Hi Everyone,
I have good news.
It seems this blog site is not USER FRIENDLY !!! Several of you have tried to post but due to technical difficulties you have not done so. Thank you for your input by contacting me directly. Chen is currently spearheading the project to see how best we can make this user friendly. You will be updated ASAP
I have the latest news about the this website an its reorganization.
Dr. Jang Allen and I have discuss this quite extensively, that is the goal(s) of our website.
Christian or secular statistics show that we are losing our young adults, University , College, High School " Christians" at a very alarming rate. The most important reason is that these group of "Christians" were not properly armed to go out to the secular world to survive let alone witness for Christ. Take a moment and ask yourself two basic questions:
1) Do you believe Christ died physically and was resurrected as the Bible claim. Can you coherently defend that position
2) Do you really believe the Bible to be infallible. Can you articulate in a logical manner so as not to mention the God of the Gap theory?
In other words the it is VERY IMPORTANT to be able to defend your faith in a Logical, Coherent, Irenic manner. We must strive to achieve: Develop a heart and mind for our Lord.
Yes, our website will continue to be the clearinghouse for different information. But the main emphasis will be to help us grow in our hearts and minds that is emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.
Please pray for the growth of this website so that we can advance our goals for the Lord
Blessings
Eric
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Big Bang and Time
Good morning, dear brother. Since I couldn't sleep through all the things happening during the night, I decided to make good use of my time and explain a little more about White Hole and Gravitational Time Dilation. Albert Einsten, Ph.D. in Physics, said that time can slow down at different places in the universe based upon space warping due to massive gravitational objects. This can be found succintly put in this astronomy website:http://woodside.blogs.com/cosmologycuriosity/2006/06/gravitational_t.htmlNo one had any serious problems with it. Then Stephen Hawkings, Ph.D. in Physics, built upon Einstein and stated that time can slow down at different places in the universe in what he called a gravity well ("the lower [in a gravity well] the slower")http://woodside.blogs.com/cosmologycuriosity/2006/06/hawkings_astron.htmlAgain, no one had any serious problems with it. Then experiments with atomic clocks at sea level, mile high Colorado, and in high altitude airplanes showed a successive but minute difference in time aging to demonstrate experimentally that what Hawkings said is true. But then when a Christian who has a Ph.D. in Physics used what the secular scientific community has used to explain away the time paradox of Creation and apparent ages, then atheists had problems with it because they didn't want Christians to have a reasonable explanation. This is intellectual hypocrisy (i.e., "it's scientific for me, but unscientific for you"). EXPLANATION: When D. Russell Humphreys explained how Einstein and Hawkings show how the earth can be literally only a few thousand years old while at the same time starlight, the 4K background radiation, etc. does show that the universe can indeed be billions of years old. How can this be? Humphreys said that Einstein and Hawkings make possible the use of two different clocks, one within the event horizon (until it was eclipsed by the shrinking and then disappearing White Hole [shrinking because it's ejecting all the known physical matter and energy and even time out into the known universe in order to create everything at the Big Bang, which was what led to the emptying of the White Hole] and one outside the event horizon, namely the rest of the universe out to its edge or 4K background radiation that was ejected after the Big Bang. Due to super gravitational well, time inside the event horizon (i.e., Earth) would be aging very slowly--in the thousands of years at the Creation, Big Bang, or Genesis--while time outside the event horizon would be aging super "fast" (now known as "normal" time because we now live in this part of the universe). The problem is that Humphreys (this first camp includes most ICR scientists) try to use this mainstream idea to argue that there was not a Big Bang but that was unnecessary since many other Christian physicists (a second camp) said that this basically sound argument can be used with the Big Bang as God's moment of Creation. I'm with this second camp. I believe God could've used the Big Bang to create and that the universe can indeed be billions of years old, and yet, measured from the Earth, God did do it all in 6 literal days! P.S. You can post this on your blog if you wish!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Atheists Summer Camp
http://www.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/2023517.html
Above is the link or you can read the story below. What are your thoughts on Athsists Summer Camp?
In a couple of days I will be posting ' Evil and God.' Would like you to consider and share your thoughts on that when it is posted.
Blessings
Eric
Atheists put own stamp on summer camp in Sierra foothills
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the_sacrament682:/101/story/2023517.html
Buzz up!
