Two reasons we don't know where the Garden of Eden is

We don't know where the ark drifted in relation to its point of departure.

During and at the end of the flood, the geography was changed.

The Monkees spoof w/ creationism

Not a great video, but the imitation in the music is great and the lyrics are terribly witty and true.

Free Online Answers Magazine

Check it out here.

Book Report-- In The Beginning Was Information

In the Beginning Was Information M
by Dr Werner Gitt

Non-fiction

Despite the deep, super-technical content, I was able to learn a few things.

Mr. Gitt outlines his many theorems of information and in the process makes a great case for intelligent design. I was struck by the simple truth that the simple existence of information points to a Creator. The basic argument (I hope I summarize well) is that the universe consists of matter, energy, and information. Information determines how matter and energy operate. Matter and energy cannot generate information.

He then applies these theorems to the Bible. Not to the areas of intelligent design necessarily, but to the Scriptures as a source of information. Quite interesting.

Perhaps my favorite reading though, were the appendices. He includes a lot of real life natural examples for his complex equations and theorems.

Movie Review-- The Privileged Planet

The Privileged Planet

Genre: Documentary

Summary: Scientist discuss the design of earth that indicates privileged existence and opportunity for discovery

My Grade: %98


Pros:

• Visually stunning
• As far as I understand the scientific topics, it is unchallengable in fact
• Amazing collection of science- the existence of a moon, the size of the sun, the thickness of the earth's crust- all by design
• Eclipses- amazing, and amazing proof
• The realization that earth is the optimal position for astronomical discovery- new to me.
  

Cons:

• There is something soul-aching about seeing all this design, noting it, challenging Darwin, and not clearly concluding that God created it
  

Intel from the battle:

To the degree that you trust such polls, take note of the amount of Christianity that acknowledges evolution. Let us be active in tearing down this argument and pretension.

This Day in History...

200 years ago, Charles Darwin was born. In light of this, there is a significant campaign amongst evolutionists and even churches to memorialize his influence and progress his atheistic agenda in large measures. Thanks to Answers in Genesis for their resistance.

What I didn't know (until today):

• His middle name is Robert
• He lived for 73 years

What most people don't know: Life Doesn't Revolve Around Darwin

Mammals you may have never heard of...

Why did God create these species? And those we haven't yet discovered? I'm not sure we'll be able to explain their existence other than that their variety and uniqueness describes a creative Creator.

No, these are not from a Star Wars planet:

Above: Tree Kangaroo

Above: Tasmanian Tiger (the last officially seen alive, although...)
Above: Takin

Above: Saiga

Book Report-- Remote Control

Remote Control M

by Carl Kerby

Non-Fiction

Though it's not quite what I thought, this is a useful guide to the inroads evolution has made into specific areas of the entertainment industry. It also heightened my senses to detect those inroads in other movies, shows, and books this book has not addressed.

I didn't think this book carried the concept far enough. The power Hollywood has on today's culture is not limited to evolutionary influences. The immorality, hedonism, narcisism, apathy, multiculturalism, etc of our culture is rampant in all that is Hollywood and would quadruple the size of the book.

Creation Conference

Our regular annual Bible Conference this year focused on Creation. It's not that I don't like Dispensationalism or the History of Fundamentalism, but Creation is just exciting.

I was unfortunately unable to attend but 4 of the sessions. The topics ranged from Dinosaurs and Men to the Big Bang Theory to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.

I held myself back duing the Q &A time, yearning to hear answers to my questions from the mind of such a man as John Whitcomb. My questions, however, are still hardly clarified in my own mind and would require more of a dialogue format.

Of the plethora of good information, a few specific bits stood out:

Dr. John Meyer revealed a convincing diagram showing the amount of land actually above sea level and the amount of water in the ocean. It was entirely clear how a rearranging of the heights and depths could allow a worldwide flood and then contain all the same water.

From D. Mortensen's lecture on the big bang, I was able to see the glaring inconsistency of progressive creationists more than I ever have before. He pointed out that these progressive creationists choose to believe that evolutionists, as scientists, have gotten it right with the big bang and millions of years and work to make the Bible say the same thing. However, the ignore what the same scientists are saying about the future of a big bang-originated, billion-year-old universe-- that it will end in heat death, or a complete frozen state. In this case, the progressive creationists choose unwaveringly to believe the end prescribed by Scripture, the exact opposite.

John Whitcomb on The Moon: Its Creation, Form, and Significance

I met Dr. John Whitcomb today at our Bible Conference on Creation. I spoke with him briefly before one of his addresses and asked him to sign a book I own that he wrote- The Moon: Its Creation, Form, and Significance. They apparently distributed this book, first printed in 1978, to all the Apollo astronauts. He told me he received a response from one, Charles Duke, that he had become a Christian since going to the moon.

I have honestly not read the entire book. I had started it but put it on hold when my school reading started getting to be a lot.

