Featuring scientific and biblical evidence for young earth creation.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The Distant Starlight Dilemma - Dr. Jim Mason | 2012 Creation Superconference
How are we able to see starlight from distant objects, lightyears away, if the earth is only 6000 years old?
Dr. Mason explains why light years are not a problem for a "recent" creation.
Dr Jim Mason
Biography
Jim has a B.Sc. in Engineering Physics from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada and a Ph.D. in experimental Nuclear Physics from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada (under Dr M.W. (Martin) Johns, then Head of the Physics Department).After a year on the faculty of the Physics Department at the University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada immediately following completion of his Ph.D. studies, he took a job with one of Canada’s major defence electronics system integration companies where he worked for 37 years. The first 20 years he spent developing passive and active sonar systems for shipborne, airborne and fixed applications that are in use with the Canadian, Portuguese, Belgian, Swedish and US Navies. The subsequent 17 years he spent developing integrated, secure, digital voice and data ground mobile tactical communications systems that are used by the Canadian and British armies. During his career, Jim held positions in software engineering, system engineering, program management and line management, including VP Engineering and Chief Technology Officer responsible for research and development. He served for several years on the company’s Executive Committee.
Jim grew up attending church regularly in a mainline Protestant denomination, reaching high school graduation without ever hearing the message of salvation and left the church and the faith when he took Geology 101 in first year engineering. Although he and his family resumed church attendance (in another mainline Protestant denomination) because he and his wife thought it would be good for their two young girls, it wasn’t until almost his 40th birthday that he heard the message of salvation when attending an evangelical church in response to the invitation of a friend and neighbour and subsequently accepted Christ.
However, Jim was initially what might be called a bi-polar Christian, believing in the salvation provided by Jesus but also believing in the evolutionary account of origins, the big bang, etc. It wasn’t until he attended a weekend seminar conducted by young-earth creation scientists where he saw that science and scripture were completely coherent. Since that time, largely as a result of information available from CMI, he has become increasingly amazed at how the truth of scripture is confirmed in every area of science and become increasingly concerned about how evolution is used as a means to avoid confronting the claims of Jesus.
Since retiring, he has felt called to use his scientific background to show others that the Bible is believable from first verse to last. Before joining CMI, he gave presentations on the creation-evolution issue to the College and Career groups at two local churches and facilitated a multi-week discussion group on the topic at the church he attends.
Dr Mason’s hobbies include skiing (downhill and cross-country), gardening/landscaping, renovations, and spending time with his two grandchildren. He and his wife Rosemary have three children and reside just outside Lakefield, Ontario near their two granddaughters.
Some Publications
- J.F. Mason, “Structure of Rubidium and Strontium nuclides of Mass 90 and 91”, Ph.D. Thesis, 1969.
- J.F. Mason and M.W. Johns, “Decay of 90Kr and 90Rb”, Canadian Journal of Physics 48(17), 1970.
- J.F. Mason and M.W. Johns, “Level Structures of 90Rb and 90Sr as populated in Beta Decay”, Canadian Journal of Physics 48(24), 1970
- J.F. Mason and M.W. Johns, “Lifetime of the First Excited State of 91Sr”. International Conference on Properties of Nuclear States (Montreal, 1969), contribution 2.43
- J.F. Mason, J.F. Boulter, W.V. Prestwich and M.W. Johns, “Beta Decay of 90Kr and 91Kr”, International Conference on Properties of Nuclear States (Montreal, 1969), contribution 2.43
Summary
- BSc in Engineering Physics; PhD in Nuclear Physics
- 37-year engineering and management career in defence electronics developing ASW systems and land, tactical C4 systems
- Positions included Vice President, Engineering and Chief Technology Officer for one of Canada’s leading defence electronics system integration companies and member of the company’s Executive Committee
Articles
1981 Debate Ken Miller Vs Henry Morris ("the father of modern creation science.)
1981 Debate Ken Miller Vs Henry Morris
Miller has proudly voiced his support for what he calls "pro-science" candidates in politics. He has actively campaigned for school board and education candidates who support the teaching of evolution in Kansas and Ohio. In the science community, he has sought to elevate the understanding of scientists of the roots of the creationist movement, and to encourage the popularization of scientific concepts.
