JimTN Posted March 10, 2014 Posted March 10, 2014 Back in 1987 I lived in the D.C. area for 3-4 years, and while working on several art projects for our church I also did freelance art for Carl Sagan's SPACEWATCH Newsletter -- and when Carl Sagan came to town for a major debate I had a front row seat at the event, and after the debate Carl Sagan autographed one of my cartoons... and I gave him a copy of my newly-published Prophecies of Daniel and Revelation book! Carl Sagan told me, "I shall read it." Now there is a new version of Carl Sagan's COSMOS being shown on national TV, and I thought that our Adventist people would like to hear of how the Lord arranged it so that I could witness our SDA beliefs to Carl Sagan -- praise the Lord! Read my story here: http://pinkoski.com/carl-sagan.html Quote
Members phkrause Posted March 10, 2014 Members Posted March 10, 2014 Great story Jim. I enjoyed that very much. Thanks for sharing. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 10, 2014 Members Posted March 10, 2014 By the way I loved your website. Very Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Administrators Naomi Posted March 10, 2014 Administrators Posted March 10, 2014 Thank you for sharing ....... loved your web site Quote If your dreams are not big enough to scare you, they are not big enough for God
LifeHiscost Posted March 11, 2014 Posted March 11, 2014 Appreciated much the logic you presented on your webpage. I have to admit , as far as changing my mind by listening to the myriads of theoretical "truths" out there, I'm not the best example. When one applies this below to their knowledge, why would one seek to find any other source to find God, other than the Word and personal prayer? "Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long." Psalm 25:5 AMP Brackets parenthesis theirs' LHC However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."John 16:13 NKJV God cares! Jesus saves! Quote Lift Jesus up!!
Administrators debbym Posted March 11, 2014 Administrators Posted March 11, 2014 really enjoyed your website!! how awesome you got to give Carl Sagan your book. Quote deb Love awakens love. Let God be true and every man a liar.
Planey Posted March 12, 2014 Posted March 12, 2014 Great post, LHC! Quote Graeme____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LifeHiscost Posted March 12, 2014 Posted March 12, 2014 Great post, LHC! Thanks, Graeme. I did think of one other tidbit of advice from the Word that does suggest to me, that there are possible great benefits from close relationships with others who take God's advice. "Without consultation, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they succeed."Proverbs 15:22 NASB God bless! Jesus saves! Quote Lift Jesus up!!
JimTN Posted April 4, 2014 Author Posted April 4, 2014 The 4th episode of COSMOS contained the reason why Darwinists/Evolutionists think that we are *crazy* to believe in a Young Earth/Young Universe creation -- it has to do with how scientists measure the Speed of Light -- they say that the Light of the far distant galaxies would never reach us in only 6,000 years, and they are RIGHT if Light only travels at the speed we currently know about... We believe that Creation Week was about 6,000 years ago, and we know that the Universe pre-existed the creation of our world (Sister White told us that GOD had previously made other worlds with life on them), but we just don't know how long ago that time period was when GOD created the Universe... So how did that Light from those far-off galaxies ever reach us? It had to be that when GOD "stretched out" the heavens, He also stretched out those "Light waves" so that it was all connected! That is how those far-away galaxies can be "millions" of Light Years from us, but we still see them -- it's really sad that we can't PROVE this -- it means that lots of people who choose to believe their secular/godless evolution Big Bang theories will have to find other proof for GOD, because there is no proof for GOD "stretching out" Light... Quote
Igakusei Posted April 4, 2014 Posted April 4, 2014 The 4th episode of COSMOS contained the reason why Darwinists/Evolutionists think that we are *crazy* to believe in a Young Earth/Young Universe creation -- it has to do with how scientists measure the Speed of Light -- they say that the Light of the far distant galaxies would never reach us in only 6,000 years, and they are RIGHT if Light only travels at the speed we currently know about... There's much more than just one reason, Jim. Quote I believe in life before death
