March 1st, 2010
My mother past away last month and since then we’ve had a number of occasions to reflect on her passion for creation – the literal intepretation of the Book of Genesis as it relates to the six-day creation of the heavens and the earth.
All her stuff in the basement which she’d gather together to put on exhibits at churches or in classes. At her funeral where we setup these things so that visitors could know about her passion. And a creation seminar weekend at Cannington Baptist Church where gifted speaker Calvin Smith taught us many fascinating truths of science regarding the history of the earth. The weekend was lovingly dedicated to Donna in light of her passion for creation. We wholeheartedly thank them for their thoughtfulness and kindness towards us.
Because of all this exposure, though, I’ve really been hit a number of times just how serious it is for believers to doubt the creation account in Genesis. Doubt and skepticism are healthy but only when they lead to uncovering the truth.
Each creation organization that I’m aware of has the same reason for doing what they do: They believe that to contradict Genesis, being the inspired Word of God, is to erode the very foundation of the totality of the faith. Creation Ministries International, for example, entitle their writing on this issue “Genesis—the seedbed of all Christian doctrine.”
According to stats, most Christian youth who go to secular post-secondary institutions will lose their faith because of the onslaught of ideas contradictory to their faith. If their faith can’t stand against apparent flaws, than what good is the faith? Who can blame them for leaving their faith behind. At best, who can blame them for compartmentalizing or halfheartedly living out their faith.
But there are answers. Answers In Genesis is a another organization dedicated to teaching the truths of the creation account. Their article regarding the need for teaching creation is entitled “Creation: Why it matters.”
Creation absolutely matters. God has Genesis right. He really did create the heavens and the earth in six days. If he said so and he really didn’t, then what else is really true in the bible? Your entire faith’s foundation begins at Genesis 1:1:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Tags: bible, christian, college, creation, evolution, faith, genesis, God, origins, religion, science, university
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February 27th, 2010
In the past, we asked Ubisoft, “Are you stupid?” Well, Ubisoft has turned around and asked you and I, “Are you stupid?”, with the release of Assassin’s Creed 2.
I wrote a while ago about Prince of Persia for the PC. Ubisoft was trying an “experiment.” This game had no DRM and they were going to see how well it fared. According to metacritic, and user ratings, it didn’t fare so well. It was a pretty mediocre, uninspired game. It looks like ubisoft has their answer on DRM.
And that answer is apparently a resounding approval for more DRM. And this isn’t just run of the mill DRM. This is ridiculously dumb DRM.
So, I have to ask you Ubisoft, “Are you stupid?” But really, Ubisoft’s answer is “Are YOU stupid?”. To get that answer, we’ll just have to see how sales do.
Tags: assassin's creed, drm, pc, prince of persia, ubisoft
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February 21st, 2010
Dr. John Hartnett’s 2007 book, Starlight, Time and thew New Physics, extends on Russel Humphrey’s intriquing Starlight and Time attempting to solve the problems of the original proposition. He does so with fascinating results.
The problem that both books try to do solve is that of a young creation being able to see the stars when they were created. Because even light from the nearest star, not our own, takes years to reach earth, it is not possible for the biblical account of creation to be correct: in that account, Adam, the first man, could already see the stars. If, in fact, they could see the stars that would imply creation is not young but very old and thus contradictory to the young creation the bible appears to talk about.
The question then is: How did Adam see starlight in the first week of creation?
As a poignant aside, note how christians differ from others when given a contradiction in their bible. The one who doesn’t believe the bible already sees an apparent contradiction and dismisses the entire thing. The one who does believe knows their bible and trusts it because they know it has told the truth a vast number of times before. Therefore, they give the bible the benefit of the doubt and go out and see if they can brainstorm how it might have come about according to God’s word. Many times in the past we’ve doubted the bible and then some years later it turns out it was quite right after all.
Christian cosmology effectively came out of nowhere to some pretty good ideas in the past 30 years. Humphrey gave us all a kick in the rear by thinking outside the box and using Einstein’s theory of relativity to explain that time on earth may have proceeded slower than time out in the universe. It might sound like crazy talk but Einstein’s theory has been tested and found quite valid for a long time now. The key is a catalyst that would alter the time of clocks locally and remote.
Humphrey’s model was a good starting point but had problems. Hartnett attempts to solve those problems and he makes some decent sense of it. Definitely worth a read. Harnett’s writing is necessarily dense but not overladen beyond what the uninitiated can handle. I highly recommend this read.
Tags: book, cosmology, creation, creationism, harnett, humphrey, new physics, physics, relativity, review, space, spacetime, spacevelocity, spacevelocitytime, starlight, starlight time and the new phyics, theory of relativity, time, young, young creation, young earth
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February 16th, 2010
You could tell she was putting on a brave face when she dutifully hugged her medal winning teammate, then moved off camera, and again, when the camera poked in her face to get some reaction on the race. That’s Cindy, though, from all appearances, more quiet than not, unassuming, kind. Cindy Klassen has had a tumultuous few years coming up on the 2010 olympics.
