I agree with you that there is a way to honour the teachings of Jesus Christ, and admit science. The more we learn from archeology and science, the more it lines up precisely with the Bible (see Law of Entropy, Dawn of Civilization, etc.). Many concepts, such as water and wind cycles, are spoken of in the Bible with knowledge far preceding the scientific knowledge that we now have. Also, the Bible is the only place that offers accurate information about Jesus Christ. For that reason alone it is an irreplaceable book.

I want mostly to respond to your comment that the Bible was “in the hands of ignorant desert wanderers for 1,000 years and then the hands of the Pope for 2,000 years more before it came to you. There is a fact you can trust”.
This is not a fact you can trust.

The old testament was written mostly in Hebrew by the Jewish people from 1500 to 400 BC. They have faithfully copied and preserved it since that time. Their practise of scripture preservation was unsurpassed in the ancient world. Today we have an accurate copy known as the Masoretic Text, which is supported by archeology. During the 1000 years before Christ was born, the Jewish people built the City of David, and Solomon’s temple. Though they were in captivity while in Babylon, when the Hanging Gardens were established, they held positions of authority serving successive empires. They were not “ignorant desert wanderers” as you stated.

As far as the Pope having my Holy Bible for the last 2000 years, as you stated, that is just false. The Pope has never encouraged Bible reading, and uses a corrupt Alexandrian text with holes in it for his bible. The organization called the Catholic Church is responsible for killing between 30 and 60 million Bible-believing Christians between the years 300 and 1800 AD. Antioch, the place where believers were first called Christians, is the source for my Holy Bible. It has been preserved and kept faithfully by a line of Bible-believing Christians throughout the centuries (see Wycliffe, Tyndale, and the Waldensians, etc.). This traditional majority text comes to us in English today as the Authorized Holy Bible, also known as the King James Bible. These are the facts. Look them up.

I have studied the scientific evidence from both points of view. I have also read and studied the Bible. That is practising thinking. Have you read the Bible John? Do you know about Jesus from the Bible’s point of view? I pray that you take the time to learn. God bless you.
Nicole Kelly

http://www.youtube.com/user/holdfastthyword

P.S. I do agree that climate changes, and that we need to be good stewards (give a hoot, don’t polute) That belief and a belief in God are not at odds with each other.

Hello Ms. Kelly,

John Lefebvre here. I write in the Fishbowl under the nom de plume Jean Lejeune. In my mind this discussion deserves me disposing of that convention.

In your particularly kind way you prove my point completely. Of course you were not convinced of the evolution “controversy”. First of all, there is no controversy, certainly not in science. We must be careful to distinguish between science and the scientific method on the one hand and on the other, those with a specific interest who place the scientific method at a lower priority than affirmation of their pre-determined belief. And when we seek instruction, we must discern whether the information we obtain comes from people whose only interest is fact, or from those whose only interest is in affirming a belief to which they will cling, in any event, no matter what the science says. Which
brings me to my second point. I suspect that you will never abandon your belief. No matter what you read you will always find something that seems to affirm your belief and you will be convinced by that because the alternative is
unthinkable.

If you had been able to read my article more carefully than you “studied the evolution controversy”, you would have realized that I made no such assertion that Christians are scientifically illiterate. Only that if you don’t believe in a particular body of science, that you don’t have to believe in any part of it. And I made the same point about Islam and
Hinduism. The kindness of your letter betrays exactly the ignorance I decry. Your math is exactly correct about Texas.

But your implication is so wildly unscientific or even commonly sensible, it wouldn’t scare myself, or anybody else who actually practices thinking. What will it be like for Christ’s little babies in India, China and Africa when our population reaches 9 billion? And then 12 billion? And then 12 billion again? Do you think Texans will welcome them or deny them sex
education?

You know of whom I write. And a lot of them are in Texas already. With whom did Cain and Able procreate? I believe there is a way to honour the teachings of Jesus and admit science. The Bible does not help. Don’t forget it was in the
hands of ignorant desert wanderers for 1,000 years and then the hands of the Pope for 2,000 years more before it came to you. There is a fact you can trust.

John Lefebvre

Hello Jean LeJeune. I would like to respond to your article “Lovely Christian Babies”that was published in the June 2010 issue of The Fish Bowl.

It is true that as a Bible-believing Christian, I do not believe in macro-evolution, and I do believe that the world was created in 6 days by The Almighty God. Beyond that, you took a lot of leaps that left me so very sad. First, that
Christians do not believe in science. This is very untrue. I have an abounding respect and admiration for science.

Scientifically, evolution is far from a proven fact. Keeping an open mind, I have studied the evolution controversy in
great detail over the past two years, and remain unconvinced of it’s veracity. Belief or unbelief in evolution is each
individual’s choice. That doesn’t make Christians scientifically illiterate.

The population explosion may be true, but I think the problem is population distribution, not over population. I did the math. Every single person on the earth right now could fit into Texas with 1250 square feet (116 square metres) around each person. That doesn’t sound like we are too big for the earth, but I agree that we are not organized very well.

Finally, your understanding of Jesus made my hair stand on end. I am not trying to convert anyone, but I would like to get the facts straight. I take my information from the Holy Bible and nowhere else. Salvation through Jesus Christ is open to all mankind. It does not depend on your race, gender, sexuality, or political position. Also, Jesus commands all
believers to love their neighbours, and not only that, to love their enemies. This is what the Bible says and nothing else.
Jesus is a person, not a religion : it’s all about a relationship with God.
God bless you and keep you.
Yours truly,
Nicole Kelly.