Miller has appeared in court as a witness, and on panels debating the teaching of intelligent design in schools. In 2002, the Ohio State Board of Education held a public debate between two scientists, including Miller, and two proponents of intelligent design.[9] He testified for the plaintiffs, but only as a fact witness (not as an expert), in Selman v. Cobb County, testing the legality of stickers calling evolution a "theory, not a fact" that were placed on the biology textbook Miller authored. In 2005, the judge ruled that the stickers violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.[10][11] This decision was vacated on appeal because of missing records of the previous trial. The case was remanded for additional evidentiary inquiry and new findings, and a list of factual issues that the court would probably want to address included as item 15 a reference to Miller's testimony regarding “the colloquial or popular understanding of the term [theory]” and the suggested question as to whether he has any qualifications to testify as an expert on the popular meaning of the word "theory".[12] The case was remanded back to the lower court and was eventually settled out of court. Miller was also the plaintiff's lead expert witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, challenging the school board's mandate to incorporate intelligent design into the curriculum. The judge in that case also ruled decisively in favor of the plaintiffs.
In 2006 the American Society for Cell Biology gave him a Public Service Award.[13] The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) also recognized Miller for his contribution to the public education of evolution in the United States. Miller also appeared at the 2006 Dwight H. Terry Lectureship at Yale University, delivering his lecture "Darwin, God, and Dover: What the Collapse of 'Intelligent Design' Means for Science and for Faith in America." He won the 2008 AAAS Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology.[14]
He also speaks at conferences, notably the Skeptics Society's Origins Conference in October 2008 with Nancey Murphy, Hugh Ross, Leonard Susskind, Sean Carroll, Paul Davies, Christof Koch, Donald Prothero, and Victor J. Stenger.[15]
Miller is known for his appearances on the Comedy Central television show The Colbert Report.[16][17] Dr. Miller has also made many appearances on C-SPAN debating proponents of creationism and intelligent design. He has debated several supporters of intelligent design including biochemist Michael J. Behe.
He gave a Faraday Institute lecture in April 2009 on "God, Darwin and Design"[18] and appeared on the Today Programme arguing, "The issue of God is an issue on which reasonable people may differ, but I certainly think that it's an over-statement of our scientific knowledge and understanding to argue that science in general, or evolutionary biology in particular, proves in any way that there is no God."[19]
In January 2010 Miller was elected as a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.[20]
Henry Morris
Creation Scientist Biography: HENRY MORRIS
by Abby Kautt
He
is known as the Father of Modern Creationism, since he hugely shaped
this worldwide movement into what it is today. He started his teaching
career as a professor of applied science at Southern Illinois
University. But it was through his teaching opportunities as a professor
at Virginia Tech that he began his public defense of Genesis and
creation.
Henry Madison Morris Jr., was born in Dallas, Texas in 19181.
His education was varied and extensive beginning with a bachelor’s
degree in civil engineering from Rice University – Houston in 19392.
He next obtained his master’s in hydraulics from the University of
Minnesota (1948), his Ph.D., in hydraulic engineering in 1950, also from
the University of Minnesota3. The following year he became professor and chair of civil engineering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette4.
He later served as professor of applied science at Southern Illinois
and still later as the department chair of civil engineering at Virginia
Tech University5.In 1961 he co-authored the famed Genesis Flood6 with Dr. John C. Whitcomb. In this massive treatise the authors defended Flood Geology as recorded in Genesis chapters 6-9 and a literal creation by God. This book has tangible answers to pernicious questions. Through it, the faith of countless people has been strengthened.
1963 was a pivotal year in Dr. Morris’ life. Along with nine other young-earth creationists, he founded the Creation Research Society. Then in 1970, he began what is still one of the most influential scientific research hubs for creationism, the Institute for Creation Research (ICR). The stated goals of ICR are, research, communication and education in the areas of science that are connected with the study of origins.7
Dr. Morris passed from this life into Glory at the ripe old age of 87, February 25, 20068 in Santee, California. But, being dead he still speaks9 – through his books, articles and devotionals.
