Laminin

You Tube ^ | Louie Giglio

[gitmo]

I saw this video at church tonight. Funny. Inspirational.

[gitmo]

Laminin.

[Lee N. Field]

Saw that the other week in Sunday School. Slow week, I guess. Mr. Giglio is, ummmm, excitable.

[Marysecretary]

I saw it after someone recommended it on FR. Amazing video.

[Marysecretary]

It’s okay to be excitable. What he found out IS exciting. Imagine the glue that holds us together being in the shape of a cross. God’s got a sense of humor...

[uptoolate]

His other video, Indescribable is great too.

Indescribable is the first one and shows the Glory of God's creation. The exterior universe.

"How Great Is Our God" is the second one, (Laminin), and shows the Glory of God through His creation of the "internal" universe.

[EasySt]

Thanks for posting this. That was fun to watch. ;-)

[gitmo]

Thanks. I loved it.

[gitmo]

Imagine the glue that holds us together being in the shape of a cross.

Col 1:17

What God Has Done Through Christ

17 He existed before everything and holds everything together.

[Marysecretary]

Amen. Isn’t that wonderful?

[Marysecretary]

I put the youTube site where these are located on my favorites to view later. Thanks!

[Lee N. Field]

Since deadpan doesn't seem to come through I'll say it flat out. If this is typical Christian youth fare, we're in trouble.

I watched as a single video the presentation of successively larger astronomical objects, followed by this. (Youtube has, I think, a 10 minute time limit, so these have to be split.) I was not impressed.

Re the astronomy thing, it's just numbers. With noone living there, it has no meaning. Hugh Ross of Reasons to Believe maintains that the universe we see out there is what it takes to have one planet like Earth. Anybody whose ever done any reading in astronomy (or for that matter, real science fiction (Star Trek doesn't count)) has some motion how deep the universe is, in space and time.

The lamenin thing is the evangelical equivalent of Roman Catholics seeing the BVM in a piece of burnt toast or an oil stain on the driveway. Pattern detection set too high, and a distraction.

Fred Butler says it well: "The Laminin Molecule and the Inadequacies of Evidentialism":

Snopes is one of the few websites I have hit regularly since I have had access to the internet beginning in the mid-90s. Their emphasis is cataloging, and in many cases, debunking popular urban legends floating around the culture, especially the internet. Snopes has been helpful for putting in perspective those impassioned email chain letters pleading with me to sign a petition to defend our free speech against atheist activists or outlawing Democrats. At least twice a week or so I check their "What's New" page for any new legends I should keep an eye out for.

One of the recent entries under the "What's New" page pertains to a sermon illustration utilized by evangelist Louie Giglio. It has to do with the cross shape of the laminin molecule, one of the basic biological building blocks in the cell. Giglio, in his talk (which is available in a clip located at the link), references Colossians 1:15-17 where Paul speaks of how Christ is the creator of all things and in Him and through Him all things consist. He then illustrates this passage by pointing out how the shape of the laminin molecule resembles a cross and then draws the conclusion that in the basic building blocks that holds all life together - the laminin molecule - God has revealed His hand of design by making the molecule appear in the form of a cross.

...

I am utterly unaware of who Louie Giglio is or what his ministry is all about. From the brief biographical information I saw on one of his websites, he is a typical, mega-church Southern Baptist who is a popular youth conference speaker. And though I would imagine his ministry has been a blessing to many folks over the years,he is one of those type of speakers who will tend to sensationalize Christian "evidences," like the laminin molecule, in order to make God appear to be really cool and neat-o.

Spot on.

But this misappropriation of Christian evidence has some hidden dangers that will undo your credibility as a messenger for God.

First, it capitulates to the culture, particularly the teen culture who already think being a Christian is "squaresville." Though there is good intentions with the attempt to show that believing in Jesus doesn't make a person an "L7,"

(Pay special attention right here.)

what happens when surly Devon goes home after one of these Giglio conferences where he opines on the shape of the laminin molecule, does an internet search only to discover that Giglio exaggerated his proof? All that shows is Christians can lie.

Secondly, the illustration merely trivializes the Gospel. Honestly, does the laminin molecule have to look like a cross in order for God to be a perfect creator? How does a cross shaped molecule help God out exactly? How does it make God more real? Isn't the fact that there is a complex, self-replicating molecule to begin with proof enough for God's hand in all of life? This illustration runs along the same lines as Ray Comfort's banana evidence for the existence of God that I wrote about last year when he was going to do a national debate with some atheists on ABC's Nightline.

Honestly, when I see evidences like this being put forward as "proof" for the Christian faith, I see someone ashamed of the power of the Gospel and lacking trust in the sufficiency of God's written Word.

[gitmo]

I imagine you are ashamed of Psalm 19, Romans 1:19 and the hymn "How Great Thou Art".

Laminin was not presented as "proof" of God, despite the theological commentary by the Snopes seminary. The man was glorifying God.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament showeth his handiwork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night showeth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language; Their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens, And his circuit unto the ends of it; And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

Psalms 19:1-6 (ASV)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; 19 because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: 21 because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Romans 1:18-22 (ASV)

[From allaboutgod.com] The history of the hymn How Great Thou Art begins with Mr. Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940). He was a Swedish pastor, editor, and member of the Swedish parliament. Mr. Boberg was enjoying a nice walk when a thunderstorm suddenly appeared out of no where. A severe wind began to blow. After the storm was over, Mr. Boberg looked out over the clear bay. He then heard a church bell in the distance. And the words to How Great Thou Art begin to form in his heart -- O Lord, my God, When I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands hath made

How Great Thou Art – The Lyrics

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,

Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.

When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur

And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;

Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;

That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.

Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,

And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

The majesty of God's creation, according to the Apostle Paul, is indeed evidence of God. People from the beginning of time have refused to recognize this evidence. And again quoting Paul, they are without dexcuse.

Do you realize what your diatribes did? People were here glorifying God, and you started belittling this man's observations on the verse that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. What if your or Snopes' criticisms caused someone to do what Paul described: He said that because God's invisible things are clearly seen throughout His creation, they are without excuse if they ignore it.

[Lee N. Field]

Does it glorify God if the science is bad?

Does it glorify God if this guy makes a huge deal about lamenin looking like (one king of) cross, and it turns out it mostly doesn't?

[Jo Nuvark]

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD - PING!

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=152b5103d741aca61093

[wmfights]

Oh my gosh, that brought a tear to my eye. How great is that!

[wmfights]

Thanks for the link. I have to show this to my sons.

[Quix]

I think it’s wonderful, too.

Thanks.