Here is a short 7 minute sound clip of Dr. William Lane Craig talking about two recent archeological discoveries which help us understand the Bible and, more generally, the history of the ancient Hebrews.

 

     The morality of God is a topic of frequent discussion among atheists and Christians alike. In the Bible, God claims to be sinless; so it is only natural that we as humans would keep an eye on God to make sure He is staying true to his claim. In the past few months, this question has been appearing quite often. If the knowledge of good and evil was not introduced to man until after Adam and Eve ate the apple, then why would God punish Adam and Eve if they didn’t know what they were doing from the beginning? Wouldn’t that be immoral on God’s part? This question is most commonly called the Eden Paradox.  I find that the Eden Paradox is based on a misunderstanding of the text of Genesis.

       Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.  And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the  tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.—Genesis 2:8-9

     The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.  And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”—Genesis2:15-17

     The first thing one should know when reading Genesis is the definition of sin. 1 John 3:4 defines sin as breaking the law, or lawlessness. The term law, here, is referring to God’s law. In the Garden of Eden, God’s one law was that nobody was to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So when Adam and Eve ate the apple, they were sinning because they were breaking God’s one law. They did not eat the apple out of ignorance. When the serpent told them to eat the apple, they had a moral decision to make. They knew that it was against the law to eat from that tree, and they knew the consequences that would follow. Yet, they chose to break God’s law anyway. Therefore, Adam and Eve did sin—deliberately. The Eden Paradox rests on the assumption that Adam and Eve were ignorant of God’s law and the consequences of breaking it. However, the text of Genesis blatantly contradicts that presupposition.

 

     I met Tim a couple weeks ago, and we have constantly been on eachother’s blogs ever since. One thing I have learned about Tim is that he is one brilliant kid. His passion in his search for truth is very rare to find in a kid his age. I had the honor of asking Tim a few questions.

Tell me a little bit about yourself including your interests, your work, and your family?
 
My name is Tim. I’m 15 years old. I’m homeschooled under ACE.  We live out in the country — me, mum, dad, and we also live close to our other relatives. I like music, science, dogs, reading, tramping, tennis, playstation, blogging, annoying people, etc.
 
 
What are some things that are important to you?
 
My family. My dog Snowy (he’s part of the family too). My friends. 
  
  
What is an atheist and do you claim that title?
 
An atheist is a person who does not believe in, or lacks the belief of, the existence of god(s); ie. he is a person who does not believe in Kamui, Zeus, Ptah, Apollo, Ranginui, Allah, Krishna, Viracocha, Mbombo, and consequently Yahweh.  If you had been born in Afghanistan, you would be quite as fervent as you are now in trying to prove to me that Allah is the one true God. The point is, most of us are indocrinated into religion at a very young age; we forget to think for ourselves. I lost my faith in Yahweh because the Bible is literally full of murder, genocide, rape, human sacrifices, and, yes — fairytales… and I mean no offence — it is true.  The only reason you accept these obvious fairytales as facts is because it is written in your Bronze-age book, and you are obdurately confident that this book was inspired by your God.  Some Christians are even ready to abandon scientific facts just so they could keep their faith.
 
I claim the title “atheist” because there is simply no evidence for God’s existence. Personal revelation does not hold as evidence either, because while you have been personally brought to Yahweh, a Muslim is brought with the same conviction to Allah. In other words, I refuse to believe in Yahweh in the very same way that you might refuse to believe in unicorns, or in the Lochness Monster. Naturally, I do not speak with 100% confidence that “There is no God” — I only refuse to believe until evidence is produced.  Reason tells me that it is illogical to claim that God exists and his name is Yahweh.

 
Is there a purpose to life?
 
This is completely irrelevant to the truth. I am an atheist because I care about what is true — so even if I answered “no”, this wouldn’t mean that God has to exist, just because you want life to be meaningful.  Having said that, there are millions of people who don’t share your Christian “purpose to life”.  Likewise, you don’t share an Islamic “purpose to life”, or a Buddhist “purpose of life”.  It is therefore my opinion that, even among the religious, every man gives his own life some sort of purpose and meaning.

 
How do you determine right from wrong?
 
Atheism is not a worldview, therefore it does not hold any moral, political or social implications.  It is my understanding that morality, among other things, is subject to change.  A century or two ago almost everyone in Britain was racist.  Women rights only emerged later in human history.  Our moral standards are constantly shifting for the benefit of people.  These standards are also written into laws.  I also must mention that the things we find in the Old Testament are not moral by today’s standards.  The shift from the Old to the New Testament, if anything, proves my point quite succinctly.
 
 
Tell me a little about your experiences with Christians and the church?
 
Most of my friends are Christians.  Many Christians are good people, some, not so good.  Likewise, many Muslims are nice people, some aren’t.  The same with atheists.  I usually don’t judge people by their religious views; but it must be said that I am very tired of people trying to stick their superstition down my throat.  “Repent, repent or burn in hell” is really not nice.  People should really keep their faith to themselves, or at least away from the science classroom.  And just because I don’t believe in Allah doesn’t mean I’m going to go to the Islamic hell.  So it goes with Yahweh.
 
I still go to church, and to be honest I don’t think too much of it.  I go there to learn about religion.  I used to really believe in God a few years back, so I know exactly what it’s like to feel God’s “presence”.  I’ve seen some whacky stuff too, like the holy ghost explosions or people speaking in tongues.  Good entertainment, I suppose.
 
 
Are Christians “stupid”?
 
Christians? No.  Christianity? Maybe. I must admit that I view the Bible as childish, and the personal god, Yahweh, as an imaginary friend.  But perhaps not as childish as the Qur’an, in which 72 virgins await you in heaven.  Noah’s Ark, man living inside a whale, virgin birth — those are pretty childish… in my humblest opinion.
 
 
How could Christians positively impact your perception of them while still holding to the Bible?
 
By not knocking on my door at 8 in the morning, and then asking me whether I’ve been saved or not.
 
 
Can you think of a Biblical scripture or principle that would impact the world in a positive way if everyone believed or held to?
 
Sure, but I could also think of scriptures from the Qur’an, or from Buddhist texts.  In fact, I think Buddhism contains some of the more moral instructions.  But really, it doesn’t matter which book you wish to cherry-pick from, as long as it helps you to become a better person.
 
