Is Spore Pro-Intellient Design or Pro-Evolution?

'Creator' sort of implies something doesn't it?

Hey its been a while since i made a post and i am on holidays from college. So here i go !

So i was just thinking about the game SPORE and whether or not it was a Evolution propaganda tool. Turns out that when you think about it and some ‘science’ magazine did ( Read the article here ), the game is a poor representation of evolution and is more pro design from their educated perspective. I mean it makes sense the game really doesn’t function unless the player does something.

Here is an interesting excerpt from the article;

You might think that Spore’s fatal flaw would be that it supports intelligent design rather than Darwinian evolution.  But it turns out to be not even that interesting. “Spore is essentially a very impressive, entertaining, and elaborate Mr. Potato Head that uses the language of evolution but none of the major principles,” conclude Gregory and Eldredge.

Intelligent design is a fatal flaw? Seems the fatal flaw is in the lack of intelligence. Ouch 🙂

College and things like that.

I started a Bachelor of Theology at SMBC Bible college this year, pretty much since then I really havent made much time for my blog! But what would you know it keeps on chugging along. I think i can thank google images for that one. If at the very least the little bit of internet gets people thinking about eternity then on she goes.

– Trent

S.L.A.Y.E.R

Slayer stands for “Satan Laughs As You Eternally Rot”. Slayer are a heavy metal band I used to listen to some time ago before I was saved. Interestingly I have always equated the name of that band as being something quite Demonic and evil, something that representing my life and ignorance when I was living in Sin before God saved me.

But even more interesting ( to me at least) is the thought that – “Its true”. Satan most likly does find it amusing or gratifying that he has deceived many so easily into rejecting the true God. Its more than ironic to think people would be happy about it! and sing about it! But that is the very nature and success of the deception.

Revelation tells us that at some point in the future to come, Satan will be bound for 1000 years while Jesus reigns on earth and after that will be released again to deceive the nations. They will turn and fight with him against God. Absolultly amazing to think of. I have always struggled to get my mind around how that could be possible, but i need only to look at myself 10 years ago sitting in my room, deceived, singing to SLAYER with lyrics so dark and demonic I struggle to read them now as I right this blog.

Praise God! He has saved me. He is coming again! Pray He will save many more.

– Trent

Can’t wait for Heaven?

Question – Whats the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Heaven? I mean the very first thing, not the thing you think about after you think about it or reconsider it even briefly but the initial thought you had when you read the question.

Was it a state of sinlessness? Streets of Gold? Mansions? Clouds maybe? Was it Christ? I often relise that while there will be many awesome and wonderful things in heaven, things to look forward to, the fact that i am going to be with Jesus, my God and my savior should be my first and primary exhausting thought of being in Heaven. We are not only commanded but now given the capacity to Love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. He should be the focus of our primary affections both now and future.

One of my resolutions this year is to Love the person of Jesus more and to pray that God would grow my love and desire to be with him one day and also to practically cultivate that love and passion. I want Christ to be my first thought when i think of heaven, what else could i need?

So, what did you think of?

I like this Guy..He’s a funny guy!

Just wanted to share part of a discussion on a post on Ray comforts blog. It made me laugh, he’s a funny guy

Ray Comfort said…

<< JM Ridlon said…I also want to point out that instead of tackling the arguments that Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris make in their books, apologists just ridicule them and poke fun. Does anyone find this convincing? Ray, have you read “The God Delusion”, “God is Not Great” or “Letter to a Christian Nation”? If so, why not post on these? The books are afterall very popular and many Christians may wonder whether their arguments are valid.>>

I am more likely to read a book that is called “Why the Sun Doesn’t Exist, and Why it’s surface is Cold.” I would know by the title that the author is deluded.

