BIDEN BANISHES CHRISTIAN IMAGES AND CELEBRATES TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY ON EASTER SUNDAY

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Late last week, the Biden administration prohibited children from expressing their Christian faith while redesignating Easter Sunday as the “Transgender Day of Visibility.” Biden literally banished Christianity from a children’s contest celebrating its most joyful holiday while exalting a radical and harmful ideology in its place.

The Biden administration’s revolution began where all revolutions begin: with children. The 2024 “Celebrating National Guard Families” art contest, which is part of the White House Easter Egg Roll, asks children of servicemembers to submit designs for Easter eggs — but not any that highlight the actual content of Easter. The contest’s flyer instructs children they “must not include any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements.” The Biden administration banned religious imagery alongside “bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual or promotes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age.”

These rules, overseen by the nation’s “devout Catholic” president, stigmatize the majority of Americans, who believe in God. They also prohibit the families of service members, who stand ready to deploy into combat at a moment’s notice, of the free exercise of their religion. The instructions ask children to depict “a favorite activity, scenery in your state, your military family, a day in your life, etc.” But what if the child’s “favorite activity” is exclaiming, “Christ is risen!” in church on Easter morning? What if a day in this child’s life does not go by without thinking about the empty tomb that gives them eternal life? The Biden administration has deprived them of the opportunity to share their artistic gifts and win a prize, funded by all Americans. (Forget the move’s hypocrisy: Presumably, in signing his Easter proclamation, Biden did not remove the rosary he has worn around his wrist since the tragic death of his son Beau in 2015. Biden told Megyn Kelly in 2017 that rosary “is my connection with him.” For some, such religious items connect them with a Higher Power — a power they also wish to symbolize, in public, on their religion’s holiest day.)

Biden issued the official statement on Friday declaring Easter Sunday, March 31, as the “Transgender Day of Visibility.” Biden actually previewed the shift to America’s new religion in the first of his two statements celebrating the 2023 “Transgender Day of Visibility,” in which Biden declared: “Transgender Americans shape our [n]ation’s soul.”

“Transgender Americans are part of the fabric of our [n]ation,” Biden wrote. Since people who identify as transgender “help America thrive,” they deserve the “fundamental freedom to be their true selves,” Biden’s 2024 statement states.

But how can trans-identifying people do for America what they cannot do for themselves? One study found, that the moment someone begins to identify as transgender, “the most common outcomes were worsened mental well-being (47.2%); worsened parent-child relationship (57.3%); unchanged or mixed grades/academic performance (59.1%); and a narrower range of interests and hobbies (58.1%).” A growing list of whistleblowers know what everyone who works in gender clinics quietly admits: Teens who identify as transgender suffer from an array of psychological comorbidities, including autism, depression, and bipolar disorder aside from their “gender dysphoria.”

Democratic politicians continually highlight statistics showing the mental suffering and fragility of trans-identifying Americans, but they, like Biden, chalk up innate depression to “bullying and discrimination.” In the Left’s bipolar world, the LGBTQ lifestyle is both a perfectly well-adjusted path to “trans joy” and a death sentence in an America whose heteronormative and cisgender bias rivals that of Pakistan.

Biden warned darkly that “extremists are proposing hundreds of hateful laws that target and terrify transgender kids.” Extremists? In reality, 71% of Americans agree “there are two genders, male and female”; 64% of Americans support legislation barring talk of gender ideology in elementary school; and 68% believe minors should not be subjected to transgender hormone or surgeries. But in the Left’s Permanent Committee to Repeal Reality, if a same-sex relationship can be a marriage, and a man can become a woman, then 32% can be a majority.

Biden did not speak for his administration alone. Praising the new holiday became, in the Left’s Orwellian-sounding parlance, a “whole-of-government” exercise. Vice President Kamala Harris gushed, “On Transgender Day of Visibility, we celebrate transgender and nonbinary Americans,” adding, “We won’t stop fighting for you.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has seldom missed an opportunity to wage war on America’s allies, vowed to “continue to fight for a world” that aligns with transgender political priorities. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said without proof that “our country’s great transgender, nonbinary, and two-spirit leaders … epitomize resilience, progress, and joy.” Even the secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, praised the “vibrancy of the transgender community” before highlighting “our shared fight for justice.”

Christian politicians, and those not committed to the social revolution, took Biden to task for redefining Easter weekend. “It is appalling and insulting that Joe Biden’s White House prohibited children from submitting religious egg designs for their Easter Art event, and formally proclaimed Easter Sunday as ‘Trans Day of Visibility.’ Sadly, these are just two more examples of the Biden [a]dministration’s year-long assault on the Christian faith. We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” said Trump’s national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. “This is the left’s new religion. They want people worshiping the trans flag instead of God,” said Donald Trump Jr. Contrasting Biden’s commitment to transgender visibility and Chrisian erasure, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) said, “The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

The Left attempted to counterpunch, claiming the real offense is not Biden’s banishment of Christian themes from the White House but since “[t]he date of Easter moves each year, while Trans Day of Visibility is always recognized on March 31,” Sarah Kate Ellis, the CEO of the LGBTQ group GLAAD, accused “right-wing politicians and talking heads” of “using the coincidental timing to overshadow the hope and joy that Easter represents.” But Transgender World — which touts itself as a source for “queer news, debate, and resources” — posted on social media that “the Transgender Agenda’s final goal has finally been achieved: holding Trans Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday. That’s right, folks: we got ’em.” 