On Location: The Creation Museum

By Answers in Genesis

Petersburg, KY

Where to begin? There were so many things for which applause is due. Nothing was done half-way. Nothing was cheap, cheesy or, regrettable. That said, allow me to specify:

• The grounds are spectacular. Not extensive, but enjoyable outdoor landscaping adorns the approach to the building. After paying for admission (waiting in line for 15min- suprising, since they've been open for a year), we went straight outside so we could enjoy it before it got hot. Waterfalls, lush vegetation, bridges and walkways, even a petting zoo (which we did not view, having just visited a zoo).



• The museum is centered around the 7 C's Walkthrough. This exhibit takes up half of the museum and takes at least 2 hrs (booking it). The "7 C's" is the AIG timeline history: Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, Consumation. Obviously, the first four are found in Genesis and make up the bulk of the exhibit. Spectacular detail, an abundance of information, and a solid foundation on God's Word overwhelms one with the truth of Genesis and its implications for our world today. Even though #5 Christ and #6 Cross aren't specifically in Genesis, they are the emphasis of the whole exhibit through the presentation "The Last Adam".



• Of the other supplementary exhibits, the planetarium deserves primary note. The program we viewed focuse on astronomy, shockingly enough. It explored the size of the (known) universe and made me feel small and insignificant, like David in Psalm 8. It was amazingly created and very interesting.



• Other features included the unignorable dinosaur statues that adorned the foyer and exhibits. I did want to explore further some of the specifics of what they believe about Dinos, but that shall be dealt with in a future post. There were also many exquisite fossils strewn throughout the museum. The special effects theater was an entertaining hiatus from the deep information dripping from the rest of the walls.



• We had the pleasure of an on the spot lecture by Dr. David Menton, discussing comparative anatomy between "Lucy" and primates. Very cool to hear and to be able to mingle w/ the staff.



• We saw Ken Ham.

Conspiracy Theory: Location of Eden

Where is the Garden of Eden? Is it still in the Middle East?
Was it ever there?

Let us research what we do know. Eden was the abode of unfallen Adam and Eve in an unfallen world. It was sourced in four rivers, the Pishon, Gihon, Euphrates, and the Tigris.
After sin, the humans were expelled and the garden was guarded by Cherubim.
It is mentioned again only in prophecy.

To track it since then will require consideration of other factors, especially the flood. The flood covered the earth in water and caused major geographical upheaval. God's means of dispelling the water was further geographic reconstruction. One conclusion may be the destruction of Eden here.

Another conclusion, assuming the Garden would survive, would assume that the pre-flood civilization lived near the flood and this is the same area in which Noah eventually landed. The proximity of the pre-flood civilization to Eden is hard to determine. This conclusion would also require maintaining that Noah landed in the same geographical location, having floated for more than a year. Further, it would necessitate the belief that the pre-flood geography remained unchanged during the flood. The reference to the Euphrates and the Tigris seems to imply this, but equally likely is that rivers in the post-flood world were named after rivers of (then) history. This may explain the naming of only two rivers. This may also explain the lack of a discovery of Eden in Mesopotamia, despite it being the center of human existence for more than 4000 years.

Finally, if the garden did survive but resides in a different geographical location than its last mention, it could truly be anywhere on the earth. Because of God's desire to keep the Garden and specifically the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil from men, the garden may be hidden away in an unreachable location- Antarctica, the bottom of the Mariana Trench, etc. Even if remote and unreachable, the presence of guradian Cherubim may also result in mysterious happenings in it vicinity. This leads me to my actual conspiracy theory: the Garden of Eden is located on the ocean floor in the center of the Bermuda Triangle.

Movie Review-- Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

Expelled: No Intelliegence Allowed

Genre: Documentary

Summary: Ben Stein explores the censoring of intelligent design in our society.

My Grade: 90%

Pros:

-Ben Stein approaches the issue from the Intelligent Design perspective (see cons below). This gives much credence to the science behind ID and Creationism, as it proves that one does not have to have a religious agenda to deny Darwin/Evolution.

-Ben reveals that the war between Evolution and ID is not the informed vs. the uniformed or facts vs. faith. The issue is the worldview with which one approaches the facts. He demonstrates, very well, that evolution is based on an humanistic, anti-supernaturalist worldview. He gets Richard Dawkins, a leading evolutionist, to admit this and other embarrassing-for-an-evolutionist things. See it just for that.

-Though disparaged by many, I enjoyed the lighthearted approach sometimes displayed throughout. The random clips of old movies added to the message and simultaneously avoided typical documentary format of long shots and boring monologues.

-He interviews a really interesting guy named David Berlinski. He's ridiculously intelligent and -has a bunch of sweet books I want to read.

-He interviews a guy from Iowa.

-Though not thouroughly academic, Ben publicly addresses an issue that has been repressed and one-sided. The minority (or majority?) is being heard.

Cons:

-The film only discusses the issue from an ID perspective. It misses the fact that science validates what "religious radicals" have been saying all along. Coversely, it gives a somewhat poor representation of Creationists. Surprising, because, though I know Ben Stein is not a Christian, he is a Jew and should be a Creationist himself.