God vs. Science

A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, 'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.' The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. 'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?' 'Yes sir,' the student says. 'So you believe in God?' 'Absolutely.' 'Is God good?' 'Sure! God's good.' 'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?' 'Yes.' 'Are you good or evil?' 'The Bible says I'm evil.' The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible!' He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?' 'Yes sir, I would.' 'So you're good...!' 'I wouldn't say that.' 'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.' The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?' The student remains silent. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?' 'Er...yes,' the student says. 'Is Satan good?' The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.' 'Then where does Satan come from?' The student falters. 'From God' 'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?' 'Yes.' 'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.' Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?' The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.' 'So who created them?' The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?' The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.' The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?' 'No sir. I've never seen Him.' 'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?' 'No, sir, I have not.' 'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?' 'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.' 'Yet you still believe in him?' 'Yes.' 'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?' 'Nothing,' the student replies. 'I only have my faith.' 'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'

At the back of the room another student stands quietly for a moment before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat?' 'Yes,' the professor replies. 'There's heat.' 'And is there such a thing as cold?' 'Yes, son, there's cold too.' 'No sir, there isn't.' The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees.' 'Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.' Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer. 'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?' 'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?' 'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word.' 'In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?' The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?' 'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.' The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?' 'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.' 'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?' 'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.' 'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?' The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed. 'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?' The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. 'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.' The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.' 'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?' Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I guess you'll have to take them on faith.' 'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?' Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.' To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'

The professor sat down.

Some more Christmas photos

Caleb and Savannah were having a great time on Caleb's air mattress.

Wayne and I on Christmas Day.

My brother Nathan shooting a game of pool.

Dad is aiming for the perfect shot.

Spencer was having a great time riding on his uncle Wayne's shoulders.

Christmas Celebrations!

My two brothers, Jon & Nathan and niece Savannah.

Dad and mom along with my brother Nathan looking at the book that I'd made for my parents at Christmas.

This is a mistletoe tree, the only way to get the mistletoe down is to shoot it down.

My brother Jonathan and his wife, Aytha.

Savannah is showing off her new princess dress, she absolutely loved it.

My brother Nathan is trying to open Spencer's gift (my nephew) while Telesa, Jon and Aytha all look on.

My brothers showing off their enthusiasm for guns.

Caleb and Spencer with dad looking on. This is a favorite picture of mine.

My brother, Jon and niece Savannah. Savannah had a great time playing with her uncle Jon on this visit.The princess is again twirling her septre.

The guys playing a game of pool on Christmas Day, I think they had a running game all day long.

Our niece, Marva and boyfriend Jonathan sharing a moment of laughter on Christmas Eve.

Niece Andrea and her husband David.

The tree was filled with presents, just waiting to be opened.

Sisters- Hannah and Keianna, they were anxiously awaiting the opening of presents.

We had played a game to see who could wrap their present the quickest. The game was judged according to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place but Jonathan was not be left out so he stuck his 4th place in the picture.

Dessert table on Christmas Eve.

This is a picture of Wayne's sisters, Tammara and Rosanna along with niece Marva.

Part of the spread on Christmas Eve.

Spencer decided he wanted to play with the septre.

Caleb was so excited to get his new gun for Christmas.

Caleb is looking on while Wayne is reading his homemade card. Caleb had cut out pictures from a calendar and asked to use my scrapbook things to put together this card, it turned out really nice.

Caleb and Spencer watching cartoons.

Spencer is trying out his sister's new cupcake boots. The boots are adorable.

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish all my blogger friends a Blessed and Merry Christmas! Take the time to dwell on the birth of Jesus, God's only Son which is the true reason we celebrate Christmas.


Christmas is upon us and my house will be bursting at the seams in a matter of hours. The excitement, laughter and joy that will be shared these next few days are priceless memories.

Christmas Tree

This post is done for my mother who was protesting because I'd not posted any pictures of my tree this year. The pictures don't do the tree justice in daylight. It is much prettier at night with the white lights blinking but oh well.

The yummiest truffles and they are so easy to make- please see previous post.

Caleb and I went to Kentucky Center for the Arts and saw the Brown-Forman production of Nutcracker. He wanted to take a picture during intermission, no photos are allowed during the performance.

Caleb during intermission at the Kentucky Center for the Arts.

Just patiently waiting for the doors to open.

Christmas Moments

It seems like the Christmas season comes so quickly even though we have 365 days to prepare. I typically will put up our Christmas decorations the week of Thanksgiving depending upon where we will spending the holiday. This is our first Christmas at this house so it was alot of fun preparing and decorating the house for family and friends. We will be celebrating Christmas Eve with my husband's family and then my family will be coming in for the weekend. I totally enjoy the Christmas season because of Jesus birth, family, friends and traditions that we make.

A tradition that I grew up with was going to my Grandma's and then onto my aunts as the family became larger on Christmas Eve. That tradition still holds and I miss it when I'm not there but we would gather for a time of eating and fellowship. After everyone would be stuffed my grandma would bring out our booklets that were full of Christmas carols and tunes, and my uncle would start strumming on the guitar and someone would break out into song. My grandparents are both gone now but the family tradition still stays.

This past weekend Caleb and I attended the Nutcracker production at the Kentucky Center for the Arts and we had a great time. He learned to love the Nutcracker several years ago when we had taken him to performance, since that first performance he gets a new Nutcracker every year to add to his collection.

Caleb and I made cookies and truffles this week. We had chocolate chip (all time favorite), sugar cookies decorated in snowman, trees, stars and covered with sprinkles. The truffles were a new experience but Caleb had a great time melting the chocolate and dipping my chocolate balls as well as dipping pretzels.

If you'd like a easy recipe to make truffles here it is:
20 Chocolate squares (Baker's semi-sweet)
1- 8oz. package cream cheese, softened

Melt 8 chocolate squares, beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy, still in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm. Shape into 36 balls. Place on wax paper. Melt remaining chocolate and dip chocolate balls and decorate with sprinkles, peanuts, powdered sugar or cocoa powder. Place in small foil cups.

This recipe came from Kraft foods but I only used the 8 squares of Baker's chocolate and dipped the balls in 1 package of chocolate bark. This is absolutely yummy!

A Different Christmas

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
'What are you doing?' I asked without fear, 'Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!' For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said 'Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.' 'It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,' Then he sighed, 'That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.' My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ', And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile. Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag. I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.. Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.'
' So go back inside,' he said, 'harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.' 'But isn't there something I can do, at the least, 'Give you money,' I asked, 'or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son.'
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, 'Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.'

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This Christmas remember our soldiers as they are away from their families and the comforts of home. Our soldiers continue to protect the freedom that we enjoy daily. I personally want to

say thank you for all the sacrifices that each soldier has endured and Merry Christmas.

P.S. I'm not sure who wrote this poem.