The Biden White House tried to portray Biden’s endorsement of gender confusion and mutilation as less offensive than President Trump endorsing and encouraging people to read the Bible. “President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit,” lectured White House spokesman Andrew Bates.

By replacing Christianity with a new holiday celebrating transgender ideology (which, one must concede, relies entirely on faith), Biden has become the new Jeroboam. When Israel made a decisive split, Jeroboam made himself king of the northern 10 tribes of Israel. To keep his people from returning to worship at the Jerusalem Temple during annual Jewish feasts, Jeroboam “made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” (I [III] Kings 12:25-33). While Israel coasted for some time on the fumes of its former fidelity and God’s mercy, the decision brought destruction to the nation.

Ben Johnson is senior reporter and editor at The Washington Stand

In Australia, Netball, NSW Swifts star shooter Sam Wallace-Joseph, a devout Christian has outraged fans. On Easter Sunday, she reposted US President Joe Biden’s announcement of March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility. This year it coincided with Easter Sunday.

Wallace-Joseph shared the post with the words: “The disrespect is crazy. Don’t play with GOD.”

Despite the post being deleted, Wallace defended her opinion to fans online via X. She responded to one fan who said her “opinion was hateful and wrong” with “I don’t owe people on the internet any explanation”. She told another fan “My opinion still stands”.

Netball Australia insists it is “committed to embracing diversity” as the sport grapples with the fallout to the controversial social media post. It will be interesting to see what they do.

MAN’S WORD VERSUS GOD’S WORD

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Churches need to teach foundationally, and Christians need to understand our thinking must start with God’s Word, Genesis chapters 1–11, the foundation for everything. Because so many Christian leaders have compromised Genesis 1–11 with evolution and millions of years, most Christians have not been taught the foundational doctrines and therefore a true biblical worldview.

Many Christians just look at what they perceive as the “problems” and try to figure out how to take these to the Bible to understand what to do. But those with a true biblical worldview know that God’s Word beginning in Genesis is the foundation for that worldview. They also know there are ultimately only two foundations for people’s worldviews—God’s Word or man’s word.

For those who build their thinking on man’s word (the foundation of the secular education system), a worldview of moral relativism results. Thus, marriage is how they define it. Because man is seen as just an animal, abortion is no different than killing an animal. People who are aged and infirm are seen as a drain on the health system and therefore euthanasia should be used to stop their suffering and costly care. Gender is plastic and one can (try to) change gender using drugs and surgery if they want.

When a person builds their thinking on God’s Word, their worldview is determined by God our Creator. Thus, God created marriage, so there’s only one marriage—one man and one woman. Humans are made in the image of God, so abortion (at any stage) is murder. God made only two genders of humans: male and female.

Two foundations with two very different worldviews. The clash we see happening in our culture is one between two totally opposite worldviews, and at a foundational level, it’s a battle between God’s Word and man’s word.

Once we understand the real battle is at the foundational level, we understand that to battle all the social issues (abortion, gender, gay “marriage,” racism, etc.), one must recognize them as symptoms of a foundational problem. The problem is that people have built their worldview on the wrong foundation of man’s word.

Now, if all those social issues are the same ultimate problem, they must have the same solution. And they do. The solution has always been the truth of God’s Word and the saving gospel. Many, though, have been indoctrinated to think the Bible is an outdated book of mythology and that science proves it can’t be trusted, particularly in its history in Genesis 1–11. That’s where apologetics answers the attacks on God’s Word and shows we can defend the Christian faith. That’s why Answers in Genesis provides scientific and biblical answers to the questions of our day that are used to attack and undermine God’s Word. So the solution to the social issues is to battle at a foundation level. To do that, we need to raise up generations who know how to think foundationally and are equipped with apologetics.

Go to http://www.answersingenesis.org and http://www.creation.com for resources to equip you with answers to young people’s questions on origins.

TAX PAYERS FUND A REVOLUTION

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Critical theory is an analytical framework that aims to identify and dismantle systems of power. It takes Karl Marx’s critique of capitalism and extends it into other domains, including race, gender, sexuality, nationality and indigeneity. Claire Lehmann, The Australian

Anti-Israel activists Elisa Tuet-Rosenberg, co-founder of Hue and Zee Mazloum

If someone wants to go all out and purchase from Hue, a Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Survey Licence and Support Package, they can expect to pay the handsome price of $4150.

These documents are to be used in the workplace as guides in dealing with employees who might be “gender diverse”, Indigenous or a person of colour. Like other forms of social justice activism, the primary concern is to influence social norms through the introduction of workplace policies, speech codes and other forms of bureaucratic oversight.

At first glance, one might wonder what gender affirmation has to do with racism. Why would a consulting agency dedicated to issues of race be in the business of transgenderism? It’s an important question because the answer sheds light on the all-encompassing nature of modern progressive activism.

Today’s activism is shaped by a philosophical worldview known as critical theory. Developed by post-WWII academics such as Theodor Adorno and Herbert Marcuse, critical theory is an analytical framework that aims to identify and dismantle systems of power. It takes Karl Marx’s critique of capitalism and extends it into other domains, including race, gender, sexuality, nationality and indigeneity. Systems of power that need to be dismantled include white supremacy, patriarchy, cis-heteronormativity, colonialism and capitalism.

This preoccupation with power is why social justice activism today comes in a package. The civil rights movements of the past focused on tangible results, such as making changes to legislation that would promote dignity and equality for all.

But since racial, gender and, later, marriage equality have become formally enshrined by law, the focus of activists has shifted from the concrete to the abstract, with the goal now being to “dismantle power”.