As the author of a multitude of books including The Genesis Flood (1961), Scientific Creationism (1974), The Genesis Record (1976), Science and the Bible (1986), Many Infallible Proofs (1974) and The New Defender’s Study Bible (1995)10 he addressed such topics as creation science, evolution, biblical apologetics and the defense of the Faith, “once for all delivered to the saints.”11
The work of ICR continues – the fruit of his hard labor, passed down to his sons Dr. Henry M. Morris III and Dr. John D. Morris. They now have a graduate school program12, as well as countless resources available through their live venues, books and written materials and website13.
When I think of Henry Morris, these three phrases come to mind: Scientist – he studied God’s creation and through his changed worldview14 he has helped proclaim the powerful message of Creation. Visionary – A man with a long-term goal of reaching this world for the Creator. His writings and influence live on15. Defender of the Faith – Through his clear and concise way of presenting the evidence for a literal reading of the Bible, he took the charge given to ALL Christians by Peter literally.
1 Peter 3:15:
“15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.6”
Henry Morris was an amazing man of faith, conviction and action. I pray that my generation will be full of visionaries, creation scientists and defender’s of the faith.
1 Article by Christine Dao “Man of Science, Man of Ghttp://www.icr.org/article/science-man-god-henry-m-morris/od”
2 http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/morrish.html – University of Missouri – Kansas City school of Law, Doug Linder (2004)
3 http://www.icr.org/article/science-man-god-henry-m-morris/
4 http://www.icr.org/article/science-man-god-henry-m-morris/
5 http://www.icr.org/article/science-man-god-henry-m-morris/
6 Morris, H. M. and J. C. Whitcomb. 1961. The Genesis Flood: The Biblical Record and Its Scientific Implications. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 124. http://www.icr.org/article/science-man-god-henry-m-morris/
7 http://www.icr.org/discover/ Belief statement
8 http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060301/news_1m1morris.htm l Jack Williams of the San Diego Union-Tribune writing about Henry Morris shortly after his death.
9Hebrews 4:11 – The writer in describing Abel, commends his righteousness and more excellent gift, a witness to all.
10 http://www.icr.org/article/science-man-god-henry-m-morris/ A list of only some of the books that Dr. Henry Morris wrote. He was the author of over 60 books that continue to shape the minds of many – worldwide. 1 Jude 1:3 Jude urges those to whom his epistle is addressed to “contend earnestly for the faith, which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
11 http://www.icr.edu/home/ – ICRGS currently offers a M.S., in Science Education through a majority online format.
12 http://www.icr.org/ – Institute for Creation Research home on the World Wide Web. 1http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/morrish.html – He became a Christian shortly after completing his bachelor’s at Rice University.
13 http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/2006/02/1409.aspx – Vision Forum Inc. President Doug Phillips talks about the influence Dr. Morris had on his life. 1www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1peter%203:15-16;&version=9; – 1 Peter 3:15-16 King James Version. Peter’s charge to believers to have an answer ready for those who ask us about our faith.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Radioactive Dating and a Young Earth - Dr. Jim Mason | Creation Superconference 2012
Nuclear physicist embraces biblical creation
Jonathan Sarfati chats with Dr Jim Mason
from http://creation.com/jim-mason-nuclear-physicist
Dr James Mason and wife
Dr Jim Mason has a B.Sc. in Engineering Physics from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and a Ph.D. in Experimental Nuclear Physics from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He had a 37-year engineering and management career in defence electronics developing ASW (anti-submarine warfare) systems and land tactical C4 (computerized command, control, communications) systems. This included the positions of Vice President and Engineering and Chief Technology Officer for one of Canada’s leading defence electronics system integration companies and being a member of that company’s Executive Committee. Dr Mason’s hobbies include skiing (downhill and cross-country), gardening/landscaping, home renovating and spending time with his two grandchildren. He and his wife Rosemary have three children and reside just outside Lakefield, Ontario near their two granddaughters.Biblical Christianity: the perfect logical system
Without the first 11 chapters of Genesis being taken as historical narrative and plainly understood as written, the rest of the Bible and, in particular, the New Testament message of salvation, does not compute.
