God's Greatest Creation

TheCypressTimes.com ^ | 05/02/2010 | Rev. James L. Snyder

[Patriot1259]

I am one of those who believe God created everything. I take the book of Genesis by faith, and rest on the character of God. I simply believe the Bible and have never found it to be wrong on anything significant.

I will allow that some things in the Bible I do not understand, but I trust God. Something as important as the creation of the world would carry enormous weight and significance. The Bible simply assumes that God is the Creator — and so do I.

Some people, however, do not believe in the biblical account of creation. They hold to the theory of evolution. I have never had the time to explore all of the ideas on this. So many people have monkeyed around with speculations on the origin of things that the waters are muddied beyond all reasonable hope....

[spetznaz]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2504994/posts

[IL1949]

If man is superior to monkeys and apes then why did God give man the identical blood types as monkeys and apes? Why is man’s genetic makeup essentially the same as our cousins (98% to 99% identical)?

Why does man have an opossed thumb like monkeys?

Why do we have the same organs and skeletol makeup accepting differences in size ratios?

The evolution of man doesn’t require the extinction of the form we evolved from. Monkeys and apes would be extinct if they had been unsuccessful. Neanderthal is far closer to Homo Sapien than monkeys and apes. Why is Neanderthal extinct? They couldn’t compete with Homo Sapien. They were unsuccessful and disappeared.

Dogs evolved from wolves yet wolves are plentiful. I think you’re loking at things in a linear fashion, a straight line. Life on earth is a huge tree where all branches work themselves back to the trunk. Some brancehs die and fall off the tree, others remain.

I appreciate the strength of your faith and don’t criticize it. I believe in God myself but not quite in the same way you do. I don’t believe God wanted to be a micro-manager. He created an incredible wind-up toy, in the universe, that runs by itself. He wound it up and now he can sit back and enjoy it.

Man evolved from apes, imho, because there was a niche within nature that could be exploited. And our evolution continues. Why did God give us a spleen, an organ we can do quite well without? Did God over-build us or was it a more functional componenet when we were eating sticks and rocks? Why does man have lower back pain? Is it because our spines have not yet evolved the perfect curvature for walking upright? Why do we experience a falling sensation just before “falling” asleep? A latent extinct from when we lived in the trees, perhaps?

I could go on and on but know none of it will change your faith. Nor am I interested in trying to change it.

As for politicians. There is no explanation for them.

With respect...

[NavyCanDo]

A fellow Freeper highly recommended this DVD. Netflix had it and WOW what a masterpiece of film making. As good as, or better than anything the IMAX people could have made as far as the cinematography. And you cannot watch this film and come away thinking it was all created by some sort of cosmic accident.

GOD OF WONDERS

http://godofwondersvideo.org/

God’s wonders surround us. And these marvels reveal much about our Creator. Through creation we glimpse His power and wisdom, His majesty and care. Creation is speaking to those who will listen…

Join us on a remarkable journey of discovery as we explore the Creator’s handiwork and what His creation reveals about His character. Survey the unimaginable size of the universe and ponder the vast energy present in all matter. Examine the elegant water molecule essential to all life and discover how God combines these molecules to form beautiful and symmetrical snow crystals. Learn about the incredible complexity of DNA and the miraculous workings of the tiny seed. From the design functionality of birds to the incredible transformation of butterflies, these and many other features of creation are highlighted in this visually stunning presentation.

God of Wonders is a breath-taking tour of God’s creation wonders, visible and invisible, and the greatest wonder of all – His redeeming love!

“Declare His glory…His wonders among all peoples.” Psalm 96:3

Read viewers comments here.

http://www.christiancinema.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2685#

[hosepipe]

[ Why does man have an opposed thumb like monkeys? ]

For same reason all cars, trains, trucks have wheels,
All airplanes have wings.. and all boats have rudders..

Form follows function.. duuugh..
Any architect knows that...

What IF...... humans are a chance for "fallen" Angels(enclosed in bodies) to get a second chance or a first chance at redemption?.. Making humans not humans at all.. but evil Angels leaving Satans ranks with their spirits qualified by being a human for a time.. Would explain the choices many humans make.. Their spirits are "tested" AND QUALIFIED for some future events..

Stands to reason some would make the same mistakes all over again.. i.e. dis-qualified.. And they would choose Satan as leader due to some spiritual weakness(s).. Could be WHY humans were created in the first place..

**NOTE: All the animals could be metaphorical operators to describe those weaknesses.. i.e. monkeys, lions, vultures, vampire bats, tape worms, cockroaches, spiders... etc.. Maybe you can think of other fleshly weaknesses humans are prone to.. described by some creature.. like a Platypus.. or a Squid..

[hosepipe]

bttt

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Freddd]

But God gave man Dominion, not monkeys and apes.

