Posted on 01/03/2006 12:12:37 PM PST by PatrickHenry
Also today, Dover's board might revoke the controversial intelligent design decision.
Now that the issue of teaching "intelligent design" in Dover schools appears to be played out, the doings of the Dover Area School Board might hold little interest for the rest of the world.
But the people who happen to live in that district find them to be of great consequence. Or so board member James Cashman is finding in his final days of campaigning before Tuesday's special election, during which he will try to retain his seat on the board.
Even though the issue that put the Dover Area School District in the international spotlight is off the table, Cashman found that most of the people who are eligible to vote in the election still intend to vote. And it pleases him to see that they're interested enough in their community to do so, he said.
"People want some finality to this," Cashman said.
Cashman will be running against challenger Bryan Rehm, who originally appeared to have won on Nov. 8. But a judge subsequently ruled that a malfunctioning election machine in one location obliges the school district to do the election over in that particular voting precinct.
Only people who voted at the Friendship Community Church in Dover Township in November are eligible to vote there today.
Rehm didn't return phone calls for comment.
But Bernadette Reinking, the new school board president, said she did some campaigning with Rehm recently. The people who voted originally told her that they intend to do so again, she said. And they don't seem to be interested in talking about issues, she said. Reinking said it's because they already voted once, already know where the candidates stand and already have their minds made up.
Like Cashman, she said she was pleased to see how serious they are about civic participation.
Another event significant to the district is likely to take place today, Reinking said. Although she hadn't yet seen a copy of the school board meeting's agenda, she said that she and her fellow members might officially vote to remove the mention of intelligent design from the school district's science curriculum.
Intelligent design is the idea that life is too complex for random evolution and must have a creator. Supporters of the idea, such as the Discovery Institute in Seattle, insist that it's a legitimate scientific theory.
Opponents argue that it's a pseudo-science designed solely to get around a 1987 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that biblical creationism can't be taught in public schools.
In October 2004, the Dover Area School District became the first in the country to include intelligent design in science class. Board members voted to require ninth-grade biology students to hear a four-paragraph statement about intelligent design.
That decision led 11 district parents to file a lawsuit trying to get the mention of intelligent design removed from the science classroom. U.S. Middle District Court Judge John E. Jones III issued a ruling earlier this month siding with the plaintiffs. [Kitzmiller et al. v Dover Area School District et al..]
While the district was awaiting Jones' decision, the school board election took place at the beginning of November, pitting eight incumbents against a group of eight candidates opposed to the mention of intelligent design in science class.
At first, every challenger appeared to have won. But Cashman filed a complaint about a voting machine that tallied between 96 to 121 votes for all of the other candidates but registered only one vote for him.
If he does end up winning, Cashman said, he's looking forward to doing what he had in mind when he originally ran for school board - looking out for students. And though they might be of no interest to news consumers in other states and countries, Cashman said, the district has plenty of other issues to face besides intelligent design. Among them are scholastic scores and improving the curriculum for younger grades.
And though he would share the duties with former opponents, he said, he is certain they would be able to work together.
"I believe deep down inside, we all have the interest and goal to benefit the kids," he said.
Regardless of the turnout of today's election, Reinking said, new board members have their work cut out for them. It's unusual for a board to have so many new members starting at the same time, she said.
"We can get to all those things that school boards usually do," she said.
So cool.. I missed that about Newton completely.. NOW we are starting to talk serious talk.. This conversation is groovy.. Isaac would've been a hoot to talk too.. Its so hard to find a good mechanic.. once located its best to hang on to him.. LoL.. Most mechanics are left or right of top dead center, if you know what I mean..
Its about timing.. which is far more important than time.. far more important.. Thanks I loved that little piece above.. got any more?... Yeah I be greedy..
What does man does do?.. he starts marveling... making the practical mysterious and marvelous.. When the process is quite simple.. practical.. knowable.. and completely personal and spiritual.. Must be what happens when man trys to figure "this out" with his brain, his qualia ridden brain.. his intellect..
Some are into a 2nd reality, others are into the/a 1st reality, but I say ZERO reality is where we need to be.. to aspire to.. Because ZERO reality transcends human reality.. into spiritual reality.. I would be satisfied somewhat with 0.5 reality myself.. and may be there now.. Yeah I am a bit nutz.. Who can say that they are not.?.. Except the marvelers..
Yes; which is what the sensorium Dei is, in my understanding. It is the "efficient cause" of Absolute Space -- which is a true void, because it is absolutely EMPTY, in Newton's view -- by which and into which all laws and creatures come into existence. It is "singular" and "transcendent" in that it is syngenes -- akin or alike -- to its Source, which is God. The sensorium Dei is not God per se, but the creative field in which He works, which He begot of Himself.
This is really tough stuff, dear sister. I continue to try to think it through.
So far, I find a distinct correspondence between Newton's concept of Absolute Space and Plato's Chora, of his creation myth in the Timaeus. Wolfhart Pannenberg suggests Newton received inspiration for his concept of sensorium Dei from Henry More, the famous English (Cambridge) Platonist philosopher.
So now we've got Plato embroiled in this question. LOL! How many cultures have we "covered" here, so far?
