monkeys

A little girl asked her mother: How did the human race appear?

The mother answered: God made Adam and Eve and they had children and so was all mankind made.

Two days later she asks her father the same question. The father answered:

Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race was developed.

The confused girl returns to her mother and says: Mom how is it possible that you told me that the human race was created by God and Papa says they were developed from monkeys.

The mother answers: Well dear, it is very simple. I told you about the origin of my side of the family, while your father told you about his side…

See you monkeys Saturday :-)

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"What can we know? What are we all? Poor silly half-brained things peering out at the infinite, with the aspirations of angels and the instincts of beasts." -- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Stark Munro Letters

darwin

Now that we have survived it, my fellow Valentine's Day saints (sounds almost like "Latter Day Saints" :), we can talk about another big day last week, if you care, February 12. It was big because it was the 200th birthday of both President Lincoln and Charles Darwin, the natural scientist whose name with "ism" attaching to it equates to a revolutionary theory itself. This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's epic book "On the Origin of Species." 

Tons of books and arguments have been out there regarding Darwin's evolution theory and its opposing beliefs such as Creationism and Intelligent Design and I dare not even thinkof laying them out or rehashing them here or bringing up another lengthy debate that's plenty out there already as well. Instead, the following are just some simple thoughts and observations I have through the years to share with you. Please prefix each header below with the phrase "I think", as they are truly just my personal opinions: 

Darwin does not intend to take the Creator out of the grand picture.  
For starters, his book is titled "Origin of Species," not "Origin of Life," or "Origin of Universe." It just tries to explain the phenomena he observes that different species seem to have same traits therefore most likely they come from a same origin, and diverts later through the "natural selection" process. But he does not intend to explain how life itself all got started. As a matter of fact, he eventually brings the Creator into the picture in the concluding chapter of his book by saying this:

"There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved" (XLIX, 243)

Here he compares his theory to the law of gravity as another natural law that tries to explain what's happening in the universe we live in--the law of gravity explains physical behavior while his explains the biological world, and the Creator is the one that "breathed" life to all when this whole evolution process started, almost the same way Isaac Newton says that God is the one whose hand made the first push to have the world start moving around. 

Darwin never explains what that invisible, mysterious force that pushes all species to continue to evolve toward more sophisticated, superior form of existence is. 

Again, this is because all he tries to do is explain the phenomena, the process--the how, but not the why--of things. Personally I think the why is more important than the how, and thiswhy (mysterious force) is, pick your definition, what we may call God's Will, Spirit, Love, Intelligent Design, (or how about "Purpose Drive"). One can also argue that this mysterious force is an anti-natural law by itself: According to the second law of thermodynamics, all things in the world should go toward less order and more chaos (higher entropy), how in the world then can life continue to evolve towards better, more orderly, more sophisticated forms if left alone by itself? 

Darwin does not intend to have his theory applied to fields other than biologic science.

Once his theory gains popularity and becomes "accepted truth," people take the principles of his theory--survival of the fittest, natural selection, etc.--and apply them to areas of philosophies that suit their needs, e.g., Social Darwinism for human behavior, Universal Darwinism for cosmic development, or in some case it even becomes a new religion itself (George Bernard Shaw's "The New Theology"). "Applications" like these are out of the original scope of Darwin's and in general lack the serious diligence and scientific discipline Darwin shows in his research and the books he published.

Darwin came from a prestigious, "free thinking" family in England. He was baptized in the Anglican Church, but attended the Unitarian chapel with their mother when he was a child. His college education started at University of Edinburgh for medical studies, but once it turned out that Darwin lacked interest in such subjects, his father transferred him to Christ's College in Cambridge, for a Bachelor of Arts degree as the first step towards becoming an Anglican priest. He excelled in botany and other natural science studies there and graduated tenth out of a pass list of 178. He then went on to the Royal Navy gun-ship HMS Beagle for a 5-year "field trip" that inspired his evolution theory ideas.

He married his cousin Emma Wedgwood and had 10 children (2 died in infancy). He was a loving husband and devoted father who was uncommonly attentive to his children.Whenever they fell ill he feared that they might have inherited weaknesses from inbreeding due to the close family ties he shared with his wife and cousin. Despite his fears, most of the surviving children went on to have distinguished careers as notable members of the prominent Darwin-Wedgwood family.