Dr Mason compares biblical Christianity with the Apollo system that sent men to the moon and returned them safely: this included everything that was required, and didn’t have anything unnecessary to its goal. The same is true of biblical Christianity. “However”, Jim says, “the Apollo system, being man-made, was not perfect as amply demonstrated by the near catastrophe of the Apollo 13 mission. Conversely, the Bible/Christianity is perfect, having been crafted by God.”“I have become increasingly amazed at how comprehensive and yet internally consistent the Bible and Christianity are. I spent most of my working career as a System Engineer developing complex and sophisticated defence electronic systems. Consequently, I have come to think of the Bible and Christianity as the perfect system.”
Dr James Mason, wife and granddaughters
And as Dr Mason later realised, a vital foundation to this system is the first 11 chapters of Genesis:
“Without these chapters being taken as historical narrative and plainly understood as written, the rest of the Bible and, in particular, the New Testament message of salvation, does not compute. It’s like the Saturn V rocket of the Apollo system. Without it, achieving the mission is impossible. Thanks, in part, to the excellent material on the CMI website, I came to realize that such an interpretation is well-supported scientifically, including in my own area of nuclear physics.”But if Genesis is foundational, then how can evolution and long ages be reconciled to the Bible? Jim realised that it couldn’t:
“It destroys the Gospel by destroying its foundation. Adam and Eve disappear, original sin disappears, death through sin disappears, the need for a Saviour disappears and indeed, in the end, salvation and eternal life disappear.”Furthermore, “evolution is at odds with the Bible everywhere”:
“The Big Bang says nothing created everything, versus the Bible that teaches that everything was created by the Word of God; the earth, sun, moon and stars formed by gradual accretion over billions of years rather than in a few days by the Word of God; life occurring by accident rather than by holy fiat; humans evolving over millions of years from an ape-like ancestor rather than being created in the image of God in a single day; death being an essential part of the world from the start rather than being an unintended but necessary consequence of mankind’s original sin.”
No theory of evolution can be formed to account for the similarity of molecules, for evolution necessarily implies continuous change …. The exact equality of each molecule to all others of the same kind gives it … the essential character of a manufactured article, and precludes the idea of its being eternal and self-existent. James Clerk Maxwell
Real science supports the Bible
So, what areas of Dr Mason’s own expertise support the biblical creation model and oppose the secular evolutionary one? Jim points to the building blocks of nature and their economy of design, something that impressed the great creationist founder of electromagnetism, James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879), who wrote:“No theory of evolution can be formed to account for the similarity of molecules, for evolution necessarily implies continuous change … . The exact equality of each molecule to all others of the same kind gives it … the essential character of a manufactured article, and precludes the idea of its being eternal and self-existent.”1Modern science strengthens this argument, as Jim explains:
“Elementary particle physics tells us there are only 3 fundamental particles, each occurring in a few variants resulting in a total of only 24 elementary particles. Everything in the entire universe is made from and held together by these 24 particles.”Yet from just these 24 basic building blocks, “There are 118 chemical elements which can be combined to create almost innumerable compounds like iron oxide, calcium carbonate and amino acids; and these can be combined to create almost innumerable substances like bubble gum, proteins and concrete; and these can be combined to create even grander structures like buildings and airplanes and computers and even the human body. That sure looks like design at its best.”