Moderators Bravus Posted April 4, 2014 Moderators Posted April 4, 2014 I've made this point before, but the speed of light is essentially a consequence of Maxwell's equations. Light consists of mutually reinforcing electric and magnetic fields, and Maxwell's equations describe the behaviour of such fields. In order to change the speed of light it is necessary to change the way electric and magnetic fields behave. But electric fields, in particular, also hold our atoms together. Short version: you can't change the speed of light and still have matter in the universe. Quote Truth is important
Moderators Bravus Posted April 4, 2014 Moderators Posted April 4, 2014 Or, at least, matter organised as it currently is, in atoms. Matter of the kind that makes up the stars that produce the light under discussion. Positing a different speed of light at different periods in the history of the universe as an explanation for this issue is simply a non-starter. Quote Truth is important
Moderators Gerr Posted April 5, 2014 Moderators Posted April 5, 2014 The 4th episode of COSMOS contained the reason why Darwinists/Evolutionists think that we are *crazy* to believe in a Young Earth/Young Universe creation -- it has to do with how scientists measure the Speed of Light -- they say that the Light of the far distant galaxies would never reach us in only 6,000 years, and they are RIGHT if Light only travels at the speed we currently know about... We believe that Creation Week was about 6,000 years ago, and we know that the Universe pre-existed the creation of our world (Sister White told us that GOD had previously made other worlds with life on them), but we just don't know how long ago that time period was when GOD created the Universe... So how did that Light from those far-off galaxies ever reach us? We don't know how long ago the universe was created. The light from the remote galaxies may very well have already gone past our Milky Way when life was created on our planet several thousand years ago. Another thing that just popped into my mind is this: When the trees were created,how many rings did they have? Likewise, when different galaxies were created, were their lights confined initially at their point of creation? or created with their lights already permeating the universe? . Quote
JimTN Posted April 5, 2014 Author Posted April 5, 2014 Gerry -- Seeing that GOD is eternal, I lean towards Him/Them having created the Universe a long, long time ago -- even the dreaded "millions" of years ago -- (Creation Week for us was still only 6,000 years ago) -- and I think the Trinity of GOD basically enjoyed the "fireworks show" of all those galaxies spinning around and expanding throughout His massive creation! It's like how we like to view a good fireworks display -- to think that GOD just sat around with empty "nothingness" for countless eons and then just created everything mere thousands of years ago is rather ludicrous in my opinion... it's much more reasonable that an Eternal Being has been enjoying His created Universe for a good long time, and then at a later time created other beings to also enjoy it! Quote
Aliensanctuary Posted April 6, 2014 Posted April 6, 2014 I watched some of the original Cosmos episodes, and some from the more recent re-make. Most noteworthy is the continued belief that life created itself, without explanation. Quote: Short version: you can't change the speed of light and still have matter in the universe. One can only wonder how long it took for the elementary particles of matter to create themselves, then "evolve" into perfect little atoms and molecules and light, probably a time length beyond human comprehension, if true. Of course, there is the big bang theory in which these particles created themselves out of nothing, but that lies more along religious lines, magic, that is. On the other hand, if matter and energy were engineered and mass-produced from substances that we cannot detect, that might be a more reasonable explanation. Something we should not overlook is that the ancient account of life's origin on Earth never says, "Let there be Earth", because it was already there, just waiting to be terraformed and colonized. Same for the rest of the universe, which was already old when YHVH arrived here so long ago. Either the universe isn't as big as we think it is, or it is far, far older than 6000 years, as some believe. The author of the Creation of Life on Earth account in Genesis likely watched a video of the event, then passed down to us a brief synopsis, either verbal or written, perhaps intentionally leaving out the more-scientific details that are now so important to some of us. Quote The Parable of the Lamb and the Pigpen https://www.createspace.com/3401451
