January 22, 2011

The Wonders of True Science and Real Facts

It is a marvelous thing to be able to have a relationship with the Prince of the Universe. Almighty God. Although we cannot study Him directly we can communicate and fellowship with Him. We can praise Him and seek His mercies and grace. We can have joy and peace in Him. We can sense the solicitations of His Spirit. Surprisingly, had He not revealed Himself to us we would not be able to do any of these.

God reveals Himself to humanity through Divine Revelation. This can be done in two different ways.

General Revelation: The things that God reveals to all people everywhere at all times.

Special Revelation: That which God reveals specifically to particular people at particular times (i.e.: Israel).

 Jesus' incarnation and the Holy Bible would be considered special, the things of the earth, universe are general. If we are serious to consider that all of nature and history itself are also aspects of God's revelation we begin to see a much broader picture that what would've been seen at first glance. It is reasonable to conclude that all there is to study in our universe...is God's revelation. Just like every action we commit if it is done with God in mind, is biblical and is righteous can and should be considered a form of worship. Scripture backs up the fact the God has revealed Himself in His creation like and artist technique or signature style is reflected in his art.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

Not everything that has existed or will exist has been revealed...

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.  Deuteronomy 29:29

Even though it continues to pass away, the universe is from Him and through Him.

For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:36

Here is where the definitions of words becomes crucial. Since the so-called "Enlightenment" many bedrock or fundamental definitions of how humanity have viewed reality for centuries and even millennium changed to suit and adjust to a godless worldview. The true primary definition of science goes something like this: (1) A branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws. Secondary definition here: (2) Knowledge, as of facts or principles; knowledge gained by systematic study. The word science from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge". This definition has been change in the last 200 years (since the Enlightenment of course) to be defined as:  An enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the world.  This definition in-and-of-itself sorta contradicts itself by adding the word prediction but I guess I am hairsplitting. In other words...the modern definition as been changed to encompass and include only empirical evidences or predictions based in empirical evidence, it is a definition honed by the scientific establishment to avoid mention of the supernatural or divine. Metaphysical is not even considered a legitimate avenue to pursue knowledge anymore.

Aristotelian philosophy which is the rudiment of all modern thought and is still in use in most/many intellectual circles today says of knowledge: "An older meaning still in use today is that of Aristotle, for whom scientific knowledge was a body of reliable knowledge that can be logically and rationally explained. The Bible and systematic theology properly understood do and excellent job of logically and rationally explaining God and how He has revealed himself in space and time.

Now... let us jump down to the underpinnings of knowledge to those pesky little critters called...facts.

Facts or that which science is based on has also morphed meaning and is no longer what it once was. Actually there is a much more detailed explanation of facts used in conjunction with the word truth but the definition below will do for now. Millennia of unchanged word meaning was turned on its head to promote an scientific (agnostic/atheistic) view of reality. The word fact derives from the Latin factum, and was first used in English with the same meaning: A thing done or performed, a use that is now obsolete. This definition ironically dovetailed nicely with the structure of God's universe and God's Self-revelation throughout Scripture as God was constantly entering space and time to perform things or do things. Remember...this was an Aristotelian definition not a biblical one that had been around since time immemorial. Then, all of a sudden we smack into the what? You guessed it: The Enlightenment (like a car wreck BANG!). These meanings have since been bastardized and the generally accepted definition of fact in our postmodern godless age is: "findings derived through a process of evaluation, including review of testimony, direct observation, or otherwise; as distinguishable from matters of inference or speculation." More specifically: "A scientific fact is an objective and verifiable observation [and here is where this gets laughable]. The scientific establishment's measurement for what is acceptable fact? The new definition of fact has been cleverly craft to exclude its ability to describe anything related to the supernatural...the miraculous...the divine...God.

For things to be considered facts by the new scientific definition...they must among other things be observable, God is Spirit therefore not observable unless He chooses to reveal Himself. Often times, what God chooses to reveal of Himself is only one, or possibly a few of His limitless attributes. If science doesn't even know what to look for when it comes to identifying God (because they are spiritually blind)...perhaps, just perhaps, they have already seen attributes of God and just cannot recognize them because of their intellectual arrogance and spiritual blindness? What is worse is their sensory filters are clogged with worldly junk. Until they sweep out the twisted  presuppositions from their interpretive filter...all they will continue to get is junk data.

"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ~Romans 1:21



Having elaborated on this I would like to make a few statements. I do not believe that "true" science and "true" examination of the creation through proper channels of learning is in any way anti-God. The problem arises when we pursue these things with a sense of wonder and zeal without God in the picture which is the new methodology based in the new definition of science and facts. Then it just becomes a pursuit of knowledge for knowledge's sake. When we study things properly in science and study with the intent of learning and  glorifying God this is a form of worship of God. Scientific things are then are not purely isolated to the worldly, humanistic or secular aspect and activities to be viewed as evil or demonized. This amounts to nothing more than misguided zeal and uneducated scamboogery. By examining and studying His creation we are showing that the things of His creation are amazing and worthy of admiration and adoration. The fact that we can examine them again and again and still not understand their full scope and importance attests to their miraculous intricacy and complex design.

One final quote from the godless scientific establishment for contrast purposes:
"In addition to these considerations [what is considered scientific fact], there are the social and institutional measures, such as peer review and accreditation, that are intended to promote factual accuracy (among other interests) in scientific study.
Social, institutional measures, peer review/accreditation to promote factual accuracy? Hmmm? I smell a rat. All man based. All subject to man's fallibility. All make man, not God the final judgment of what "fact" is. God is nowhere to be found and by science's very underlying principles...they will not even let him in the door if He was pounding on it. I actually heard a scientist a professor at Lehigh University quote this once,

"In science we limit ourselves to what is observable, repeatable or verifiable through measurement otherwise it cannot be considered fact."

They purposely limit their field of investigation to the purely physical realm and totally disregard the metaphysical realm. Sounds like they have tried to totally hedge out God in their imaginary worlds. Silly rabbit, Divinity and Holiness is of God.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My daughter-in-law is taking a college course in which they are studying scientific method. Of course, all of the material is biased against creationism and she is trying to fulfill the assignments but finds it difficult. I came across your post and passed it on to her to use as resource. Thank you for your well articulated thoughts. I love the cartoon.

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