way with me, until I learned what 'selfless' meant I didn't understand a lot of the scriptures.

Rob: Yes. I think one of the ways that the Holy Spirit works is through Christians. The Spirit gives us passions to pursue and a Christlike attitude so that we pursue them the right way. We can preach the Word, but if we don't have love I doubt most people will listen or be motivated to change. You can't just talk at people. You have to find out how they experience love and then love them.

Randy: True, but I also believe that some will change in spite of how we act.

Shooting Off Our Mouths - Rob and Randy - Part 1

This series of posts contains an instant messaging conversation that I had with my friend Randy a couple of days ago ...

Randy: We need to make a way so that more people are interested in reading the book of Romans in the Bible.

Rob: Interesting. Motivating people is a very interesting undertaking. If you ever figure it out, let me know!

Randy: I think that all you really have to do is to teach the Word the way it was meant to be taught. The Holy Spirit does the rest.

2 Tim 3:16 + 17: 'All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.'

Rational Responders - Installment 2

In installment 1 I wrote about the opinion of Neal Boortz and the Rational Responders that creationists and Christian theists are unreasonable and irrational. So what does it mean to be reasonable and what is rational thinking?

Logic is the process of offering reasons (or premises) for holding a specific belief (or conclusion). Logic requires the proposal of a conclusion along with a list of premises for believing that the conclusion is true. Logic involves the critical examination of the reasons for a held belief and an evaluation as to how well they support the belief.

I could say that I believe that the Carolina Panthers will win the Super Bowl in 2008. A New England Patriots fan may challenge me on that belief and when he does, if I respond by saying 'BECAUSE' then I have provided the weakest of all arguments! My argument becomes stronger if I can provide one or more reasons to support my belief. Coach Fox plans to beef up the offensive line. Injured players will have recovered by next season. I could provide this argument ....

premise 1 - the offensive line will be 'beefed up'
premise 2 - injured players will return

premise 3 - we've still got Jake
__________________________________________

conclusion - the Panthers will win the 2008 Super Bowl

Above I've depicted a relatively weak argument for believing that the Panthers will go all the way. But at least it is a stronger argument than 'BECAUSE'! By adding additional premises I make my argument stronger. I can also help my argument by making each of my premises stronger. For example, my argument would be much stronger if one of my premises truly read: 'all of the other NFL teams have replaced their players with three year olds'.

So this is a 'crash course' in logic. In future installments, logic will be applied to the comments made by Neal Boortz and the Rational Responders.

Rational Responders - Installment 1

While I don't have that much of an opportunity to listen to nationally syndicated talk show host Neal Boortz on the radio, I do read his news commentary daily on his website, http://www.boortz.com/. One of the hot topics of conversation on Neal's show revolves around the evolution/creation debate. So I was surprised to read on the website the other day Neal's comment that, on the radio, he would no longer be discussing the origins controversy. His reason? Boortz believes that you can't reason with creationists!

One definition in Webster's dictionary for reason is: 'a sufficient ground of explanation or of logical defense'. Another definition reads: 'something that supports a conclusion or explains a fact'.

So Webster is saying that reason involves a logical explanation given in defense of a belief or something given in support of a conclusion. Philosophers call those 'somethings' premises.

Joining the chorus with Boortz is another group with a presence on the web called the 'Rational Responders'. The Rational Responders are a group of outspoken atheists who are trying to convince everyone else that Christian theists (people who believe in the one God described in the Bible) are irrational.

In this series I will delve into the topic of atheism, theism, reason, rational thinking and logic.

Lessons From Clark W. Griswold - Episode 5

In the hilarious movie 'Christmas Vacation' (not for the kids), the main plot revolves around Clark Griswold foolishly spending a huge amount of money for an 'in ground' pool, in anticipation of his annual Christmas bonus. Unknown to Clark, however, is his boss's decision to cut company costs by eliminating Christmas bonuses and replacing them with a much cheaper membership in the 'Jelly of the Month' club.

When Clark is informed that he won't be receiving the normal, huge, cash bonus, he loses his cool and tells his family that all he wants for Christmas is revenge against his boss. Clark's moronic cousin, Eddie, takes the request literally, kidnaps, and wraps Clark's boss as a Christmas present. In spite of the outrageous confrontation, the lesson is not lost on Clark's boss, who surprisingly admits that the cost saving measure doesn't feel so good after he sees how it affects 'the little people'.

Matters get worse when Clark's boss's wife shows up to heap further condemnation on the cheapskate. Genuinely sorry for being a skinflint, Clark's boss confesses: 'I was wrong' and promises to double Clark's bonus.

The repentance is warmly portrayed in the movie. The boss's genuine soul searching and admission of wrong doing is admirable. It's refreshing, I think, because real repentance and public confession is so rare in our culture.

The Bible says that all humans have sinned against God and that our sin has resulted in a broken relationship with our Creator. It goes on to say that we should have proper sorrow for our sin accompanied by repentance and regret. When we admit to God our sin and ask for His forgiveness, we become inheritors of God's salvation and forgiveness.

The Bible says: '...the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.' In spite of your sin, the hound of heaven loves you and wants to have a relationship with you!

Game Cube Golf Tournament - Part 2

My three children and I recently had a Game Cube golf tournament. To the best of my knowledge the game is not programmed to give mulligans ....

Webster's dictionary lists the word 'mul·li·gan' as a noun with this meaning: 'a free shot sometimes given a golfer in informal play when the previous shot was poorly played.'

Here is a variation of that definition that I've heard that I like even better: 'a free shot sometimes given a golfer in informal play when the previous shot was poorly played ... and the golfer is among friends. '

The beauty of a mulligan is that it is a conferment of grace on an undeserving person who just screwed up.

Jesus angered the religious people of His day because He frequently gave out mulligans to notorious sinners. In the Bible, John records that a woman caught in adultery was about to be stoned to death by a mob when Jesus stepped in and insisted that the first person to throw a stone should be the one who had never sinned. One by one the crowd dispersed. Jesus turned to the woman and told her that He wouldn't condemn her either. He said 'From now on sin no more'.

Likewise Christ won't condemn us if we, in prayer, confess our sins to Him, ask for forgiveness, and turn our lives over to His leadership. The hound of heaven sought us out to rescue us by sending Jesus down to earth and dying on the cross, for our sins, in our place.

(Pictured above is my son Josh's Game Cube character for our golf tournament.)

Game Cube Golf Tournament - Part 1

Game Cube Golf Tournament Photo Gallery!

Here I am. The Game Cube Golf
Tournament Champ.

Here is Hannah hitting a good looking tee shot. Hannah lost to me in the first round.

Here is Josh admiring one of his shots. Josh made it to the final round.

Here is Caleb hitting one out of the bunker. Caleb was eliminated in the first round by Josh, but only by one stroke!

(No spiritual application, just goofy Game Cube golf pictures!)