Reconciling Evolution, History And the Bible

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Where do the so-called “Ice Ages” fit in Bible history? Why  did so many forms of animal and human life disappear at the close of  the geologic period labeled “Pleistocene” by scientists?

Most people do not know how a geologist reaches his conclusions. A geologist, of course, is one who makes a study of earth history. He investigates the rock structure of the surface of the earth. Working in the field, he discovers strata of sandstone, or limestone, or silt. Perhaps in them are fossils. He wants to know when the strata were deposited. How does he decide? The answer is: HE DOESN’T!

Being a very careful man — a scientific man — he will go to a paleontologist for the answer. And who is a paleontologist? He is a scientist who makes a special study of fossils. It is his function to explain to the geologist the apparent age of the fossils. And how does the paleontologist know the apparent age of the fossils? From geology? No! How can he learn it from geology when even the geologist does not know the age of fossil strata until he goes to the paleontologist who studies the fossils!! Then how does the paleontologist discover how old fossils are? Simple! He turns to the evolution theory!

Life, the paleontologist tells the geologist, developed from the very simplest cell into the varied complex creatures that inhabit the earth today. “But what is the age of the fossils?” asks the geologist.

“Let me explain that,” replies the paleontologist. “Evolution is a very slow process. It may take millions of years for one species of life to slowly develop into another totally different species. The age of your strata are determined by how long we think it took that particular species of fossils to develop. Of course, we paleontologists don’t all agree on these details. You might get a different answer from another paleontologist! After all, even though we all believe evolution is a fact, we do not know exactly how it occurs — or even the exact order in which various species of life evolved.”

And that, in simple language, is what happens! The age of the fossils is guessed at by the paleontologist. The source of his knowledge (or misknowledge) is not geology, but the evolution theory. He takes it for granted. He assumes the theory is a fact — or reasons as if it were a fact. The geologist then deduces the age of the strata from the assumed age of the fossils.

Historical Proof: Jesus Christ Really Lived!

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Is there evidence, apart from the Bible, that Jesus really lived? Actually, the accounts in the Bible, which are God’s inspired revelation to humanity, are proof enough. But extrabiblical sources also amply attest that Jesus lived, that He was born of a young virgin, preached the Gospel, performed miracles, and was condemned to execution.

Justin Martyr, a second-century theologian, wrote: “Now there is a village in the land of the Jews, 35 stadia from Jerusalem, in which Christ was born, as you can ascertain also from the registries of the taxing under Cyrenius your first procurator in Judea” (“First Apology,” Chapter 34).

Justin Martyr was referring to public records that existed in his day to demonstrate that Jesus was born in Judea. Of course, one would expect that a religionist such as Justin Martyr would naturally support Jesus’ authenticity as a historical person. But what about a historian who despised Christians?

Cornelius Tacitus, Roman historian, senator, consul, and governor of the province of Asia, wrote this concerning Jesus and His followers: “Nero … punished with every refinement the notoriously depraved Christians (as they were popularly called). Their originator, Christ, had been executed in Tiberius’ reign by the governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. But in spite of this temporary setback, the deadly superstition had broken out afresh, not only in Judea (where the mischief had started) but even in Rome” (“The Annals of Imperial Rome,” XV, 44).

The fourth-century Roman emperor Julian the Apostate (named this because he turned from Christianity after being brought up in it) wrote a major work against Christianity in which he said this: “Jesus, whom you celebrate, was one of Caesar’s subjects. If you dispute it, I will prove it by and by; but it may be as well done now. For yourselves allow, that he was enrolled with his father and mother in the time of Cyrenius …. But Jesus having persuaded a few among you, and those the worst of men, has now been celebrated about 300 years; having done nothing in his lifetime worthy of remembrance; unless anyone thinks it a mighty matter to heal lame and blind people, and exorcise demoniacs in the villages of Bethsaida and Bethany”(“Cyril Contra Julian,” VI, pages 213, 191).

These are reports from pagan Romans who despised Christianity. They had access to government records, and, if they could have disproved Jesus’ authenticity, they would have done so. But, they could not. Their writings are additional proof of Christ’s life.

What about the Jews? If Jesus did not exist, the Jews would have had no reason to reject Him! The Jewish historian Josephus admitted that Jesus, His disciples, and John the Baptist lived. He called John the Baptist “the good man” (“Antiquities of the Jews,” XVIII, 5, 2). Scholars recognize as genuine his account of the death of James, “the brother of Jesus who was called Christ” (Ibid., XX, 9, 1).

