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Showing posts with the label Discovery Institute

Sometimes they take a Great Metamorphosis Notion

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One of the great marvels in the natural world is metamorphosis . A caterpillar goes into a cocoon, is deconstructed, then out pops a butterfly. Dragonflies and other creatures do this as well. It has always been a mystery that believers in descent with modifications evolution cannot explain. A group of researchers took a notion, which is fine for a starting point, but then presented it as finished work. Lazy, sloppy, even dishonest work is becoming more common in the secular science industry, so mayhaps the standard has fallen this low? Dragonfly metamorphosis, WikiComm / Clinton & Charles Robertson ( CC BY 2.0 ), modified at PhotoFunia Secularists have an a priori  commitment to materialism, so evidence supporting the Master Engineer's work is rejected out of hand. The irreducible complexity of metamorphosis itself should convince anyone of his existence. if they did not have their Darwin spectacles on, which filter out inconvenient logic and facts. Indeed, genetics adds evid...

God, Pain, and Charles Darwin

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Some folks seem to have the notion that Charles Darwin applied science to his observations, leading to the publication of On the Origin of Species . That is not the case. He had ideas for which he wanted to find support. Interestingly, his writing was not intended as a way to kill God. People have debated whether or not Darwin was an atheist throughout his life, and his writing may imply that he was unsure himself. Reading Origin  one can see an unevenness, and maybe a vague defense of the Creator regarding pain. I gave Charlie a floral wreath at  PhotoFunia .  His writings had many unsupported claims for which he promised to provide evidence — but never produced . At times he supported atheistic materialism, but other times, he knew that what is seen in the world must have been designed in some way. A benevolent Creator would not have used so much suffering, so natural selection — nature — is the culprit. The timing and conditions back then were right for Darwin to becom...

Stoned Apes, Evolution, and the Future

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It has been said that people throughout history have found ways to get high, which frequently includes alcohol. Generally speaking, drunkenness is something for disreputable people. The first instance in the Bible is Noah (Gen. 9:21) and it is usually spoken of unfavorably (consider Prov. 23:29-35). Part of the disfavor toward any form of intoxication is the loss of control (Eph. 5:18). In the 1960s, drug use was considered a way of opening or expanding the mind. Our evolutionary ancestors supposedly got high. Hippie-type van, Unsplash / Nick Karvounis Materialists have long denied the existence of consciousness or tried to explain it away, but this goes in the opposite direction. Dr. Bobby Azarian thinks that in the distant past, our apelike ancestors got stoned. (I can imagine a bunch of apes riding in a hippie van, wearing big sunglasses, acrid smoke and Grateful Dead music pouring out the windows...) It's supposed to open your mind, maaan! Far out! What great benefit to humanit...

Beauty and the Transcendent

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by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  Although I am not fond of trends, I like a new one on my radar. "Beware of Smartphone Zombies" can be seen on T-shirts, possibly  real road signs , and many places on the internet. People do not watch where they are walking, forcing others to go around them — if possible. It illustrates a deeper problem related to the stupidification of society, especially younger people. Our Creator gave people minds to use, but their attention is on electronic entertainment and getting dopamine from a sort of electronic culture . They miss out on true beauty. Rondout Creek joining the Hudson River, several things happening, Unsplash / Cowboy Bob Sorensen I'll allow that people want their entertainment and don't want to be interrupted. For instance, I was uninterested in going on "color tours" to see the autumn leaves changing because I had things I preferred to do. We all have some entertainment priorities or some things just have no appeal. However...

System Engineering and Biology

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For a while now, biologists have been starting to look at living things from an engineering perspective. They are a bit skittish about it, because if things are engineered, there must be an Engineer a Designer. Indeed, C. Richard Dawkins and other Darwinists tell scientists to remind themselves that things only appear designed. Another reason for the reluctance of evolutionists to admit to engineering approaches is that biblical creationists have been talking about biological engineering for some time now. A paper in the Intelligent Design community discusses systems engineering in biology. Construction, Pixabay /  Adi Rahman Systems engineering requires making a plan to build something in order to accomplish a goal, models are developed, testing happens, and all that good stuff before a final product is made. Taking inspiration from mechanical engineering, the authors describe model-based reverse system engineering. To show how their approach would work, glycolysis was used. If a ...

