This year in light of
the theme that the Executive
00:00:12.70\00:00:15.20
Committee chose for
GYC, we also decided it was
00:00:15.20\00:00:18.66
the appropriate time
for us to take a unashamed
00:00:18.66\00:00:22.06
stance on our
believe in a literal six-day
00:00:22.06\00:00:25.40
creation as
supported by the Bible and the
00:00:25.40\00:00:28.66
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:00:28.66\00:00:30.43
Now as a movement a seventh
day Adventist young adults,
00:00:30.43\00:00:34.30
we want to support our
church in every way possible.
00:00:34.30\00:00:38.00
And in every one of its
fundamental beliefs, including
00:00:38.00\00:00:41.63
the belief in a
literal six-day creation.
00:00:41.63\00:00:43.93
Now we decided to approach
this, not by looking at it
00:00:43.93\00:00:47.43
in a scientific way,
there are plenty of DVDs and
00:00:47.43\00:00:50.66
websites, books and a
lot of other resources you
00:00:50.66\00:00:53.83
can get to educate yourself
on why science actually does
00:00:53.83\00:00:57.13
support what the Bible tells
us of where our origins are.
00:00:57.13\00:01:00.20
However we wanted to give
you a different perspective
00:01:00.20\00:01:03.03
of why creation is
important to us as Seventh-day
00:01:03.03\00:01:05.90
Adventists in
different aspects of our lives.
00:01:05.90\00:01:08.73
So what you are going to
be doing is hearing from four
00:01:08.73\00:01:12.40
different people, a student,
a theologian, a scientist,
00:01:12.40\00:01:16.03
and a voice from the
General Conference about why
00:01:16.03\00:01:18.86
creation is important to
us as Seventh-day Adventists.
00:01:18.86\00:01:22.30
And our goal for this is
not just understanding why
00:01:22.30\00:01:25.50
creation is important,
and becoming more firm in our
00:01:25.50\00:01:28.60
own personal stance on that,
but also understanding how to
00:01:28.60\00:01:31.93
approach this issue with
people who we don't agree with.
00:01:31.93\00:01:34.93
People who believe differently
than we are in a way that
00:01:34.93\00:01:38.20
is winsome and that will
bring glory to our Creator.
00:01:38.20\00:01:41.43
I believe that creation
is important to students
00:01:41.43\00:01:44.63
for a very specific reason.
00:01:44.63\00:01:46.23
I think that creation shows
us, in the Bible, our source
00:01:46.23\00:01:49.80
of our identity and our value.
00:01:49.80\00:01:51.96
In Genesis it says, "God
created man in His own image,
00:01:51.96\00:01:55.60
"in the image of God
created He them, male and female
00:01:55.60\00:01:59.16
"created He them. "
00:01:59.16\00:02:00.86
Now as a student at a public
university I know that many
00:02:00.86\00:02:04.30
times people don't tell us
our value comes from the fact
00:02:04.30\00:02:07.73
that we are created beings.
00:02:07.73\00:02:09.30
Rather they tell us our
value comes from the grade
00:02:09.30\00:02:11.66
we can get in our class.
00:02:11.66\00:02:13.06
I'm not saying that it
is not important for us as
00:02:13.06\00:02:15.66
students on campuses,
whether they be Adventist or
00:02:15.66\00:02:18.33
public universities, not
to be trying to get the best
00:02:18.33\00:02:21.00
grades in our classes, but
we as Seventh-day Adventist
00:02:21.00\00:02:23.70
young people know that our
strongest sense of identity
00:02:23.70\00:02:26.33
does not come from the
grades we get in the class,
00:02:26.33\00:02:28.86
but rather from the fact
that God is our Creator and
00:02:28.86\00:02:31.40
He made us in His image.
00:02:31.40\00:02:33.23
Ellen White writes in the book,
Education, "the world does not
00:02:33.23\00:02:36.80
"need so much men of great
intellect as of noble character"
00:02:36.80\00:02:40.33
So while it is
important for us to study hard,
00:02:40.33\00:02:42.76
I look to creation is the
ultimate source of my identity
00:02:42.76\00:02:45.90
and my value, knowing
that if my grade comes back not
00:02:45.90\00:02:48.66
the way I expected, I may
need to work harder, but it
00:02:48.66\00:02:51.40
doesn't diminish my
value in God's eyes.
00:02:51.40\00:02:53.70
Now there is a second
reason why believe creation is
00:02:53.70\00:02:56.83
important for students.