 
What is one of your goals for this week?
 
Recover from this crazy fever.
 
 
Year?
 
Learn the entire Tchaikovsky Seasons Op. 37 on the piano.
 
 
5 years?
 
Go to uni, hopefully.
 
————-

Tim Cooley’s blog can be found at
http://timcooley.wordpress.com/

 

     The great Flood of Genesis marks one of the most amazing stories in the Old Testament. With humanity wasting itself away, God decides to to start over by destroying the earth with a massive, global flood. The only survivors are Noah, Noah’s wife, Noah’s three sons and their wives. By building an ark and filling it with two of every kind of animal, Noah and his family are able to survive the catastrophe and live to restart the human race. This is how the Bible tells it. Noah and his “big ol’ boat” have been the subject of many cartoons, lunch box designs, and TV movies. Over the years the story has taken on the illusion of a fairytale rather than a historical event. Skeptics sometimes capitalize on this to defame and disprove the story of Noah and the Flood that made him so famous. In attempt to dispel some of these misconceptions, geographers, palentologists, and experts from all other areas of science have looked into the credibility of the story of Noah. Not suprisingly, many conclusions have been made ranging from conclusions that Noah’s flood is a fact, to Noah’s flood is a myth. Along with those conclusions many other have been made that settle somewhere in between. Here evidence will be presented in defense of the Flood and the lucky family of Noah.

     The Flood: Part 1

    The most well-known aspect of Noah’s story is the Flood that took place in Genesis, of which he and his family were the only survivors. However, the details of their survival would be moot if there was never a flood to begin with. So it is very logical to start with the flood. The most obvious question is, was there even a flood at all?Some say there is no evidence of a global flood. However, there is evidence that points to the contrary.

     The Geological Evidence

     Geology is the science that deals with the dynamics and physical history of the earth (dictionary.com). Geologists study rock layers, called strata, to estimate how the earth looked in the past and how it changed from its former state to its present state. If there was indeed a catastrophic flood sometime in our past, there would be evidence of it in these rock layers. The good news for the flood theory is that there is evidence of a catastrophe that can be seen in rock strata all over the world.

     One of the evidences for a global catastrophe can be seen in sediment layers that are spread across vast areas. “The Cretaceous chalk beds of southern England are well known because they appear as spectacular white cliffs along the coast.” says geologist Dr. Andrew Snelling. Snelling goes on to say that the chalk beds can be traced westward into Northern Ireland, and as far east as Kazakhstan. Amazingly, these same chalkbeds also show up in the Midwestern USA, and as far away as the Perth Basin in Australia. Layers like these that are deposited over such vast areas show that they were spread out as a result of a very rapid force, not a slow and gradual erosion. (Dr. Andrew Snelling)

     Another fascinating rock layer can be found at the Coconino Sandstone layer in the Grand Canyon. Cross layers within this layer of sand are called “cross beds”. These cross beds were long thought to have been formed as sand dunes over thousands of years from wind blowing over the top of the dunes. This was concluded by studying the features of modern-day sand dunes. However, Professor of Geology at the University of Tulsa Oklahoma, Glen Visher, has produced evidence that these cross beds were more likely formed by water and not wind. Visher says that storms and heavy tides can produce underwater sand dunes called “sand waves”. The Professor observed that the average slope angle of the Coconino cross beds is approximately 25 degrees from the horizontal. This is noticeably less than that of modern sand dunes which have an average slope of 30 to 34 degrees. Lastly, a feature called “parting lineation” appears in the Coconino layer which is usually formed on sand during fleeting erosional bursts beneath flowing water. All these evidences point towards a rapid flood being the cause of these cross beds, and not a slow erosion by wind. (Snelling/Austin)

     The Fossil Evidence

     The fossil record has long thought to have been  formed over millions and possibly even billions of years. Recent studies have shown, though, that fossils can be formed very quickly and that the theory of millions of years might be an overestimation. Secondly, the fossil record is increasingly becoming more random in its order. This goes against the belief that the fossil record is ordered. These two statements imply that a very rapid catastrophe, like a global flood, is the cause for our fossil record and not long (millions of years) periods of time.

     One interesting feature of our fossil record is that it involves plant fossils. These fossils are not actually plants, but rather, imprints of plants in fossilized mud and clay(Fig. 1). Assuming that fossils take millions of years to form, it would be very hard for plants to fossilize. Anyone can look at a compost pile and see that when plants fall to the ground, they deteriorate back into the soil and do not leave any sign of their former existence(Fig 3). Furthermore, should an imprint be made of a plant in the mud or clay, the elements would quickly erase it with rain and other animals stepping in that same place. However, if that plant were to be burried very quickly by rock and sediment, it is much more likely that the imprint would retain its shape and fossilize. (AiG)

(AiG)

Fossilized fern frond.

 (AiG)

Deteriorating ferns. (Notice they do not retain their shape like in Fig 1.)

Also note in Figure 1 that the fern is bent backwards. Ferns grow straight out, and the fact that this frond shows that this particular fern might have been forced into that position. Again, catastrophic floods can do that.

     The belief that the fossil record has an order to it is a widely taught theory. It does in fact have some truth to it, but this “order” has been interpreted as a timeline for the evolution of life. The problem with this is thought is that while certain fossils tend to show up in certain, predictable places, it isn’t precise enough to be label a timeline.  Dr. Gary Parker has found fossils of plant life mixed in with Cambrian Trilobites:

     “First, there’s the matter of ‘misplaced fossils.’ Evolustionists believe, for example, that the land plants did not appear until over 100 million years after the Cambrian trilobites died out. Yet, over sixty genera of woody-plant spores, pollen, and wood itself have been recovered from lowest ‘trilobite rock’ (Cambrian) throughout the world. The evidence is so well known that it’s even in standard college biology textbooks”(Parker)

     The now familiar Dr. Andrew Snelling also commented on the randomness of the fossil recrord:

     “We find fossils of sea creatures in rock layers that cover all the continents. For example, most of the rock layers in the walls of Grand Canyon (more than a mile above sea level) contain marine fossils. Fossilized shellfish are even found in the Himalayas.”(Answers)

     Facts like these do not support the theory of a slow, gradual formation of the fossil record. Nor do they support the claims that the fossil record was formed chronologically. The evidence of a catastrophic flood is more bountiful than most people think. These conclusion were also made using the scientific method and were not concluded because the Bible said so. The fact that fossils from all over our past show up in different places show that they were not laid down over large periods of time, but rather at a rapid and chaotic speed. The story of the flood is supported by scientific evidence. While this article is brief, there is much more evidence in support of a global flood out there. For right now, we can accept that there is evidence for a global flood. The next question is, how did Noah ever survive a catastrophe of such magnitude?