Longevity and the Instruction Manual

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by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  There was a story told some time ago about a salesman who came across a man cutting trees in the forest, and he was using just an axe. The sales rep said the man could cut down many more trees if he used the chainsaw he was selling. Sold! A couple of days later, the salesman came back and asked how things were going. "Lousy!" replied the man. "All day yesterday with that blasted chainsaw, and I only cut down two trees . I want my money back!" "Easy, friend," replied the salesman. "Let's see what's wrong with it." He pulled the starter and there was a loud vroooom. "Whoa, what is that noise? " cried the man. Car in the woods, Unsplash / Cowboy Bob Sorensen Amazing that he got any  trees cut when he didn't even know how to start up the chainsaw. Every once in a while, someone makes news for having lived an amazing number of years. People ask, "What's your secret to a long life?" Answers va...

Inner Knowledge of the Creator

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A common claim among misotheists is that atheism is a "lack of belief" in God, which is intellectually lazy and self refuting. Rocks lack belief in God . Christians who believe the Bible presuppose it is true, and people have all the evidence they need but suppress it (Romans 1:18-22). This inner knowledge is seen in children and adults. A common argument for design is that a building has a builder, a painting has a painter, and the far more complex human body must also have a designer. That would be the Master Engineer of the Bible. Tracks on algae in pond, Unsplash / Cowboy Bob Sorensen In the picture of a pond, something made tracks in the algae. I wonder what did it. People watch animals go through the motions to build something that seems like they are being creative, but they are really just acting upon what they were designed to do. This points back to the Creator. Indeed, it goes beyond reasoning things out. Sometimes there are emotional reactions like a sense of wond...

Eliminating the Myth of the Peppered Moth

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One of the main icons of evolutionism is the peppered moth, which is used in textbooks as a classic example of natural selection. The story is that the moths had two varieties, light and dark. Pollution darkened the tree trunks, the lighter moths became bird food and the darker ones survived. Hail Darwin! Blessed be! The  moth story is fake  — and evolutionists know it. If Darwinism were true, why is there a need for trickery, bad science, confusion, fraud, and outright lies? New Nobel Prize-winning evidence further destroys the tale. Light and dark varieties of peppered moths,  Wikimedia Commons / Olaf Leillinger ( link to  top one is here ,  link to  bottom is one here ) While DNA is frequently the star of a biological show, RNA is its very important partner. It has several vital functions and takes different forms. There is ribosomal RNA (rRNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA). A new surprise was found in the form of microRNAs. There are severa...

Dawkins and Other Atheists Bitten by Wokeness Bug

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As noted elsewhere, the so-called New Atheism is fading and its celebrities are losing impact. Clinton Richard Dawkins does stick to his guns on some subjects that do not fit with the leftist "wokeness" of the secular science industry. I disagreed with Berkeley "deplatforming" him  because of free speech. Some "woke" tinhorns think that Māori myths should be taught in schools along with the Big Bang and evolution. There are those who use such a worldview to say that indigenous peoples have wisdom on those things.  Hypocritically, creation science is treated like mythology, but not given respect. Wooden pencil box representing Rangi and Papa, WikiComm / Pierre André Leclercq ( CC BY-SA 4.0 ) Myths of indigenous peoples can be an interesting area of study, but are inconsistent and conflicting. (Even the Rangi and Papa creation myth of the Māori has several variations.) Dr. Dawkins and other misotheists have expressed their disdain for the idea of teaching t...

Planning Our Fingers and Toes

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We may not spend time thinking about our digits, but pay attention the next time you are carrying an awkward load or doing something else that requires manual dexterity. There are times I get some unusual grips on things like groceries and am glad to have opposable thumbs. Our toes may receive even less thought except when we injure them. Then we realize that they are important to walking, balance — and helping us make loud vocalizations when we kick a chair in the night. Adult hands and baby feet, Unsplash / Manuel Schinner In images of a developing human fetus, fingers and toes do not look anything like the final product. More like webbed things. That's where planned cell death comes in, which is called  apoptosis . The Master Engineer designed a system where apoptosis is on standby, held by other biological functions. At the right moment, it goes to town and we get our fingers and toes after a spell. This is yet another display of design by our Creator, and evolutionists are lef...