JimTN Posted April 6, 2014 Author Posted April 6, 2014 Aliensanctuary wrote: >>Something we should not overlook is that the ancient account of life's origin on Earth never says, "Let there be Earth", because it was already there, just waiting to be terraformed and colonized. Same for the rest of the universe, which was already old when YHVH arrived here so long ago. Either the universe isn't as big as we think it is, or it is far, far older than 6000 years, as some believe.<< Are you saying that you believe that the Universe was already here _before_ YAHWEH arrived?? The Genesis story of Creation says that GOD created the Universe -- and He sustains it -- there's no way that the Universe popped itself into existence without GOD! Back in 1992 I did an SDA magazine that explained the 2-stage creation of the Universe and Earth: The Bible uses 2 words -- "bara" means create, and "asah" means make -- to "create" is to cause something to exist which did not exist before, and "make" means to reform something already in existence! Here are the Bible verses that give evidence for the 2-stage creation of our world: Genesis 2:3 "GOD...rested from all his work which GOD created and made." (GOD created the raw materials of our Earth "in the beginning," then later He _made_ it livable 6,000 years ago.) Exodus 20:11 The 4th commandment says, "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth..." (It says GOD "made" the Earth during those 6 days -- "made," NOT "created"...) Hebrews 1:10 "And thou, LORD, in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth..." (The foundations were laid "in the beginning" millions of years ago, but the work wasn't finished until Creation Week.) Isaiah 45:12 "I have MADE the Earth, and CREATED man upon it." (During Creation Week GOD did these 2 things: MADE the Earth, and CREATED man!) Isaiah 45:18 states and implies a 2-stage Creation, for first it says that "the LORD created the heavens," then says that GOD "formed the Earth" -- CREATED, then FORMED -- CREATED, then MADE! The Genesis story of Creation is clearly saying that the foundations of our Earth was placed here all the way back in the beginning when there was no sun and our area of space was cold and dark -- the Earth was just a FROZEN ICE PLANET floating in space -- GOD said "Let there be light," and He began warming and "defrosting" our Earth, our sun was created on Day 4 to take over the warming of the Earth, and then during the 6 days of Creation GOD separated the waters from the land and made all the Life that is on our planet, the then He rested on the 7th day and blessed it. The Universe is very, very old (age unknown), and Creation Week for our Earth was about 6,000 years ago -- Genesis is clearly telling of a 2-stage creation of our Earth which began as a frozen ice planet floating in an un-lit dark and cold portion of space. Quote
LifeHiscost Posted April 6, 2014 Posted April 6, 2014 I kindof believe in the big bang theory. God spoke and -bang- , it stood fast. God cares! Jesus saves! Quote Lift Jesus up!!
JimTN Posted April 6, 2014 Author Posted April 6, 2014 It's completely true that the entire Universe expanded out from a central point of being created into existence ala a "Big Bang" -- it was all created and "propelled outward" by the Voice of GOD when He spoke it all into existence! GOD's voice was the powerful "explosive" factor that moved everything outward -- Praise the LORD! Which is why I'm sure that GOD spent some time observing the "fireworks show".... Quote
LifeHiscost Posted April 6, 2014 Posted April 6, 2014 It's completely true that the entire Universe expanded out from a central point of being created into existence ala a "Big Bang" -- it was all created and "propelled outward" by the Voice of GOD when He spoke it all into existence! GOD's voice was the powerful "explosive" factor that moved everything outward -- Praise the LORD! Which is why I'm sure that GOD spent some time observing the "fireworks show".... The reality of sitting around at the feet of Jesus and discussing all the "little" nuances of what was involved in the processes of creation is what excites me. Makes the hair on the back of my neck stand upright, especially in cogitating about the reality of how close that time could be. "“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place."Matthew 24:32-34 NLT God blesses! Jesus cares! Quote Lift Jesus up!!