00:02:56.83\00:02:58.23
It is because students
deal with it every single day.
00:02:58.23\00:03:01.43
Now I grew up in the Adventist
church and went to a Seventh-day
00:03:01.43\00:03:05.03
Academy, in
Berrien Springs Michigan.
00:03:05.03\00:03:07.60
I had a biology teacher
who knew that not all of his
00:03:07.60\00:03:10.36
students will go to
Adventist universities, but knew
00:03:10.36\00:03:13.03
even the ones that went
to Adventist universities may
00:03:13.03\00:03:15.66
encounter
evolution in the future.
00:03:15.66\00:03:17.40
So what he did is he taught
us not just creation, but he
00:03:17.40\00:03:21.43
informed us of
arguments we would encounter for
00:03:21.43\00:03:25.03
evolution, and then he went
through step, by step, by step,
00:03:25.03\00:03:28.43
showing us why
they did not make sense.
00:03:28.43\00:03:30.93
With all that evidence
clearly laid out in front of me,
00:03:30.93\00:03:33.50
I could not help
but believe in creation.
00:03:33.50\00:03:36.50
Not only is the Bible
very clear about where we come
00:03:36.50\00:03:39.46
from, to me the evidence
for evolution did not build up.
00:03:39.46\00:03:43.20
So when I found myself
instead at a secular University
00:03:43.20\00:03:46.60
as an undergraduate student,
imagine my surprise when I
00:03:46.60\00:03:49.93
started hearing people, who
said, they believed in evolution
00:03:49.93\00:03:53.33
The first one I remember
was a good friend of mine,
00:03:53.33\00:03:56.13
she was someone I was
actually having Bible studies
00:03:56.13\00:03:59.16
with and she comes to me
one day, there was a theme
00:03:59.16\00:04:02.16
semester on
evolution on our campus.
00:04:02.16\00:04:04.16
They were talking about
why evolution was so important
00:04:04.16\00:04:06.73
and how great it
was that we reached some
00:04:06.73\00:04:08.83
wonderful anniversary for it.
00:04:08.83\00:04:10.36
So they had special classes
at the University that semester
00:04:10.36\00:04:13.10
dedicated solely
to studying evolution.
00:04:13.10\00:04:15.50
My friend enrolled
in one of these classes.
00:04:15.50\00:04:17.80
She comes home to me and
tells me one day, you know what?
00:04:17.80\00:04:20.90
My professor says
you're dangerous, I'm like why
00:04:20.90\00:04:25.43
would I be dangerous?
00:04:25.43\00:04:27.06
She says because
you believe in creation.
00:04:27.06\00:04:30.10
I was taken back, how could
you believe that me, someone
00:04:30.10\00:04:34.00
who believes in
creation is dangerous?
00:04:34.00\00:04:36.56
Don't you know that evolution
actually gives the under
00:04:36.56\00:04:39.90
pinning of justification for
such horrors as the Holocaust,
00:04:39.90\00:04:43.53
but it didn't say that, I
thought it, I didn't say it.
00:04:43.53\00:04:46.66
In another class, I was
sitting and waiting for the
00:04:46.66\00:04:50.20
class to begin, it was a
history class, not a science
00:04:50.20\00:04:53.83
class a student comes
running into the classroom and
00:04:53.83\00:04:57.26
says Professor, professor
I just read in the newspaper
00:04:57.26\00:05:00.33
that the majority of
Americans do not believe they
00:05:00.33\00:05:03.40
evolved from monkeys.
00:05:03.40\00:05:05.10
And the professor
said, are you serious?
00:05:05.10\00:05:07.96
In this day and age.
00:05:07.96\00:05:09.86
Me, coming from this
Adventist Academy that had well
00:05:09.86\00:05:12.76
prepared me to see that it
was intellectually credible
00:05:12.76\00:05:15.76
to be able to believe in
creation could not believe that
00:05:15.76\00:05:18.76
the professor could
still believed in evolution.
00:05:18.76\00:05:20.60
But again I did not confront
her on this, and the reason
00:05:20.60\00:05:23.60
was this, I learned in my
time that at a secular campus
00:05:23.60\00:05:26.73
the best way to win people
to Jesus is not to get into
00:05:26.73\00:05:29.63
arguments, it's not try to
bash things over their head,
00:05:29.63\00:05:32.50
it's not to blast
people or to demean them.