Scientist Angry at Politicization in Science

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by Cowboy Bob Sorensen As discussed before, the secular science industry is all in for leftist politics and morality. There are folks in academia and science professions who simply want to do their jobs and are not necessarily thrilled with the extreme leftist views of their employers. People may rightly wonder why science organizations, which should be ignoring politics and doing science stuff, are doing these things. After all, they are essentially making an obscene gesture at millions of people who disagree with their adoration of leftist Democrat policies. Two scientists working, Pexels / Edward Jenner One simple reason is that Democrats promise money. (People want money for their interests no matter who is hurt in the long run, and they want their special interests to be promoted, especially sexual deviances.) The secular science industry wants that grant money, you betcha! Another reason for their partisanship is that they want to be admired by their peers . And many of their pee...

Pseudoscience, Authority, and Definitions

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When people call something a pseudoscience , the meaning depends on who is making the claim. The definition is vague and malleable like a putty you can squish between your toes and track onto the carpet. It is used to provoke negative emotions, often by those who are attempting to protect consensus in the secular science industry from scrutiny. Ironically, Wickedpedia defines and discusses pseudoscience , and its material can be used to define evolution as a pseudoscience. Further, pseudoscience supposedly lacks falsifiability — a frequent problem in evolutionary research. Phrenological skull, WikiComm / Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin ( CC BY-SA 4.0 ) Phrenology was, to state it simply, the study of the brain and skull to determine behavior. It was also considered for use in criminology. Phrenology is listed as a pseudoscience, but was it really that or simply discredited by better science? Asking for a friend. Several fields considered pseudosciences (astrology, f'rinstance) are pro...

Atheism and Evolutionism are Collapsing

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While the belief that there is no God has been around for centuries, obstreperous misotheism had its heyday in the early 2000s. Ridicule of Christians, biblical creationists, and the Intelligent Design was rampant. Some people like that are still around on social(ist) media. Ironically, atheists claim to believe in science and reason, but precious little logic can be observed. The face of this version of atheism has been C. Richard Dawkins. He and others have been making money from hatred and bigotry, playing to like-minded folks. Some are dying off and replacements are not sought . Colorized version of "1889 Guy" with shattering atheism image provided by Why?Outreach Indeed, atheism is becoming irrelevant. People are seeking answers instead entertainment through bullying. Christians who know about presuppositional apologetics and epistemology surprise professing atheists by standing up to them instead of cowering from the superpowers of the Mighty Atheist™ . Societal trends...

More Evidence Neanderthals were Human

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At one time, Neanderthals were portrayed as stupid brutes in our supposed evolutionary history. Evidence over the years prompted Darwinists to realize that they were not so far removed from humans after all . Still, they try to keep some form of evolutionary link going, plus showing racism against Neanderthals . This makes racist Charles Darwin smile. It should be case closed  that humans and Neanderthals were the same species because our ancestors exchanged DNA. (Indeed, some folks may have allergies because of inheriting DNA from Neanderthals .) New research affirms their humanity. Neanderthal reconstruction, Flickr /  Michael (a.k.a. moik) McCullough  ( CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ) Someone can search for but not find an ape that fashioned jewelry because it had deep personal meaning. Symbolism — which indicates abstract thought, a human trait — is indicated among these "archaic humans." Also, it has been suggested that they are not exactly extinct . They had culture and were inte...

Consciousness and Sleep Defy Evolution

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For the most part, believers in universal common descent evolution are naturalists. That is, nature is all that exists. No room for spirits, the Creator, or other intangibles. Atheists and evolutionists cannot legitimately account for consciousness so they dismiss it as an illusion. Naturalism cannot be lived consistently, as logic, morality, love, and other things are not material. They have those in their lives anyway. Somehow, naturalists are reluctantly admitting that consciousness cannot be a product of matter, and believe it is manifest in all sorts of things,  which is panpsychism . Sleeping Sailor / Henry Scott Tuke, ca. 1905 Consciousness indicates that something exists beyond naturalism, so secularists try to find physical answers for the mind  and have bizarre ideas for the soul . They also have to take sleep into account. Sleep is necessary and it is restorative. The Creator also designed us to have physical and mental benefits during sleep time, but also the phys...