Six-medal winning Klassen had an up-hill battle in her skate. She gave all that she could give and, at the very least, showed she had what it takes to win gold again early in her run.
Just watching her skating around the ice was both delightful, early in the run, then painful as you watched her eventually succumb to a body that, of necessity, wasn’t in top form.
Cindy Klassen is a christian and features a bible verse on her website,
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I’ve gained quite a bit of respect watching her stand when she’d probably much rather crawl up somewhere and nurse wounds.
So cheers to Cindy! Your achievements have reflected honour on Canada and we are in your debt. Here’s to Cindy and here’s to the best of her future ambitions and achievements!
Tags: cindy klassen, olympics, skate, skating
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February 14th, 2010
In this dream stands a man. Two horses, two riders, two women before him. In his eyes is recognition. To his left a sidewalk. Its road vaguely running off to the school of his youth. A void stillness fills the place and a foreboding encroaches. An unknown urge for flight swarms his senses. Feet think before thought. He is taken away, sidewalk blurring, a surreal shifting of vision as the picture swims past him. Across the road he leaps, over to the opposite sidewalk; There he sees the second horse already astride. With a leap he is behind the rider. And the elements rush past. The first horse overtakes, storming on the road to their left. He scrambles to the ground. He runs and leaps once more, up behind the rider. The rider, and he, gallop. Their end is unknown.
Tags: analyze, analyze this, dream, freud, freudian, horse, psycho-analysis, psychology, road, run, sidewalk
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February 14th, 2010
Sigh. My apologies for turning on my broken record player but it looks like I have to shine an uncomfortable light yet again on the idiocies of competition.
Canada’s women hockey team beat Slovakia 18-0. At least that’s nothing compared to Slovakia’s 2008 blowout of Bulgaria 82-0. You heard me. That’s just stupid.
“It’s not a game you want to play in, and you don’t take a lot of pride in a score like that,” Hefford said. “But it’s the Olympic ideals. We train for four years, and we’ll hopefully play five games in this tournament. So, to take one night off, that’s unfair to us.”
I’m embarrassed by that statement. Olympic ideals? Wow. Just wow. And this “unfair to us” business? Or point differentials? Utterly lacking in regard for your fellow human being.
Trust me, I’ve played on losing teams all my life. I’ve also played on a few occassions on championship teams. In hockey, ten goals is about the limit. There’s something about double digits that reeks of disrespecting your opponent.
Especially in a sport where you’re trying to help other teams you’re doing more harm than good with a hopeless game. At least give them their dignity by winning your game in a modest fashion and letting it go.
But, no, somehow, somewhere, this idea that blowouts are a necessary evil has gotten us actually convinced. Where did we learn this from? That our sports organizations are teaching young people these insane ideals is atrocious. Leaders who do not respect their pupils lose the respect of their pupils and no longer act as leaders. They are simply viewed as pompous asses.
And, hey, if you don’t like hearing it from me, Don Cherry has made similar comments about making the other team look bad. You just don’t do it. It’ll come back to haunt you.
Tags: canada, female, hockey, hockey canada, olympics, slovakia, women, women's hockey
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February 6th, 2010
In an amusing and ironic twist of best intentions, the US military, by extension of their funding of DARPA who funded early research that lead to the internet, has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Perhaps stretching things a bit, I know, but I think amusing and ironic nonetheless.
Tags: darpa, internet, military, nobel, nobel peace prize, peace, prize, us, us military
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February 5th, 2010
When I send an email I’ll often remember I wanted to say something else so I go to my Sent folder, click the email and hit Reply All. It seems every email client has a different idea of what exactly Reply/Reply All on a Sent folder email means. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t think this is a hard thing to get right.
When I click Reply/Reply All on a Sent folder email I mean I want to reply to my own email and, since it doesn’t make sense to send it to me, I want the exact same To/CC/BCC addresses as when I originally sent the email.
It’s not rocket science.
Tags: email, reply, reply all, sent, sent folder
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February 3rd, 2010
Congratulations to GOG.com inking a deal with Activision! GOG.com is a great source for classic PC games that are inexpensive, DRM-Free and WinXP/Vista/7.
I have a great amount of respect for GOG.com. Their integrity is untainted thus far in their lifetime. Their stance on publishing great classic PC games that are inexpensive and DRM-free is amazing to see in this day and day.
They even release quite a few non-mainstream games (at least not mainstream in this era) like hardcore RPGS or adventures. It’s not all just 3D FPS games. This is both a blessing and a curse. The guys have integrity but waiting for games you really like (if you’re not into hardcore ones) takes a while. Having said that, I think you’ll be pleased with their catalog.
If you’re a Steam user you’re going to love GOG.com. Steam is laced with DRM and lots of expensive games. GOG.com is just the opposite. Find your brand new games on Steam. Find your great classics on GOG.com!
Congratulations GOG.com! Here’s to you guys and a great future!
Tags: activision, deal, games, gog, gog.com, good ol' games, good old games, steam, video games
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February 2nd, 2010
Apparently there were a number of missiles flying around in Newfoundland. Odd.
Tags: canada, cover up, hoax, missiles, newfoundland
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