January 23, 2008 12:06 PM

Art Katz not a fan animal antics

Was recently (yesterday) introduced to the ministry and preaching of a Jewish Christian – Art Katz. I’m planning to share some more later on about Katz beliefs and teachings but for now wanted to share a quote for you from a Biographical Interview which i found interesting.  This is part of the response from a question about the “Presence of God”. Remembering that Art has been part of the Pentecostal Church for some time.

I am concerned for the way in which the issue of God’s presence is now becoming a significant theme in contemporary church life, and we even have the audacity to think we can invoke it by performing something; for example, we think certain choruses or a style of worship will actually usher in God’s presence, which makes Him the respondent to our initiative, and that is dastardly.  I oppose that greatly.  There is a great emphasis now on experience and presence that is disturbing and of great concern, because it is not the preparation for the kind of Last Days obedience that will be required, with or without the sense of God’s presence.  We are a sense-sated church, and so much disposed towards feeling; that is why we have even blurred the distinction between soul and spirit.  If something revs us up and affects us emotionally, we automatically assume that that must be God.  When our knowledge of God is so minimal, and we are hungry for experience, we will not be much concerned as to what the source of that experience is.

I have stood out like a proverbial sore thumb in the midst of the most electrifying view of people falling and crying, and I am strangely undisturbed and unaffected.  Either I am the deadest man who cannot even be moved, or I have kept my spirit inviolate, and anything that comes to me as experience, if it is not conformable to and compatible with what I already have in the knowledge of God by the Spirit, then I will not allow entrance.  I think that the church is presently paying a great price for its easy acceptance of anything that comes that is emotionally moving, whatever lifts them up; later on, the enemy who, has much call for that kind of thing, has a hook in those who have subscribed to it, such as this generation of people who puncture themselves, perforate themselves, tattoo themselves.  With every such act, the enemy has gained access.

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Do Christians confuse you?

Imagine your frustration and confusion. Imagine you were holidaying overseas when suddenly the local police pull up and arrest you on the spot. They throw you in the back police car and drive off without saying anything. You say to the officer “Excuse me whats happening where are you taking me?” The officer replys “Oh, your being executed today – by the way, are you comfortable back there, would you like a coffee? Your thinking it is actually quite comfortable back her..hold on a second! “What do you mean – executed!?” you scream. “Yeh it sucks, but we don’t want to -we just have to, actually we were just saying how much we have look forward to meeting you. Is there anything else we can do for you?” Confused yet? I’m sure you are. Theres some awkward silence in the car as you cruise through the city streets then the second officer pipes up. “You know we love you don’t you?”. You reply “Ok thats it! You officers are hypocrites and your weird. You tell me your executing me and you love me, you won;t even tell me why! You just keep trying to make me feel comfortable and loved!”

So where am i going with this? Well obviously not to any publisher any time soon but this story parrallels what has been happening in Christianity today. It’s what happens when the Gospel of Gods love is preached without relating the Law, Sin, Righteousness and Judgment as well. We say God loves them but there going to Hell for no apparent good reason, it would confuse me as well. We have left many non-Christians confused and frustrated and even angry at Christians and God. If the police officers had explained that you had broken 10 laws of the country you were visiting and that the pentaly was immediate death! While you wouldn’t be happy about it, at least it would make sense! The Moral Law of God (The 10 commandments), and the Infinite Holiness of God are what make Hell make sense. There is a reasonable reason we are condemned to Hell. God has a standard, we break the standard. God is infinite, our offence becomes infinite. The payment is now infinite. Hell is forever, those there will never come one day closer to paying for there sin.