I was hoping you could tell me, but apparently it's all about getting from here to there in nothing flat, even when 'there' is in a galaxy far, far away, by souping up a sufficient amount of energy in a particle collider. And maybe it's just an exchange of information that's going on but, leapin' lizards! these little guys can smoke, given the right kind of a boot in the rump . . . apparently (it's only an untested theory right now, but it has people buzzing, so they must think there's likely something to it).
And I still wonder how many of these little rascals would fit on the head of a pin.
Thank you for sharing your meditations and insights! Indeed, Spirit speaks to spirit - reason alone cannot give a full understanding of 'all that there is'.
Plato's Chora and Newton's Absolute Space do seem comparable. And the efficient cause is comparable to Ayn Sof.
IMHO, many have perceived the cosmos in terms of infinity (no boundaries) whereas the void of cosmology is null. There is no space or time or physical causation in the void.
Got a question.. If space is null, empty.. then what is it.. it has to be something.. even nothing is something.. What is it?.. How can empty space be nothing at all.?. maybe its the same stuff thats between "atoms".?. That is if there even a thing called atoms..
Empty space is like a quantitative field in a fixed length record which contains a zero. Void would be if the field did not exist at all.
The thing to remember is that space/time is created as the universe expands. It doesn't pre-exist. Space/time doesn't expand "into" anything.
The condition which exists before the beginning of space/time (regardless of cosmology) is the void.
Alrighty then, now stop that.. Empty space is WHAT?..
An empty jar on earth has air in it..
What does that empty jar in space with the lid on, have in it?..
If you say nothing.. How can that be..? How can there be nothin?..
Maybe I'm having trouble concieveing of nothing..
nothing would still to be something.. d;-S
Reading your footprints bump!
I saw first betty boop's reply to this, joesbucks, but I also wanted to comment - more in brief and with less logic than she has demonstrated seemingly effortlessly! (Mine might be called "insight".)
The statement above which you recall from a long-ago reading is the exact philosophy or reasoning used by the Pharisees to crucify Christ Jesus. It was the human justification for the killings of all martyrs to the Word and His Cross. The enemies of Righteousness are from Cain onward in history; the Righteous in Christ existed both before and after His appearing. Their very existence, much less their spoken or written testimony, brings judgement to the unregenerate - think of Noah building the ark, Hebrews chapter 11, and how the so-called fragrance of our lives is "life" to some and simultaneously "death" to others.
As long as the world has existed since the Fall and as long as it will exist in its present form there will be enemies of the Truth (His Name is Jesus). While this appalls us, it need not surprise us. Nor ought we to fear any but Our God. Amen.
Acts 26:9 gives us comfort, for it is the Apostle Paul's testimony:
"I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth."
It was Paul's own mentor, "one in the council [who] stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people" who offered this sage wisdom in Acts 5:35-39
“Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”Not all men have this wisdom (:
Science is Theology.
I rejoice every time I read you on such threads!
Amen! Which is why I have no fear either of Darwinism or ID. Truth persists always; all else perishes. Thank you so much, .30Carbine, for your insightful post.
Interesting insight from Gamaliel.. but nevertheless, poor guy , was ROBBED of Jesus by his religion.. His religion slabbed and toe tagged him DOA, and put him into the very camp that crucifed his very salvation.. Probably the same with Nicodemus.. Could be ALL religion is of the "devil".. To most, I think, religion is a straight jacket and a 2nd reality.. to most..
What would a real God need with a religion, any religion.?.. It is true, that psuedo-Gods need religion.. to ligitimize their respective clergys.. I know of (not a few) people that found God by prayer, simply reaching out to him/it.. I have a sense that the real God knows whether you are reaching out to him/it.. or playing a religious game.. A purely anecdotal diagnosis true, but it seems to clear to me..
Then again we have Saul(Paul of Tarsus), known for attacking the Jesus believers(whom were not a religion or even a cult), they were Jews.. Yet, when he reached out he was knocked for a loop, either metaphorically or actually.. it took a bit of time for him to recover from his religious bent, his Judaism.. I presently know many recovering Jews, its not easy for them, but most become very serious Jesus followers and believers.. Most have had religion "up to here(makeing hand gesture)".. and have no inclination to make the mistakes of the/their past..
Could be that religion(all religion) separates the sheep from the goats, and is a good thing.. because a simple honest prayer to the real God for clarity can make the difference.. from a religious 2nd reality, to a reality that transcends religion..
Amen, dear hosepipe! And then "real life" may commence.... Thank you for your witness unto Truth.
Yeah, doesn't she make you sick? :)
I've scanned her well written response but haven't had a chance to really sit down and discern all she had to write.
I agree with what you say, however I seem to remember this coming from a well respected person of faith. But the context of the comment was more in line of if something of significance , such as the fossil record, is scientifically proven that doesn't support biblical teachings, then the implications in the world of faith would be diasterous.
For the most part I don't think so. Many Jews and some Christians believed that our space program would result in another Tower of Babel situation as we reached into the heavens. I heard talk show host Barry Farber relating this story when his show was carried nationwide. Barry is a Jew (I don't know how observant or if he's Orthodox or Reformed) about several Rabbi's he knew were very distraught when we orbited the globe. They finally adapted. And so will most people of faith.
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