 

One will notice that I have several videos by Ravi Zacharias. There’s a reason, he’s brilliant.

 

     As scientists and philosophers, Christians have been crucial in laying the foundations of modern thought and living. However, in the last 100 years many have grown to think that Christians are scientifically illiterate. As untrue as that is, this post focuses on an area where Christian principles still ring true. The concepts of human equality and liberty and justice for all come straight from the Bible. Those who founded the first country to protect such concepts did so with a faith in God, and drew many of their laws from the Bible. In the next few paragraphs various historical figures will be listed in support of this point.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

     

Benjamin Franklin was a hero of Colonial America and a man of amazing talents. His achievements are too varied to sum up easily; they include signing the Declaration of Independence, publishing the famous Poor Richard’s Almanack, serving as postmaster of Philadelphia, founding the first American fire insurance company, living in Paris as American ambassador to France, and inventing useful objects like the lightning rod, the Franklin stove, and bifocal glasses. Franklin was born in Boston but at age 17 moved to Philadelphia, where he worked as a printer, wrote pamphlets on public issues, and eventually bought The Pennsylvania Gazette. By 1732 he was publishing Poor Richard’s Almanack, a blend of practical information, humor, and homilies like “A penny saved is a penny earned.” He grew into Philadelphia’s most famous citizen: a blend of businessman, inventor, philosopher, public planner, and civic cheerleader.

As the Revolutionary War approached, Franklin wrote many pamphlets promoting union among the colonies; he was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress, then spent much of the war in France as a diplomat, charming America’s French allies. He helped negotiate and write the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War, and in 1787 he signed the new U.S. Constitution. During all these years he never lost his interest in science, and in particular spent years studying electricity. (In a famous 1752 experiment, he flew a kite with a key attached to prove that electricity exists in the atmosphere.) His personal memoirs were published after his death as The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

Franklin coined dozens of popular sayings, including “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” and “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”(Answers.com)

Many people think that Benjamin Franklin was an atheist. In his own memoirs he alludes to his doing business with prostitutes as a young man in Philidelphia. His autobiography clearly shows that throughout his earlier years he struggled with belief in God. He knew morality was a necessity, but did not want to admit that God was necessary in order for morality to be necessary. Therefore, he spent much of his young adult life rationalizing with himself. His autobiography tells of how he pledged himslef to be a vegitarian. However, one day while at a party he was served fish as that was what they were serving. On one hand he thought it wrong to eat once living things. However, as he looked at the fish it began to look very delicious and everybody else was enjoying themselves accept him. After some deep thought on the matter, he concluded that it would also be rude to refuse his host’s hospitality and that he should eat the fish. That was the end of his time as a vegitarian. As a result of this humorous experience, Franklin said that a man can conclude anything to be right as long as he allows himself enough time to reason it out.

It wasn’t until his later years that Benjamin Franklin began to see the sovereignty of God in his life. During his time as a delegate in the Continental Congress, Ben started to see how God was a big part in the formation of an independent America. It was during the Constitutional Convention when he made one of the most moving speeches of his career. One that resulted in the birth of a great nation:

The Constitutional Convention had been meeting for five weeks, and had hit a perilous deadlock. The large states were insisting that congressional representation be based on population; the smaller states wanted a one-state-one-vote rule. The entire effort to create a stronger union was in jeopardy. Eighty-one-year-old Benjamin Franklin, quiet during most of the deliberations, then addressed the group. According to James Madison’s notes, here is what happened next.(beliefnet.com)

Mr. President

“The small progress we have made after four or five weeks close attendance & continual reasonings with each other-our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ays, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of Government, and examined the different forms of those Republics which having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution now no longer exist. And we have viewed Modern States all round Europe, but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances.

In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection.- Our prayers, Sir, were heard, & they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending providence in our favor.

To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that “except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move-that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that Service-”—Benjamin Franklin(beliefnet.com)

George Washington

George Washington is called “the father of his country” for his crucial role in fighting for, creating and leading the United States of America in its earliest days. Washington was a surveyor, farmer and soldier who rose to command the Colonial forces in the Revolutionary War. He held the ragtag Continental Army together — most famously during a frigid encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania during the winter of 1777-78 — and eventually led them to victory over the British. His success in the war made him a tremendously popular figure in America even after he retired to his farm at Mount Vernon in 1783. He was the natural choice to serve as the country’s first president in 1789 after the new United States Constitution was ratified. He served two terms, refused a third, and returned to his Virginia farm. In 1798 he was again commissioned as Commander in Chief of the Army, a title he held until his death 18 months later. He was succeeded as president by John Adams.

Washington married the widow Martha Dandridge Custis in 1759; they had no children together, but Washington adopted Martha’s children John and Martha… Washington was land-rich but often cash-poor, and had to borrow money in order to get to his first inauguration… Washington had false teeth but, contrary to popular rumor, they were not made of wood. According to the Mount Vernon official site, Washington’s dentures “were probably more uncomfortable than wood. They were made of cow’s teeth, human teeth, and elephant ivory set in a lead base with springs that allowed him to open and close his mouth”… The story of Washington chopping down a cherry tree is also not true; it was invented by an early biographer of Washington, Parson Mason Weems.(Answers.com)

Very outspoken about his faith in God, Washington is one of the greatest examples of Christian influence in history.