According to “The Jewish Encyclopedia” (1907 edition) and other sources, Jesus is also mentioned in the “Talmud,” the collection of Jewish tradition consisting of the Mishnah and the Gemara. The sections of the “Talmud” which are said to be references to Jesus are Shabbath 104b and 116b; Sanhedrin 43a, 67a, and 107b; and Sotah 47a. You may also wish to read the article “Jesus of Nazareth” in “The Jewish Encyclopedia” (1907 edition), the article “Jesus” in the “Encyclopedia Judaica,” the articles “Jesus Christ” and “Talmud and Midrash,” which shows how the “Talmud” (Mishna) is organized, in “The New Encyclopaedia Britannica” (1981 edition), and the book titled “Jesus Christ in the Talmud, Midrash, Zohar, and the Liturgy of the Synagogue,” by Gustaf Dalman (1973).

These facts, all from sources outside the Bible, clearly substantiate the existence of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not a myth. The Bible record is true.

Genealogy: Adam to Queen Elizabeth II

Genealogy of Adam to Queen Elizabeth II - stevne.telelaget.com

GENEALOGY –  Adam to Queen Elizabeth II

GENERATIONS

1 Adam, Eve

2 Seth

3 Enos

4 Canaan

5 Mahalaleel

6 Jared

7 Enoch

8 Methuselah

9 Lamech

10  Noah, Naamah

11  Shem

12 Arphaxad

13  Salah

14  Heber

15     Peleg

16     Reu

17  Serug

18  Nahor

19 Terah, Amtheta

20  Abraham, Sarah

21  Isaac, Rebekah

22  Jacob, Leah

23     Judah, Tamar

24  Hezron

25 Aram

26  Aminadab

27  Naasson

28  Salmon

29  Boaz, Ruth

30     Obed

31  Jesse

——————–

KINGS  IN  PALESTINE

32  K David, Bathsheba

33    K Solomon, Naamah

34  K Rehoboam, Maacah

35  K Abijah

36  K Asa, Azubah

37    K Jehoshaphat

38  K Jehoram, Athaliah

39    K Ahaziah, Zibiah

40  K Joash, Jehoaddan

41  K Amaziah, Jecholiah

42  K Uzziah, Jerusha

43  K Jotham

44  K Ahaz, Abi

45 K Hezekiah, Hephzibah

46  K Manasseh, Meshullemeth

47  K Amon, Jedidiah

48  K Josiah, Mamutah

49 K Zedekiah

——————–

KINGS OF IRELAND

(Number in parenthesis denotes length of’ reign of’ Irish Kings)

50  Q Tea Tephi, marries Herremon, a Prince of’ the scarlet thread

51    K Irial Faidh (10 years)

52    K Eithriall (20 years)

53 Follain

54 K Tighernmas (50 years)

55    Eanbotha

56  Smiorguil

57 K Fiachadh Labhriane (24 years)

58  K Aongus Ollmuchaidh (21 years)

59   Maoin

60  K Rotheachta (25 years)

61  Dein

62  K Siorna Saoghalach (21 years)

63  Oholla Olchaoin

64  K Giallchadh (9 years)

65  K Aodhain Glas  (20 years)

66  K Simeon Breac  (7 years)

67  K Muirteadach Bolgrach (4 years)

68  K Fiachadh Tolgrach (7 years)

69  K Duach Laidhrach (10 years)

70  Eochaidh Buailgllerg

71  K Ugaine More the Great (30 years)

72     K  Cobhthach Coalbreag  ( 30 years )

73  Meilage

74  K Jaran Gleofathach (7 years)

75  K Coula Cruaidh Cealgach  (25 years)

76  K Oiliolla Caisfhaichach  (28 years)

77  K Eochaidh Foltleathan (11 years)

78  K Aongus Tuirmheach Teamharch (30 years)

79      K Eara Aighneach (28 years)

80  Labhra Suire

81  Blathucha

82  Easmhuin Eamhua

83  Roighnein Ruadh

84  Finlogha

85  Fian

86  K Eodchaidh Feidhlioch (12 years)

87  Fineamhuas

88  K Lughaidh Raidhdearg

89  K Criomhthan Niadhnar (16 years)

90  Fearaidhach Fion Feachtnuigh

9l  K Fiachadh Fionoluidh (20 years)

