Quick Update

Ok here's my quick update. I am moving off campus into a house with 2 other guys. So I will not be able to check my blog (or email, istant messenger, etc) during the next week or so since we do not yet have internet access yet at my new place. So I will temporarily be exiting the Blogosphere. But to make up for it I continued my series on the existance for God with TWO posts on Monday which you can find below. In other news my blog is almost a year old! So this could a fun discussion topic since my blog turns a year old next month on the 21st how should I celebrate that?

The Anthropic Principle

The Anthropic Principle is relatively new idea that states that the universe was fine tuned to make the universe suitable for human life. The “anthropic” comes from two Greek words. The first is anthropos meaning man or human and the second is topis meaning place. This principle points to how the universe seems to be a place designed to sustain life. The anthropic principle points that the universe displays exact precision in order of the universe that without such fine precision life in the universe would be impossible. This can be thought as variant of the Teleological Argument.

Examples of the anthropic principle are numerous through out science. Here is one that does not take much scientific knowledge to understand. Think of the location of the Earth. If it was a little closer to the sun the Earth like Venus would have been to hot for life as we know it. Or lets push the Earth back in the solar system then it like Mars would be to cold to sustain life as we know it. Are we lucky that the earth is in the exact right place it needs to be to support human life? I offer this as a simple example of how to illustrate this principle

Alister McGrath in his book Science and Religion gives four much more complex examples of “fine tuning” of fundamental cosmological constants.(182)
1. If the strong coupling constant was slightly smaller, hydrogen would be the only element in the universe. Since the evolution of life as we know it is fundamentally dependent on the chemical properties of carbon, that life could not have come into being without some hydrogen being converted to carbon by fusion. On the other hand, if the strong coupling constant were slightly larger (even by as much as 2 percent), the hydrogen would have been converted to helium, with the result that no long-lived stars would have been formed. In that such stars are regarded as essential to the emergence of life, such a conversion would have led to life as we know it failing to emerge.
2. If the weak fine constant was slightly smaller, no hydrogen would have formed during the early history of the universe. Consequently, no stars would have been formed. On the other hand, if it was slightly larger, supernovae would have been unable to eject the heavier elements necessary for life. In either case, life as we know it would not have emerged.

3. If the electromagetic fine structure constant was slightly larger, the stars would not be hot enough to warm planets to a temperature sufficient to maintain life in the form in which we know it. If smaller, the stars would have burned out too quickly to allow life to evolve on these planets.

4. If the gravitational fine structure constant were slightly smaller, stars and planets would not have been able to form, on account of the gravitational constraints necessary for coalescence of their constituent material. If stronger, the stars thus formed would have burned out too quickly to allow the evolution of life (as with the electromagnetic fine structure constant).

These are just some of many examples that show how universe shows fine tuning that makes life possible. It is truley amazing how if certain things were only a degree off there could be no life but everything shows how the universe was made for life everything is with perfect precision all showing that we had a master designer putting the universe in order.

The Other Teleolgocial Argument

I now introduce what I call the “other Teleological Argument”. This can also be called the real “Teleological Argument”. Teleological comes from the Greek word telos which means end or purpose. Teleological Arguments look at how things they have a purpose and work toward an end. The truth of this points us that something is pulling things to and end. The best example comes from Thomas Aquinas' 5th way in the real sense of being an argument being “teleological”. Paley's Teleological argument I presented in the last post inthe series is really specific type of cosmological argument but has become to be known as “The Teleological Argument”. Here is Thomas Aquinas' 5th the "real" teleological argument:

“The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things lack knowledge, such as natural bodies, act for an end, and this is evident from their acting always, or nearly always, in the same way, so as to obtain the best result. Hence it is plain that they achieve their end, not fortuitously, but designedly. Now whatever lacks knowledge cannot move towards an end, unless it is directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence; as the arrow is directed by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God (Robinson 35).”

This argument may not be the simplest to understand so I am going to try to illustrate it with an example. I also hope that my illustration will not undermine the argument with my poor ability to illustrate it. Lets take a seed. The seed has no natural intelligence to become a flower (or what ever else a seed will become). But a seed will ultimately become a flower. (Assuming its planted) How does that seed know it is supposed to grow and become a flower. Why does the seed not just stay a seed a in the ground why does it move forward towards its end becoming a flower? How does the seed know thats what it is supposed to do with its own intelligence telling it “Ok now I need to spout, and have petals, and grow.” The seed is moving to its telos or purpose. Why does it do that? Because it is being governed to do so by God. I am going to admit that my illustration is not perfect but what I want it to show is that things work to end. The things that draw them to the end is God.

Blog Pointing

As I surveyed the Blogosphere I saw a number of scriptural type posts that I decided I'd share for this edition of Blog Pointing.I always love seeing scripture explained and how it effects people in their lives. So that is the theme of this Blog Pointing.

One still relatively new blogger who you should keep your eye on is Kenan Plunk. Check out his blog Every Thought Captive. He is doing a series on the Beattitudes. Kenan is definately a really smart spirtual guy.

