For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. (Colossians 1:16-17)
Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people. (Carl Sagan)
A recent Newsweek poll on faith and religion among members of the US populace asked this question: "Is evolution well-supported by evidence and widely accepted within the scientific community?" 48% of Americans said "No". Furthermore, 34% of college graduates said they accept the Biblical story of creation as fact. An alarmingly high number of individuals responded that they believe the earth is about 6,000 years old, and that a deity created our species in its present form at the start of that period.
The National Science Foundation reports that the United States is losing its lead over other nations, particularly Asian ones, to remain the world's scientific leader. "Studies show that the number of engineers graduating from U.S. institutions has slipped 20 percent in recent years to fewer than 60,000 a year. By comparison, the number of engineers graduating annually in China has risen by 161 percent to more than 200,000. Japan and India each are graduating more than 100,000 engineers a year. If that trend persists, the National Science Foundation predicts that 90 percent of the world's scientists and engineers will live in Asia by 2010." (Source: Purdue University News, July 30, 2007)
The United States is locked in a fierce competition with other nations to remain the world's scientific leader. To succeed, we have to play to win. And that means producing more American mathematicians, scientists and engineers. It's long past time we made a serious national commitment to global economic competitiveness. Every day we delay making - and acting - on such a commitment, American workers lose more jobs overseas and more doors close on our children's futures.
Now let us compare different views of dinosaurs.
Excerpt from Encyclopedia Britannica Online:
“The common name given to a group of reptiles, often very large, that first appeared in the Late Triassic Period about 215 million years ago and thrived worldwide for some 150 million years. Most died out by the end of the Cretaceous Period, about 65 million years ago, but many lines of evidence now show that one lineage evolved into birds about 150 million years ago.
Excerpt from United States Geological Survey (USGS):
“Dinosaur communities were separated by both time and geography. The "age of dinosaurs" (the Mesozoic Era) included three consecutive geologic time periods (the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods). Different dinosaur species lived during each of these three periods. For example, the Jurassic dinosaur Stegosaurus already had been extinct for approximately 80 million years before the appearance of the Cretaceous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus. In fact, the time separating Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus is greater than the time separating Tyrannosaurus and you.”
Excerpt from Corservapedia (founded by Andrew Schlafly, son of conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, to counter the perceived bias of the liberal media in the Wikipedia):
“Of those Christians who reject evolution, the Young Earth Creationists believe, based primarily on Biblical sources, but also drawing on archaeological and fossil evidence, that dinosaurs were created on the sixth day of the Creation Week approximately 6,000 years ago; that they lived in the Garden of Eden in harmony with other animals, eating only plants; that pairs of various dinosaur baramins were taken onto Noah’s Ark during the Great Flood and were preserved from drowning; that fossilized dinosaur bones originated during the mass killing of the Flood; and that some descendents of those dinosaurs aboard the Ark still roam Earth today.”
We should remember that faith and science can live together in the same world, but we cannot tolerate ignorance in any world and expect that world to be a worthwhile place to live.
You might wish to view one or more of these videos, all of which relate to this post.
Video: Creationist Museum
Video: The Theory of Evolution Made Easy
Video: In the Beginning - The Creation - Genesis 1:1 through 2:3
Do you remember, as a student in an American history class, when you were required to memorize some of the famous quotations of historical characters? If you have had the experience of being misquoted yourself, did you ever wonder about the possibility of some of these individuals being misquoted? There are many reasons for misquotation: poor hearing, hearing what one wants to hear, having an ulterior motive in reporting what one has heard, and so forth. Let us consider three famous personages in American history and how they might have been misquoted.
First, there is William Prescott, an American colonel commanding the rebel forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill. As the British marched up the hill, Prescott is reported to have shouted to his men, “Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes!” But suppose Prescott was a racist at heart and instead shouted, “Don’t shoot the whites, you guys!”
The second historical figure we shall consider is the American naval hero Captain Oliver Hazard Perry. In the War of 1812, as he opposed the British fleet on Lake Erie, it appeared at first that he was losing the battle. But at a critical moment, Perry supposedly yelled, “Don’t give up the ship!” and then went on to victory. But suppose he was misquoted, and in his frustration and anger had actually yelled, “Enough of this s**t!” before continuing the battle and forcing the British out of Lake Erie.
