Prayer in Schools

"Don't pray in my school and I won't think in your church"

I have seen the above bumper sticker a few times. I'm not altogether sure that I disagree with it. Church is for learning spiritual values and school is for getting an education.

The truth is that we live in America and like it or not, other people have the freedom to choose their religion.

If you want to reach out to America's youth their are many ways to do it but trying to force prayer back into the public school system seems like a waste of time. It's illegal and it's not going to happen. Following man's law shows reverence for our Heavenly Father.

In the end the only person I have to answer for is myself. I don't need to control what everyone else thinks or believes in order to be secure in my own faith.

Theistic Evolution: How Does God Do It?

Theistic Evolution is a form of creationism that limits God's involvement in the creation event. The chief limitation is that most of God's activity has to be consistent with the facts of evolution. Francis Collins has created a website devoted to his concept of BioLogos, which, as it turns out, is just another word for Theistic Evolution. The website is funded by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. Many of us have difficulty understanding how a personal God can be involved in guiding evolution without violating the laws of physics and chemistry. In other words, how is Theistic Evolution/BioLogos compatible with science? This is a key question since we know that major scientific organizations (AAAS, NAS, NCSE) support the notion that science and religion are compatible. In fact, they explicitly support Francis Collins (pictured above) and Theistic Evolution.

Let's see how science and religion are compatible by looking at Question 14 on the BioLogos website [What role could God have in evolution?].

The New Atheists

I found this post over at another blog and wanted to share it here.

The new atheists: summary of arguments

Rev. Cwirla, in his review of the Charlotte Allen article on atheism that I linked to in my previous post, summarizes the new atheist (Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, Dennett, Myers, et al.) arguments as follows:

1. The existence of God can’t be proven scientifically, therefore there is no God.
2. Religious people do bad things, therefore there is no God.
3. No one has yet to convince me there is a God, therefore there is no God.
4. The world sucks, therefore there is no God.
5. Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy don’t exist, therefore there is no God.
Pretty good summary of the shallowness of modern atheism.

Go to Rev. Cwirla’s Blogosphere for his descriptions of the “Fab Five of pop atheism.”

Grace and Peace

HT: Cranach

Original Post: http://geochristian.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/the-new-atheists-summary-of-arguments/

The Living Word

Jesus asked his followers, "Who do you say that I am?"

That can be a difficult question to answer if you do not read the Word of God. As Charles Stanley points out in his book, In Step with God, we must read His word in order to find out His ways.

God, in the form of the Trinity, is a very complex spiritual being that is outside the human realm of definition. Yet we still need to define our needs and how Jesus came to fufill those needs.

Jesus also said, "I came not to bring peace, but a sword." Many have trouble with this passage. For me it simply means that Jesus is handing us a sword (not a scalpel) to cut out the deadwood from our lives. It doesn't mean taking the sword and harming others. We have to look at the symbolism behind some of the words Jesus used instead of interpreting everything literally if we are to gain meaning and purpose for our lives from the Word of God.

The Bible is a Living thing and can mean different things at different times to different people in different situtions. To put it in a safe, definitive category is to deny its power.

My New Bible

In the Church by ~zero

The Gospel of Thomas

Jesus said, "The Father's kingdom is like a person who has [good] seed. His enemy came during the night and sowed weeds among the good seed. The person did not let the workers pull up the weeds, but said to them, 'No, otherwise you might go to pull up the weeds and pull up the wheat along with them.' For on the day of the harvest the weeds will be conspicuous, and will be pulled up and burned." (57)

I have recently begun reading The Gospel of Thomas while also taking up a twelve week Bible Study on Proverbs (Kay Arthur) at Olive Baptist Church. Between the two studies I am learning a great deal about human frailty and well....failure.

I fail on a daily basis to live up to God's will for me but each day I realize where I went wrong and the next day I do something to correct it. I strive not for perfection but to walk in the will of God each and every day and to serve others.

I am struggling to keep my mind from the things of the past. I am struggling to keep my head up despite those who don't believe in me.

The bottom line is that the only opinion I am truly concerned with is that of Jesus Christ, The Father and the Holy Spirit!

Amen!

Jesus: He's Everywhere

Job's Faith

Thankful for All My Blessings Today!

About a month ago my doctor raised the dosage of the anti-depressant, Zoloft, which I am taking for anxiety and depression. The result was not good. I ended up going to the hospital and was under observation for three days. They put me on two more medications and I felt worse after taking them! So, I'm back to the original dose of Zoloft and am feeling a little better.

I don't know about any of you, but being God's servant, I don't want to be on ANY kind of drugs. But, I realize I have human limitations and that I have a chemical imbalance. I do wish that one day I would not have to take any of these things.

Please pray for me!

Your sister in Christ,

Heather Hawkins

Grace

Finding A Better Way

The I Am Second campaign shows people how to put things in perspective. It shows us how to put God first.

According to their website at http://www.iamsecond.com life is about:

Finding a better way.

I am second is a movement where significance in life is a shared value among people of all kinds. Actors. Musicians. Business leaders. Your next-door neighbor. People just like you. Their authentic stories here on iamsecond provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. You'll meet people who overcame destructive lifestyles. Plus you'll discover those who've tried to go it alone and have failed, yet still found a life full of hope, peace, and fulfillment.

The Clergy Letter Project

For too long, the misperception that science and religion are inevitably in conflict has created unnecessary division and confusion, especially concerning the teaching of evolution. I wanted to let the public know that numerous clergy from most denominations have tremendous respect for evolutionary theory and have embraced it as a core component of human knowledge, fully harmonious with religious faith.
In the fall of 2004, I worked with clergy throughout Wisconsin to prepare a statement in support of teaching evolution. We were called to action by a series of anti-evolution policies passed by the school board in Grantsburg, WI. The response was overwhelming. In a few weeks, nearly 200 clergy signed the statement, which we sent to the Grantsburg school board on December 16, 2004. Additionally, groups of educators and scientists sent letters to the Grantsburg School Board and to the Superintendent of Schools protesting these policies. In response to all of this attention, as well as the efforts of others, the Grantsburg School Board retracted their policies.
The outpouring of support from clergy around the country encouraged me to make this a nationwide project. If you want to read more about it or join us in sharing this important perspective, click here. Encourage your clergy to consider signing the statement and please feel free to link to these webpages. And, while the current focus is on Christian clergy, please let me know if you are willing to write and/or host a statement from other religions.
The Clergy Letter Project has also sponsored annual Evolution Sunday events. These events provide an opportunity for congregations around the world to come together, in the way each feels most comfortable, to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. By doing so, we are educating thousands and elevating the world-wide discussion of this important topic. If your congregation would like to participate in an Evolution Sunday event, please contact me.
Most recently, The Clergy Letter Project has created a data base of scientists interested in working with clergy members to answer questions about all aspects of evolution. To view this growing list, click here (If you are a scientist and would like to be added to our data base, please send me a note.)

Sincerely,

Michael Zimmerman

Dean College of Liberal Arts and SciencesButler University
Send your comments to me at mz@butler.edu

Real Hope

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

~ Titus 2:11-14