Though his Christian faith continued to decline from the days when he believed Bible to be literally and historically correct when attending Christ's College in Cambridge, he refrained from expressing his religious view to the public, saying the question of religion was for theologians, not for scientists, and continued to play a leading part in the parish work of the local church. In a letter he wrote in1879 (three years before he died) he said that he had never been an atheist in the sense of denying the existence of a God, and that generally "an Agnostic would be the more correct description of my state of mind."


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"An evolution that insists on deducing from continuous process the ascending movement which reaches the summit of consciousness and thought necessarily implies that that consciousness and that thought were there from the beginning."  -- Jaques Lacan, The Ethics of Psychoanalysis

obama

Now that we have Super Bowl out of the way, as well as the Chinese New Year (or more politically correct speaking, the Lunar New Year) recess ends, we are finally ready for work for year 2009 :-) Happy New Year again guys!

And we also have a new President in the White House, by the way. He's been there just a tad less than two weeks, so I think I can still slip in the following article I wrote the day after his inauguration without sounding trite:

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I must confess I didn't vote for Obama last November (though my wife did so under my auspice), but I also must admit once he got elected, I got affected by the jubilant atmosphere that culminated at the inauguration ceremony yesterday. So what's so special about this person who is now the 44th president of ours, besides the obvious (first black President, youth, inspiring speaker, etc.)?

First, how did he get his name, Barack Hussein Obama? (One common joke during his campaign is his parents probably wouldn't have given him that middle name Hussein if they knew he would be one day running for the US president.) It is exactly the same name as his father's--Barack Hussein Obama Sr. The name Barack is Arabic, meaning "blessed." As for the middle name Hussein, he got it from his grandfather, Hussein Onyango Obama, who converted from Christianity to Islam after having fought for the British in World War I and having traveled to Islamic Zanzibar (an island off east Africa). After this, he added Hussein to his name. As a consequence, Obama's father was raised a Muslim, but he became an atheist long before he met Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, who was not religious as well. The same goes for his mother's second husband – Obama's step father, Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian oil manager. 

Barack Obama himself became a Christian, as well as his wife Michelle. He joined the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago in 1988. In his inauguration speech yesterday, he paraphrased some verse from the Bible (1 Corinthians 13:11), saying "The time has come to set aside childish things.." By the way, though Obama didn't do it at his inauguration, some presidents had the Bible opened to a certain chapter and verse they favored during the oath taking, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the longest (4-term) president in US history, had it opened to the same 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 all four times during his swearing in, with emphasis on verse 13: "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

One interesting verse in the Old Testament, Judges 5:12: "Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and take away your captives, O son of Abinoam." regards a story of a woman prophet Deborah and a young man Barak together successfully fought the Canaanites who had been suppressing the Jews at that time. Notice the name "Barak" is almost the same as "Barack", hence some deeply religious black people believe this is the verse that foretells Barack Obama's rise and becoming the US president today--kind of like a "black Moses" that leads his people out of misery.

For all that much talk about the "blackness" of Obama, let's not forget biologically Obama is really half-white too, due to his white Caucasian mother from Kansas. You might be surprised, but through thorough research of his mother's ancestral tree, genealogists have determined that Winston Churchill, the World War II Prime Minister of Britain, and Obama are ninth cousins, three times removed; Lyndon Johnson, the US President during the Vietnam War, and Obama are fourth cousins, three times removed. And if this was not enough, ex-President Bush, the one Obama just took job from, is his cousin too, sharing with him the same great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents in 17th century Massachusetts.

Back to Kenya, the country where Obama's father came from: The government there has been dominated by a major tribe Kikuyu, while Obama's father was born Luo, a minor tribe whose people don't practice male circumcision. Since the Kikuyu and several other tribes believe that any real man must be circumcised, a Luo cannot be a real man and therefore cannot be President. The joke now running around Kenya, then, is that it's easier for a Luo to become President in the United States than in Kenya.

Isn't America the greatest country in the world?

 














"Help us work for that day when black will not be asked to give back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right." -- This is the show stealer of Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction speech at the end of the inauguration ceremony. It's about racial harmony but it rhymes so well it sounds so fun. 

it might not be convenient

Talking about "Love is conviction, not convenience", here's one good piece from brother Ken some time ago:

Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 4:59 AM

Subject: Are you choosing to serve or choosing to be a servant?

