What's so artificial about Intelligence?

Boxed in in a black dark place?

Today I read of yet another discovery of a previously unknown "blackhole".

This from the ABC.

"Professor Tamara Davis, an astrophysicist at the University of Queensland, says it has implications for our understanding of how it all began.

YouTube: YouTube: Stephen Hawking explains black holes

"There's a big mystery about how these supermassive black holes form, because we don't understand how something could get that big that quickly; our normal theories don't work," she says.

"And it might mean that there were seeds to these black holes in the very early universe.
"During the birth of the universe, some really massive seeds were created that these black holes then formed around."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-15/monster-black-hole-discovered,-and-its-growing-very-fast/9761540

I always find it interesting when new discoveries like this are made.

We all ponder the heavens particularly when we are somewhere where we can see the night sky in all its brilliance.

As a creationist rather than an evolutionist it seems to me that  secular scientists are ever learning but each new discovery puts them back to the drawing board when their previously long held views are challenged.

And yet for the Christian who is a scientist, each new discovery makes them marvel even the more about our Creator and His creation.

A dichotomy for sure.

Where do you stand?

Have you examined the evidence for the creation story with an open mind?

We can of course be in a deep dark space within.

 The creator of the "black holes"Jesus, can assist you to escape from your own.

I love what Stephen Hawking says in the linked you tube video.

"If you feel you are in a blackhole you can get out of it so don't give up".

I couldn't agree more.



 .

Earth in Upheaval - Some thoughts about Immanuel Velikovsky

A local catastrophe

Some years ago when I first became a Christian(Age 28) I was drawn into looking at the Genesis account of the creation of the world and all living things.
I started off as a person thinking evolution is probably true but God was behind it.
The more I looked into it the more convinced I became that evolution was a false hypothesis.
Even Theistic Evolution I soon decided didn't hold any water either.
I discovered that if you set up a model for evolution and a model for creation regarding what you would expect to find in the fossil records and when, then on examining the evidence you would expect to find, Creationism(Biblical Creation account) won hands down.

Duane Gish's book "Evolution-the fossils say no!" explains this quite brilliantly.

That wasn't the only reason for my embracing the creation accounts of the Bible.

I did a lot of reading back then and still do.

One author whose books I read was Immanuel Velikovsky.

A controversial figure of his day much maligned by the scientific establishment.

He was against the slow universe approach of evolution and focused on what some call catastrophic theory.

It was refreshing that here was a man who was not a Christian but was prepared to challenge the status quo.

He was a Jew and a Pyschiatrist.

Here is a wiki link to him for your interest.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immanuel_Velikovsky

What I found was how the people with a vested interest in evolution being correct so strongly opposed him.

Much as they still strongly oppose people like me or others more qualified who believe the Bible.

Velikovsky did not convince me to believe the Bible but I found it encouraging that he was prepared to examine Biblical accounts and other ancient texts to back up his theories.

I recommend reading his books for a challenge to your "normal" thinking.

I don't agree with many of his findings but admire his reasearch and knowledge.

"The Seal of God" reprinted and now available

I received this email today from our friend Trish.
It is self explanatory.
This book,The Seal of God, is a locally authored,South Australian book that talks and teaches on the marvels of God's creation.

The late Eric Finck was an elder emeritus at our church in my formative Christian years.
A wonderful wise Christian. 

"As promised (a long time ago) we are now advising that we have “hot off the press” a new edition of The Seal of God, which has been unavailable for some time. I am so thankful to God for all of David’s help to my sister, Fran and I, in enabling the promise we made to our Dad (Eric Finck) to make sure it was once again reprinted. Please rejoice with us and pray that God opens door of opportunity to once again distribute it to His glory.

A quick update.  In 1945, Cyril Payne (FC Payne) wrote the book “The Seal of God in Creation and the Word”.  In 1972, he passed the baton to Eric Finck to continue to update and distribute it.  He revised the book keeping much of Cyril’s content and adding more.

Over 230,000 copies have been distributed worldwide from Australia. Further to that, others have published and distributed the book in specific regions. We have now released the latest revision of the book. This 2012 Edition is now available (with more new content) by contacting my son David Dennis by email: mail@sealofgod.com.au or me by phone. It costs $10 a single copy including postage and you can pay for the book through Paypal on his web site.

The focus of the book is to make it very clear, that there is a God and He has shown Himself and His purpose for us in everything around us.  We simply need to open our eyes to Him. We trust that through its distribution people will to come to know God.  If you would like to add this book to your collection, we would be pleased to hear from you.

For any further enquiries, please contact David or myself.