“Yet the evolutionists would have us believe that these 24 particles just happened by accident and then just happened to accidentally combine into particles that then just happened to combine into the elements, that then just happened to combine into a few compounds that then just happened to combine into a cell that then just happened to evolve into some humans and that only the airplanes, buildings and computers had to have a designer. Who are they kidding?”Furthermore, he explains that only 12 of these particles provide 3 of the 4 forces that hold everything in the universe together, “design at its best”:
“These are the strong nuclear force that holds atomic nuclei together, the weak nuclear force that enables some types of radioactivity and the electromagnetic force which is responsible for just about every phenomenon we experience on a daily basis. The fourth, and weakest force, is gravity. These forces cover an incredible range of strengths and all behave differently: gravity only attracts; the electromagnetic force both attracts and repels; both act over infinitely long distances whereas the strong force only acts within the nucleus. Gravity, the weakest force, accounts for the motion of the stars and planets; the electromagnetic force accounts for light travelling from the stars to Earth. Finally, the strong force keeps all the nuclei in atoms from flying apart due to the electromagnetic repulsion between the protons.
“But that is not all. The relationship between these forces is so finely tuned that even a slight change in just one of these relationships would render the universe as we know it impossible. An accident? I don’t think so!”
In cases where the actual age of the rock is known, radiometric dating techniques typically give wildly erroneous ages. For example, rock formed in a lava flow from Mt. St. Helens in 1986 was radiometrically dated as 2.6 million years old!
Radiometric dating
Probably the strongest ‘evidence’ for the long ages required by evolution is right in Dr Mason’s field of expertise: radiometric dating. But he explained that it doesn’t actually measure age at all. Rather, it measures the ratio of the radioactive ‘parent’ element to the stable ‘daughter’ element in, say, a sample of rock today. And the age must be inferred by using these measurements in a calculation, and this relies on several unverifiable assumptions; e.g.:“ … that there was no daughter element present when the rock was formed—i.e. the daughter element is entirely due to decay of the parent in the sample; that no amount of either parent or daughter has leached into or out of the rock since its formation; and that decay rate has not changed over time. If any of these assumptions are incorrect, it can dramatically change the calculation of the age. Since it is impossible to know for sure whether any of these have happened, it is not reasonable to trust the calculated age as accurate.”Dr Mason points out:
“In cases where the actual age of the rock is known, radiometric dating techniques typically give wildly erroneous ages. For example, rock formed in a lava flow from Mt. St. Helens in 1986 was radiometrically dated as 2.6 million years old! If, every time you read a newspaper report concerning an incident about which you had first-hand knowledge, you found that the newspaper report was totally wrong, how many of these would you read before you began to suspect that all the reporting was wrong?”
After about 90,000 years of decay, there is so little 14C left that even today’s very sensitive instruments cannot detect it. … Yet 14C has been found in diamonds … even though the diamonds are allegedly 1 to 3 billion years old.
Further evidence for a young age from nuclear physics comes from large amounts of helium found in tiny zircon crystals extracted from rocks that are allegedly 1.5 billion years old. The amount of uranium and lead present in the crystals indicated that the helium was the result of radioactive decay of the uranium. However, in the supposed 1.5 billion years of the rock’s existence, essentially all the helium that would have been produced by this decay should have diffused out of the crystals. Using the amount of helium actually present in the crystals and the rate of diffusion of helium through these crystals as measured by an independent laboratory, the age of the crystals, and therefore the rock from which they came was only about 5,700±2,000 years! This implies that the decay rate was much faster in the past—undermining a key assumption of radiometric dating.2
Encouragement
It should be very encouraging for scientifically-minded young people in church homes to see that real scientists like Dr Mason can embrace biblical creation. So did he have any advice for students thinking of studying science?“Go for it! Science—that is operational science, how the world works—is fascinating stuff—and it is operational science that has provided all the technological and medical advances that make our present age so wonderful. However, be careful not to confuse the facts of operational science with the musings of origins science—that is the materialistic speculations about how things came to be. Don’t be afraid to ask, ‘Why do you say that?’ or ‘How do you know?’ about anything and everything. Truth will stand up to hard questions and deep digging!”