92  K Tuathal Teachtmar  (40 years)

93       K Coun Ceadchathach  (20  years)

94 K Arb Aonf’lier  (30 years)

95      K Cormae Usada (40 years)

96     K  Caibre  Lif’f’eachair  (27 years)

97        K Fiachadh Sreabthuine (30 years)

98  K Muireadhach Tireach (30 years)

99        K Eochaidh Moigmeodhin (7 years)

100  K Nail of’ the Nine Hostages

101  Eogan

102  K Murireadhach

103  Earca

——————–

KINGS OF ARGYLESHIRE

104 K Fergus More (AD 487)

105  K Dongard (d 457)

106  K Conran (d 535)

107  K Aidan (d 604)

108  K Eugene IV (d 622)

109 K: Donald     IV    (d 650)

110  Dongard

111   K  Eugene V ( d  692)

112  Findan

113  K Eugene VII (d AD 721), Spondan

114  K Etfinus   (d AD 761), Fergina

115  K Achaius (d AD 819) Fergusia

116  K Alpin (d AD 834)

——————–

SOVEREIGNS OF SCOTLAND

117  K Kenneth II  (d AD 854)

118  K Constantin II (d AD  874)

119  K Donald VI  (d AD 903)

120  K Malcolm (d AD 958)

121  K Kenneth III (d AD 994)

122  K Malcolm II (d AD 1033)

123  Beatrix m. Thane Albanach

124 K Duncan I (d AD 1040)

125  K Malcolm II Canmore (A D 1055-l093), Margaret of’ England

126  K David I (d  AD 1153), Maud of Northcumberland

127  Prince Henry (d AD 1152), Adama of Surrey

128  Earl David (d AD 1219), Maud of’ Chester

129  Isobel m .Robert Bruce III

130  Robert Bruce IV m. Isobel of’ Gloucester

131  Robert Bruce V m. Martha of’ Carrick

132  K Robert I Bruce (AD 1306-1329), Mary of Burke

133  Margary Bruce m. Walter Stewart III

134  K Robert II (d AD 1390), Euphemia of Ross (d AD 1376)

135  K Robert III (d AD 1406), Arabella Drummond (d AD 1401)

136  K James I (AD 1424-1437), Joan Beaufort

137    K James II (d AD 1460), Margaret of Gueldres  (d AD 1463)

138 K James III (d AD 1488), Margaret of Denmark (d AD 1484)

139 K James IV  (d AD 1543) , Marþaret of England (d AD 1539)

140  K James V  (d AD  1542) , Mary of’ Lorraine (d AD 1560)

141  Q, Mary (d AD 1587), Lord Henry Darnley

——————–

SOVEREIGNS OF GREAT BRITAIN

142  K James VI, and I  (AD  1603-1625), Ann of’ Denmark

143  Princess Elizabeth  (1596-1613), K Frederick of’ Bohemia  (1632)

144  Prince Sophia m Duke Ernest of Brunswick

145  K George I (1698-1727) Sophia Dorothea of Zelle (1667-1726)

146  K George II (1727-1760), Princess Caroline of’ Anspach (1683-1737)

147  Prince Frederick of’ Wales (1707-1751), Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha

148  K George III (1760-1820), Princess Sophia of’ Mecklenburgh-Strelitz (1744-1818)

149 Duke Edward of Kent (1757-1820), Princess Victoria of’ Leiningen

150  Q, Victoria (b 1819, crowned 1838, d 1901), Prince Albert of’ Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

151  K Edward VII

152  K George V

153  K George VI

154     Q. Elizabeth II

Does The Bible Mention 6000 Years Of Rule For Man Only?

Does the Bible mention God’s 7000 year master plan for mankind? Does it also mention 6000 years of rule for man only? Yes it does, though most people, including mainstream religions, have never heard about it. And there is a crucial reason why!

God’s plan for mankind is pictured by the seven-day week. God refashioned the earth and created all life forms in six days and then rested on the Sabbath (the seventh day). Out of these seven days, six were set aside by God for man to work, followed by a day of rest (Ex. 20:9-11). On the seventh day, man is to put aside his normal routine of daily activities (work, play, socialize, etc), and worship the true God (Isa. 58:13-14).

The seven-day week is a pattern that applies to time on a far wider scale. The Biblical justification of a 7,000-year plan of God is based on the principal that to God a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day:

“With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (II Pet. 3:8).

God’s perspective on time is additionally outlined in the Psalms:

“For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night (Ps. 90:4).

Paul explained that the seventh day of the week pictures the peaceful time of rest that will follow this present age of human activity (Heb. 4:3-11). And the apostle John tells us that this period will occur after Christ’s intervention in world affairs and that it will last a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-4).