By Jennifer Garza jgarza@sacbee.com q{
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Published: Tuesday, Jul. 14, 2009 - 12:00 am Page 1A Last Modified: Tuesday, Jul. 14, 2009 - 8:49 am
NEVADA CITY – At Camp Quest, campers may not believe in God, but they do have faith in their community.
On Sunday evening, 49 children from across the western United States arrived at the camp nestled in the hills outside Nevada City. It is one of five summer camps in the country for the children of atheists and other nonbelievers.
In a campground in Malakoff Diggins State Historical Park, the campers have many of the traditional summer experiences. They practice archery in the meadow, participate in team competitions and gather around the campfire at night to sing.
Their activities, however, have a decidedly secular twist.
Campers play games that encourage critical thinking such as one called Evolution and another where they are asked to prove something invisible doesn't exist.
Before meals, they learn about freethinking heroes such as Margaret Sanger and Isaac Asimov. Many of their camps songs promote rational thought such as their version of this children's classic:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
You're a ball of gas that's very far
32 light years in the sky
10 parsecs which is really high...
Here, it's all about celebrating their belief in not believing.
"It's important for them to have a place to learn how to investigate the world and to not accept what they hear," said camp director Chris Lindstrom of Los Altos. "Plus the kids enjoy meeting other kids from similar families."
It makes them feel a part of a larger community.
Atheism has been a subject of several recent best-sellers, including Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" and Christopher Hitchens' "God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything."
Nonbelievers make up a small part of the population. According to the Pew Forum's 2007 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, 1.6 percent of the adult population consider themselves atheist; 2.4 percent call themselves agnostic.
Camp Quest, which started in 1996 in Ohio, is now offered in Minnesota, Michigan, Tennessee, Ontario and California. Attendance at the California camp, officially called Camp Quest West, has gone from 14 to 49 in four years.
Campers attribute the growth to positive word of mouth on atheist chat sites.
Soon after the campers arrived Sunday, they gathered outside the dining hall. The children's ages range from 9 to 17. Most campers are from California; some traveled from as far as New Mexico.
After a brief introduction, they heard how Socrates questioned the religion of his day. Afterward, the campers headed inside for a spaghetti dinner. One joked aloud that here, at least, they wouldn't have to say grace.
Everyone who heard him laughed.
Many campers said they were relieved to be with kids from other atheist families.
"I live in a small town and at my school a lot of the kids will flaunt their religion," said Cameron Musser, 16, who wanted to attend the camp to be around other nonbelievers. "We don't have to worry about that here."
Rebekah Hinckley, 12, learned about the camp from her parents, who thought it was worth the drive from Oxnard and the $450 cost of the six-night camp.
While their parents are atheists or freethinkers, many of the children said they are unsure of their beliefs. Hinckley said she is not ready to label herself an atheist.
"I don't really believe in God," said Hinckley. "But really, I'm just not sure."
That's exactly the kind of thinking-for-yourself that is encouraged at Camp Quest.
One lesson in critical thinking involved a campfire story about an invisible monster name Schree. Camp staffers pretend they believe that a monster exists because their parents told them so or a friend who told them about it is really cool. They promise to pay a camper $10 to prove it doesn't exist. No camper has ever won.
"It helps them learn that these kind of arguments don't go anywhere," said Lindstrom. "And that they shouldn't believe everything they hear."
Several campers have been to Camp Quest before. This is the camp's fourth season. Last year was canceled because of nearby fires.
Alexa Garcia, a 13-year-old from Albany, has attended the camp twice. She likes the camp philosophy but also the activities. "I don't consider myself anything right now. I just like the camp," she said.
At 10, Lili Thorson is one of the youngest campers. Her father picked out the camp for her. Lili does not know what she believes or doesn't believe, though. "My dad told me I'm too young to decide yet."
Above is the link or you can read the story below. What are your thoughts on Athsists Summer Camp?
In a couple of days I will be posting ' Evil and God.' Would like you to consider and share your thoughts on that when it is posted.
Blessings
Eric
Atheists put own stamp on summer camp in Sierra foothills
ShareThis
the_sacrament682:/101/story/2023517.html
Buzz up!