Carbon dating points to a young age.Jim Mason Radioactive 14C is continually being formed in the atmosphere, and makes up about a trillionth of all carbon atoms on Earth. Because it is biologically almost indistinguishable from non-radioactive carbon (12C), it is absorbed by plants during photosynthesis and then by animals eating the plants and other animals eating the animals that eat the plants and, of course, by humans when we eat our burgers and broccoli. When the plant or animal dies, it stops absorbing carbon and the 14C decays without being replaced, thus changing the ratio of 14C to 12C in the dead plant/animal over time. Using very sensitive instruments, the current ratio in a sample of the dead plant/animal can be measured and used (along with the known rate of decay of 14C and the assumption that the ratio of 14C to 12C in the atmosphere has always been the same as today) to calculate an age for the specimen. However, after about 90,000 years of decay, there is so little 14C left that even today’s very sensitive instruments cannot detect it.Coal Numerous samples of coal from different seams in different parts of the US have been found to contain substantial amounts of 14C, even though, according to the evolutionary time scale, the samples are allegedly between 37 million and 318 million years old. What’s more, the amount of 14C found is of the order of 100 times the sensitivity of the instruments, so it is not simply a minor measurement blip. Some people try to dismiss this as contamination of the sample during processing, but the laboratories that do these measurements have developed sophisticated procedures to make sure that this does not happen. Interestingly, despite the supposed wide range in ages, the age calculated from the 14C measurements for all the coal samples is very similar—about 50,000 years. DiamondsCarbon-14 in diamonds is another example of a young age measurement in substances that are ‘supposed to be’ very old. Diamond is the hardest substance on earth, because it’s an extremely rigidly-packed crystal of carbon. Therefore it’s impervious to the alleged possible contamination that has been used to try to dismiss the results for coal, although unreasonably. Yet 14C has been found in diamonds at essentially the same level as in the coal samples even though the diamonds are allegedly 1 to 3 billion years old.4 |
Related Articles
Further Reading
References and notes
- Maxwell, J.C., ‘Discourse on Molecules’, a paper presented to the British Association at Bradford in 1873, as cited in Lamont, A., James Clerk Maxwell, Creation 15(3):45–47, 1993; creation.com/maxwell. Return to text.
- Humphreys, R., Nuclear decay: evidence for a young world, Impact 352, October 2002; www.icr.org/pubs/imp/imp-352.htm. Return to text.
- Baumgardner, J., 14C evidence for a recent global flood and a young earth; in Vardiman, L., Snelling, A. and Chaffin, E., Radioisotopes and the Age of the Earth, Vol. II, ch. 8, Institute for Creation Research, El Cajon, CA, 2005. Return to text.
- See also Sarfati, J., Diamonds: a creationist’s best friend, Creation 28(4):26–27, 2006; creation.com/diamonds. Return to text.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Creation Today Interviews Ken Ham - Millions of Years is the Problem. Evolution is the Symptom.
Should Every Christian be a Young Earth Creationist?
Paul Taylor an Eric Hovind go on-location to Mobile, AL to interview Answers in Genesis founder Ken Ham. They discuss the early days of Ken’s ministry, gay marriage, and the state of the Church in USAmerica as it has failed to uphold the authority of God’s Word. |  |  |
Featured Resources
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Dr. Seus Biology | Origins with Dr. Paul A. Nelson
Dr. Seus Biology with Dr. Paul A. NelsonDownload Show Info PDF
Paul A. Nelson is currently a Fellow of the Discovery Institute and Adjunct Professor in the Master of Arts Program in Science & Religion at Biola University. He is a philosopher of biology who has been involved in the intelligent design debate internationally for over two decades. His grandfather, Byron C. Nelson (1893-1972), a theologian and author, was an influential mid-20th century dissenter from Darwinian evolution. After Paul received his B.A. in philosophy with a minor in evolutionary biology from the University of Pittsburgh, he entered the University of Chicago, where he received his Ph.D. (1998) in the philosophy of biology and evolutionary theory.