Aliensanctuary Posted April 7, 2014 Posted April 7, 2014 The universe was very, very old, I believe, when YHVH arrived at our solar system to colonize our little planet. Perhaps the Earth was shrouded in ice and fog, perhaps YHVH brought this world from somewhere else, a far warmer place. Since light was created at the same time that matter and energy were engineered, a more likely explanation for "Become Light!" is that YHVH was saying to his workers, "Turn on the lights!" when they arrived in the skies above Earth. We could believe that all of the matter and energy of the universe were created in the Big Bang, but we should not rule out other possibilities. Where YHVH came from nobody knows, yet, perhaps from another universe, perhaps from another dimension. Mr. Sagan, and others, handcuff themselves to only mindless, naturalistic processes to try to explain the origin of the universe and the origin of life. A super-intelligence, such as YHVH, would be able to do things our mouse-turd-sized brains can't even imagine. Mr. Sagan and current company imagine that DNA, the extremely complex program of life somehow created itself, and likewise, that the Big Bang somehow created the elementary particles, then atoms and molecules and photons. Like I said previously, I think our universe was created by someone from another dimension or universe, by someone not made of ordinary matter and energy. YHVH would therefore not be made of flesh and blood, as we are, and would not need food, such as we eat, for an energy source. Quote The Parable of the Lamb and the Pigpen https://www.createspace.com/3401451
JimTN Posted April 7, 2014 Author Posted April 7, 2014 Aliensanctuary wrote: >>I think our universe was created by someone from another dimension or universe...<< Ah, but then how did that other dimension or universe get there?? That's the thing about people believing that Life on Earth was put here by aliens -- how did the aliens come into existence?? You always eventually reach the point where some type of Creator has to CREATE something out of nothing! The "big mystery" is that we cannot understand how GOD could exist without the Universe here, but that is what we are told in the Bible what happened -- GOD created EVERYTHING for His pleasure, all Life, all the galaxies, all space -- there's no story in the Bible telling us that GOD just came along and "found" a universe already here, so to believe this you are opting for a fictional story that is out-of-order and doesn't really make sense... you may believe that if you wish, but it's not biblical nor logical... Some type of "Creator" has to have created this and/or any Universe! Quote
LifeHiscost Posted April 7, 2014 Posted April 7, 2014 Quote: The universe was very, very old The possibility of finite beings being able to explain any but very minute glimpses of infinite realities remains in tact. Remember the story of the 9 (?)blind men trying to explain what an elephant looked like based on what each one's effort to describe the elephant by what they touched, ie: time wasn't anywhere in the universe until the end of existence caused by death or destruction as the result of sin. Perhaps the closest we can come to a proper description would be in "from everlasting to everlasting". That phrase is what makes the "everlasting covenant" so comforting. "When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”"Genesis 9:16 NASB God blesses! Quote Lift Jesus up!!
Aliensanctuary Posted April 8, 2014 Posted April 8, 2014 Quote: That's the thing about people believing that Life on Earth was put here by aliens -- how did the aliens come into existence?? We don't have enough information to answer that question---yet. In another universe or dimension, physical laws and constants could be quite different than what we are accustomed to working with. Perhaps YHVH is an artificial intelligence that created itself in another dimension using far different parameters than that which our dimension might require. Perhaps in that dimension, YHVH can see or travel into our distant future. Maybe our universe began as a black hole, designed and assembled by YHVH, then rapidly expanded. I don't know how space itself could expand faster than the speed of light, although some seem to think it did. YHVH did claim to have created the stars...and maybe we shouldn't discount that. Sure, we can attribute the existence of all of the matter and energy of the universe to a Big Dumb Big Bang, and believe that DNA codes wrote themselves without a brain, but those who do may be in for a really big surprise, someday. Quote The Parable of the Lamb and the Pigpen https://www.createspace.com/3401451
JimTN Posted April 8, 2014 Author Posted April 8, 2014 I've always favored the idea that the creation of man and the animals and everything on Earth was linked to GOD knowing ahead of time what was here in the Future, thus He would know what would and wouldn't work -- GOD knows the Past and GOD knows the Future -- which comes in handy when you're the Creator creating a world full of Life! It also probably helps when GOD is deciding who gets saved and who doesn't -- GOD can see the Future of each and every person and whether or not they actually belong in Heaven! And He sadly can't let in anyone who who "mess it up again"... As we Adventists understand it, GOD will be saving some people "who never heard the gospel" but He knows that if they had heard it they would have responded -- it's GOD knowing the Future and seeing that those people are 100% safe to be given Eternal Life. Sadly, Carl Sagan is still in the "we-don't-know-exactly-what-will-happen-to-him" category -- but I did my best to witness to him back there in D.C. in 1987! Quote
Moderators Bravus Posted April 9, 2014 Moderators Posted April 9, 2014 It's funny that people can't see the 'special pleading' in their own arguments. 'Ah, but where did the aliens come from?!' is *exactly* the same question, and the same problem, as 'Ah, but where did God come from?!' If it's a problem for one explanation, it's a problem for the other. You don't *get* to just say 'Ah, but God is different!' Because that is just ad hoc special pleading. It is 100% as valid to say 'Ah, but the aliens are different!' Having grown up in a particular tradition can make this issue invisible, but those who are being at all serious in thinking it through need to make it visible to themselves and really test *all* proposed explanations using the same standards. Quote Truth is important
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