“It is impossible to account for the creation of the universe without the agency of a Supreme Being.”—George Washington

“Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God.”—George Washington

“Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”—George Washington

  

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

 

Abraham Lincoln was president of the United States from 1861 until his shocking assassination in 1865. The colorful stories about Lincoln’s life really are true: He was born in a log cabin and grew up on the American frontier, educated himself by reading borrowed books, and worked splitting fence rails and clerking in a general store, and then as a country lawyer, long before he became president. He served in the Illinois General Assembly for eight years and in the U.S. House of Representatives for one term (1847-49) before his election as the nation’s first Republican president in 1860. As president he is best remembered for leading the Union through the Civil War and freeing Confederate slaves with the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation; for delivering the Gettysburg Address, the most famous oration in American history, on 19 November 1863; and for his tragic assassination by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. Upon Lincoln’s death, Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency. The Lincoln Memorial, with its famous statue of Lincoln by Daniel Chester French, was dedicated in Washington in 1922.

He married Mary Anne Todd in 1842… Yes, that’s Lincoln on the U.S. penny and the five dollar bill. Lincoln also named Salmon P. Chase to be Chief Justice of the United States in 1864, and Chase is on the $10,000 bill… Lincoln was preceded by James Buchanan, the only president to remain a bachelor for life… Lincoln was the first president to be born outside the original thirteen states… He was the first president to wear a beard while in office… Lincoln’s oldest son, Robert Todd Lincoln, was present at three assassinations: his father’s, President Garfield’s in 1881 and President McKinley’s in 1901… A famous (and enormous) biography of Lincoln was written by 20th-century author Carl Sandburg… Lincoln was the 16th president.(Answers.com)

“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”—Abraham Licncoln

“God must love the common man, he made so many of them.”—Abraham Lincoln 
 

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right. ” —Abrahamn Lincoln

 “Surely God would not have created such a being as man, with an ability to grasp the infinite, to exist only for a day! No, no, man was made for immortality.”—Abraham Lincoln

  These three men established a nation in which all religions have been able to worship in freedom. The contributions they made have solidified the claims Jesus made so many years before them, that God does not play favorites and that no matter your race or class, or gender, all people have rights, given to them by God Himself. No other religion proclaims mercy and justice like Christianity does. That is why it is not suprising that the country that is founded on such principle was founded by men who feared God. If it wasn’t for these men who feared God, our world would most assuredly be a very different place.

Nicholas,

 

      The world today is in its most advanced state than in all of history. Since the middle of the ninteenth century, man has reached levels of sophistication that he could never have imagined. He owes this new level advancement to the great minds that have lived before him. These minds have contributed to areas of knowledge such as science, philosophy, politics, and many others. Even a cursury glance back in time will reveal that many of the great men and women who have changed the world to make it what it is today also pledged their allegienace to our Creator, God. Today, Christians seem to have slipped into the category of stupid and uneducated. We hold the sterotype of having our heads in the clouds, worshiping an unseen bearded man. However, what many fail to notice is that Christians have had a profound influence on shaping our modern world. This article is dedicated to highlighting those who changed this world permenantly and who are still remembered and revered today.

     Getting to Know Our Creator

     Efforts to know God are as old as humanity itself. However, in the last 400 years one method of understnading our world and the One who created it has established itself as a powerful tool, science. While it has only been in the last 100 years or so that science has helped us make profound changes to our way of thinking and living, its foundations were laid throughout the hundreds of years prior to its blossoming. Not suprisingly, many of those who laid these foundations called God the Creator.

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

        

A prodigy in math, Blaise Pascal was a contemporary and rival of René Descartes. In spite of years of ill health and a short life, Pascal accomplished quite a bit: he published a significant work on the geometry of conical sections when he was only sixteen; he invented a calculating machine by the time he was nineteen; he and Pierre de Fermat founded the modern theory of probability; he described the principle that is the basis for the hydraulic press (called Pascal’s Law); and he proved that there was a vacuum above the atmosphere. Pascal had a religious conversion in the 1650s and devoted himself to religion instead of science. He is famous for the philosophical theorem known as Pascal’s Wager, and for the remark that history would have been different had Cleopatra’s nose been differently shaped.(Answers.com)

  Blaise’s beliefs about God become apparent in his recorded speech:

     “Happiness is neither without us nor within us. It is in God, both without us and within us.” —Blaise Pascal

 

“If you gain, you gain all. If you lose, you lose nothing. Wager then, without hesitation, that He exists.”—Blaise Pascal

“He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.”—Blaise Pascal 

“Human beings must be known to be loved; but Divine beings must be loved to be known.”—Blaise Pascal

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)

 

Louis Pasteur is the 19th-century biologist and chemist whose work with germs and micro-organisms opened up new fields of scientific inquiry, aided industries (ranging from wine to silk), and made him one of the world’s most celebrated scientists. Pasteur became a professor of chemistry at the University of Lille in 1854, and soon began studying fermentation in wine and beer. He became convinced “the germs of microscopic organisms abound in the surface of all objects, in the air and in water.” He determined that such micro-organisms could be killed by heating liquid to 55 degrees Celsius (about 130 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher for short periods of time. This simple process became known as pasteurization, a process used today in milk and many other beverages. Pasteur then turned his attention to other aspects of microorganisms. He virtually created the science of immunology, showing that certain diseases (like rabies) could be prevented by vaccination (his term), that is, injecting animals with weakened forms of the disease. So great were Pasteur’s successes that an international fund was raised to create the Louis Pasteur Institute in 1888. Pasteur worked with the institute until his death, and it continues today as a center of microbiology and immunology. (Answers.com)

     Once again, Louis was a firm believer in an Intelligent Designer. He is quoted saying: “Science brings men nearer to God.” —Louis Pasteur

“Blessed is he who carries within himself a God, an ideal, and who obeys it: ideal of art, ideal of science, ideal of the gospel virtues, therein lie the springs of great thoughts and great actions; they all reflect light from the Infinite.” —Louis Pasteur

“The Greeks have given us one of the most beautiful words of our language, the word “enthusiasm” — a God within…Happy is he who bears a God within.”—Louis Pasteur

The work of Louis Pasteur has saved countless lives since its publication. It is evident that his works “reflect light from the Infinite”.