My brothers, I would like to share this with you as an encouragement and a reminder to serve the Lord always!!

Paul Siaki, a missionary to regions in and around South Africa, asked that question last week during his sermon at IPC.  He had heard God's call and answered the call to go and evangelize in that part of the world.  While he is back in the states for his furlough, he visits churches and to drum up support for his mission work.

So he asked that question.  "What's the difference," I was thinking to myself.  Had I not chosen to serve already?  Then, when he elaborated on his question, it is like a wake-up call (for those of you who remember, it's the same 2x4 that's again hit me over the head #8^).  Here's what Paul showed me:

When I choose to serve, I also choose when to serve, where to serve, what to serve, who to serve with, whom to serve, and how to serve.  You see, I am IN CONTROL.  However, when I choose to be a servant, I give up this control.  I will serve whenever, wherever, whatever, however, whoever, and whomever.  Jesus is now in control when I choose to be a servant.

Rom. 6:18 said "...you became slaves of righteousness."  A slave, unlike us who worked 8 to 5 jobs, does not have his/her own time.  His/her time belongs to the master.  Likewise, Christ has set us free from the power of sin that enslaves us.  Now we are free to choose Christ, to be His servant.

I thought I have made that choice.  Paul's challenge, however, brought to light on how I have fallen short.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer's words on "cheap grace" vs. "costly grace" all of a sudden ringed in my head.  As I thought back, I realized that my service to Christ really hadn't cost me much, if any.  Now I know the reason, it is because I've always chosen to serve.  So, I served when it's convenient for me, I served only what appeals to me, I served only those whom I like, ...etc.

It all comes down to being available for God.  Often times I've made myself not available to God because I've chosen to serve instead of being a servant.  Christ had convicted me through the words of Paul Siaki, one who had chosen to be a servant.  Praise the Lord and the Holy Spirit who continue to guide us and convict us when we have gone astray!!

In Christ,

Ken

if you are going to san juan capistrano

Go down south on Interstate 5, get off at Ortega Highway, turn inland for about 7 and a half miles, you will see Caspers Wilderness Park. Drive in, park your car, enjoy a great hiking with blue skies and chaparral scenery.

On your way back on Ortega Highway, go past the I-5, the first traffic light you'll see is at a street named Del Obispo. Make a hurried left turn there, drive a couple hundred yards down the street, turn right to a Sizzler Restaurant and enjoy a hearty salad bar lunch for only $6.99, if you call the manager by his name and told him you had called him earlier and he agreed to give you and your pals that special price just because you called. 

Two weeks later you receive a letter from some p.o. box in North Hollywood. It's an official looking paper with 4 color pictures in the middle: A driver with a hiking cap who looks like me; the back sight of car with a license plate that looks like mine; a blue Highlander (that looks like mine) right behind the limit line of an intersection, with a red left-turn light on; and the same blue Highlander turning left in the middle of the intersection, with that same red light on. On top of the letter says: NOTICE OF VIOLATION--Automated Red Light Enforcement System.

And that will cost you $366, $423 if you elect to go to the traffic school to avoid the point.

So, like my wife chastised me with glee: what's the hurry, man. Slow it down, brothers, especially when you are in San Juan Capistrano, near the intersection of Ortega Highway and Del Obispo Street (GPS Latitude  33°30'6.73"N, Longitude 117°39'36.68"W)...


San Francisco (the song)

If you're going to San Francisco 
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair 
If you're going to San Francisco 
You're gonna meet some gentle people there 
                         ...

San Juan Capistrano (can somebody sing this for me?)

If you're going to San Juan Capistrano
Be prepared to part some money there
If you're going to San Juan Capistrano
You're gonna meet some hidden camera there 

keep good thoughts

A "moment of truth" article to share with you:

If you look for something bad in another person, you will usually be able to find it. On the other hand, if you look for what is good, you are likely to find that too--and then more and more that is good.

As you regain a more balanced view of the other person, you will often find it easier to overlook minor offenses. I have experienced this process many times in my marriage. 