Trish Lear" 

mail@sealofgod.com.au

www.sealofgod.com.au

www.facebook.com/SealOfGodInCreationAndTheWord/

Below is a link to my post about Eric's passing and funeral service.

https://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/passing-of-eric-finck.html

Never ending argument. Creation V Evolution by Geoff Thompson

Giant termite mound. Northern Territory. A masterpiece of design.

The title is a bit misleading because the argument for us all ends just after we pass from this life to the next.

Then we will be very much aware of our Creator.

Much is written in Science journals and Christian apologists books about this subject.

From both camps it is a fascinating study and occasionally people change camps depending on persuasive argument and when moving to the Christian position I believe the Holy Spirit plays a part in that.

Faith v Science are really two different disciplines.

Science is based on examining this world,fossils,dna, geography etc.

Faith is based on the Bible.

I believe there is knowledge in the Bible that has also been uncovered by science.

Scientific knowledge usually begins with a Hypothesis and scientists then search for physical evidence to back it up.

A generally agreed paradigm is what transpires if evidence is good and overwhelming and very demonstrable.

The Law of Gravity is a generally universally agreed Paradigm.

Christians should have no problem with that bit of science.

Evolutionists come with those who have different theories as to how evolution works.

Non Christian scientists usually are working on an overall paradigm that evolution happened somehow but they can differ on the mechanics of it.

Christians who feel their faith being threatened by scientific discovery usually read as much as they can to make sure they are in the right camp.

Much has been written to help that cause and many Christian organisations exist to this end.

For the Christian it really comes down to whether they believe the Bible or not.

A passage where you could end the whole angst about this subject is the first 3 verses of Hebrews 11.

In particular verse 3.

Hebrews 11:1	Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.
Hebrews 11:2	For by it the saints of old won God's approval.
Hebrews 11:3	Through faith we understand that the worlds came into being, and still exist, at the command of God, so that what is seen does not owe its existence to that which is visible.   (Weymouth Translation)

"What is seen does not owe its existence to that which is visible" That means the cause of it all is not of a material nature but spiritual. In another post on this blog about counselling my mentor and former Pastor Frank Hunting pointed out something quiet profound and important about counselling and psychology. It is in a similar vein to that just quoted from Hebrews 11:3. (Note:There is no agreed paradigm on psychology) "However, counselling such as is everywhere being offered to people in need or in crisis has, no matter how good and wise it may be , an inbuilt weakness. It is humanistically based. It is the study of man by man. It is man trying to help man. This follows the advice given by Alexander Pope: “Know then  thyself, presume not God to scan. The proper study of man is man.” The proper study of man is man ,and that confines us to all the limitations and inadequacies of human beings. And this is not good enough." This idea of Pope's also violates the position of Hebrews 11:3 Psychology needs to look to the creator, not the created. So does the science of origins. When we want to trouble shoot an appliance we go the manufacturer's manual. My opinion is that scientific discovery can certainly verify the possibility of the existence of the creator but never prove there is a creator. Proof comes through faith and faith comes by hearing the word of God. Nor can science disprove there is a creator God. If we want to understand our existence and the world around us we should look to our manufacturer. I hope if you are reading this you can get my drift. If you do then you need to ask yourself how reliable is the Bible? Is it really the word of God? The evidence for this when studied objectively is overwhelming.

Why I belive in Biblical Creation rather than Evolution by Geoff Thompson

"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." Romans 1:20
           

                                                By Geoff Thompson

If people wanted to give me a title re my Christian beliefs they would probably tell you I am an evangelical,fundamentalist, creationist type of Christian.I would probably satisfy that label.

Before I continue let me say one thing at the outset. I have a very good sermon in my collection of tapes called “Hearing God’s Word”.

In it the speaker points out that the moment we put a “label” on a Christian we immediately because of our bias , restrict ourselves from possibly ever hearing what God might want to say to us through that person. All truth is God’s truth is what I believe no matter the source. That does not mean I am a Universalist.

So why would I want to tell you my views on the creation debate.

Well it just might be useful to someone exploring faith in God and related matters.

I don’t believe I alone can convince anyone to believe my position.

I have tried with a few people.

As a young person, I am now 69, I had a great interest in the natural world, animals, birds and the heavens and the plant world to a lesser extent.

I knew pretty much in the early stages what evolution taught. I had a basic belief in God having attended a Christian Sunday school until I was 12 years old at which time I walked away from the Church.

I loved stories about animals, particularly the Jungle books by Rudyard Kipling.

When I became a Christian at age 28 I still had a basic belief in evolution and thought well that was probably how God created everything.