By Jennifer Garza jgarza@sacbee.com q{
[/mi/pubsys/story/bug]
} &-->
//$(document).ready(function(){
// $("#bug").dialog("autoOpen","false");
//});
Published: Tuesday, Jul. 14, 2009 - 12:00 am Page 1A Last Modified: Tuesday, Jul. 14, 2009 - 8:49 am
NEVADA CITY – At Camp Quest, campers may not believe in God, but they do have faith in their community.
On Sunday evening, 49 children from across the western United States arrived at the camp nestled in the hills outside Nevada City. It is one of five summer camps in the country for the children of atheists and other nonbelievers.
In a campground in Malakoff Diggins State Historical Park, the campers have many of the traditional summer experiences. They practice archery in the meadow, participate in team competitions and gather around the campfire at night to sing.
Their activities, however, have a decidedly secular twist.
Campers play games that encourage critical thinking such as one called Evolution and another where they are asked to prove something invisible doesn't exist.
Before meals, they learn about freethinking heroes such as Margaret Sanger and Isaac Asimov. Many of their camps songs promote rational thought such as their version of this children's classic:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
You're a ball of gas that's very far
32 light years in the sky
10 parsecs which is really high...
Here, it's all about celebrating their belief in not believing.
"It's important for them to have a place to learn how to investigate the world and to not accept what they hear," said camp director Chris Lindstrom of Los Altos. "Plus the kids enjoy meeting other kids from similar families."
It makes them feel a part of a larger community.
Atheism has been a subject of several recent best-sellers, including Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" and Christopher Hitchens' "God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything."
Nonbelievers make up a small part of the population. According to the Pew Forum's 2007 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, 1.6 percent of the adult population consider themselves atheist; 2.4 percent call themselves agnostic.
Camp Quest, which started in 1996 in Ohio, is now offered in Minnesota, Michigan, Tennessee, Ontario and California. Attendance at the California camp, officially called Camp Quest West, has gone from 14 to 49 in four years.
Campers attribute the growth to positive word of mouth on atheist chat sites.
Soon after the campers arrived Sunday, they gathered outside the dining hall. The children's ages range from 9 to 17. Most campers are from California; some traveled from as far as New Mexico.
After a brief introduction, they heard how Socrates questioned the religion of his day. Afterward, the campers headed inside for a spaghetti dinner. One joked aloud that here, at least, they wouldn't have to say grace.
Everyone who heard him laughed.
Many campers said they were relieved to be with kids from other atheist families.
"I live in a small town and at my school a lot of the kids will flaunt their religion," said Cameron Musser, 16, who wanted to attend the camp to be around other nonbelievers. "We don't have to worry about that here."
Rebekah Hinckley, 12, learned about the camp from her parents, who thought it was worth the drive from Oxnard and the $450 cost of the six-night camp.
While their parents are atheists or freethinkers, many of the children said they are unsure of their beliefs. Hinckley said she is not ready to label herself an atheist.
"I don't really believe in God," said Hinckley. "But really, I'm just not sure."
That's exactly the kind of thinking-for-yourself that is encouraged at Camp Quest.
One lesson in critical thinking involved a campfire story about an invisible monster name Schree. Camp staffers pretend they believe that a monster exists because their parents told them so or a friend who told them about it is really cool. They promise to pay a camper $10 to prove it doesn't exist. No camper has ever won.
"It helps them learn that these kind of arguments don't go anywhere," said Lindstrom. "And that they shouldn't believe everything they hear."
Several campers have been to Camp Quest before. This is the camp's fourth season. Last year was canceled because of nearby fires.
Alexa Garcia, a 13-year-old from Albany, has attended the camp twice. She likes the camp philosophy but also the activities. "I don't consider myself anything right now. I just like the camp," she said.
At 10, Lili Thorson is one of the youngest campers. Her father picked out the camp for her. Lili does not know what she believes or doesn't believe, though. "My dad told me I'm too young to decide yet."
Monday, July 13, 2009
Kingdom Triangle cont.
Part 2 . Here JP highlight the first foundation of the triangle:
1) Recovery of Knowledge.
He recommend that we 'return to the first four centuries of Christianity and take some lessons from the early church.' This way we ground Christianity in knowledge, rather than unsubstantiated faith statements.