One day Corlette said something that really hurt me. I don't remember what she said, but I remember going out into the back yard a few minutes later to rake leaves. The more I dwelt on her words, the more deeply I slid into self-pity and resentment. I was steadily building up steam to go back into the house and let her know how wrong she was. But then God brought Philippians 4:8 to my mind.

Ha! I thought. There's nothing noble, right, or lovely about the way she's treating me! But the Holy Spirit wouldn't give up. The verse would not go away; it kept echoing in my mind. Finally, to get God off my back, I grudgingly conceded that Corlette is a good cook. This small concession opened the door to a stream of thoughts about my wife's good qualities. I recalled that she keeps a beautiful home and practices wonderful hospitality. She has always been kind toward my family, and she never missed an opportunity to share the gospel with my father (who eventually put his trust in Christ just two hours before he died). I realized that Corlette has always been pure and faithful, and I remembered how much she supports me through difficult times in my work. Every chance she gets, she attends the seminars I teach and sits smiling and supportive through hours of the same material (always saying she has learned something new). She is a marvelous counselor and has helped hundreds of children. And she even took up backpacking because she knew I loved it! I realized that the list of her virtues could go on and on.

Within minutes my attitude toward her was turned upside down. I saw her offensive comment for what it was--a momentary and insignificant flaw in an otherwise wonderful person. I dropped my rake and went inside, but not to unload a storm of resentment and criticism. To her surprise, I walked in, gave her a big hug, and told her how glad I was to be married to her. The conversation that followed led quickly to a warm reconciliation.

Taken from  The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict
by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 112-113

* Philippians 4:8

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

halloween again

Time flies, can't believe it's Halloween time again! The following is an article I did around this time last year, for a re-run:

Friday is Halloween, the kids' fun day. Stories and controversies abound about this day's origin, meaning, and whether Christians should celebrate it or not. But one thing I think historical and worth celebrating by all (or at least Protestant) Christians is that this is the day, 491 years ago, the Protestant Reformation--the movement that split Christendom into Catholic and Protestant camps all the way till this day--all got started.

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, a German priest/theologian, posted his famous 95 theses on the door of a church in Wittenberg, a little town in today's eastern Germany, to display his objection to the "indulgences" the Church was selling. An indulgence was a printed permit or coupon with monetary value of personal confession of sin. The idea was sinners could buy indulgences to release them from divine punishment, or "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs," went the commercial jingle of the day. The Church used such "fund raisers" to collect revenues to help rebuilding St. Peter's basilica in Rome, or as political payback by some local bishops to Rome for their clergical assignments. Though Luther's intention was to dispute and argue the subject within the Church, copies of these theses got spread quickly throughout Europe (making the controversy one of the first in history to be fanned by the printing press) and unleashed a reform movement that would eventually effect all political and social structures of the Western world.

Besides objection to the indulgences, Martin Luther had many other theological differences with the Roman Church of the day. His studies of the Bible, especially the epistles of St. Paul, had led him to the conclusion that Christ was the sole mediator between God and man and that forgiveness of sin and salvation are effected by God's Grace alone and are received by faith alone on the part of man. This point of view turned him against scholastic theology, which had emphasized man's role in his own salvation, and against many church practices that emphasized justification by good works.

Luther also condemned the vow of celibacy and, as a former monk, he married a former nun that he helped escape from a convent in 1525, when he was 42 and she was 26. By all accounts theirs was a happy marriage, with 6 children. One of their descendants was Paul von Hindenburg, president of Germany after World War I and before the Nazi takeover.

Another great accomplishment by Luther is his translation of Bible from Latin to German language. He is not the first one to do such work, but is by far the greatest according to historians and literary scholars. The Luther Bible contributed to the emergence of the modern German language and is regarded as a landmark in German literature.

According to American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, these are Luther's most important theological insights:

(1) Humankind is entrapped in the ancient temptation to play God (Genesis 3:5), violating the first of all divine commandments, "You shall have no other gods."

(2) Liberation from this original sin comes through faith of at least two people ... one who tells another of Christ as the source of freedom from sin, and one who, so addressed, affirms faith in Christ alone.

(3) The Christian life is one in which, though we are sinners by nature, we are at the same time saints by God's grace and love.

(4) The Christian life is lived in two realms that belong equally to God ... church and society. This calls for Christian commitment to education, fair economic practices, and a life of mission to the ungodly.

Happy Reformation Anniversary!