Only Jesus Christ who was God can pay the infinite price for your sin. He payed it on the cross. He died for us despite the infinite offense against Him. We did not deserve it and we would all come under His anger and wrath if it was not also that he is Merciful and full of grace. God does love us, we know this not because He will make the ride to your execution comfortable but because He sent His son to die for you. Christ now commands that you respond by turning from that very sin which he died for and by submitting to Him in Faith. If you do that – His Death will be applied on your account wiping away all your offence against God, your day of execution gone. You will be welcomed to His home forever instead of eternal punishment. It would be foolish to reject such a great salvation.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Computer Game Proves Evolution

There I was 1 week ago, at a Internet Cafe, playing Call of Duty 4 – one of the latest first person shooter games. The graphics and gameplay was nothing short of amazing. 1 week later it hit me……Evolution! I thought “well it was like 10+ years ago i was playing doom and the first quake game” and while COD4 is far more complex and advanced the basic concept is still there and even better there have been a bunch of transitional forms along the way to get from doom to COD4.

The only reasonable explanation for the similarities and the organized complexity was that the game evolved, I’m thinking someone must of left there computer on this whole time from back in the 80’s and over time the game became more complexed and organized by itself on the computer. I mean it makes sense, if our DNA and our bodies are more intriculatly coded then a computer game ,and they evolved, then of course it can evolve on it own. I’ve even got the transitional forms to prove it, thats why its called Call of Duty 4! Unlike our human evolution not that missing 50,000 or so transitional forms for each species change is a big deal anyway, isn’t 2 enough?

I don’t get why these ‘CRAZYs’ think that its more logical, reasonable and even scientific to say that complex things with design – have to have a designer. I mean c’mon obviously they have never played computer games before.

Those poor saps.

— Disclaimer – To avoid any further misunderstandings, please note this article contains small amounts of SARCASM —-

The more You Preach, the Fewer You Reach – Interview with Veggie Tales creator ‘Phil Vischer’

“The more You Preach, the Fewer You Reach” – Is the title of an Interview Christianity Today did with Veggie Tales creator and Big Idea Productions founder and owner Phil Vischer. The title is direct quote from Vischer in the interview.

In the interview Vischer address’s some very key issues facing Christian movies and their makers. I think it hit’s the nail on the head with some of his points. In particular interest was his reasoning on why movies like Passion, Narnia and LOTR were successful as opposed to movies like Evan Almighty and The Nativity. I agree with him in that he (and others) have observed that if a movie is made which has a distinct Christian message to it or is a retelling of a Biblical story – accuracy and not artistic license is more than favored but demanded. The other interesting observation was that LOTR and Narnia got the OK by Christians and the World because the story is set in complete allegory with no direct religious reference’s. Now what does that mean we should do practically? I’m not sure.

The other very interesting observation he made was this.

Now, if we go to another fantasy world, we need to find Jesus there—literally. That is why the Harry Potter books are viewed to be straight from the pit. Even if Rowling says she’s enjoying Christian themes, forget it. How do you write a Christian fantasy today? I have no idea. I don’t know that you can. I think we’ve killed it. I think we are so concerned with how oppressed our worldview is and so defensive that we’ve painted ourselves into a corner. And thus, we can’t tell the kind of stories that Lewis or Chesterton would have told to share the gospel. It’s kind of depressing, frankly. – PVicsher

I’m not sure how to get my head around this one. Could a Christian fantasy movie be made today? or What about a Christian Sci-Fi? Could you make the movie Transformers from a Christian worldview? Can we write Christian fiction with fantastical non Christian specific elements that didn’t raise an eyebrow? Could you write fiction about the end of the world which is opposed to the Bible(Like just about every apocalyptic movie), even though its fiction? Does a Christian allegory have to be set in an unreal fantasy world? What about movies like the Matrix which is heavily ladened with Christian Themes. Could that be written and reproduced by a Christian Studio and be accepted by the Christian audience? What if movies are made to parallel Jesus parables or his Teachings? How indirect can the story be and still be ‘Christian’.

Its funny to think, Narnia is a very Christian movie if your a Christian. But it also is not a Christian movie at all. There’s no direct reference to a specific Christian only element. It could be argued that all themes can be found from other reference points and all the Witchcraft – magic etc Is quite UnChristian.

Something to think about, just not for too long. It really isn’t that important but the answers to these questions do have bearing in more areas of the Christian life than entertainment.