“You’re talking about the Catholic Church I believe.. they don’t define Christianity. ”
The Catholic Church defined Christianity for over 1600 years – it even decided which books would be in the NT, and which would not. As usual, you lack knowledge.
An exaptation is just one example of a characteristic that evolved, but that is not considered an adaptation. Stephen Gould and Elizabeth Vrba proposed the vocabulary to let biologists talk about features that are and are not adaptations:
Adaptation
A feature produced by natural selection for its current function (such as echolocation in bats).
Exaptation
A feature that performs a function, but that was not produced by natural selection for its current use. Perhaps the feature was produced by natural selection for a function other than the one it currently performs and was then co-opted for its current function.
For example, feathers might have originally arisen in the context of selection for insulation, and only later were they co-opted for flight. In this case, the general form of feathers is an adaptation for insulation and an exaptation for flight.
Ruth, I have often wondered if these healings which take place in Churches are real, would it not make more sense for Churches to liquidate and set up shop in every hospital in the world. Now that would be a testimony.
Well, I think their answer would be that this healing is only for believers and not everyone in the hospital is a believer. And I do think the Bible says that the ill person should request this of their elders.
That having been said, none of the healings that I am personally aware of have been miraculous in nature. Rare on occasion, but still with perfection natural explanations.
My friend who tells her story about her child with scoliosis fails to mention in her testimony that the healing service was the week prior to her child’s final visit with the specialist, where he had already told them she was making progress and that he thought her spinal correction therapy should be coming to a close. They were praying for a result that had already been predicted.
The two people who had cancer that I mentioned? Their physicians had already given the little hope and only months to live.
If someone being “healed” or getting over an illness is god’s grace and mercy, then when sick children die, is that the opposite of god’s grace?
If suffering and dying children are not a sign that god has abandoned them or that he has refused to heal them, then why do we suggest that people getting well has anything to do with god?
So think of all people you know who were sick but got better. Now imagine all the children with horrible and painful diseases that suffer and die. If god looks out for the physical well being of some, why doesn’t he take care of the children?
I’m only suggesting that people who eventually get over their illnesses are in no way good or compelling evidence for divine healing.
Macro evolution has much more empirical evidence than the bible has for being from god.
at a quick survey glance, macro evolution has:
1. DNA
2. Fossil record. Older species being deeper, with transitional species being not as deep, with modern species being at the top. Additionally, similarities that one would expect through macro evolution are present.
3. observable evolution on a smaller scale (micro evolution) – which shows us in real time that species evolve.
4. correct predictions, both made and observed from, and through, the above
and for the bible’s divine claims:
1. a book, written by men, that claims to speak for god, which has more that 41,000 recognized interpretations…
“I realize that there could be possible explanations.. but what are they? It’s like turning the atheist’s argument around.. what would it take for you to believe it’s something of a supernatural source? Clearly, video will never be enough.” – Kathy
Kathy, it would take about the same that it took for those in the bible – witnessing first hand some indisputable supernatural event – like a loved one rising from the dead, or growing limbs back onto a legless or arm-less person I knew, or parting the red sea, or fire from heaven that consumed an alter I built, or the sun moving backwards after asking god to do that, etc…
“They all attempt to, but they fail. Christianity is the only religion (faith) that gives a reasonable explanation (for our existence).” – Kathy
Kathy, you’re just making a baseless claim. What are the reasonable explanations?
Are you referring to genesis 1 and 2? Where god made the universe in 6 days, less than 10 thousand years ago, when all the physical evidence points towards the earth being millions and millions of years old? Are you referring to genesis 1 and 2, chapters that cant agree on where god brought the birds from?
Or are you referring to a perfect god, who needs and lacks nothing, that wanted or needed to create people to worship him, telling him how great he is? a god who made man fallible, and decided to punish them for being fallible, and then made a rule where he had to sacrifice his own son, who is also himself, to save all of mankind, while only saving some and condemning the rest?
In what way does the bible giver a reasonable explanation?
1 Cor 2:14 seems a lot like the “Emperor’s New Clothes” and may be only written there to try an explain why the bible doesn’t make sense.
“oh, it’s just that it doesn’t appear to make sense to sinful people, while righteous people will understand it perfectly… you are righteous aren’t you? If you were sinful, that would be bad, but you look very righteous, so i am sure you understand what I’m talking about…”
“oh, it’s just that foolish people cant see the clothes I’m making, because these clothes are so special, that only the wise can see them. You do see them right? You’re not an idiot are you? You look smart, so i’m sure you see how marvelous these clothes are…”
Or are you referring to a perfect god, who needs and lacks nothing, that wanted or needed to create people to worship him, telling him how great he is? a god who made man fallible, and decided to punish them for being fallible, and then made a rule where he had to sacrifice his own son, who is also himself, to save all of mankind, while only saving some and condemning the rest?