Matthew Maury (1806-1873)

Maury, who was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, graduated from Harpeth Academy in 1825 and joined the US Navy as a midshipman. A leg injury in 1839 ended his sea career but, having made his reputation by his publication in 1836 of his Treatise on Navigation, he was chosen in 1842 to be superintendent of the Depot of Charts and Instruments in Washington. This post carried with it the directorship of the US Naval Observatory and Hydrographic Office. Maury largely ignored astronomical work, emphasizing instead the study of oceanography and meteorology, and consequently aroused the opposition of the scientific establishment centered upon Joseph Henry and Alexander Bache.

He resigned his position with the outbreak of the American Civil War (1861) to become a commander in the Confederate Navy. After the war he took on, in 1865, the post of Imperial Commissioner for Immigration to the doomed Emperor Maximilian of Mexico to establish a confederate colony. Following the collapse of the Mexican Empire he spent some time in England writing textbooks before he was permitted to return to America where he became, in 1868, professor of meteorology at the Virginia Military Institute, remaining there until his death.

Maury has often been described as the father of oceanography. He wrote one of the earliest works on the topic, The Physical Geography of the Sea (1855) and he demonstrated the rewards to be gained from an increased knowledge of the oceans. From 1847 he began to publish his Wind and Current pilot charts of the North Atlantic, which could shorten sailing times dramatically. Claims were made that as much as a month could be saved on the sailing time for the New York–California voyage. This knowledge was acquired by the study of especially prepared logbooks and the collection of data in a systematic way from a growing number of organized observers.

After 1849 Maury had the use of two research vessels and began a study of ocean temperature and a collection of samples of the ocean floor. He was thus able to publish his Bathymetrical Map of the North Atlantic Basin (1854) showing a profile of the Atlantic floor between Yucatan and Cape Verde.(Answers.com)

     What is so very special about Matthew Maury’s story is that he got his inspiration to study oceanography from the Bible! Once, when reading his Bible, Matthew came across Psalm 8:8, “the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.”(emphasis added) It is amazing that a Psalm written 2,600 years before the birth of Matthew Maury helped Matthew form his hypothesis about there being paths in the sea! Matthew is quoted saying, “If God said there are paths in the sea, then I am going to find them!” And find them he did.

     These are just three men who called God the Creator who have laid the foundations that academics have follwed ever since. They also effectively disprove the assumption that those who believe in God are mentally impaired. The fallacy that Christians are incapable of making scientific conclusions is one that plagues our society. It is based on flawed logic and contributes only to the spread of dissention and insults. It puts severe restrictions on intellectual advacement and has the potential to stop it altogether. In part two of this series I will explain how Christianity helped form the first country to allow freedom and justice for all.
    

Nicholas,

 

 This has been a topis of heavy discussion as of late. I thought I would post this trailer for anyone more intereseted in the subject. This would give anyone who is curious a good source of the Christian’s side of the debate. I encourage everyone to check it out!

EDIT: Video embed moved to the “Videos” section.

     Since its beginning 2,000 years ago, Christianity has risen through the ranks of religion. From its early status as a small religious off-shoot of Judaism to its current title as the world’s most widely know religion, Christianity has withstood the tests of time, persecution, and scientific criticism. And yet, the Christian faith continues to be widely criticized by today’s scientists, philosophers, and the rest of secular academia. With the birth of naturalism and post-modernism came a new generation of thinkers who were more than ready to put Christianity under the microscope for yet another critical examination.  Perhaps the most widely chastised aspect of the Christian world-view is that of Jesus. The Bible claims that Jesus is the Son of the one and only God. Full of stories containing miracles and other supernatural interventions, the Bible tells the story of Jesus’ life. It presents the claim that Jesus was a divine Being sent by God to die for the sins of man in order to save man from eternal torment in hell (John 3:16). Jesus’ life message was that He was the one and only true God, and that He was the only source of pure truth. Jesus proved this through performing miracles, and He climaxed His life by dying on the cross and rising from the dead three days later. But are these stories of Jesus really true? Did Jesus ever even live or was He just a story made up by the first century Christians? Historians have studied the subject intensely for hundreds of years and the conclusion is that the evidence for Jesus’ existence, works, death, and resurrection is overwhelming, undeniably proving His divinity.

     Evidence of Jesus is best found in the Bible itself. Skeptics have long criticized the Bible and called it “a book of fairy-tales”. These assertions are uneducated assumptions. New Testament scholar, R.T. France, says this about the Gospels:

“At the level of their literary and historical character we have good reasons to treat the gospels seriously as a source of information on the life and teaching of Jesus, and thus on the historical origins of Christianity…. (France, in Zacharias and Geisler, p. 89)”

In fact, we have more manuscript evidence of the Bible than we do of other, more widely recognized works of literature. When under examination, the Bible reveals itself to be extremely well-founded in manuscript evidence. Other works by authors such as Julius Caesar, Herodotus, Thucydided, Livy, and Tacitus have significantly less documentary evidence than the Bible does. (Muncaster, p. 103-104) Yet, none of these authors have ever endured anything but the most basic examinations. According to Richard M. Fales Ph.D:

“Altogether, including Syriac, Latin, Coptic, and Aramaic, we have a whopping 24,633 texts of the ancient New Testament to confirm the wording of the Scriptures.   (Comfort, p. 60)”

     Two of the earliest copies of the Bible are the Codex Sinaiticus and the John Rylands Papyri. The Codex Sinaiticus can be dated back to A.D. 350. The John Rylands Papyri dates even farther back to approximately A.D. 125. Both of these manuscripts are important because they are among the earliest fragments of the Bible we have today—the Codex Sinaiticus being a nearly complete copy of the whole Bible (Muncaster p. 105) Fales expounds on this manuscript evidence:

“With the great body of manuscript evidence, it can be proved, beyond a doubt, that the New Testament says exactly the same things today as it originally did nearly 2,000 years ago (Comfort, pg. 60).”

     Once the Bible’s accuracy is understood, the most convincing evidence of Jesus’ existence is that of the eye-witness accounts. Some of the earliest Christian creeds, proclaiming the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, were written 3 to 10 years after His crucifixion—including Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, Romans, and Galatians (www.allaboutjesuschrist.org). The Gospel of Mark was written between A.D. 55 and A.D. 65. Mark is thought to be the first gospel since many of the verses from Mark also can be found in Matthew and Luke. (Muncaster, p. 101) John was believed to be the latest gospel, written around A.D. 80 (Ibid). These dates further prove that the Gospels are not stories made up by Christians long after Jesus’ death. They are real, eye-witness accounts, the earliest of which was written roughly 20 years after the death of Christ.

