Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Celebrations

As you may or may not know, February 12th is the 200th birthday of two historical men that made huge impacts upon our society- Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin. They are both revered as heroes among many, many people throughout the world.

Next week, Calen and I will be studying both men and the impacts their lives, ideals, values, and beliefs had on the course of history. We will also compare them and look into their similarities and differences. I'll also touch upon some of those here.

Similarities:
Lost their mothers at a very young age
Bouts of depression
Notorious for writing notes about everything
Were about the same age when they made huge contributions to their respective societies
Both changed the nature and course of history significantly

Differences:
Lincoln was primarily self or "home" educated, whereas Darwin was institutionally schooled
Lincoln in his Emancipation Proclamation endeavored to free black men, whom he believed to be created equal with all men. Darwin's The Descent of Man fuels the inferiority of the black men and the superiority of one race above another.
Lincoln acknowledged God as Almighty Creator. Darwin promoted natural selection as a way to explain life without God as Creator.
Lincoln's view of life was from the point of "Where are we going?" Whereas, Darwin asked, "Where did we come from?"

According to Darwin's view, we came from primordial ooze. The next logical step is that we can live lives without allegiances, without responsibility, without accountability. We came from nothing and will return to nothing. How depressing. A Creator lifts us up and gives us and our lives a purpose. We are loved and we are intentionally created for the purpose of God's glory.

A common phrase is, "Lincoln freed men's bodies; Darwin freed men's minds." In fact, Darwin's philosophies bind us and block us from a fulfilling life. We are left feeling that our lives are worthless and meaningless. We are nothing special because we were an accident or a mutation. We are left with more "Whys?" than with answers. We are left empty and in search of answers. The theory of evolution enslaves our minds and limits our thinking. Faith in our Creator truly sets us free in body, mind and spirit.

Now, since this is a big day for Darwin, Evolutionists and atheists have been hitting the streets so to speak. I came across a few articles that discussed a group in Brazil was putting signs on the side of buses. One sign says, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." UH? Another states, "There is good news and bad news. The bad news is there is no God. The good news is we don't need him anyway." WHAT?

The first statement of "probably no God" really got me. That leaves lots of room in my mind. Not to mention it's a fallacy of thought at best. It brings several "what ifs" to mind.:

The second sentence reflects their lack of knowledge in the Bible. God continually commands, COMMANDS, us not to worry (it's a lack of faith), as well as to enjoy our life. The Bible is filled with His encouragement for us to trust in Him and reap joy and pleasure out of the lives He has given to us. If we enjoy our lives, then we are living in His glory. It is written, in the Bible, for us to eat, drink and be merry. I think most people believe it's from Shakespeare.

My first thought to the second sign was, "When did they prove this?" This also shows a lack of knowledge and individual thought. What a bold statement to make. I suppose they also hold the answers regarding UFOs and Bigfoot. With little research, one can find there is actually more scientific evidence for a Creator as opposed. My next thought was, "What planet are they living on?" We DO need Him. People are in search of something to fill the voids they have in their lives. They may not really realize it, but they try to fill it with toxins. The answer to their questions, the answer to their search is right in front of them.

It can be both the easiest and hardest thing to do. First, to believe. Then, to receive. Receiving, probably more so. If your skeptic or a "seeker of truth," then please pursue the truth about Jesus honestly, openly, and with enthusiasm. Pray to God, whom you're not sure exists. Ask Him to open your heart and mind and guide you to the truth.

Febuary 12th is also the birthday of another important, influential, yet less well-known man, my dad. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!

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