From the critical theory worldview, dismantling one system of power works towards dismantling other systems. This is why students carrying banners that read “Queers for Palestine” see no contradiction: it’s power that needs to be dismantled, not rights that need to be won.

This gets us back to the AHRC. The AHRC’s remit is not to dismantle power. It is a statutory body funded by the Australian government and is tasked with ensuring compliance with Australian law, namely the Racial Discrimination Act. As an instrument of power itself, any attempt to “dismantle power” would become self-contradictory. The clash of worldviews doesn’t stop there, however.

The Racial Discrimination Act of 1975 states: “It is unlawful for a person: (a) to refuse to allow another person access to or use of any place, by reason of the race, colour or national or ethnic origin of that other person or of any relative or associate of that other person.”

But a visit to Hue’s website, (which is linked to by the AHRC) suggests this rule has been superseded. Hue offers events and workshops for “people of colour only”. One event, titled “Power & Resilience (People of Colour only)” purportedly “creates a safe space for people of colour at your organisation to share, reflect, connect and learn without the impact of the white gaze … the session also explores strategies for coping and wellbeing under oppressive and racist systems”.

Yet the Racial Discrimination Act does not include carve-outs allowing certain groups of people to be exclusionary or racist towards other groups of people because they feel they are living under “systems of oppression”. The legislation itself is blind to race – it simply prohibits discrimination. It’s worthwhile asking: does Hue – and the AHRC more broadly – see itself as above the law?

Unlike the Racial Discrimination Act, the critical theory definition of racism is not colourblind. Any condemnation of racism is determined by the identity of the actors engaged in it, rather than by the racism itself. And this selective condemnation also applies to rape, torture and murder.

On Hue’s LinkedIn page, an article in reference to October 7 states: “Whiteness culture is … hyper-individual, emphasising harm that takes place on an individual level, and disguising the violent systems that give rise to that harm in the first place. This culture erases ongoing ‘Israeli’ (sic) violence from our conversations and highlights and demonises the violence of resistance efforts and land defence.”

In the critical theory worldview “land defence” now outranks prohibitions against mass rape and mass murder. The mistaken notion that today’s social justice activists are passionate advocates of equality and dignity for all, rather than the carriers of a radically sectarian moral framework, has allowed establishment institutions such as the AHRC to be duped into giving them access and influence.

Activists with Tuet-Rosenberg’s worldview have effectively taken over institutions across corporate, non-profit and government sectors. Centre-leftists have no match for their zeal, and quickly find themselves defenestrated whenever there is conflict.

With companies like Hue receiving public subsidies, Australian taxpayers are funding a revolution.

GEN Z: THE LOST GENERATION

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Gen Z reminds me of the generation that arose after Joshua and his generation died.

“And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110 years. And they buried him within the boundaries of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash. And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord or the work he had done for Israel.” Judges 2:8-10

More than 20% of Generation Z now identify as LGBT, with close to 30% of generational women falling into that category, according to new data released by Gallup. Roughly 22% of young adults ages 18 to 26 self-identified as LGBT, more than the nearly 10% of Millennials, ages 27 to 42 years old, who identified as such, and even greater than the 5% of Generation X, 2% of Baby Boomers, and 1% of the Silent Generation Z who claimed such identities. Overall, 7.6% of adults in the general population identified as part of the LGBT community. Slightly more than 85% of those polled identified as heterosexual. Jeffrey Jones, a senior editor for Gallup, said the uptick is largely driven by Gen Z women. “A lot of the growth seems to be happening there,” he said. The explosion of LGBT-identified youth comes as many on the left and even in federal government agencies, like the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have pushed for LGBT ideologies to be hoisted upon children and teenagers. As CBN News reported in early 2023, the CDC materials then urged public school educators and administrators to embrace LGBT causes, all in the name of inclusivity.

The agency provided a “self-assessment tool” to help school officials determine just how supportive they are of sexual minorities. The self-assessment document, which the CDC says is voluntary, is posted on the agency’s website. It encourages educators to display rainbow flags in classrooms and unisex signs in bathrooms. It also urges teachers to incorporate LGBTQ content in their lessons, use student-preferred pronouns, and attend LGBTQ training. These ideas, while, on the surface, seemingly abstract, are taking real-life tolls on families. For example, in mid-February, two parents in Indiana petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hold the State responsible for removing their gender-confused child from their home due to their Bible-based beliefs about sexuality and gender identity. According to CBN News, Mary and Jeremy Cox filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari last month, asking the court to review the legality of Indiana’s decision to strip them of their parental rights and pull their son, who identifies as a transgender girl, from their household over their refusal to use female names and pronouns when addressing or referring to their child.

The removal came after the Indiana Department of Child Services launched an investigation in June 2021 into the Christian parents. At the time, the state agency argued, referring to the Cox’s son, “We just feel that at this point in time, this child needs to be in a home that’s not going to teach her that trans, like everything about transgender… tell her how she should think and how she should feel. However, she should be in a home where she is accepted for who she is.” “If this can happen in Indiana, it can happen anywhere,” said Lori Windham of Becket Law, the firm representing the couple. “Tearing a child away from loving parents because of their religious beliefs, which are shared by millions of Americans, is an outrage to the law, parental rights, and basic human decency.”