     Extra-biblical documents also survive today. One of the more persuasive documents that speaks of Jesus is the Jewish Talmud. Composed over many centuries, the part of the Talmud that pertains to Christ the most is the portion that was written during the Tannaitic Period, from A.D. 70-200. A most important passage can be found in Sanhedrin 43a. This passage is important because it was written by the Jews. The Jews denied and proselytized against Jesus. Our courts of law have long treated corroborative, hostile witness accounts as some of the most powerful forms of testimony. (Muncaster, p. 113-114)”

     The only logical conclusion on the Bible’s legitimacy is that the Bible is not a book of fairy tales, but a book of history. The Bible is full of records of Jesus’ life and works. When the evidence is presented the Bible becomes Jesus’ most powerful advocate.

     The existence of Jesus has been proven to be fact, but what of His divinity? Evidence for Jesus’ divinity can be found in His miracles. Throughout his three year ministry, Jesus healed the blind, healed other from leprosy, and even raised others from the dead. All of these show that Jesus was not a mere man. He was a divine Being. Many have tried to explain away Jesus’ works by using science or other man-made methods. Others have called these stories myths and legends, made up by the early Christian church in order to get more converts. However, the evidence for Jesus’ miracles have withstood these tests just as well as the Bible has.

     The most powerful evidence for Jesus’ miracles is that of the eye-witness accounts. There are many biblical and extra-biblical accounts of Jesus’ miracles.  In John 3:2, a Pharisee, who was supposed to despise Jesus, came to Jesus and confessed his belief that Jesus was God.

“He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.’ “—John 3:2

This is confirmation of Jesus’ miracles coming from a person who was not a follower of Jesus (Strobel, p. 91)

      Again, there is convincing evidence for the works of Jesus existing outside of the Bible from those who did not believe that Jesus was divine. A well-known, ancient historian named Origen spoke of another historian, Phlegon, who wrote about the works of Jesus:

“Now Phlegon, in the thirteenth or fourteenth book, I think of his Chronicles, not only ascribed to Jesus a knowledge of future events…but also testified that the result corresponded to his predictions.”—Origen (Muncaster, p. 123)

Another historian, Josephus, wrote about Jesus:

“Now there was about this time Jesus…he was a doer of wonders….When Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day….(Muncaster, p. 15)” This passage not only confirms that Jesus worked miracles, but also that of his death and resurrection. All of this was written by a Jew who was writing to please the Romans. Both were hostile towards Christians and would not have written these things unless they were widely known facts.

     Today’s skeptics attempt to explain Jesus’ works using science, psychology, or by just calling him a master of deception. A most popular argument amongst the skeptics is that Jesus’ healings were psychosomatic. They assert that Jesus used psychological manipulation to heal people, rather than the power from an almighty God, in an attempt to explain away Jesus’ divinity. Gary R. Collins, Ph.D. speaks of these accusations:

“It’s possible that some of Jesus’ healings could have been psychosomatic. However, leprosy, blindness, and invalidity are not psychological problems. It is very unlikely that these problems could be cured psychologically. (Strobel, p. 199-200)

Dr. Collins goes onto say that Jesus was able to heal spontaneously, and that the symptoms never returned. In contrast, psychosomatic healing is a long process and is sometimes not permanent. (Ibid) Furthermore, other miracles by Jesus did not involve sickness. Miracles such as Jesus calming the violent storm, or making the fig tree die instantly could have nothing to do with mind manipulation, but manipulation of the physical world. These cannot be explained using psychology.

     Other critics Jesus’ claims and works are mere legends created by the Christians after his death. However, the Bible prophesies the life and works of Jesus hundreds of years before they happened. All of these prophecies have been confirmed by eye-witnesses. In Isaiah 53 alone, twelve aspects of Christ’s life are foretold (Geisler and Zacharias, p. 95) Once again, all are confirmed later in the New Testament, and by extra-biblical eye-witnesses.

     The prophecies in the Old Testament further show the divinity of Jesus. Mathmetician Peter Stoner says the odds that a person could fulfill just eight of the Old Testament prophecies is one in a hundred million billion. (Strobel in Geisler and Zacharias, p. 95) Jesus could have maneuvered his life to fit some of the Old Testament prophecies but others were beyond his control. His place of birth, his ancestry, his being betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, his method of execution, his legs remaining unbroken on  the cross, and the soldiers gambling for his clothes are all examples of prophecies in the Old Testament that could not have been purposely fulfilled. These examples not only confirm the credibility of the Bible, but also the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Geisler and Zacharias, p. 95)

      In addition, Jesus’ works cannot be legend simply because there was not enough time for a legend to be born between Christ’s death and the first written proclamations of Christ’s life and works (www.allaboutjesuschrist.org) Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, proclaiming the death and resurrection of Jesus are dated to have been written as little as three years after the death of Jesus. There is not enough time allotted between the death of Jesus and the writings of Paul for a legend to be born.

          C.S. Lewis made an insightful observation into the life and works of Jesus:

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. (McDowell, p. 103)”

Lewis was right. The only conclusions that can be made about Jesus, besides him telling the truth when he asserted that he was God, would be that he was either a liar or a lunatic. However, the fact that Jesus was flogged and died a miserable death on the cross does not fit the profile of a liar. It is highly unlikely that Jesus would have died such a terrible death for something unless he believed it to be absolutely true. This only leaves the conclusions that he was telling the truth or that he was a lunatic.

     Jesus does not fit the psychological profile of a lunatic however. If Jesus had been insane, he would have been recorded as being so. Signs of insanity can include paranoia,  (Collins in Strobel, p. 195-197), the inability to carry rational thought, unsuitable behavior [dressing oddly etc…], and the inability to relate socially to others. Jesus exhibited none of these traits. This leaves only one remaining conclusion. Jesus was telling the truth when he asserted that he was God.

