Sunspots 997

 

Joel Duff has posted a thorough examination of the use of "design" by Christians, and argues, successfully, I believe, that there is a fundamental flaw in the Intelligent Design movement.

Duff has also posted a refutation of the frequent claim by young-earth creationists that evolution is not real science, because we can't observe it in action. He points out that baraminology can't be real science, either, if observing it unfold is necessary.

Neuroscience News reports on research showing that ability to sense and produce music is part of the nature of animals and humans.

Gizmodo reports that the use of artificial intelligence is adding to work loads, rather than cutting them.

Gizmodo also reports that Vice-President Vance believes that UFOs are demons.

NPR reports that some types of roaches form pair bonds. (These are not typical household roaches. There are many kinds of roach.)

"There are no accidents." How I found Tolkien and C. S. Lewis

 Over six decades ago, I was a student worker in the library of Wisconsin State University at Superior. Student workers had access to the bookshelves (aka stacks), although other students generally did not. I was putting a shelf to order, or some such, when I saw Tolkien’s The Fellowship ot the Ring. I checked it out, and read it. I became so deeply involved with it that I took the book home to Birchwood, WI, for the weekend, and read the chapter on Gandalf’s battle with the Balrog to some or all of my three younger brothers. I eventually read the other two books of the trilogy. I don’t know what my brothers thought of this, or if all three of them heard it.

A few years later, while I was a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, I was exploring the children’s fantasy section of the library – they were less restrictive on access to the collection than Superior had been – I found The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. I don’t remember the details of finding Lewis’s other works, including the other Narnia volumes, but I eventually read nearly all of his published books, both fiction and religion.

As a character from Lewis’s The Silver Chair put it, “There are no accidents.”

I thank God for the two encounters described above, and for the experiences that followed them. I learned something of honor, wisdom, self-sacrifice, worship, faith, loyalty and other virtues from Tolkien and Lewis.

Sunspots 996

 

Gizmodo reports on betting on Christ's return.

NPR points out two simple tests to tell us if food is ultra-processed,

The Naturalis Historia blog has a solid post on how Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis have dismissed the strong Christian faith of the founders of the science of geology.

NPR on why we say "um" so much.

Also from NPR, a report that the Food and Drug Administration has acted to make genetic therapy on patients with rare diseases more treatable.

Thanks for looking!

Sunspots 995

 

Things I have spotted that may be of interest to others.

Discover Wildlife reports on a fish with a hole in its head, and what that hole probably does. Photos included.

National Public Radio reports that a Texas A&M professor has been told to not consider Plato in his philosophy class.

Gizmodo reports that rich people, world-wide, are responsible for a large portion of greenhouse gasses emitted.

A BigThink writer discusses the question "Why does something exist instead of nothing?" (The writer says that there is no possible scientific answer to this question.)

BisThink also discusses the state of particle physics, with discussion and diagrams.

ZDNet tested six chatbots, and found that all of them made a serious error on at least one of the tasks posed by the author.

Thanks for reading.

What did New Testament Christians pray for?

 I've been blogging for quite a while, perhaps too long.

This link leads to my most important post, which considers prayer in the New Testament church. It's a little long, but most of it is quoted scripture. To summarize, "each other" is the answer to the question of the title of this post.

Forgive me, Lord, for not being a better example of this kind of prayer. Thanks for reading!

The Magi disobeyed the government

The Bible indicates that we should generally respect and obey governmental authority: 

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God. 2 Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the authority, 4 for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil. 5 Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing. 7 Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (World English Bible, public domain) 

The Magi, however, disobeyed: 

Matthew 2:7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”

9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way. 

An exception to obedience to government.

Thanks for reading!

Added January 15, 2026: Colossians 2:9-10 points out that God is above all human governments:

Colossians 2:9 For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily, 10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power. (World English Bible)