Source: Faithwire

Generation Z is the generation that precedes Jesus’ second coming this time to pour out His wrath upon an unrepentant world. Christians will be raptured before the wrath of God is poured out on the world with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements but will not be kept from tribulation/persecution when the Antichrist declares himself to be God in the rebuilt Jewish temple. It is at the sixth seal, where we read about the celestial signs that precede Jesus’ second coming and the wrath of God and it is at the trumpet blast at the seventh seal that the rapture happens and the wrath of God commences. God has provided us with a great deal of information about the last seven years (70th week of Daniel) before Jesus second coming. He wants us to be prepared.

We know that seven is an important number for God. He created the Cosmos in six days followed by a rest day. he established this as the pattern for how we should live: six work days and one rest day. Is it any wonder then that God should define the last seven years as six years of work and one year of rest for His Saints. Whilst God is pouring out His wrath upon an unrepentant world we will have a sabbath year in heaven. The trumpet and Bowl judgements last for a year, the fifth trumpet judgement lasts five months.

“and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10

“Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” Revelation 3:10

“Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.
The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up” Revelation 8:6-7

AT THE FIFTH TRUMPET, LOCUSTS LIKE HORSES WITH TAILS THAT STING LIKE SCORPIONS: “They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.” Revelation

NUCLEAR ENGINEER STAUNCHLY DEFENDS BIBLICAL CREATION

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Dr Jonathan Corrado (B.S., M.S., M.S. (hons.), M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D.) has degrees in science, engineering, and theology. His highest is a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from Colorado State University and his Master of Theology is from Liberty University. He has extensive experience in systems engineering and nuclear science, including research, development, and management. Dr Corrado has authored both secular and creationist scientific papers, theological papers, and a book in his field and one on spiritual deception.

Dr Corrado currently works in both the defence and nuclear industries as a manager and engineer and is a senior officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He is married to Erin, who is a Christian singer-songwriter. They have four children.

Dr Corrado’s science beginnings

Dr C. says he has been interested since childhood: Even in preschool, I said that when I grew up, I wanted to be a scientist, because they looked impressive in a white lab coat! I enjoyed science classes because I enjoyed learning how things worked. I gained an appreciation from an early age of how integrated, complex, and well-designed the natural world is.

From his observations, he realized there must be an intelligent Creator. However, as Romans 1:18 says, such general revelation is enough to deny atheists any excuses but is insufficient for salvation. For salvation, we need special revelation: “When I was saved, the identity of this intelligent designer was made clear.”

Bible: true and self-consistent.

The Bible reveals the beginning of the Cosmos and its end. Man’s purpose and destiny is given. We are given answers to all of life’s pressing questions: why is there death and suffering and what God has done to redeem mankind. Fulfilled prophecy proves the Bible is the inspired Word of God. I have discovered that the Bible is a unified whole, the product of engineered design by a perfect Creator. The Bible, down to the smallest letter and part of a letter (Matthew 5:18), is there for our learning, discovery, and amazement. Truly, our God is an awesome God!

He found that many Bible difficulties disappear “if one simply recognizes the unity and integrity of the 66 books, composed by 40 authors over thousands of years (Proverbs 25:2).”

This deep study brought me to Christ and an understanding of salvation and its implications. Since I’ve been saved, I can’t stop studying the Bible and discovering the complexity and integrity of this perfect book. God never gave up on me through my years of disobedience, and now, I will not give up on Him.

Scientific support for the Bible

As a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), one of his heroes is Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806–1873), a past VMI faculty member. Many plaques are dedicated to Maury as ‘Pathfinder of the Seas’, which arose from his devout Christianity and in reference to Psalm 8:8 (creation.com/maury).

“As a naval officer who has sailed the seas, Psalm 8:8 is undoubtedly true and gives credibility to the Bible’s scientific claims.” He also listed many other arguments for God’s existence (cf. creation.com/arguments-for-god.)

Long ages vs the Bible?

The Bible teaches that the world is a little over 6,000 years old (creation.com/6000-years). This is often called a ‘young’ earth creation model, but it’s young only in relation to the dogma of billions of years. In reality, 6,000 years is very old (creation.com/earth-how-old).

Dr C. agrees with CMI that one doesn’t need to believe in a ‘young’ earth to be saved (see creation.com/can-christians-believe-evolution.) However, there are still huge problems with trying to mix long ages with Scripture.

Dr Corrado points out that long-age views don’t come from the biblical text, but must be imposed from outside. This includes the day-age theory, theistic evolution, progressive creationism, and gap theory. However, this affects how one interprets the early chapters of Genesis and spills over into the rest of Scripture.

“If these obviously historical chapters are interpreted as symbolic and/or poetic, then the question becomes: when should Genesis (and really the Bible at large) no longer be interpreted this way? This becomes a subjective determination.”

Instead, he explains that the grammatical-historical method is the right way to understand Scripture. This method considers all figures of speech and literary forms in the text as the writer expressed it and how its original readers would have understood it.

When reading any work of literature, particularly the Bible, we must determine the author’s message, context, and intent, not our interpretation. God intended such exegesis, which is why He instructs us to handle the word of truth correctly (2 Tim 2:15). When the Lord Jesus quoted the Old Testament, He clearly held to a grammatical- historical interpretation [creation.com/nt].

For example, in Luke 4, when Satan tempted Jesus, He responded by quoting from the Old Testament. If God’s commands in Deut 8:3, 6:13, and 6:16 had not been literal, Jesus would not have used them, and they would not have had the power to stop Satan’s mouth, which they did. Additionally, the disciples followed Christ’s (Bible-based) directives.