Second foundation:
2) Develope a path of spiritual formation. His guidelines are: self-denial and reliance on God. Matthew 16: 24-26 Please take time to read these scriptures before you go further. The key to Jesus claims is that the ONLY way to find 'happiness' is to develop a life of character and virtue, a life that manifests kindness, wisdom, goodness. This classic sense of happiness is lost among us today. Instead 21th Century modern man view happiness as pleasurable satisfaction.
Third foundation:
3) Restoring the miraculous power of the Kingdom of God. We as Church of Christ members are very skirmish about this. We barely even teach, study or preach on this. We are missing a big blessings from the Kingdom of God. Spencer wrote in The Washington Times that in communist China there are millions of recent conversions to Christianity. Believers now outnumber national members national members of the Communist Party. (Richard Spencer, Millions All over China Convert to Christianity, The Washington Times, August 3,2005, A-1, A-11) What is happening here and why? Philip Jenkins distinguished historian from Pen State U. documents and attributes these growth to a God that intervenes daily in everyday life, including miraculous events. JP documents many reports of supernatural activities. I will mention one or two, end of drought in answer to Christian missionary's' prayer in a Buddhist village in Thailand resulting in over 100 families becoming Christians, significant numbers of demonic deliverance. A counter argument even among Christians would be that these are uneducated people they expect and are easily fool by such things. JP also documented miracles in US. Incidentally, JP is a distinguished professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology. Not someone to dismiss likely. Richard Swinburne and Gary Habermas ( distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University) whom I also had the good fortune and pleasure to learn under them also believes in miracles happening daily.
In conclusion: JP challenges us to Revolt. Do not let those baggage hinder you down. Instead, strive for knowledge, strive for personal discipline and practice and restore the transforming and miraculous power of God's Kingdom for Ashlan is and has always been on the move.
Blessings
1) Recovery of Knowledge.
He recommend that we 'return to the first four centuries of Christianity and take some lessons from the early church.' This way we ground Christianity in knowledge, rather than unsubstantiated faith statements.
Second foundation:
2) Develope a path of spiritual formation. His guidelines are: self-denial and reliance on God. Matthew 16: 24-26 Please take time to read these scriptures before you go further. The key to Jesus claims is that the ONLY way to find 'happiness' is to develop a life of character and virtue, a life that manifests kindness, wisdom, goodness. This classic sense of happiness is lost among us today. Instead 21th Century modern man view happiness as pleasurable satisfaction.
Third foundation:
3) Restoring the miraculous power of the Kingdom of God. We as Church of Christ members are very skirmish about this. We barely even teach, study or preach on this. We are missing a big blessings from the Kingdom of God. Spencer wrote in The Washington Times that in communist China there are millions of recent conversions to Christianity. Believers now outnumber national members national members of the Communist Party. (Richard Spencer, Millions All over China Convert to Christianity, The Washington Times, August 3,2005, A-1, A-11) What is happening here and why? Philip Jenkins distinguished historian from Pen State U. documents and attributes these growth to a God that intervenes daily in everyday life, including miraculous events. JP documents many reports of supernatural activities. I will mention one or two, end of drought in answer to Christian missionary's' prayer in a Buddhist village in Thailand resulting in over 100 families becoming Christians, significant numbers of demonic deliverance. A counter argument even among Christians would be that these are uneducated people they expect and are easily fool by such things. JP also documented miracles in US. Incidentally, JP is a distinguished professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology. Not someone to dismiss likely. Richard Swinburne and Gary Habermas ( distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University) whom I also had the good fortune and pleasure to learn under them also believes in miracles happening daily.
In conclusion: JP challenges us to Revolt. Do not let those baggage hinder you down. Instead, strive for knowledge, strive for personal discipline and practice and restore the transforming and miraculous power of God's Kingdom for Ashlan is and has always been on the move.
Blessings
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Recover the Christian Mind, renovate the Soul, restore the Spirit's Power
Two things I would like to start out with before I continue. 1) I want to thank my friend and blogger Anna who recommended that I write a book review for the readers who may want to 'thicken' their Christian Worldview, 2) I will briefly touch on Evil and will at a later time blog with you on that topic but the main bulk will be reviewing this book which I CANNOT OVEREMPHASIS it's importance in terms of Christian growth and living.
Kingdom Triangle by J.P. Moreland
He is one of my professor at Biola University whom I had the privileged to sit under his feet and learn.