As an early associate of Professor Phillip Johnson of UC-Berkeley, author of the bestselling critique Darwin on Trial, Paul was an organizer of the Mere Creation conference (1996), where the modern intelligent design research community first formed. His research interests include the relationship
between developmental
biology and our knowledge of the history of life, the theory of
intelligent design, and the interaction of science and theology. Paul
lectures frequently at colleges and universities throughout the United
States and Europe, has spoken on American and Italian national public
radio, and written for popular publications as varied as the Oslo Dagbladet and the Christian Research Journal.Nelson’s scholarly articles have appeared in journals such as Biology & Philosophy, Zygon, Rhetoric and Public Affairs, and Touchstone, and book chapters in the anthologies Mere Creation (Intervarsity Press), Signs of Intelligence (Brazos), Intelligent Design Creationism and Its Critics (MIT Press), and Darwin, Design, and Public Education (Michigan State University Press). Paul is one of the authors of the biology textbook Explore Evolution, and has appeared in several films on intelligent design for Illustra Media. He is a member of the Society for Developmental Biology (SDB) and the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB)
Articles by Paul Nelson
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
What Are the Battles This Generation Are Facing? | Creation Today with Ben Schettler
Paul Taylor and Eric Hovind welcome youth evangelist Ben Schettler as they discuss how evolution plays into today’s issues of identity and gender crisis, as well as the historical significance of the “teenager” demographic.
Ben's Websites:
Featured Resources
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Simple Cells Complex Realities | Origins with Dr. Paul A. Nelson
Simple Cells Complex Realities with Dr. Paul A. Nelson
Paul
A. Nelson is currently a Fellow of the Discovery Institute and Adjunct
Professor in the Master of Arts Program in Science & Religion at
Biola University. He is a philosopher of biology who has been involved
in the intelligent design debate internationally for over two decades.
His grandfather, Byron C. Nelson (1893-1972), a theologian and author,
was an influential mid-20th century dissenter from Darwinian evolution.
After Paul received his B.A. in philosophy with a minor in evolutionary
biology from the University of Pittsburgh, he entered the University of
Chicago, where he received his Ph.D. (1998) in the philosophy of
biology and evolutionary theory.As an early associate of Professor Phillip Johnson of UC-Berkeley, author of the bestselling critique Darwin on Trial, Paul was an organizer of the Mere Creation conference (1996), where the modern intelligent design research community first formed. His research interests include the relationship between developmental biology and our knowledge of the history of life, the theory of intelligent design, and the interaction of science and theology. Paul lectures frequently at colleges and universities throughout the United States and Europe, has spoken on American and Italian national public radio, and written for popular publications as varied as the Oslo Dagbladet and the Christian Research Journal.
Nelson’s scholarly articles have appeared in journals such as Biology & Philosophy, Zygon, Rhetoric and Public Affairs, and Touchstone, and book chapters in the anthologies Mere Creation (Intervarsity Press), Signs of Intelligence (Brazos), Intelligent Design Creationism and Its Critics (MIT Press), and Darwin, Design, and Public Education (Michigan State University Press). Paul is one of the authors of the biology textbook Explore Evolution, and has appeared in several films on intelligent design for Illustra Media. He is a member of the Society for Developmental Biology (SDB) and the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB)
Articles by Paul Nelson
Monday, March 4, 2013
Rapid Canyon Formation - Carl Froede | Creation Superconference 2012
Carl Froede talks about how a little Grand Canyon in Georgia formed in just a few years. Catastrophic processes likely formed most of the geologic formations we see, such as the Grand Canyon and the mountains, etc over a short period of time, not millions of billions of years like the evolutionists NEED.
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Christian Roots of Science - Dr. Jonathan Sarfati | 2012 Creation Superconference
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| Click the image to get this talk on DVD. |
Learn how the Christian worldview provided the assumptions required for comprehending how science worked at all. See also why a straightforward understanding of our world from the biblical context motivated further great advances. Also learn the real truth about Galileo and the myth of flat-earth belief.
Dr Jonathan D. Sarfati B.Sc. (Hons.), Ph.D., F.M.
