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I've watched Gentry and his son on 3ABN, etc., and he does come across as aggressive, but what is not said from his evolutionist buddies, is that he was that same way as an evolutionist!! But he's not the only one!! There is Walter V, and C.S. Lewis.

Beginning today I continue the series of posting drawn from Conversations About God, a book in the making. These materials are based on a series of lectures/conversations between Graham Maxwell and Lou Venden that were delivered and recorded in 1984 at the Loma Linda University Church. I found these conversations profoundly insightful in relation to […] The post “God’s Emergency Measures” (11:1) appeared first on Jon Paulien's Blog. View the full article

Spirit that quickeneth

5 Things You Didn't Know About The Desert Fox On April 2, 1941, "The Desert Fox" recaptured Libya by pushing British forces out of Ajdabiya, a district in the northeastern part of the country. Discover the following facts about the military life of German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel... Rommel Earned His Nickname in North Africa Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel, the famous German field marshal who served the Nazis during World War II, was sent to North Africa in 1941 to battle the British after the Italians troops there suffered a defeat. He was there for two years and was known as a man who was courageous and moved his troops rapidly to take advantage of his enemies. It was here he earned his nickname, “The Desert Fox,” because of his daring sneak attacks. He Served During World War I Rommel was stationed in many places during World War I, fighting in the Italian and Romanian campaigns as well as in France. He received a promotion to first lieutenant and was sent to command the Alpenkorps in 1915. Three years later, he was made a captain and assigned to the German XLIV Army Corps. Rommel’s Biggest Achievement Was in 1942 In 1942, Rommel and his troops defeated the British at the Battle of Gazala, and followed this battle by taking Tobruk. When the British army won a victory at El Alamein, he withdrew his surviving troops to Tunisia. At this point, the Americans and British both were in North Africa, reconquering territory and hemming in the Germans. Rommel returned to Europe in 1943. He Was a Popular Military Leader Rommel won many battles and was a popular leader because he led his army instead of following up from the rear, which was standard practice. He became known at the “People’s Marshal,” becoming popular among the Germans and the Arabs because he was seen as liberating them from the rule of the British. Rommel Was Ordered to Commit Suicide In 1944, German officers planned a coup called Operation Valkyrie to remove Hitler from power, and they approached Rommel with this plan. The plot failed when a bomb that was set off at Hitler’s field headquarters failed to kill him. It resulted in almost 5,000 people being executed, with many more arrested. During the Nazi investigation into the plot, Rommel’s name came up as a conspirator, and he committed suicide on 14 October 1944, an option given to him by Hitler, so that his family would remain safe.

There is a lot of institutional inertia in the world of ideas. Scientists are men with all of the jealousy, envy, pride, ego, arrogance and vanity that accompanies any collection of accomplished men - no different than a collection of knowledgeable theologians :). Careers are made and unmade based on the opinions and recommendations of leaders in the field. Academic freedom has never been absolute - although it is greater in the universities than in the church. A man with tenure (only acquired after a decade or two of navigating the politics of academia) has such academic freedom in that he can opine as he wishes without fear of dismissal. But he may have difficulty securing research funding should his views be too eccentric. Staying the course of orthodoxy is a safe career move. A pastor, teacher or theologian on the other hand never acquires such tenure or freedom. Once a pastor or theologian in the employ of the church strays off orthodoxy, he risks termination. In particle physics, "String Theory" has acquired a devoted following, although there is precious little observed in nature to support the theory, and much of the theory is not even susceptible to experimental verification (which raises the question as to whether or not it is even "science"). Yet many men (and a few women) labour in the field of string theory, and use their wages to purchase food, clothing, shelter and luxuries for themselves and their families. These men and women will defend their pet theories tooth and nail. A few men have gained considerable fame from their work in string theory; they are not likely ever to admit that it is all nonsense. I am not a specialist in the earth sciences. Although I have worked as a scientist, with respect to evolution I am a layman. What I do know is that the Genesis 1 & 2 account does not explain what we observe in nature, unless Genesis 1 & 2 is to be understood as metaphor. What I also do know is that "evolution" (by which I mean speciation and a gradual ascent from lower to higher life forms) is observed in the fossil record, but is not explainable by any credible or verifiable scientific theory. To my knowledge no one has offered any reasonable explanation as to "why" nature would be driven to evolve higher life forms. What I also know is that I do not need to know everything, and I certainly need not exert energy to defend the indefensible or the unverifiable. I have no dog in the evolution/"young earth creation" fight. Nor do I care for attempts to harmonize the two with some form of "intelligent design" or any other variations on that theme. I am embarrassed for my church when I hear suggestions that scientists are tools of the devil or that Satan planted fossils to deceive us or any other such conspiracy theories.

Then we all agree. I love it when that happens. I wish it was that easy for people to decide which day was Sabbath in Fiji and Samoa.

My father was in the Army during WWII. He was in the N. African and the Italian campaigns. He would tell few stories as many soldiers were reluctant to tell what they had been thru. He was in a company of about 100 men. 98 of them bought life insurance. My father and one other man did not. The two who did not buy life insurance were the only ones of their group to survive the war. My father was in the trenches when mortar fire came in and blew up one of the men who happened to be his best friend. His best friends head landed in his lap. My father eventually got sent home "shell shocked" (ptsd in current speak). War is hell.