I must have read a few books by “Creationists” or “Intelligent Designers” which  is the current more in vogue title for such people. Some of them argued very convincingly for the creation account of the Bible.

I became more and more challenged by such writings and eventually came to my current position.

Some of the things that I found were important in having a Christian creationist view point are included hereunder.This by no means a treatise of this subject. There are many who have written excellent material on the subject who can do a far better job than I can.

1. Jesus is our Creator. He and others in the New Testament quite clearly accepted Adam and Eve and Noah as real people. The Bible claims God the Father as Creator, Jesus the Son as the Creator and the Holy Spirit as the Creator.Another way of understanding that  God is a triune God.

2. For many Christians as, JB Phillips once wrote, “Your God is too small.”

If God is the Creator of the Universe He is big enough to create an already functioning universe or earth with a command.

How big is your God?

I believe God is that “big”

3. There is much scientific knowledge recorded in the Bible. Read the books, I am not going to document it here.

Things that the writers of scripture at the time they wrote them must have been under inspiration of the Holy Spirit as according to scientific discovery they were not known  at the time.

Eg That snowflakes all have a unique individual design.

That in one part of the world people would be sleeping at night while others were awake during the day.

That electricity could be used to communicate.

You might say such things are coincidental but when there are  many so called coincidences  one can conclude there is a greater power at work.

4. Human Psychological theory is dependent on evolutionary teaching to a great extent and academics will admit to you as I once found out when I started to study Psychology, there is no agreed paradigm for Psychology. Eg all scientists and most laypeople would agree the Law of Gravity is an agreed paradigm but not so is there an agreed paradigm in psychology. Every few years a new theory of Psychology becomes the in thing. Eg Transactional analysis in the seventies, the teachings of freud earlier , the Cognitiive behaviour therapy of the present times.A more accurate assessment and explanation of human behaviour and psychology is able to be constructed based on the Biblical view of man in my opinion and that of people like C.R. Solomon and F.C. Hunting who are noted on this blog. This is based on the Biblical teaching that mankind is created in God’s image eg. Body, soul and spirit which equates to the triune God. Oswald Chambers (author of My Utmost for His Highest)was also a man with a deep Christian understanding of human behaviour.

Dr Paul Kaschel  when speaking in Adelaide once at a seminar on the “Exchanged Life” told how he had once been in charge of a secular psychiatric hospital and he had been fully qualified in secular therapy.

He pointed out however that using techniques of the day thay could get some people well enough to go home but the minute some storm in their life came along they would be back in hospital.

He likened what they were doing in therapy to making a dirt road full of potholes passable by filling them in with dirt and gravel but the minute a storm came along they were washed out and the road became treacherous again.

He discovered a more excellent way to help people through Jesus.

Using evolution and the idea that we were cavemen and the danger and flight response is  part of that scenario rather than what is taught in Genesis is why there is no agreed Paradigm in Psychology.

5. Being able to trust the whole Bible is paramount to discovering the “full”   

    salvation that Jesus offers.

6. Many people are ignorant of the Spiritual world ie. Those with a rationalist   scientific viewpoint. There is an unmistakable presence of evil in this world.How does evolution explain that?

7. You would have to be a fool to ignore the existence of  a creator. People will of   course say that I am a fool for believing the bible. Well I am in good company.Read Romans 1:18-23

  

8. I believe it is possible for people to become “creationists” or “intelligent

designers” without becoming Christians. I know of one such person at least.

12. Many people give examples of variation within a species as support for the theory of evolution. 

This has nothing to do with the transition from one species to another that evolution maintains.Variation within a species  is not counter to a creationist viewpoint.

There are and always will be millions of so called “missing links”.

The fossil records support Creation and not Evolution. See the book by Duane Gish.“The Fossils say no!“
Below is a youtube talk given by the late Dr. Gish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8H35GDLNuw

13. I believe the only thing that really gets in the way of belief in God and as the  

Creator is the human failing of pride and the fear of being considered “unintelligent”.

We all of us in our fallen state want to be as God ourselves and control our own destiny.

We all have a definite appointment with our creator, if He exists, one day.

I don’t doubt He does.

Why not investigate the claims for creation and the wider question of Jesus Christ now before we meet our maker.

Someone once coined  the phrase. “ If Christ is the answer, what are the questions?

There are lots and I find the Bible satisfies all the questions I have come up with.

Start studying the Bible seriously today and put your scepticism and judgements to one side and you will be surprised at what you will find.