Creationist Physical Chemist and Spectroscopist (Australia)
Biography
Dr Jonathan Sarfati was born in Ararat, Australia in 1964. He moved to New Zealand as a child and later studied science at Victoria University of Wellington. He obtained a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Chemistry with two physics papers substituted (nuclear and condensed matter physics). His Ph.D. in Chemistry was awarded for a thesis entitled ‘A Spectroscopic Study of some Chalcogenide Ring and Cage Molecules’. He has co-authored papers in mainstream scientific journals on high temperature superconductors and selenium-containing ring and cage-shaped molecules. He also had a co-authored paper on high-temperature superconductors published in Nature when he was 22.Dr Sarfati has been a Christian since 1984. He has long been interested in apologetics, the defense of the faith, and was a co-founder of the Wellington Christian Apologetics Society (New Zealand).1 Creation vs evolution is of course a vital area, because of the ramifications for the doctrines of Creation, the Fall which brought death into the world, and their links to the doctrines of the Incarnation, Atonement and Bodily Resurrection of the God-man Jesus Christ.
In August 1996, he returned to the country of his birth to take up a position as a research scientist and editorial consultant for Creation Ministries International in Brisbane. In this capacity, he is co-editor of Creation magazine, and also writes and reviews articles for Journal of Creation, CMI’s in-depth peer-reviewed publication, as well as contributing to CMI’s
In 1999, his first book was published—Refuting Evolution, which countered a teachers guidebook by the National Academy of Sciences, Teaching about Evolution and the Nature of Science, which had been widely circulated and publicized. Refuting Evolution now has 450,000 copies in print. Later that year he was a co-author of the updated and expanded Answers Book [note: now entitled The Creation Answers Book], answering 20 of the most-asked questions about creation/evolution. He later wrote Refuting Evolution 2, countering the PBS Evolution series and an anticreationist article in Scientific American.
In 2004, he wrote Refuting Compromise, defending a straightforward biblical creation timeline and a global flood, and answering biblical and scientific objections, concentrating on the errant teachings of day-age/local flood advocate Hugh Ross. It has been acclaimed as ‘the most powerful biblical and scientific defense of a straightforward view of Genesis creation ever written!’ See the introductory chapter and some reviews.
In 2006, he co-authored 15 Reasons to Take Genesis as History with Don Batten, as a concise reference guide for Christians, including pastors and theologians, why Genesis can be trusted as real history of Creation about 6000 years ago and a global Flood.
In 2008, he finished By Design: Evidence for nature’s Intelligent Designer—the God of the Bible. This demonstrates many examples of design in many areas, shows why chemical evolution can’t explain the origin of first life, and answers many objections to the Intelligent Design movement by invoking the biblical Creation-Fall model.
In 2010, Dr Sarfati wrote The Greatest Hoax on Earth? Refuting Dawkins on evolution, a response to leading atheopath Richard Dawkins’ latest book The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (see website).
That year, Dr Sarfati emigrated to the USA with his wife to work in the CMI–USA office as speaker and Head Scientist.
In 2012, he considerably expanded and updated a classic general apologetics book, Christianity for Skeptics, by Dr Steve Kumar of New Zealand. This presents a positive case for the existence of God, the inspiration of the Bible, and the divinity and resurrection of Christ, and answers challenges from suffering, atheism, Eastern philosophy, and Islam. The update now also contains cutting edge material on design in nature, the Christian roots of science, and answering the ‘new atheists’.
Dr Sarfati is also a keen chess player. He is a former New Zealand Chess Champion, and represented New Zealand in three Chess Olympiads, and drew with Boris Spassky, world champion 1969–1972, in a tournament game (those interested in the game score can see this chess site). In 1988, F.I.D.E., the International Chess Federation, awarded him the title of F.I.D.E. Master (FM). Dr Sarfati regularly accepts challenges from multiple players where he plays ‘blindfold’, i.e. from memory without sight or any physical contact with the board, so moves are communicated via a recognized chess notation (See an example at the Croydon Chess Club). Twelve is the most played simultaneously to date—see photo, above right.
Dr Sarfati is married with one stepson and two grand-daughters.
Education
- B.Sc. (Hons.) in Chemistry (with condensed matter and nuclear physics papers substituted)
- Ph.D. in Spectroscopy (Physical Chemistry)
Honors/Awards/Associations
- 1988, F.I.D.E. Master title, The International Chess Federation
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