The Bible, taken in the grammatical- historical sense, clearly indicates a young Earth. I also believe that unbiased scientific inquiry supports this claim.

Dr C. also pointed out a key problem with trying to mix long ages with the Bible:

God created everything ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31), and there was initially no death. Death does not occur until Genesis 3 when Adam sinned. But evolution requires the death of countless creatures for today’s living world to have arisen. And even non-evolutionary long-age views must have death before sin because fossils of both humans and animals are ‘dated’ long before Adam.

Evidence for a ‘young’ earth

Dr C. thinks the best scientific evidence for a ‘young’ earth is its decaying magnetic field:

Historical measurements indicate that Earth’s magnetic field experiences a loss of approximately 50% of its energy every 1,400 years. Even if past reversals of the field are disregarded, which would have further depleted its energy, the maximum age of the Earth’s magnetic field is about 20,000 years. Any older, the electrical current needed for such a strong field would have been large enough to melt the whole earth.

But a decaying field is consistent with God creating the earth about 6,000 years ago, with an electrical current that generates magnetism. And this current decays exponentially as per standard electrical theory (see creation.com/magfield).

Evolutionary geophysicists must claim that Earth has maintained a magnetic field for billions of years. However, they lack a comprehensive understanding of how this could happen.

To sustain such a current, an electrical generator—a dynamo—operating within the interior of the Earth would be necessary. But how could such a generator spontaneously form? Despite a century of investigation, conventional scientists continue to be unable to develop a functional dynamo theory.1

Quantum mechanics and Christianity

Some Christians mistakenly think quantum mechanics (QM) is problematic for Christianity. I disagree (see creation.com/qm), but wanted Dr C.’s take on the issue as a nuclear scientist.

In reply, he quoted one of the world’s leading experts, physicist (and atheist) Richard Feynman (1918–1988). Feynman shared the 1965 Nobel Prize for physics for his discoveries in quantum electrodynamics. But he admitted, “I think I can safely say that nobody really understands quantum mechanics,” and Dr C. agrees that this still holds. He says:

QM’s inf luence on one’s perception of God is primarily determined by personal motivations—and one’s worldview— rather than physics. The scientific method has proven to be a highly effective approach for uncovering the mechanisms by which God achieved specific aspects of His creative endeavours. Acquiring knowledge about the universe’s physical systems does not alter the undeniable existence of the designer and creator who established them. In my opinion, quantum physics, similar to other scientific fields, is entirely consistent with God’s biblical teachings.

However, he points out that atheists have abused QM for their own ends. E.g., Lawrence Krauss (b. 1954), a theoretical physicist and cosmologist, as well as a vociferous antitheist, wrote the book A Universe from Nothing (2012—see creation.com/krauss). Here and elsewhere, Krauss asserts that the universe could come into existence out of nothing (without God).

However, his ‘nothing’ was not really nothing—but something. In particular, it was the quantum vacuum with properties, including energies and quantum fields. Even if our universe had come out of a quantum vacuum, one would still have to explain where the quantum vacuum came from.

Advice for Christians wanting a scientific career?

Science was founded on a biblical worldview, and most of its founders were biblical creationists (creation.com/name-game). So there is excellent precedent for young Christians wanting to become scientists (or engineers or doctors). Dr C. says to such people:

If you have an interest in science or engineering, pursue it! The scientific community needs more Christians in its ranks to counter secular theories (e.g., naturalism and evolution) with biblical truth, uplift God as the intelligent Designer and brilliant Creator that He is, and inject unbiased science back into the evolution/creation debate. The biblical worldview is sound, accurate, reasonable, and grounded in truth, and we need more scientists to defend this position.

HOW DISTANT STARLIGHT CAN REACH EARTH IN 6000 YEARS

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by Mark Harwood

Recent developments in creationist cosmology offer an elegant explanation of the distant starlight question which is consistent with the Genesis account of creation and is based on recent astronomical observations and Einstein’s General Relativity equations. Whilst a detailed explanation of this new cosmology is beyond the scope of this Feedback article, it is explained more fully in Harnett’s article “Has dark matter really been proven?” http://www.creation.com

This article provides a framework for understanding the answer to the distant starlight question. The key elements are time dilation, the recent observations showing that we live in a galactocentric universe, and the Scriptural references to God ‘stretching out the heavens’ on Day 4 of the Creation Week.

An experimentally verified prediction of Einstein’s General Relativity Theory is a phenomenon called gravitational time dilation. It has long been established that gravity affects the rate at which time flows in any particular location in the universe.

Another mechanism for time dilation is a rapid acceleration of the fabric of space in an expanding universe. This is explained more fully in Hartnett’s article referenced above.

We live in a galactocentric universe: Standard Big Bang theory has it that the universe has neither a centre nor an edge which is an assumption, called the Cosmological Principle, designed to avoid the earth being a special place. If the Earth was special in any way, it would imply design and thus a Designer which flies in the face of atheistic evolutionary belief. When Edwin Hubble discovered the redshift in the spectra of stars and galaxies and interpreted them as distance (known as the Hubble Law), he was horrified at the implication that the Earth could be in a special place. He wrote: ‘Such a condition [red shifts] would imply that we occupy a unique position in the universe … But the unwelcome supposition of a favoured location must be avoided at all costs … [and] is intolerable … moreover, it represents a discrepancy with the theory because the theory postulates homogeneity.’1

Recent surveys3,4 have measured the galactic redshift for around 250,000 galaxies and have revealed an over abundance of galaxies at certain redshifts in which the data departs from the expected theoretical distribution in a series of large spikes. A straightforward interpretation of this data is that the galaxies are distributed with a spherical shell-like symmetry with the Milky Way galaxy at or near the centre! Such a result is entirely consistent with the biblical picture but is at odds with standard big bang beliefs and is not consistent with the Cosmological Principle.