[betty boop]

[ Why does man have an opposed thumb like monkeys? ]

For same reason all cars, trains, trucks have wheels,
All airplanes have wings.. and all boats have rudders..

Form follows function.. duuugh..
Any architect knows that...

I liked the way you answered that, dear 'pipe!

If form follows function, then it seems to me the next thing we have to ask is how functions came to exist in the first place.

I dunno about IL1949's "Tree": "Life on earth is a huge tree where all branches work themselves back to the trunk. Some branches die and fall off the tree, others remain."

I suppose this means that those branches that die and fall off do so because they do not serve the tree's function.

Either that, or it's just a sort of random thing that happens to some branches that has no intrinsic meaning.

But we can't just assume meaninglessness: What has no meaning cannot be grasped by the human mind. To assume meaninglessness guarantees ignorance.

I suspect function is not something that maps out on a two-dimensional Cartesian plane. Which seems to be what IL1949 is looking at. Which may account for the view that the universe is a wind-up toy that God made and views from far, far away — for His own amusement. (Which of course makes hash out of human suffering.)

Of course, Christians do not believe that. God's Logos is with us eternally, from Alpha to Omega, as an eternal act of divine love for the Creation He made, and especially for love of His creatures made in His Image, and called to life more abundantly....

JMHO FWIW

Thank you ever so much, dear brother, for your astute insights!

[Alamo-Girl]

But we can't just assume meaninglessness: What has no meaning cannot be grasped by the human mind. To assume meaninglessness guarantees ignorance.

Indeed.

Thank you so very much for your beautiful essay-post, dearest sister in Christ!

[hosepipe]

[ If form follows function, then it seems to me the next thing we have to ask is how functions came to exist in the first place. ]

Exactly.. What do you think of my alternate Genesis theory?..
OK.. maybe not alternate but additional... or supplemental..

I'm lately obsessed with the prodigal son metaphor..
and its possible meanings..

[betty boop]

I'm lately obsessed with the prodigal son metaphor.. and its possible meanings..

Looks to me like the prodigal son metaphor is pretty clear, distinct, and straightforward. That is, it does not have "possible" meanings. It has A — that is, one distinct and clear — meaning....

And evidently that meaning is: Come back to your Father. He will rejoice in having you back in His family.

FWIW dear brother in Christ. Thank you ever so much for writing!

[betty boop]

God’s wonders surround us. And these marvels reveal much about our Creator. Through creation we glimpse His power and wisdom, His majesty and care. Creation is speaking to those who will listen…

Or to those who will simply see.... The evidence is everywhere, all around us.

Thank you ever so much for the link, NavyCanDo!

[goat granny]

Since every creature has DNA and you can make a different species just by tweeking it...Someone knew what they were doing and don’t mess with a good thing. It has taken virtually millions of years to figure it out. We be kinda dumb compared to the Creator.

[hosepipe]

[ And evidently that meaning is: Come back to your Father. He will rejoice in having you back in His family. ]

Right, my point exactly.. Who then is God the father of?...
Angels(good and evil, kinds), satan, humans, demons?..

Some people have a small god.. others bigger..
We see, what we see.. no getting around that.. i.e. the observer problem..

I wouldn't want to get jipped out of a larger (perceived) god..
limiting myself to an itsey bitsey one..

[Quix]

Excellent post.

With my plate full elsewhere, I’ll have to give this thread short shrift.

Thanks for the ping.

[Quix]

AMEN! AMEN!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so very much for sharing your insights, dearest sister in Christ!

Here is a little something I had to say about the prodigal son on another thread:

"Both sons had an inheritance, but the prodigal son squandered his inheritance in a strange land and was brought into despair so much so that he returned to his father who welcomed him with open arms and the fatted calf. He will never get his inheritance back, but he is well tended and can build treasures of his own.

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found [it], he layeth [it] on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together [his] friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.– Luke 15:4-7

And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. – Luke 15:31-32

Indeed, I believe if one such as the prodigal son needs to be brought into despair to be saved, God will see it done.

If the prodigal son had success in the strange land, it is doubtful he would have returned home.

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. – Hebrews 12:5-7

A review of the history of Israel, and the individual stories of David, etc. - shows this as well – tough love when we need it, gentle love when we need it.

Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, [so] the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. – Deuteronomy 8:5

God is truly good, not just “feel good.” He truly is our Father Who art in heaven.

God’s Name is I AM and Father!"

[hosepipe]

Exactly, where does it STOP.. sons and not daughters, humans and not angels, Jews and not Gentiles, the righteous and not the unrighteous, the chosen and not the un-chosen, the churched and not the unchurched, the sheep and not the goats, the circumsized and not the un-circumsized, and more..

Heaven and Hell could be far different than expected..

[Alamo-Girl]

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. - I Cor 2:9