Numbers 31:31-40 (NLT)
31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.
32 The plunder remaining from everything the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep and goats, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys, 35 and 32,000 virgin girls.
36 Half of the plunder was given to the fighting men. It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats, 37 of which 675 were the Lord’s share; 38 36,000 cattle, of which 72 were the Lord’s share; 39 30,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the Lord’s share; 40 and 16,000 virgin girls, of whom 32 were the Lord’s share.
2.) Have a man take your wives and have sex with them in public for all to see ?
2 Samuel 12:
11 “‘Because of what you have done, I, the LORD, will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will do this to you openly in the sight of all Israel.'”
I have had many Christians admit these events are totally unacceptable but will say , “God’s ways are not always explainable , we just have to trust and believe”
My wife is a Christian and I showed her the surveillance video of the supposed “ghost” and she was not very impressed. I don’t think she is going to worry about ghosts lurking about anytime soon.
There are plenty of normal explanations for it:
1. Something small on the lens of the camera.
2. Cross-video feed as Ken explained sounds reasonable (I don’t see the “ghost” going behind anything.)
3. The guy wanted to get on TV and doctored the videos. Sitting watching cameras all day must be pretty boring.
Why should we add so many assumptions when something is not readily explained? Dead people coming back to life (or demons) walking around police stations? Does God give them the power to control small amounts of atoms so they can appear like foggy humans walking around?
I have had many Christians admit these events are totally unacceptable but will say , “God’s ways are not always explainable , we just have to trust and believe”
Well, yeah, kc. God’s ways are higher(?) than our ways. You can’t possibly understand his reason for commanding these things. He is God and you have no right to judge him. You have no excuse not to worship him.
Finding Truth 
“What could possibly convince a middle-aged (if you live to be 100!) high school dropout that they possess THE TRUTH?”
Debating on a blog full of liberals.
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“You’re talking about the Catholic Church I believe.. they don’t define Christianity. ”
The Catholic Church defined Christianity for over 1600 years – it even decided which books would be in the NT, and which would not. As usual, you lack knowledge.
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“Debating on a blog full of liberals.” – And very little sense.
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Of possible interest:
An exaptation is just one example of a characteristic that evolved, but that is not considered an adaptation. Stephen Gould and Elizabeth Vrba proposed the vocabulary to let biologists talk about features that are and are not adaptations:
Adaptation
A feature produced by natural selection for its current function (such as echolocation in bats).
Exaptation
A feature that performs a function, but that was not produced by natural selection for its current use. Perhaps the feature was produced by natural selection for a function other than the one it currently performs and was then co-opted for its current function.
For example, feathers might have originally arisen in the context of selection for insulation, and only later were they co-opted for flight. In this case, the general form of feathers is an adaptation for insulation and an exaptation for flight.
The Knowledge Guild
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something for the senses 🙂
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Thanks, Portal! That was beautiful.
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Ruth, I have often wondered if these healings which take place in Churches are real, would it not make more sense for Churches to liquidate and set up shop in every hospital in the world. Now that would be a testimony.
Well, I think their answer would be that this healing is only for believers and not everyone in the hospital is a believer. And I do think the Bible says that the ill person should request this of their elders.
That having been said, none of the healings that I am personally aware of have been miraculous in nature. Rare on occasion, but still with perfection natural explanations.
My friend who tells her story about her child with scoliosis fails to mention in her testimony that the healing service was the week prior to her child’s final visit with the specialist, where he had already told them she was making progress and that he thought her spinal correction therapy should be coming to a close. They were praying for a result that had already been predicted.
The two people who had cancer that I mentioned? Their physicians had already given the little hope and only months to live.
LikeLike
If someone being “healed” or getting over an illness is god’s grace and mercy, then when sick children die, is that the opposite of god’s grace?
If suffering and dying children are not a sign that god has abandoned them or that he has refused to heal them, then why do we suggest that people getting well has anything to do with god?
So think of all people you know who were sick but got better. Now imagine all the children with horrible and painful diseases that suffer and die. If god looks out for the physical well being of some, why doesn’t he take care of the children?
I’m only suggesting that people who eventually get over their illnesses are in no way good or compelling evidence for divine healing.
LikeLike
Macro evolution has much more empirical evidence than the bible has for being from god.
at a quick survey glance, macro evolution has:
1. DNA
2. Fossil record. Older species being deeper, with transitional species being not as deep, with modern species being at the top. Additionally, similarities that one would expect through macro evolution are present.
3. observable evolution on a smaller scale (micro evolution) – which shows us in real time that species evolve.