In at least 11 places, the Scriptures speak of God ‘stretching out the heavens’ (e.g. Job 9:8, Isaiah 40:22 and 42:5, Jeremiah 10:12, Zechariah 12:1) and in Genesis 1:15 the words ‘And it was so.’ are recorded in connection with the events of Day 4 of Creation Week, implying the completion of the events described on that Day. It is a reasonable conclusion to draw that God stretched out the heavens to the vast extent of the observable universe in just one 24 hour day and then ceased the action of ‘stretching out’. This is more rational than the inflation fudge of big bangers discussed above. That is, where the universe just happened to expand much faster than light, although there is no known physical cause for starting or stopping this superluminal expansion.

We should also note that God created the Earth first before the sun, moon and stars (and by inference the planets etc) so it would seem reasonable to assume the universe was stretched out with the Earth at or very near its centre. Furthermore, Psalm 147:4 and Isaiah 40:26 imply that there is a finite number of stars in the universe. So, the Bible seems to teach that we live in a finite universe that has, at the very least, our Milky Way galaxy at its centre.

We now have the keys to understanding how starlight can reach us from such vast distances in just a few thousand years of Earth time. The days of the Creation Week were recorded from the point of view of an observer on the earth so the time reference in Genesis is Earth time. On Day 4, as God commenced stretching out the heavens, the mass of the universe (presumably including the ‘waters above’ which were separated out on Day 2) would have been confined to a much smaller volume of space than is the case today. Assuming the Hartnett–Carmeli theory is correct, the Universe rapidly expanded with massive time dilation as a result of very rapid acceleration of the fabric of space on Day 4. By the end of Day 4, when God completed his work of creating the sun, moon and stars, and had stretched out the heavens to their vast extent, billions of years of cosmic time could have elapsed at the outer edges of the cosmos in just one 24 hour earth day. There would have been more than enough time for the light from distant stars to have reached the earth so that when Adam gazed at the night sky on that sixth night he would have seen much the same as what we see today.

6,000 years have passed since the Creation Week. If the models outlined above are correct, the light we see today from any star that is greater than 6,000 light years away from the earth will have originated on Day 4 itself. This would include most of the visible stars, all of which are part of the Milky Way galaxy. We are effectively looking at God’s creative activity on Day 4 as we gaze into the universe!

So what do we make of supernova 1987A? At 170,000 light years away we are looking at an event that occurred on Day 4 but whose light did not reach us until 1987.

Is an exploding star consistent with a perfect creation? God said that the stars were created to be for signs and seasons (Genesis 1:14) and God foreknew all that would happen right from the very beginning. What to us seems to be destruction is actually just a physical process which does not necessarily denote any lack of perfection in the original creation. Importantly, there is no loss of biblical life involved (the creatures affected by death brought about by the Fall were those the Bible calls נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה (nephesh chayyāh)).6

Another excellent resource on the light travel dilemma is previewed in the video below.

EASTER: THE DEATH OF DEATH

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When Jesus rose again from the dead, He defeated death!

Death died when Christ rose. Easter was the death of death.

Of all events in history, there’s none more significant than the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. When Jesus came to this earth, lived a perfect life, died a perfect death, and rose again from the dead, He changed everything.

This selfless act was for me, for you, for everyone.

Imagine the disappointment the disciples felt when Jesus was murdered and taken away from them. But He promised that He would rise from the dead.

The women who went to the tomb together to anoint His dead body were not expecting to see a risen Lord. But an angel told them, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body” (Mark 16:6 NLT).

Jesus changed everything. That’s the meaning of Easter and the reason for my unshakeable hope.

The resurrection of Jesus teaches us our hope goes beyond the grave.

Jesus took death on and defeated it. When Jesus came back from the dead, hope came with Him. This hope is for everyone, especially the broken.

Jesus rose in an actual body in a physical world in a tangible way.

The Bible tells us, “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So, you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man” (1 Corinthians 15:20–21 NLT).

The resurrection of Jesus assures me:

  • I am accepted by God. Romans 4:45 says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
  • I have all the power I need to live a Christian life. Romans 8:11 says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
  • I will live forever in Heaven and receive a new body like His. Colossians 3:4 assures us with these words. “When Christ, who is our life, appears, you shall be like Him.”
  • I will have resurrected relationships. “Since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
  • Article extracted from presentation by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Churches California.

BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ARE INCOMPREHENSIBLE WITHOUT TAKING GOD INTO ACCOUNT

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Hundreds of different programs are used by cells to function efficiently. Who designed and created these programs? And what about all the manufacturing units and distribution machinery in every cell the programs control?

Mass media, YouTube, and the modern form of (mis)education

Much of the indoctrination in evolution, defined as litter → LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor) → Laureates, is currently being conducted through mass media and YouTubers. Very few read or are qualified to understand, the primary evolutionary literature. Middlemen produce interpretations, having a veneer of vague, conceptual plausibility, with a generous sprinkle of technical terms thrown in.

One YouTuber who has engaged in many online video debates with creation scientists and Intelligent Design supporters reviewed Maury’s paper and educated his followers with the missing details for how amyloids supposedly led to the modern genetic system. Disturbingly, more people see videos like these than are critically evaluating the primary literature.