Below is a link to a significant Creationist, Intelligent Design Ministry if you want to explore further. Please note I am not saying there is no such thing as helpful science in many fields.
The science I believe in is evidence based and demonstrable by repeated experiments after developing a hypoyhesis.

http://creation.com/

Ps. You will notice a gap in my numbering system. Not a freudian slip but my having problems with the formatting.

Yet another blow for Evolution

I have commented before on this blog how time and time again new scientific observations are being made that turn evolutionary theory on it's head.

Now lizards found encased in amber have been seen to have not changed in 20 million years at all but scientists are perplexed because the 20 million year period was seen to be a time  in which major evolutionary changes were happening in animals.

Follow the link below to the ABC reporting of this.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2015/07/28/4279562.htm

One day I think there will be enough of this type of "evidence" for scientists to declare the theory of evolution is dead in the water.(where it was supposed to have started)
But then people will come up with new ideas so as to avoid being confronted by the truth that God created the world and us and that we are accountable to Him.

STOP PRESS

And now we have another report suggesting some flowers are a lot older than they were thought to be.
Many of these expose, in my opinion, and of those much more qualified than me,on a system of measurement of age of fossils and rocks based on false assumptions that are based on evolutionary theory.
The paradigm of evolution keeps on being challenged because it is untrue.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2015/08/11/4288322.htm

If you follow the link to the origins of this article you have this statement.

"Our discovery drastically pushes back the assumed origin of Asteraceae, because these pollen grains are the oldest fossils ever found for the family. "

The link below is for a youtube talk  by Dr Duane Gish who wrote a book many years ago called.
"Evolution,The fossils say no!"
A brilliant treatise of the case for Biblical Creation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8H35GDLNuw

How smart were our ancestors?

As a convinced Christian and Creationist I have long held the view that so called ancient man was just as capable and intelligent as modern humans.
I mean going back to original humans.
Those who have been labelled with a homo prefix.
Not accepting evolution I am not considering what are considered to be our development? from so called ape like creatures.
In recent history the Statues of Easter Island, The Pyramids of Egypt and the huge Cathederals of Europe and The Temples of Angkor Wat surely hint at this.
And  what about the huge body of work of Leonardo Da Vinci?
This video broadcast below helps to support what I believe.
http://creation.com/creation-tv?fileID=uKSobV1UA1A
I saw a documentary some time back on ancient tribes in the Amazon Jungle, that had had no real contact with modern man, and it showed one "savage?" actually using a modern video camera and asking questions about it's operation.
Follow the link to stimulate your thinking.

Dinosaurs from birds?

One of the things that aggravates me the most as a Christian regarding the evolution v creation debate is the insistance that lots of evolutionists have that Dinosaurs came from Birds.
The idea is ridiculous when there are lots of flying animals such as Bats that would make a better candidate for such a theory but funny thing is they are still Bats not Dinosaurs.
The fact that Dinosaur footprints fossils have been found in various places alongside man's fossilised footprints is also conveniently ignored by evolutionists.
Also we have living descendants of the Dinosaurs in The Komodo Dragon and the various Monitor lizards around the world and the varieties of Crocodiles.
Below is a link that talks about a fossil bird being found in the stomach of a fossil dinosaur.
Now there's food for thought.
What came first the dinosaur or the bird?
http://creation.com/dinos-ate-birds

Man and Crocodile(Dinasoar) living side by side

 By the way I support Creation as the Bible tells it in case you didn't guess.

Three Important Questions

I have been trying to clean up my office.
I am something of a random collector but my main things are books,records,magazines,photographic equipment,cassette tapes and other random stuff.
I have over the years collected some Time Magazines , mainly because of the topic on the cover and the feature article within.
There have been significant ones that are a wonderful progressive collection of modern history.
The ones I particularly like are those that confront us with our place and worth in the world and things of a spiritual nature.
Three I found today pose these questions.

"When did the Universe begin?  March 6 1995(actually probably a little before this)(issue date only)

A crucial question to which you need to add how did it begin?

The Bible says "In the beginning----"  A good place to start reading.
It starts in Genesis.

"The God Gene"  November 8 2004

We have had  "The God Particle" propostioned to us recently but we had the "God Gene" before that.
This was propositioned in a book called "The God Gene:How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes" by molecular biologist Dean Hamer.
There are some interesting quotes in this article.
I like this quote in the mag from Henry David Thoreau.

"With all your science,can you tell me how it is that light comes into the soul?"

"Why did Jesus have to die?"  April 12 2004

Once you have used your "God Gene" to be attracted to Jesus then this is the big question.
I would urge you if you are in this quest to not be satisfied until you find the answer and then act on it. A tip . Click on the the tag below.The cross.