     The life of Jesus is an amazing story. The most amazing part of that story is that it never ended. Jesus was crucified on the cross and rose again three days later. This amazing feat confirmed the divinity of Jesus. Josh McDowell states, “The resurrection of Jesus Christ and Christianity stand or fall together. (p. 179)” By rising from the dead, Jesus showed the world that he was more powerful than even the chains of death. By transcending death, he emblazoned his immortality on the face of history. It is no surprise then that critics of the Christian faith would attempt to discount this event as a myth. For if it is indeed true that Jesus rose from the dead, then any argument against Christianity would be moot.

     History already confirms that a man named Jesus was crucified. The key question is if this Jesus rose from the dead three days later.  Some skeptics assert that Jesus could have fainted on the cross and then been buried because the Romans thought him dead. This theory has many holes. First, the Bible states that a soldier stabbed Jesus in the side after he had died, and that water rushed out of his wound. This indicates that his heart had probably ruptured. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, “Clearly, the weight of the historical and medical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead before the wound to his side was inflicted. (Strobel in Zacharias and Geisler, p. 98)

      One can be certain that Jesus was dead before he reached the tomb due to the improbability of Jesus’ escape from the tomb had he been revived and tried to exit. If Jesus did not die on the cross but was instead revived in the tomb he would not have had the strength to remove the stone covering the tomb. It was hard work for a healthy man. It would have been impossible for a man who had spent the previous day hanging on a cross to have the strength to move such a big object. Further, Jesus had been pierced through both feet with a very large nail. It is highly unlikely that he could have even walked (Stevenson and Habermas, p. 136-137). There is also the issue of the gaping wound in his side. It can easily be concluded that Jesus was dead when he reached the tomb.

     A passage in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 shows powerful evidence of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Dated to within 3 to 10 years of the death of Jesus, this passage proclaims the resurrection of Christ. Lee Strobel says in his book Who Made God that 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, is a “critically important creed” that was recounted by the earliest Christians. Scholars throughout the theological spectrum have dated this creed to within two to eight years of Jesus’ resurrection (pg. 98).

    Included in records of the resurrection of Jesus are the extra-biblical writings of Flavius Josephus (A.D. 93); the Babylonian Talmud (A.D. 70-200); Pliny the Younger’s letter to the Emperor Trajan (app. A.D. 100); the Annals of Tacitus (A.D. 115-117); Mara Bar Serapion (sometime after A.D. 73) and Suetonius’ Life of Claudius and Life of Nero (A.D. 120). All tell of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection (Comfort, p. 60).In summary, the resurrection of Jesus was a widely accepted fact by both Christianity’s advocates and its enemies.

     The Jewish Talmud is also a powerful source for confirmation regarding the resurrection of Jesus. The Jews despised Jesus and His followers. If his resurrection was a hoax, the Jews would have been among the first to point it out. Yet, in the Talmud, the Jews say nothing of any hoaxes. They only assert that these acts were blasphemous and not from God. “…The evidence of Jesus written in the Talmud, by the very Jews who despised him, is very significant in that it is in total agreement with the account of Jesus in the New Testament….( Muncaster, p. 114)” The amount of corroborative hostile witnesses to the death and resurrection of Jesus proves the factuality of the events of Jesus’ resurrection.

    There was no doubt among the people of Jesus’ time. The reality of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is undeniable. Ancient writer, Tertullian, even wrote of Jesus’ ascension. He says it is “a fact more certain than the assertions of your Proculi concerning Romulus” Proculus was the Roman senator who claimed that Romulus appeared to him after his death (McDowell, p. 186) Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch (50-115 A.D.), wrote:

     “…He [Jesus] was condemned: He was crucified in reality, and not in appearance, not in imagination, not in deceit. He really died, and was buried and rose from the dead…(McDowell, p. 186)”

Jesus’ contemporaries, both friendly and hostile, never denied that Jesus rose from the dead. Given the proof, neither should we.

Sources

Comfort, Ray. Scientific Facts in the Bible, Bridge-Logos: Gainesville, FL.  2001

McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands A Verdict:  Here’s Life Publishers, INC.   San Bernardino, CA. 

   1972                                       

Muncaster, Ralph O. Evidence for Jesus, Harvest House Publishers:  Eugene, OR. 2004

Stevenson, Kenneth and Habermas, Gary R. Verdict on the Shroud:  Harper , San Francisco, CA. 1984

Strobel, Lee. The Case For Christ: Zondervan,  Grand Rapids, MI. 1998

www.allaboutjesuschrist.org, “Resurrection of Jesus—Eye Witness Accounts”

Zacharais, Ravi and Geisler, Norman. Who Made God?,  Zondervan:  Grand Rapids, MI. 2003

 

 

                                                            And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.—Romans 12:2 (KJV)

 

 

     Famous Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias once said that the hardest apologetical question he has ever struggled with was the question of why the transformation that goes on in a Christian’s spirit when they accept Christ is not more readily observed in the Church. If Christians are supposed to be examples of Christ, why are they so often observed as conforming to this world and its principles? Why, if Christians claim to be so changed by God, do we not see that change on a regular basis? At first glance this does not seem to be a very hard question to answer. Christians sin too. Nobody should be expected to be perfect, not even Christians. While this is true, the Bible does state many times that as Christians we should be different. We should stand out and be a light in this dark world. But if every Christian was a light to this world, one would think this world would be more thoroughly lit.

     Throughout history, and even to this day, one of the most legitimate questions that has been asked by the skeptics of Christianity has been this very question. Mahatma Gandhi once remarked, “I Like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christian are so unlike your Christ.” Shawn, of beliefinpeople.wordpress.com, recently talked of his impression of Christians today in response to the question, “How could Christians positively impact your perception of them while still holding to the Bible?”.

 

                       “Stop talking and start living. I understand that Christians aren’t supposed to be perfect, nobody is. However, when I look at someone who’s accepted Jesus into their hearts, something should look… I dunno… different.

 Something should be different. If the scriptures are true and believers are fundamentally changed, Christians should be better than the rest of us: kinder, more compassionate, more loving, more understanding, more empathetic, less materialistic,  less capitalistic less judgmental, less dramatic, more grounded, happier. Something that will make me think “hey, I want the life that person has, I want whatever they’re having too.”  —Shawn (http://christianincollege.com/2009/10/01/interview-with-an-atheist-shawn/)

As a Christian myself, I can say that there is no better question that can be asked then the one asked by Gandhi and Shawn. Tough as this question is to answer, it does have an answer.