Since the seventh day of the week symbolizes 1000 years of peace under the rule of Jesus Christ, the first six days of the week represent 6000 years in which man has been allowed to govern himself and work out his own ideas and plans. In other words, each day of the week represents 1000 years of human existence.

Where are we now in this great plan? Charts which list biblical events in time order (as found in some Bibles) are accurate enough to show that HUMAN LIFE was created about 4000 years before the birth of Christ. History makes it clear that almost another 2000 years have elapsed since then — making a total of nearly 6000 years of human civilization to date. In short, there will be 6000 years of labor and toil for man, under the sentence of sin and death, followed by a 1000 year “day” of rest for mankind. Man’s “week” is nearly over, and God’s great millennial rest will soon be here.

How Old Is Mankind – 6000 Years Or 600,000?

Remove from a library shelf any volume on ancient man. Examine its opening chapter. What will you find? Expressions as: “it is thought,” “there appears to be some basis for believing,” “it has been suggested,” “it may be presumed,” “one may safely assume,” and “others are of the opinion” — just to mention a few.

What do all these carefully chosen expressions really signify? Just this: Science has no demonstrable evidence for accepting as fact what has been written in the book. The conclusions are mere speculation!

Never Safe to Assume

Just how old is Man? Is there any AUTHORITY who can tell us? Several modern writers, relying only on geological inferences, place the appearance of man about 25,000 to 35,000 years ago. Others suggest the period is no less than 100,000 years ago. No small number of scholars assume it may be 500,000 years ago. And there are a few who place it several hundred thousand years earlier. Do any of these men really KNOW?

And how could intelligent, able men arrive at such absurdly varying figures for the origin of man and the beginnings of ancient history? They all have access, remember, to the same geological and archaeological sources of information. They all have the same facts — but they don’t have the same answers! Why?

The answer is, they are all interpreting geologic and archaeological evidence in accordance with their private theories. They are only guessing. They have no way of knowing.

One well-known writer phrased it this way: “We know that there is no absolute knowledge, that there are only theories; but we forget this. The better educated we are the harder we believe in axioms” (Lincoln Steffens “Autobiography”, page 816).

Killing In The Name Of God?

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I happened across some information the other day gleaned from “Free Inquiry, 1993, which was also printed in Freethought Today, 1993 and eventually distributed by The New York Times syndicate. Let me state, it was an eye opener, to say the least. It related some headlines from various newspapers and wires over the years:

1. 2,oo0 DIE IN RIOTS AFTER HINDUS SMASH MUSLIM MOSQUE
2. ULSTER CATHOLIC, PROTESTANT SQUADS TRADE MURDERS
3. OHIO CULT LEADER ‘SACRIFICES’ FAMILY OF FIVE
4. ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN SERBS RAPE MUSLIM WOMEN
5. SHIITES IN IRAN HANG BAHAIS WHO WON’T CONVERT
6. CHRISTIAN ARMENIANS, MUSLIM AZERBAIJANIS RESUME WAR
7. FUNDAMENTALIST PICKET KILLS CLINIC DOCTOR
8. BUDDHISTS AND HINDU TAMILS BATTLE IN SRI LANKA
9. EGYPTIAN FUNDAMENTALISTS KILL PRESIDENT SADAT
10. SIKH MILITANTS ASSASSINATE INDIRA GANDHI
11. 900 TAKE CYANIDE AT JONESTOWN
12. CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM WAR IN SUDAN CAUSES FAMINE
13. WACO CULTISTS DIE IN SUICIDE PYRE

All headlines show religion in its worst form – in the hands of extremists. Shirley Maclaine was once quoted as saying:

“In the name of God, a ‘fatwa’ against Salman Rushdie. In the name of God, murder in the Balkans. In the name of God, the bombing of the World Trade Center. In the name of God, the siege at Waco, Texas…. In the name of God, Shiites and Sunnis are at each other’s throats in Iraq and Iran, as are Arabs and Jews in the Middle East…. In the name of God, what is going on?”

Yes, there are good aspects of religion, where kind and caring people serve others in the name of God.  But what can explain the opposite result, when evil is perpetrated in the name of God — holy wars between ethnic groups, terrorism, hatred between denominations, faiths and beliefs across cultural, political and economical grounds — all supposedly in the name of God?All because various parties pray to a different God?