00:05:32.50\00:05:34.83
Instead is having that
noble character, the upmost aim
00:05:34.83\00:05:38.16
that we have, even above
trying to find the best grade
00:05:38.16\00:05:41.50
in the class so I just
continue to live out my life.
00:05:41.50\00:05:45.10
At the end of that semester
I had the highest grade in
00:05:45.10\00:05:48.26
this professors class and
she called me into her office
00:05:48.26\00:05:51.40
to talk about
my academic future.
00:05:51.40\00:05:53.43
She wanted me to pursue
research in the same line she
00:05:53.43\00:05:56.93
was going on, she was a
historical anthropologist.
00:05:56.93\00:05:59.70
So evolution was something
very close to her heart.
00:05:59.70\00:06:02.40
When I told her I did not
want to study anthropology and I
00:06:02.40\00:06:06.23
didn't want to study certain
types of historical culture.
00:06:06.23\00:06:10.00
I wanted to study the
history of religion I wanted
00:06:10.00\00:06:12.36
to write my thesis on
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:06:12.36\00:06:15.26
She was completely
blown away, but I know that
00:06:15.26\00:06:18.40
it definitely made her
second guess the fact only
00:06:18.40\00:06:21.10
unintelligent people
would believe in creation,
00:06:21.10\00:06:23.50
because there sitting
in her office was the most
00:06:23.50\00:06:25.76
intelligent person in
her class, that semester,
00:06:25.76\00:06:28.00
who believed in creation.
00:06:28.00\00:06:29.80
Now I'm talking from
the perspective of a public
00:06:29.80\00:06:32.20
University student, and I
know that, that is something
00:06:32.20\00:06:35.70
that is not necessarily
encouraging for all us because
00:06:35.70\00:06:39.13
we want to send our
students to the Adventist
00:06:39.13\00:06:41.63
Universities, but the
truth of the matter is the vast
00:06:41.63\00:06:43.96
majority of Adventist
students are on secular
00:06:43.96\00:06:46.26
universities, furthermore
even the students who go to
00:06:46.26\00:06:49.43
Adventist universities
are not guaranteed not to have
00:06:49.43\00:06:52.46
their faith challenged in
whether or not creation is
00:06:52.46\00:06:55.43
actually a valid
theory to believe in.
00:06:55.43\00:06:59.70
Even for those students
who to go to Adventist colleges
00:07:01.70\00:07:04.56
for undergrad, but they
want to become a professor in
00:07:04.56\00:07:07.10
a Adventist university
or college, they will most
00:07:07.10\00:07:09.60
likely have to go to a secular
University at some point in
00:07:09.60\00:07:12.63
their academic career in
order to obtain a higher degree.
00:07:12.63\00:07:15.66
So at some point the vast
majority of Adventist students
00:07:15.66\00:07:18.40
whether they go to secular
universities, where they go
00:07:18.40\00:07:21.00
to Adventist colleges and
universities will confront
00:07:21.00\00:07:23.56
evolution in the classroom.
00:07:23.56\00:07:25.40
Their belief in
creation will be challenged.
00:07:25.40\00:07:28.90
A couple decades ago there
was a group of the Adventist
00:07:28.90\00:07:32.50
students who went to a
secular University to gain their
00:07:32.50\00:07:36.10
education to come back
to Adventist colleges and
00:07:36.10\00:07:38.33
universities, and those
professors, or those students
00:07:38.33\00:07:41.30
then who are now professors
and they took the bait.
00:07:41.30\00:07:44.20
They bought into the idea
of evolution, they bought into
00:07:44.20\00:07:46.83
the idea of a higher
criticism and that is why now we
00:07:46.83\00:07:49.66
are having debates within
our own church about whether
00:07:49.66\00:07:52.76
creation or evolution is
the valid theory upon which we
00:07:52.76\00:07:55.80
know our origins come from.
00:07:55.80\00:07:57.63
But I am here to tell
you today that there is a new
00:07:57.63\00:07:59.90
generation of Adventist
students, a new generation
00:07:59.90\00:08:02.10
of Adventist students
both on secular campuses and on
00:08:02.10\00:08:05.06
Adventist campuses who
are not ashamed in the gospel
00:08:05.06\00:08:08.00
and who are not ashamed
of the fact the Bible teaches
00:08:08.00\00:08:10.90
that we were
created in six days.
00:08:10.90\00:08:13.26
This new generation of
Adventist students is going to
00:08:13.26\00:08:16.66
re-import that truth
back into our church.
00:08:16.66\00:08:19.00
Our current students are the
future of how our church will
00:08:19.00\00:08:21.80
continue to approach this issue.