With supreme confidence, the YouTuber explained:

“And ATP is another naturally occurring energy source near hydrothermal vents. So, we know that amyloids have ATPase activity they can utilize the energy of ATP to do work. And once you develop this interaction between amyloids and ATP, it’s only a matter of time until you start having refinements into the information storing system. The stringing of ATP and different triphosphate nucleotides together into DNA and RNA, the incorporation of lipids which are again found naturally at hydrothermal vents and which spontaneously formed bilayer membranes; as well as the creation of protein enzymes to do specific function.” 

Addressing all the errors in this one paragraph alone required a full paper (Truman, R., Amyloids and ATP fictitious chemistry)

Our concern is that careless wording by evolutionary scientists and those embellishing and passing on errors are seriously misguiding many.

Evolution theory and the influence of science fiction

Norbert Wiener, the founder of Control Theory, showed that information is a real entity and that reality can only be understood by considering the effects of matter, energy, and information. Downgrading the meaning of information instead of using well-understood concepts to describe matter leads to serious mistakes. Not only is what philosophers call a category mistake created, but a tendency is increasing in the origin of life community to replace hard scientific work with vague imagery.

If design is so readily detectable outside science, and if its detectability is one of the key factors keeping scientists honest, why should design be barred from the content of science? Why do Dawkins and Crick feel compelled to constantly remind us that biology studies things that only appear to be designed, but insist they are not designed? Why couldn’t biology study things that are designed?

The biological community’s response to these questions has been to resist design absolutely, which is absurd.

Dr. Scott Todd, an immunologist at Kansas State University, said: “Even if all the data point to an intelligent designer, such a hypothesis is excluded from science because it is not naturalistic.” Ref: Todd, Scott C., correspondence to Nature 401, num. 6752 (September 30, 1999):423

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” Romans 1:19-23

AN IRONIC QUESTION: WHO CREATED GOD?

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The author of this article is Marlon De Blasio. He is a cultural apologist, Christian writer, and the author of Discerning Culture: Knowing the Depths of Scriptural Christianity in a Culture of Scriptural Indifference.

The Christian faith claims “The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth … his understanding is unsearchable” (Isaiah 40:28). How can this be verified to the satisfaction of an inquiring mind? Even committed Christian thinkers know that the cliches, “by faith,” “by experience” or “by biblical analyses,” do not necessarily satisfy questioners. Nevertheless, I believe the Eternal God can be known personally and intellectually to satisfy rational thought.

Perhaps some expect me to provide a concrete reference that explains God’s origin. I must genuinely submit that this expectation is not reasonable. Even if I were to prove indisputably that “A” brought God into existence, the skeptic would then ask who/what created “A”? These demands could continue ad infinitum into absurdity. They lead to a fallacious line of thinking.

Knowledge does not require an explanation for its explanations to be true. For example, aviators know how much fuel is required to reach a destination and this workable knowledge is true without an explanation of where the computational values originated. We could attempt to investigate the origins, but only after we have acknowledged the computational values.

Likewise, a questioner must acknowledge God’s existence before asking where He came from. If God does not exist, the question is senseless. “Where did God come from?” is a question that is committed to His existence. In other words, a sincere questioner seeks an answer that informs about God and not about whether or not He exists. The question does have a correct answer, and even if one were to reject it that would not negate the actual existence of God.

Further, the Design Argument is often challenged by the question, who designed the Designer? Note that this question does not refute the argument. The argument is compelling and so the question is an attempt to avoid the conclusion by conflating the issue into confusion. The explanation that something is designed can be true regardless of what we know about the designer. I can understand why such an irrelevant question is asked because the questioner doesn’t like where the conversation is going.

Knowledge of the Christian faith is always rigorously challenged. Unlike other knowledge, concessions to a tenet of Christianity could entail moral accountability. Christian thinkers offer explanations that are often compelling, and so a skeptic who wishes to escape accountability often spins the content. Confusion is then deemed as a warrant for unbelief.

In Christian theology, God is eternal. He is without beginning and without end. He is the ultimate ground of reality. That is why we refer to Him as God. The question of “Where did God come” from is purposeless unless it’s asked with theological curiosity. As a young Christian, I remember asking a pastor what God was doing before He created us and the universe. The pastor explained that we don’t know, and although it was a fair question it had no bearing on our relationship with Him as He has decided to reveal Himself to us. Since then, I have grown to understand that in a human lifetime, there is no way we could understand everything about God.

Limited knowledge of God does not equate to His non-existence. On the contrary, it means that our knowledge of God is finite as we are finite beings grappling with the One whose “understanding is unsearchable.” Theologically and philosophically, it’s reasonable to believe and conclude that reality has an ultimate ground. For a Christian, there is a consciousness of God’s presence within (Holy Spirit) that is also informed intellectually. We experience and understand God exactly as the biblical writers revealed: “Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting” (Psalms 93:2). What was understood and experienced of God thousands of years ago has been real to subsequent generations of believers, as well as to us today. We comprehend meaningfully that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

A questioner is sincere only if committed to exploring the attributes of God, and then making up one’s own mind about personal salvation in Christ. Isn’t it reasonable to consider that God is the ultimate ground of reality? It makes philosophical sense; otherwise, we regress into absurdity. All the evil, selfishness and ill will we encounter have a remedy in Jesus Christ. It’s a fact that throughout history the Gospel has transformed countless lives, and continues to do so today. Isn’t it intellectually honest to read and investigate this Good News for oneself? Questions are meaningful only when we are genuinely open to considering the answers.