Catholic against Protestant, Christian Crusaders against Islamic hordes, inquisitions resulting in the burning, torture and barbaric slaughter of millions, Puritans and Anglicans in mortal combat, ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, the Taiping Rebellion in China, which killed an estimated 20 million, the Nazi’s slaughter of 6 million Jews, the Khmer Rouge killing 1.7 million of their fellow Cambodians, Rwandan Hutus killing 800,000 ethnic Tutsis, the Armenians of Turkey enduring mass slaughter at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, Sikhs gunning down Hindus and so on and so on. It never stops!

Aren’t we all the off-spring of Adam and Eve? Except for skin colour and speech, are we not the same mankind? Yes we are and generally we can behave pretty good -EXCEPT – when religion becomes the chief dividing element. It is the “beast behind the shadows of human conflict – of religious tribalism.

It is irrational, and few can explain it. God only knows, and he says that the human heart is rotten at its very core (Jer. 17:9). Without the true God guiding man (and He isn’t doing so during all this barbarianism, is He?), there is no hope of ever solving humanities woes. Religion without God (and driven by the human heart without the Holy Spirit), is nothing less than barbaric. But the imminent return of Christ is near – despite the naysayers, critics and anti-God pundits. Personally, I can’t wait!

Is There Historical Proof Jesus Christ Actually Lived?

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As a Christian the accounts in the Bible, which are God’s inspired revelation to humanity, are proof enough for me. However for the critics (what would we do without them),  extrabiblical sources also amply attest that Jesus lived, that He was born of a young virgin, preached the Gospel, performed miracles, and was condemned to execution.

Justin Martyr, a second-century theologian, wrote: “Now there is a village in the land of the Jews, 35 stadia from Jerusalem, in which Christ was born, as you can ascertain also from the registries of the taxing under Cyrenius your first procurator in Judea” (“First Apology,” Chapter 34).

Justin Martyr was referring to public records that existed in his day to demonstrate that Jesus was born in Judea. Of course, one would expect that a religionist such as Justin Martyr would naturally support Jesus’ authenticity as a historical person. But what about a historian who despised Christians?

Cornelius Tacitus, Roman historian, senator, consul, and governor of the province of Asia, wrote this concerning Jesus and His followers: “Nero … punished with every refinement the notoriously depraved Christians (as they were popularly called). Their originator, Christ, had been executed in Tiberius’ reign by the governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. But in spite of this temporary setback, the deadly superstition had broken out afresh, not only in Judea (where the mischief had started) but even in Rome” (“The Annals of Imperial Rome,” XV, 44).

The fourth-century Roman emperor Julian the Apostate (named this because he turned from Christianity after being brought up in it) wrote a major work against Christianity in which he said this: “Jesus, whom you celebrate, was one of Caesar’s subjects. If you dispute it, I will prove it by and by; but it may be as well done now. For yourselves allow, that he was enrolled with his father and mother in the time of Cyrenius …. But Jesus having persuaded a few among you, and those the worst of men, has now been celebrated about 300 years; having done nothing in his  lifetime worthy of remembrance; unless anyone thinks it a mighty matter to heal lame and blind people, and exorcise demoniacs in the villages of Bethsaida and Bethany” (“Cyril Contra Julian,” VI, pages 213, 191).

These are reports from pagan Romans who despised Christianity. They had access to government records, and, if they could have disproved Jesus’ authenticity, they would have done so. But, they could not. Their writings are additional proof of Christ’s life.

What about the Jews? If Jesus did not exist, the Jews would have had no reason to reject Him! The Jewish historian Josephus admitted that Jesus, His disciples, and John the Baptist lived. He called John the Baptist “the good man” (“Antiquities of the Jews,” XVIII, 5, 2). Scholars recognize as genuine his account of the death of James, “the brother of Jesus who was called Christ” (Ibid., XX, 9, 1).

According to “The Jewish Encyclopedia” (1907 edition) and other sources, Jesus is also mentioned in the “Talmud,” the collection of Jewish tradition consisting of the Mishnah and the Gemara. The sections of the “Talmud” which are said to be references to Jesus are Shabbath 104b and 116b; Sanhedrin 43a, 67a, and 107b; and Sotah 47a. You may also wish to read the article “Jesus of Nazareth” in “The Jewish Encyclopedia” (1907 edition), the article “Jesus” in the “Encyclopedia Judaica,” the articles “Jesus Christ” and “Talmud and Midrash,” which shows how the “Talmud” (Mishna) is organized, in “The New Encyclopaedia Britannica” (1981 edition), and the book titled “Jesus Christ in the Talmud, Midrash, Zohar, and the Liturgy of the Synagogue,” by Gustaf Dalman (1973).

These facts, all from sources outside the Bible, clearly substantiate the existence of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not a myth. The Bible record is true.