     The best example of the Christian faith comes from Christ himself. Jesus Christ is unlike any other human that has ever walked the planet. Jesus never lusted, never hated, and never coveted. Jesus Christ was sinless. The story of Jesus’s life on earth is the nucleus of the Christian faith, and is the perfect example of an ideal Christian lifestyle.  In fact, the word “Christian” comes from the Greek word “Christos” which means “follower of Christ”. Jesus came into this world as a man with the intent to save us from our sins and show us how to live righteously.

     The reason Jesus is so important in answering this question is because he is frequently forgotten by skeptics when they are constructing an opinion on the Christian worldview. People often base their opinions of Christianity on other Christians. In other words, they establish their views on Jesus using man as the window. I would challenge the skeptic to read the Bible and get a good idea of what Jesus was about, and then view man using Jesus as the window. This is what Christians are called to do in the bible, and this is what gives the term “Christian” meaning. I am not making excuses for any sins that Christians commit. They are still sins and any negative reaction to those sins on the part of the skeptic is 100% legitimate. Just because a person is a Christian does not mean they get to be excused from wrong-doing. However, I am simply saying that when one becomes a Christian, they are vowing to follow Jesus, not other Christians. So don’t let other people taint your view of Jesus. The only pure example of Jesus there is, is in the Bible. Any other method one uses to establish an opinion on Jesus will only end in disappointment. This is only the first part of my answer, however.

     Secondly, there are many good examples of people’s lives being truly and radically changed by God. The world is an extremely populated place, and if history is added to the mix, it multiplies even further. Many have called themselves Christians and not followed the Bible. The Bible says that God will say to many who claimed to be Christians, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Sadly, the cases in which Christianity is extorted gain much more attention the stories in which Christianity’s true values are shown. That being said, a short study of Christianity’s ancient and recent history reveals some extraordinary people who capture the essence of Jesus’s message.

     A good example of a transformed life can be seen in the testimony of Adonirham Judson. Adonirham Judson was a missionary who dedicated his life to reaching the tribal people of Burma. His story shows the change that can be brought by a commitment to Jesus. When Adoniram Judson attended college, he was a skeptical Christian. He believed in God only because his parents had. While in college, Adoniram developed a relationship with a man that he called “E”. E was an atheist. By the time they both left college, Adoniram had abandoned his Christian roots, and had become a self-described “free thinker”.

     A couple years later, while on his way home from a job interview, Adoniram stopped by an inn to rent the room for the night. The inn keeper told him that there was only one room left, and that it was adjacent to a room that housed a very ill man. The inn keeper did not think the man would survive the night. Adoniram  took the room anyway as he was tired and needed sleep. Sleep, however, did not come that night. The groans of the dieing man’s pain kept him awake all night. While laying in bed, awake, Adoniram wondered where the man would go after he died. He began to question his rejection of life after death.

     By the time morning came, Adoniram was still tired and still uneasy about the questions that had plagued him during the night, but he brushed them off and made his way downstairs. As he was paying the inn keeper, Adoniram asked how the man was doing. The inn keeper replied that the man had finally died in the early hours of the morning. When Adoniram heard this he asked who the man was, the inn keeper then proceeded to describe his old college buddy, E. Later Adoniram found out that E was, indeed, the man who had died. This greatly troubled Judson and on his way home he was struck with the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Adoniram could not deny Christ any longer, on his way home, Adoniram committed his life to the Lord.

     Adoniram Judson went on to become a missionary to Burma. He lived amongst the tribal people of Burma for the rest of his life. By the time he died, Judson had successfully translated the Bible into Burmese, brought education to the Burmese people, and helped bring countless people to Christ. He remains to be one of the most successful and remembered missionaries that has ever lived.

     The life Adoniram Judson shows the humility that one receives by devoting themselves to God. Judson gave up his career and moved to a remote peice of jungle in southeast Asia to educate the uncivilized and sometimes violent people of Burma. There is no doubt his life was hard. He lived in the same conditions as the tribesman, and translated the Bible into one of the hardest languages on earth—second only to Chinese. He battled disease, and hunger, and yet he still chose to stay and preach the Gospel. His life mirrors the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. We were and still are morally and intellectually illiterate in God’s eyes. But he still loves us and chose send His only Son to die for us so that we might be saved. Adoniram Judson along with people like Charles Finney, Smith Wigglesworth, and Jonathan Edwards continue to show us that a life that is devoted to Christ can bring unprecedented change to our world.

     The question of why some are changed and why others aren’t correlates directly to the level of long-term commitment that one has. Some change faster than others. I even know a former drug addict whose commitment to God helped him quit a meth addiction cold turkey.

     If anyone were to ever ask me the same question that Gandhi and Shawn have asked, I would strongly urge them to study Christ and his teachings, because Jesus is the only pure example of goodness. As Christians, we are to follow Jesus and no one else. Jesus does change those who devote themselves to Him. I would also urge them to not become discouraged in their search for good Christian people who truly follow Christ. Admittedly, those who only claim the title of Christian but not the lifestyle vastly outnumber the ones who do, but I would ask that they don’t let that become a reason to stop looking. Real devotion to Christ is easily recognizable and if they search they will find Jesus. The Bible tells us that the Lord reveals himself to those who ask. Lastly, I would repeat that Christians follow Jesus, and that if they study Jesus and his promises, they will find that they want what Jesus had, which was a personal relationship with God.

     Finally, I understand the views of the skeptic regarding this issue. While I don’t blame the skeptic  for his skepticism, I would challenge him to search for God. Despite what reasons he may hold for not believing in God, I would urge him to study the life of Christ and its legitimacy and really form a personal opinion on Jesus using the Bible. Look at Jesus’s life and see his goodness. The Bible tells us that when we give our lives to God, God will give us the desires of His heart. Those who are changed are those who truly give their lives to Christ. While many claim the title of Christian there are fewer that commit to God. I hope every day that I may stay as true to Christ as possible. I fail constantly, but I still know that God loves because of what he says in the Bible. I hope that through continued devotion to Him, I may be purified even more by His word. I only hope that someday I can find favor in the eyes of the Lord, not by my works, but my personal devotion to Him and His word.