The last of our historical characters is the Civil War American naval officer David Farragut, who is remembered for the rallying cry he gave his crew after his lead ship had struck a mine (torpedo) and sank. American history books quote him as shouting, “Damn the torpedos! Full speed ahead!” as he sailed to victory in the Mobile Bay battle. But suppose the history books left out some relevant information that could have altered the outcome of the battle. Suppose that just about an hour before the battle, Farragut and his crew had been served a healthy portion of some spicy Mexican food prepared by Jose,the ship’s chef, and later developed some complications. Then, what Farragut might have shouted in the midst of the battle was, “Damn those tortillas! Full speed to the head!”
As you can see, when historical leaders and heroes are misquoted, it can change our outlook on history. Time has allowed me to deal with only three figures from American history, but there might be other history buffs who would like to investigate this topic further. If so, we anxiously await the results of your research.
Now that we have had our fun, let's get serious about quoting some important Founding Fathers.
Video: What did our Founding Fathers say that is still relevant today?
When Johnny comes marching home again, Hurrah! Hurrah! We'll give him a hearty welcome then Hurrah! Hurrah!
Progressive radio talk show host Ed Schultz went on The O’Reilly Factor last week to give his views on the Democratic half of the presidential slate. When the discussion got to John Edwards, Bill O’Reilly brought up the asinine assertion he had made earlier that there are no homeless veterans.
Ed: I think (Edwards’) message is strong and he has tremendous conviction, but I think he needs a little bit more material than just the “Two Americas” talk, he got to get a little bit deeper… Bill: Well, we’re still looking for all the veterans sleeping under the bridges, Ed, so if you find anybody, let us know, because that’s all the guy said for the last three nights…
Ed: Well they’re out there, Bill. Don’t kid yourself. Bill: They may be out there, but there’s not many of them out there. Okay? So if you know where one is, Ed…
Ed: Well, actually…Now, wait a minute…one in .. Bill: Ed, Ed. If you know where’s a veteran, sleeping under a bridge, you call me immediately, and we will make sure that man does not do it. Is not there.
Ed should know that Bill would never allow him to complete a sentence that has facts in it. After all, this is FOXNews, and facts aren’t actually part of their demographic.
The fact is that in 2006 approximately 195,827 veterans were homeless on a given night - an increase of 0.8 percent from 194,254 in 2005. More veterans experience homelessness over the course of the year. It is estimated that a total of 336,627 were homeless at some time or other in 2006.
(Repost of an article I wrote on October 6, 2006):
Helping Our Homeless Veterans
As reported earlier in the San Diego Union Tribune, on September 13th of this year a homeless-rights advocate, Larry Milligan, appeared before the San Diego City Council to make a public plea for a moratorium on the city issuing tickets for sleeping on streets and sidewalks.
After using up three minutes of his allotted time to address the council, Milligan requested an additional half-minute to read the final ten lines of his plea. His request was denied. When he turned to the audience and continued reading, he was called out of order, and a request was made that he be escorted from the chambers by two police officers.
All Milligan was requesting was that the City of San Diego (“America’s Finest City”) stop citing the homeless for sleeping on streets and sidewalks WHEN HOMELESS SHELTERS ARE FULL, which they usually are. There are more homeless people than the beds at shelters will accommodate.
In another somewhat related story, the Washington Post reported on March 1, 2006 that a high percentage of Iraq veterans are returning home with mental problems, and reports were coming in of an increasing number of them showing up at homeless shelters. One report has it that 17% of the returning troops have PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
One veteran reported that after receiving no support from government programs for veterans, he spent eight months sleeping in his car. When he contacted the VA, he was told that the wait for help was up to a year. In other words, our government is telling our returning troops that once they take off that uniform, they are on their own.
An advocate for setting up homeless shelters said that while our government can find up to five billion dollars a month for spending in Iraq, it cannot find the fifty-million dollars it would take to set up a program for homeless vets.
Meanwhile, as some Americans enjoy their tax cuts and drive their cars around with bumper stickers saying “Support Our Troops”, they don’t seem to care about what happens to those troops who return - some with broken bodies, some with broken brains, and some with both.