Check out Al Mohler's Commentary. He writes on what should mark the life of a preacher.

Pastor Steve Weaver's Blog is always a good place to go for scriptural blogging. He continues his great expositions on Romans with From Theology to Doxology an exposition of Romans 11:33-36. With a tittle like that you know its going to be good.

Read The Well of God's Word - Personal Testimony on the last 5 years (Part 3) to read Shawn's personal testimony of man interacting with God's word.

Read Chris Thornesberry's blog Spartan for his introduction to the book of Acts as well as some of his own testimony about God's word and his journey.

With so many blogs where people discuss details of their personal lives its alway great to see Blog posts that look beyond themselves and are about something more than themselves. The Blogosphere is blessed with a lot of people who do that, who as you know are not all mentioned here.

My New Years Sermon

I just wanted to let everyone know you can now hear the New Years sermon I preached at First Baptist Church of Aurora when I went back home for the holidays. The tittle of the Sermon is "Starting the New Year Christ Centered". Click here to hear the sermon and here to get the outline. The text is Col 1:15-18.

I definately counted it a privelge to preach at my home church on New Years day and thankful for the oppertunity they let me have. Though I have had many teaching/preaching oppertunities though devotionals, sunday school, Bible studies etc this was the first Sunday morning exerperiance I have gotten to have. I am also honored that the first "real sermon" I got to preach was at my home church and had the oppertunity to stand behind the pulpit.

So anyway there it is. Hopefully some people in the Blogosphere might benefit from it.

Blog Pointing

Hey I wanted to tell you to check out Matthew Wiremans' blog Off The Wire. He has also been doing a series on arguments for the existance of God. Its worth checking out. Its also fun to see a fellow blogger doing the same thing.

The Teleological Argument

1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: 2"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.
4"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5Who determined its measurements--surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, 7when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8"Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, 9when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, 10and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, 11and said, 'Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed'?
Job 38: 1-11

The Teleological Argument states that there is order in the universe which is the result of an intelligent designer. The Teleological Argument also says that the order and complexity found in the universe cannot be explained by random chance which would be absurd. The Teleological Argument is also the same thing as the controversial Intelligent Design Argument. Here is summary I did Paley's famous Teleological Argument.

Paley to illustrate why the order and complexity of the universe could not be a result of chance but as a result of intelligent designer, he uses the analogy of man finding a watch on the ground. The man after inspecting the watch sees that it is made out of many parts each with its own purpose and function as part of the watch. He also notices the watch is has a useful purpose. The man then must conclude that this can not be a result of chance. The complexity, order, and purpose of the watch show that it was made with intent and design and thus there must have been a watchmaker.

Next Paley responds to eight potential arguments to the Teleological Argument. Summarized here:
I. Ignorance of how the watch was made does nothing to hinder the conclusion that it took a watchmaker to make one.
II.Imperfections in the watch do not invalidate the conclusion that there is an intelligent maker behind it. Just that the watch has any design at all points to the watchmaker.
III.Parts of the watch that have no purpose or that we do not understand the purpose of do not invalidate the conclusion.
IV.It would be wrong to assume that the watch and its various machinery could be accounted for as the sum of the materials just coming together where it was found.
V.The watch cannot be explained as coming together by the “principle of order” since a principle could not put together a watch.
VI.It would be absurd to think mechanism of the watch not pointing to contrivance but only a motive to make the mind think so.
VII.It would be absurd to think of the watch coming together as a result of “metallic nature.” A law presupposes an agent.
VIII.The observer would not be wrong because he does not know everything concerning the matter. He can still make a conclusion based on what he knows.
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The material found here is a summary of material found in:
chapter 4 of God 2nd edition edited by Timothy Robision
BTW: I did respond to comments made on the Cosmological Argument

A Woman Marries A Dolphin!!??!!

I am going to briefly interrupt my series on the philosophical arguments for the existence of God to bring you this news story.

A 41 year old Jewish British Woman has a married a dolphin! I not making this up! The wedding took place in the port of Eliat Israel. And here are some of my favorite quotes from the story:

"It's not a perverted thing. I do love this dolphin. He's the love of my life,"
“....she said for now she was strictly a "one-dolphin woman."”

All I can say is WOW. Talk about redefining marriage!?! Marriage can no longer be stated just as one man and one woman it now has to be stated as one human man and human woman!!! Man and I thought I was a weird mix being half Persian and half Swedish, can you imagine the kids from this marriage?!?!? So is this woman going move into the ocean? Or is the dolphin going to move into an apartment with this woman? Weird.....
For more on this story check out:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10694972/from/RSS
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3191923,00.html
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In other completely unrelated news check out my new Blog Roll. I have updated it to reflect more of the blogs I consistently visit. Check it out I may have added you. Keep your eye on my links I plan to do some more updating.
I also will respond to comments on my last post soon and post the next argument in the series soon.