This book challenges us on several levels. Among several topics, one of them is about God Hiddenness. Why does he not show Himself to us ? Are there criteria for His Presence? Does God still produce miracles in the 21th Century?
Part 1: 21th Century Worldview Crisis
J.P ,as he is affectionately known, points out that currently there is a battle currently going on between scientific naturalist, postmodernism and 'ethical monotheism.' There is a wide spread hunger to understand the ultimate question: Why do I exist and is there any meaning in my life? JP put forth a strong case that Christianity offers such and answer to our purpose here on Earth, about objective values, God and afterlife. While scientific naturalism and postmodernism fails. For example JP points out that there are six ( 6 ) key factors that must occur to have a 'rich, objective meaning to life that can be known and realized in our lives.'
These are: 1) Free will to ground our lives, 2) Real intrinsic value that can be known and factored into our lives, 3) Ability to acknowledge the reality of evil, provide an explanation of its origin and offer hope that is utlimately redeemed and defeated ( I will take up that challenge at later date), 4) Intrinsic value of human beings , 5) Must be teleology (things that happen for a purpose or future goal, 6) Must have a satisfying answer to question: Why must I be moral?
Stay tune for more
Blessings
Kingdom Triangle by J.P. Moreland
He is one of my professor at Biola University whom I had the privileged to sit under his feet and learn.
This book challenges us on several levels. Among several topics, one of them is about God Hiddenness. Why does he not show Himself to us ? Are there criteria for His Presence? Does God still produce miracles in the 21th Century?
Part 1: 21th Century Worldview Crisis
J.P ,as he is affectionately known, points out that currently there is a battle currently going on between scientific naturalist, postmodernism and 'ethical monotheism.' There is a wide spread hunger to understand the ultimate question: Why do I exist and is there any meaning in my life? JP put forth a strong case that Christianity offers such and answer to our purpose here on Earth, about objective values, God and afterlife. While scientific naturalism and postmodernism fails. For example JP points out that there are six ( 6 ) key factors that must occur to have a 'rich, objective meaning to life that can be known and realized in our lives.'
These are: 1) Free will to ground our lives, 2) Real intrinsic value that can be known and factored into our lives, 3) Ability to acknowledge the reality of evil, provide an explanation of its origin and offer hope that is utlimately redeemed and defeated ( I will take up that challenge at later date), 4) Intrinsic value of human beings , 5) Must be teleology (things that happen for a purpose or future goal, 6) Must have a satisfying answer to question: Why must I be moral?
Stay tune for more
Blessings
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Reflection on July 4th
My family trust you and your love ones had a delightful 4th July. I like to take a moment an have us reflect on the meaning of Declaration of Independence. This also tie into " Our Nation is No Longer a Christian Nation."
On this day the founders establised principles that are grounded in a higher law, namely: " the laws of nature and nature's God."
These principles include all men are created equal by that they meant certain inablienable rights not bestowed on us by government. These rights are liberty, self-government. Governments 'derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. These principles allowed us to be what we are. It is also significant to note that the signers of the Declaration closed by invoking the aid of Divine Providence and were will to 'walk the walk and talk the talk.' Many signers were captured by the British, imprisoned, displaced or even lost their love ones during the Revolutionary War.
In conclusion: It is important to reflect on this 150th anniversary of Declaration in light of the widespread ignorance of our country's history among the public today as evidenced by the national Assessment of Educational Progress Civics Test in 2006 where most eight graders could not explain the purpose of the Declaration of Independence.
Blessings
Quek family
On this day the founders establised principles that are grounded in a higher law, namely: " the laws of nature and nature's God."
These principles include all men are created equal by that they meant certain inablienable rights not bestowed on us by government. These rights are liberty, self-government. Governments 'derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. These principles allowed us to be what we are. It is also significant to note that the signers of the Declaration closed by invoking the aid of Divine Providence and were will to 'walk the walk and talk the talk.' Many signers were captured by the British, imprisoned, displaced or even lost their love ones during the Revolutionary War.
In conclusion: It is important to reflect on this 150th anniversary of Declaration in light of the widespread ignorance of our country's history among the public today as evidenced by the national Assessment of Educational Progress Civics Test in 2006 where most eight graders could not explain the purpose of the Declaration of Independence.
Blessings
Quek family
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