I have a question for the skeptic who asks, who created God? That is, if you somehow discovered that the Christian faith is true would you become a Christian? If you were to answer, no, then you should shift focus on why you would answer, no. It will reveal a great deal about your own questions.

You can follow Marlon De Blasio at MarlonDeBlasio@Twitter

A TOTAL ABOMINATION TO GOD

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$1.2 Trillion Bill Funds Teen Trans Programs and Abortion to 22 Weeks

A sprawling, $1.2 trillion U.S.A. government funding bill includes funding for abortion facilities, as well as LGBTQ activist centers that carry out transgender injections, target minors, hold drag shows, and help illegal immigrants who identify as gay or transgender gain U.S. citizenship — a bill one congressman calls “a total, total abomination.”

$400,000 requested by Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) for Briarpatch Youth Services in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. The group promises to hide minors’ struggle with gender dysphoria from their parents while indoctrinating teens in extreme gender ideology. Its “Queer 101 Training” promises to teach “an intersectional understanding of queer oppression” and aims “to demonstrate how limiting the ‘male’ and ‘female’ binary is.” The organization offers “individual counseling services” for children “ages 12-17,” in which a “[c]ounselor can work with children on exploring identity, resiliency, and creating a Gender Support Plan for school support and advocacy.” The group’s website says, “Youth do NOT need parent/guardian permission to join Teens Like Us. We understand not all youth are at a point in their lives where they can safely and confidently ‘come out.’” (Emphasis in original.) The group’s “Queer 101 Training” aims “to demonstrate how limiting the ‘male’ and ‘female’ binary is.”

$400,000 requested by Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) for the Mazzoni Center in Philadelphia, which carries out transgender hormone shots, clears the way for transgender surgeries, advertises transgender services for minors, and holds drag show fundraisers. Mazzoni carries out cross-sex hormone injections and provides medical letters for transgender surgeries. The center begins targeting teens with its Pediatric & Adolescent Comprehensive Transgender Services (PACTS). Its “Youth Drop In,” which is held each Wednesday night, is aimed at teens “ages 14 to 24” and notes, “Patients under 18 can receive confidential care regarding sexual and mental health without parental permission.” The Mazzoni Center both contributes to and profits from the LGBT movement. Mazzoni invited donors to mingle with “a wide range of acts that include drag queens, drag kings, trans-identifying, burlesque, and burlesque performers” at its December 3 Code Red fundraiser. “In December, fundraising for Mazzoni Center truly was a drag,” the center cracked. “Drag entertainer Cherry Pop and her fabulous friends united for the 10th annual Code Red fundraiser, a drag/variety show,” which it described as a “powerful night” for a “vital cause.”

$1,808,000 requested by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed (both D-R.I.) for Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, which carries out first- and second-term abortions at its Family Planning Clinic. “If you need to discuss abortion care for pregnancy, please feel free to contact the Family Planning Clinic,” states its website. Its “services” include “[s]urgical abortion under general anesthesia in the operating room for people up to 22 weeks pregnant” and “[m]edication abortion (the ‘abortion pill’) for people up to ten weeks pregnant.” The facility will also implant a potential abortifacient inside women after the abortion, advertising a “[p]ost-abortion IUD or contraceptive implant.”

$780,000 requested by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) for Amador Health Services in Las Cruces, New Mexico, which boasts that it “can provide transgender/gender non-conforming (GNC) health education, therapeutic counseling and referrals, and additional LGBTQ+ support that puts your safety and comfort first. If you’ve felt rejected by family and loved ones, isolated from your community, or are just in need of an ear to listen, we’re here.” It also decries the “social stigma” surrounding “undocumented immigration” (e.g., illegal immigration). “[W]e’re working every day to eliminate that stigma and make all feel like they belong.”

$146,000 requested by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) for Apicha Community Health Center, for facilities and equipment. Apicha’s two locations in Manhattan and Queens advertise “transgender and gender-affirming services” — specifically “initiation and maintenance of hormone replacement therapy,” “letters of support for gender-affirming surgeries” and “help with name change process.” They also distribute potential abortifacients Plan B and IUDs.

$706,000 requested by Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) for Entre Hermanos, an LGBT group that helps put illegal immigrants on a path to U.S. citizenship. It offers legal counseling and “free immigration clinics” to illegal immigrants who identify as LGBTQ to obtain U.S. citizenship and hosts workshops on “the many identities” under the transgender “umbrella” and strategies to minimize “transphobia.” The group’s website currently advertises the upcoming “Drag Brunch” on April 28.

$850,000 requested by Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) for LGBTQ Senior Housing, Inc. (“The Pryde”), in Massachusetts, a controversial funding provision that House Republicans stripped out of a Transportation funding bill last year.

“Sen. Bennet (D-CO), $845,000 – Envision: You, CO (SAMHSA) – LGBTQ advocacy.”

“Sen. Shatz (D-HI), $550,000 – Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, HI (SAMHSA) – LGBTQ services and syringe exchange.”

“Sen. Schumer (D-NY), $1,000,000 — SAGE, NY (ACL) – LGBTQ advocacy.

Adapted from an article by Ben Johnston in the Washington Stand, March 22, 2024

This government will bring down further judgement by God on the nation and only signals Jesus’ return to restore righteousness is imminent. But first He will rescue the Saints and then pour out His wrath upon an unrepentant world with the Trumpet (Revelation 8) and Bowl (Revelation 16) judgements.