00:08:21.80\00:08:23.60
So I want to leave you
with a challenge, for the
00:08:23.60\00:08:27.30
nonstudents I ask that
you please pray and encourage
00:08:27.30\00:08:30.43
those who are students,
especially students on secular
00:08:30.43\00:08:33.30
campuses and also for the
ones on Adventist campuses.
00:08:33.30\00:08:35.86
Pray for the things that
they are going to encounter
00:08:35.86\00:08:38.40
every day, the
challenges they will face,
00:08:38.40\00:08:40.30
encourage them and
give them phone calls.
00:08:40.30\00:08:42.13
Let them know that
you are supporting them in
00:08:42.13\00:08:43.90
what they are doing.
00:08:43.90\00:08:45.10
Students be on your guard,
study, study twice as hard
00:08:45.10\00:08:49.83
as every other
student out there.
00:08:49.83\00:08:51.70
You are not supposed to
just master the material that
00:08:51.70\00:08:53.76
you have for your class,
but you also have to study the
00:08:53.76\00:08:55.93
Bible to see how it compares
with what your professor
00:08:55.93\00:08:57.90
is telling you, so you
can discern truth from error.
00:08:57.90\00:09:00.60
Know what you believe and
be unashamed in that belief.
00:09:00.60\00:09:03.80
Finally let's all present
Jesus accurately and winsomely
00:09:03.80\00:09:06.70
so that when people see
us they have a clear picture
00:09:06.70\00:09:10.33
of who Jesus is and
they would rather get to know
00:09:10.33\00:09:13.93
who this Creator is.
00:09:13.93\00:09:15.63
I have been asked in just
a few minutes to share a GYC
00:09:17.60\00:09:21.26
perspective on evolution
and creation from a theological
00:09:21.26\00:09:24.86
perspective, and I
would like to just point your
00:09:24.86\00:09:26.76
attention to page 28, of
the Spirit of GYC statement.
00:09:26.76\00:09:30.63
Because really we would
not have to read much more than
00:09:30.63\00:09:34.16
this to see were GYC
stands on the issue of origins.
00:09:34.16\00:09:37.70
If we look at the
last one, number 10, we see
00:09:37.70\00:09:41.66
that GYC defends the
biblical teachings of the
00:09:41.66\00:09:45.60
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:09:45.60\00:09:47.40
Now believe number 6 of
the 28 fundamental beliefs and
00:09:47.40\00:09:50.93
together with the response
of affirmation from creation
00:09:50.93\00:09:54.43
was more recently voted
by the General Conference
00:09:54.43\00:09:57.23
Executive Committee,
clearly states that Seventh-day
00:09:57.23\00:10:01.20
Adventist believe in a
literal recent creation in
00:10:01.20\00:10:05.13
6 continuous days before which
there was not life on Earth.
00:10:05.13\00:10:10.50
We also believe in a literal
global catastrophic flood.
00:10:10.50\00:10:15.30
Now if we could go up the
list to statement number 4.
00:10:15.30\00:10:19.90
We also, at GYC, believe in
a vibrant worship experience.
00:10:19.90\00:10:24.46
Do you see that?
00:10:24.46\00:10:25.66
Now Revelation 4:11 clearly
states that the basis of all
00:10:25.66\00:10:32.60
true worship is in
the Creatorship of God.
00:10:32.60\00:10:36.73
It says for thou art
worthy O Lord to receive glory,
00:10:36.73\00:10:40.53
and honor, and power, for
thou has created all things
00:10:40.53\00:10:44.30
and for thy pleasure
are and were created.
00:10:44.30\00:10:47.26
We move up to number 2 of
The Spirit of GYC, it says
00:10:47.26\00:10:52.90
that GYC respects the
gift of prophecy, the Spirit of
00:10:52.90\00:10:57.86
Prophecy, as an authoritative
and inspired source of
00:10:57.86\00:11:02.80
council and inspiration.
00:11:02.80\00:11:04.23
Now Spirit of Prophecy
of course is part of the
00:11:04.23\00:11:07.33
Adventist fundamental beliefs.
00:11:07.33\00:11:09.16
Number 17, Ellen White
clearly confirms the biblical
00:11:09.16\00:11:13.20
account of a recent
creation and a global flood.
00:11:13.20\00:11:17.00
But if we look at number
one, this is the real issue
00:11:17.00\00:11:20.96
here, the first statement
in The Spirit of GYC, is a
00:11:20.96\00:11:24.50
respect for Scripture as
the foundation and test of
00:11:24.50\00:11:27.96
all teaching and practices.