4. correct predictions, both made and observed from, and through, the above
and for the bible’s divine claims:
1. a book, written by men, that claims to speak for god, which has more that 41,000 recognized interpretations…
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“I realize that there could be possible explanations.. but what are they? It’s like turning the atheist’s argument around.. what would it take for you to believe it’s something of a supernatural source? Clearly, video will never be enough.” – Kathy
Kathy, it would take about the same that it took for those in the bible – witnessing first hand some indisputable supernatural event – like a loved one rising from the dead, or growing limbs back onto a legless or arm-less person I knew, or parting the red sea, or fire from heaven that consumed an alter I built, or the sun moving backwards after asking god to do that, etc…
You know, the typical stuff.
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“They all attempt to, but they fail. Christianity is the only religion (faith) that gives a reasonable explanation (for our existence).” – Kathy
Kathy, you’re just making a baseless claim. What are the reasonable explanations?
Are you referring to genesis 1 and 2? Where god made the universe in 6 days, less than 10 thousand years ago, when all the physical evidence points towards the earth being millions and millions of years old? Are you referring to genesis 1 and 2, chapters that cant agree on where god brought the birds from?
Or are you referring to a perfect god, who needs and lacks nothing, that wanted or needed to create people to worship him, telling him how great he is? a god who made man fallible, and decided to punish them for being fallible, and then made a rule where he had to sacrifice his own son, who is also himself, to save all of mankind, while only saving some and condemning the rest?
In what way does the bible giver a reasonable explanation?
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Thanks gliese 🙂
I like it, glad you got something out if it too 🙂
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@ Ryan,
The scenery in that video is amazing!
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1 Cor 2:14 seems a lot like the “Emperor’s New Clothes” and may be only written there to try an explain why the bible doesn’t make sense.
“oh, it’s just that it doesn’t appear to make sense to sinful people, while righteous people will understand it perfectly… you are righteous aren’t you? If you were sinful, that would be bad, but you look very righteous, so i am sure you understand what I’m talking about…”
“oh, it’s just that foolish people cant see the clothes I’m making, because these clothes are so special, that only the wise can see them. You do see them right? You’re not an idiot are you? You look smart, so i’m sure you see how marvelous these clothes are…”
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1 Cor 2:14 seems a lot like the “Emperor’s New Clothes” and may be only written there to try an explain why the bible doesn’t make sense.
Or another way of saying, ‘you have to believe in order to believe’.
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Some friends and I take trips snowboarding in Victoria, Hotham. This year we went to Falls Creek instead.
Love the feeling….although I have never dropped off slopes like that! 😛 I’ve drilled myself on far less impressive runs…fell off a box onto my wrist.
Kind of like this, but in the snow….and admittedly more swearing
So much fun though. Most favouritest sport. Managed to do every run on the mountain while we were there 🙂
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Great video, Portal !
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I mean the scenic one ! LOL
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Makes perfect sense =)
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Dave, it’s the only thing that makes sense
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Ruth,
Yeah, I’m a big fan of the snow!
Kc,
haha I assumed so 🙂
Have a great morning ya’ll
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When is it ever acceptable to:
1.)Take young virgin girls as your prize of war ?
Numbers 31:31-40 (NLT)
31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.
32 The plunder remaining from everything the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep and goats, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys, 35 and 32,000 virgin girls.
36 Half of the plunder was given to the fighting men. It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats, 37 of which 675 were the Lord’s share; 38 36,000 cattle, of which 72 were the Lord’s share; 39 30,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the Lord’s share; 40 and 16,000 virgin girls, of whom 32 were the Lord’s share.
2.) Have a man take your wives and have sex with them in public for all to see ?
2 Samuel 12:
11 “‘Because of what you have done, I, the LORD, will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will do this to you openly in the sight of all Israel.'”
I have had many Christians admit these events are totally unacceptable but will say , “God’s ways are not always explainable , we just have to trust and believe”
LikeLike
My wife is a Christian and I showed her the surveillance video of the supposed “ghost” and she was not very impressed. I don’t think she is going to worry about ghosts lurking about anytime soon.
There are plenty of normal explanations for it:
1. Something small on the lens of the camera.
2. Cross-video feed as Ken explained sounds reasonable (I don’t see the “ghost” going behind anything.)
3. The guy wanted to get on TV and doctored the videos. Sitting watching cameras all day must be pretty boring.
Why should we add so many assumptions when something is not readily explained? Dead people coming back to life (or demons) walking around police stations? Does God give them the power to control small amounts of atoms so they can appear like foggy humans walking around?
LikeLike
I have had many Christians admit these events are totally unacceptable but will say , “God’s ways are not always explainable , we just have to trust and believe”
Well, yeah, kc. God’s ways are higher(?) than our ways. You can’t possibly understand his reason for commanding these things. He is God and you have no right to judge him. You have no excuse not to worship him.
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