These men and women, including some who had suffered through several tours of duty in which they had to be constantly on guard for fear of being killed, and who witnessed unspeakable scenes of their buddies’ bodies being blown to bits, are now reduced to spending all their energies trying to find food, clothing, and especially shelter, where they can sleep without fear of being arrested or issued a ticket as they continue on their journey to nowhere.
Video:
Keith Obermann Blasts O'Reilly for Denying Homeless Vets Exist
Video: HOMELESS VETERANS ON THE STREETS OF AMERICA
Last week researchers from the United States and Japan revealed that they have created a humanoid robot in Japan that interfaced with the brain activity of a monkey in the United States. As the monkey walked on two legs on a treadmill, its neural activity was recorded by way of electrodes placed in its brain. The recorded signals were then converted into data that was transmitted online and sent over the internet to the robot. The robot responded by walking like the monkey. Not only that, but the robot continued walking after the monkey stopped walking, indicating its ability to respond even when the monkey was only thinking about walking. The experiment resulted from efforts to develop prosthetic limbs which can be mentally controlled by people with disabilities.
This successful experiment introduces the possibility that someday, perhaps in the near future, scientists will be able to convert the human memory and personality of an individual into signals which can then be transmitted into the computer brain of a humanoid robot.
Some extropian futurists propose that, thanks to exponentially growing computing power, it will someday be possible to upload human consciousness onto a computer system, and live indefinitely in a virtual environment. This could be accomplished via advanced cybernetics, where computer hardware would initially be installed in the brain to help sort memory or accelerate thought processes. Gradually more and more components would be added until the person's entire brain functions were handled by artificial devices, without any sharp transitions that would lead to identity issues. At this point, the human body would become only an accessory and the mind could be transferred to any sufficiently powerful computer. Eventually, the physical body of that individual would die, but the individual’s memory could potentially achieve a kind of technological immortality, short of cataclysmic destruction of the entire civilization and their computers.
Immortality is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an infinite length of time. What form an unending or indefinitely-long human life would take, or whether the soul, should such a thing exist, possesses immortality, has been the subject of much speculation, fantasy, and debate, as well as a fundamental point of focus in many faiths and religions, including Christianity.
QUESTION: If an individual whose memory and personality have been uploaded into the computer system of a humanoid robot continues to live with the same memory and personality until his or her physical body dies, does the soul of the individual, assuming there is one, leave the physical body of the deceased at death; or does it remain in the memory and personality of the humanoid robot? In other words, would the humanoid robot have a soul?
A few weeks ago, my wife and I viewed on television the 1999 film titled "Bicentennial Man", starring Robin Williams. This film, based in part on two stories by Isaac Asimov, is about the life of a robot searching for identity, friendship, love and ultimately, humanity. The robot, named Andrew, is programmed to be a domestic servant, but he learns early on that he is more than an appliance. Perhaps it was the faulty programming, loose wiring, or just a technological device, the positronic brain that served as a central computer, giving Andrew a form of consciousness recognizable to humans, that gave Andrew his unique personality, will and feelings. Over the years, he receives “upgrades,” enhanced facial expressions, human-like skin, then even a central nervous system. Even though he is a robot, Andrew wants to be recognized as fully human even though it means he will pay the ultimate human price - death. He doesn’t want to be immortal while those he loves age and die. He chooses to be a mortal human because he desires the beauty of family, friendship and love.
One cannot explore a story such as this without raising the issue of eternal souls. Andrew aspires to humanness, and humans have souls given to them by God. It is assumed through dialogue late in the movie that somehow Andrew has "grown" a soul and has achieved a state worthy of eternal life. Without making too sharp a point of it, this plot device may lead some children to conclude that one's soul is less a gift from God than an evolved state of being.
Video: Excerpt From Bicentennial Man
Video: Where is the Soul? Do you have a soul? What is the Self? Can consciousness be transplanted to another place?
A dreary city sets the scene for this tale of paranoia. A pedestrian encounters a box on the street. In the box is a man, peeking out through a slit. The pedestrian becomes consumed by this box man, watching him constantly until it escalates into a violent conclusion. This short is based on Kobe Abe's short story of the same name.
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