00:11:27.96\00:11:31.26
This is where the controversy
lies my friends, do we
00:11:31.26\00:11:35.46
believe in the Bible as the
inspired word of God or not?
00:11:35.46\00:11:39.60
We at GYC are not ignorant
of the controversy and the
00:11:39.60\00:11:43.70
challenges to the
inspired creation account.
00:11:43.70\00:11:46.76
According to the documentary
hypothesis the Pentateuch
00:11:46.76\00:11:51.30
was not written by Moses,
but was a late creation of
00:11:51.30\00:11:55.80
four separate authors.
00:11:55.80\00:11:57.83
They are nick-named, or
initialed as J,E,P,and D.
00:11:57.83\00:12:01.93
The Yahwist, the Elohist, the
Priests and the Deuteronomist
00:12:01.93\00:12:07.36
and according to this
theory, Genesis chapter 1 and 2
00:12:07.36\00:12:11.40
are from two different
sources written about 100 years
00:12:11.40\00:12:15.40
apart and they are
perceived to be contradictory.
00:12:15.40\00:12:18.20
Now do we buy that
at GYC? Audience: no!
00:12:18.20\00:12:21.86
No we do not, these critics
some even within the blogs and
00:12:21.86\00:12:26.16
websites and educational
centers of Adventism, blatantly
00:12:26.16\00:12:30.16
overlook the credible and
scholarly dismantling of the
00:12:30.16\00:12:34.46
J, E, P, and D theory by
eminent authorities and Jewish
00:12:34.46\00:12:38.76
scholars such
as Umberto Cassuto.
00:12:38.76\00:12:41.30
It is no such secret that
eminently qualified scholars
00:12:41.30\00:12:45.13
may disagree, and we at
GYC choose to side with those
00:12:45.13\00:12:48.73
scholars whose conclusions
uphold the testimony of
00:12:48.73\00:12:52.26
Scripture rather
than disagreeing with it.
00:12:52.26\00:12:55.23
Can I hear in
Amen? Audience: Amen!
00:12:55.23\00:12:57.66
This is because we are
disciples of a man named Jesus.
00:12:57.66\00:13:01.20
And His teachings we hold
in preference to all of the
00:13:01.20\00:13:04.40
scholarly dissertations
that theologians may bring.
00:13:04.40\00:13:07.73
We know what with delight
that Jesus apparently saw no
00:13:07.73\00:13:10.80
contradiction between
Genesis chapter 1 and Genesis
00:13:10.80\00:13:13.76
chapter 2, for in Matthew
chapter 19, He not only quoted
00:13:13.76\00:13:17.76
from both of them, in the
context of Moses writings,
00:13:17.76\00:13:21.73
but also obviously
believed both accounts to be
00:13:21.73\00:13:25.70
accurately rendering
divine actions and statements.
00:13:25.70\00:13:29.10
And I quote from Jesus
here in Matthew 19, he says,
00:13:29.10\00:13:32.73
"have you not read that
he which made them at the
00:13:32.73\00:13:36.33
"beginning made them male
and female," that's a direct
00:13:36.33\00:13:38.83
quote from Genesis 1:27.
00:13:38.83\00:13:41.66
And the same one said,
and He is quoting now from
00:13:41.66\00:13:45.40
Genesis 2:24, "for this
cause shall a man leave father
00:13:45.40\00:13:50.40
"and mother and shall
cleave to his wife and they
00:13:50.40\00:13:52.90
"twain shall be one flesh. "
00:13:52.90\00:13:55.00
Jesus quoted from both
chapters 1 and 2 practically
00:13:55.00\00:13:59.06
in the same breath.
00:13:59.06\00:14:00.53
Somehow Jesus didn't
get the J,E,P,D documentary
00:14:00.53\00:14:04.83
hypothesis memo.
00:14:04.83\00:14:06.96
I can already hear the
reply of some of our friends,
00:14:06.96\00:14:09.93
but Jesus wasn't a
theologian, this is true.
00:14:09.93\00:14:15.60
Jesus was not a
theologian, He was God.
00:14:15.60\00:14:19.60
Jesus was the Theos Himself.