The Ascendency of Charles Darwin

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Huge numbers of books have been written about historical events and notable people, often attempting to go beyond recounting events. The lives and personalities of important figures are explored — and explanations for their actions are attempted. One of these is Charles Darwin. People may think that science was shaken by the wonderful discovery of evolution by natural selection, but that is not true. As discussed previously, significant events seldom happen spontaneously. Events, culture, help from others, and more helped Darwin attain popularity . Charles Darwin preaching in a church, made with AI at Bing The article linked below is by Neil Thomas, writing for the Discovery Institute. Although he is a professing agnostic (and Christians should be praying for him), he does not show contempt for Christianity. He has made a few mistakes, which is to be expected. Neil pointed out that Victorian England had reached a point where people were doubting the Bible, and this was exacerbated by i...

Evolutionary Ideas Cannot Account for Singing

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A spell back, we looked at music and the human mind . This child believes that music is a gift from the Creator. Darwinists may try to evosplain it away, but animal sounds, ape grunts, and all that cannot account for music. Consider singing. This is another word where context and definitions are important. Someone may say that whale and bird vocalizations are singing, for example. Some bird songs may last a few seconds and seem elaborate, but should not be likened to human songs. Interior with merrily singing peasants / Vincent Malo, ca. 1635 (PD) Although there are some exceptions, a song contains words for singing. People sing songs for recordings, spontaneously with others, and other reasons. Singing can communicate whatever emotions people feel like expressing. There are songs that start out quiet, build into something more raucous, drop down in intensity — then, let's rock the joint ! Apes, insects, and birds do not deliberately compose songs. You savvy that, Pilgrim? A chann...

Guppy Variations and — Mosquito Control?

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The Master Engineer designed many creatures to be able to adapt and make changes so they do not easily die out. One of the move obvious kinds are guppies, the Poeciliidae family. They make changes, but do not turn into something else. Darwin's disciples often falsely call speciation and variation "evolution." These fish are very popular among aquarists, as they are colorful, not overly sensitive to conditions, and tend to play well with others. The originals were frontloaded with genetic information that is switched on and off through epigenetics. Aquarists like to breed and hybridize them. Guppy, Wikimedia Commons / 5snake5  ( PD ) Interestingly, they like to chow down on mosquito larvae. That means fewer mosquitos which also cuts down on the malaria problem. And you thought guppies were just cute. (Yes, I am using guppy  as a kind of catch-all word.) Research is being done to let them feast for mutual benefit, them and us. Also, guppies not only adapt, but do it quickly...

Materialists Attacking Each Other

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Although it is not something that attracts a great deal of attention of the general public, there are occasions when materialists spit venom at one another. Some things that this child has seen is that some atheists are not vicious enough to please other atheists. Misotheists lead the charge against Intelligent Design and biblical creation science, showing hostility toward people who have views that they dislike. As mentioned before, the ID movement is distinctly non-creationist as a whole, but atheists still portray it as creation science. The Ambush , Albert Bierstadt, 1876 Folks like Clinton Richard Dawkins as well as many other professing atheists are committed to materialism; material is all there is, therefore, no God. When someone says that God exists, that person is considered stupid and anti-science. However, atheists have a fundamentally-flawed epistemology and they presuppose a universe without God, They claim to love science and logic, but their reasoning is irrational. Ev...

No Evolution of the Immaterial Mind

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Believers in minerals-to-mentalist evolution think that the brain as well as the other amazingly complex organs happened through materialistic means. Alfred Russel Wallace, Charles Darwin's friend and rival, could not accept that the mind  was a materialistic process, suggesting a kind of Intelligent Design . Indeed, believing in evolution itself requires amazing credulity, but guesses by scientists as to how the mind evolved may cause people to wonder if they have any idea what they are talking about. Evidence of intelligence from ancient man flusters evolutionists. Mind and brain art, FreeDigitalPhotos /  MR LIGHTMAN It is human nature to want to grow, expand, change, develop, and all that good stuff. To sit around doing nothing for huge amounts of time after we supposedly evolved goes against human nature , especially since so much has happened in just a few centuries. Our ancient ancestors were intelligent, not stupid brutes like the story of evolution requires. The articl...