00:14:19.60\00:14:23.63
On the authority of Jesus
own words, GYC will maintain
00:14:23.63\00:14:28.43
that Genesis 1 and Genesis
2 are both accounts of the
00:14:28.43\00:14:32.46
same creation, inspired by
the same Holy Spirit, written
00:14:32.46\00:14:36.26
by the same Moses, and that
the contradictions perceived
00:14:36.26\00:14:40.06
by the critics can
easily and consistently be
00:14:40.06\00:14:43.03
harmonized by those
who have a heart to do so.
00:14:43.03\00:14:45.96
Another favorite assertion,
of those who choose not to
00:14:47.20\00:14:50.80
place their faith in Scripture
is that the Bible is not
00:14:50.80\00:14:54.36
a historically
reliable document.
00:14:54.36\00:14:57.06
But they blindly
overlook the fact that the Bible
00:14:57.06\00:15:00.70
writers, each succeeding
Bible writer refers to previous
00:15:00.70\00:15:04.70
writers accounts as if
they were historically factual.
00:15:04.70\00:15:08.80
David refers to the
creation account when he says,
00:15:08.80\00:15:12.16
"by the word of the Lord
were the heavens made and all
00:15:12.16\00:15:15.53
"the host of them by
the breath of his mouth. "
00:15:15.53\00:15:17.70
"let all the earth fear
in the Lord, let all thee
00:15:17.70\00:15:20.03
"inhabitants of the earth
stand in awe of him, for he
00:15:20.03\00:15:22.96
"spake and it was, he
commanded and it stood fast. "
00:15:22.96\00:15:26.03
David also refers to the
plagues of Egypt, the parting
00:15:26.03\00:15:29.06
of the Red Sea, and the
pillar and cloud of fire,
00:15:29.06\00:15:31.93
water from rocks, manna
from heaven, and disease from
00:15:31.93\00:15:34.76
lusting after flesh food.
00:15:34.76\00:15:36.60
Isaiah refers to
divine Theos creation as the
00:15:36.60\00:15:40.40
origin of the universe.
00:15:40.40\00:15:42.03
Paul refers to the account
of the wilderness wanderings.
00:15:42.03\00:15:45.03
Stephen appeals to the
stories of Abraham and the
00:15:45.03\00:15:48.06
succeeding patriarchs of
Joseph and the famine in Egypt,
00:15:48.06\00:15:51.20
of Moses and the burning
bush, of the plagues and the
00:15:51.20\00:15:54.30
Red Sea, and of the
40 years of wandering.
00:15:54.30\00:15:56.53
James recounts the Old
Testament stories of Abraham and
00:15:56.53\00:15:59.90
the sacrifice of Isaac,
of Rahab and her treatment of
00:15:59.90\00:16:03.03
the spies in Jericho,
of Elijah and 31/2 years of
00:16:03.03\00:16:06.10
drought, and that in
answer to his prayers.
00:16:06.10\00:16:10.00
Peter speaks of the fall
of Lucifer and his angels,
00:16:10.00\00:16:13.26
of Noah and the
flood, of Lot and Sodom and
00:16:13.26\00:16:16.46
Gomorrah, of Balaam
and his talking donkey.
00:16:16.46\00:16:19.60
Jesus Himself expresses
His belief in the Old Testament
00:16:19.60\00:16:23.66
account of creation in
Matthew 19, of the flood in
00:16:23.66\00:16:26.63
Matthew 24, of Sodom and
Gomorrah, Lot and his wife in
00:16:26.63\00:16:30.26
Luke 17, of Moses and
the brazen serpent in John 3,
00:16:30.26\00:16:33.70
of the manna in the
wilderness in John 6, of Jonahs
00:16:33.70\00:16:37.13
three days and nights
in the belly of a fish,
00:16:37.13\00:16:39.26
of Nineveh's repentance,
and the Queen of Sheba
00:16:39.26\00:16:41.33
testimony in the time of
Solomon in Matthew 12, of Cain
00:16:41.33\00:16:45.06
killing Abel and even
the location of the stoning
00:16:45.06\00:16:47.86
of the prophet
Zachariah in Matthew 23.
00:16:47.86\00:16:50.70
If the historicity of the Old
Testament Scriptures is meant
00:16:50.70\00:16:54.23
to be called into question,
somebody forgot to tell David,
00:16:54.23\00:16:59.13
Isaiah, Peter, Paul, Stephen,
James, and Jesus Himself.
00:16:59.13\00:17:03.83
I say if the Old Testament
Scriptures are historically
00:17:03.83\00:17:08.06
reliable enough for Jesus,
they are historically reliable
00:17:08.06\00:17:12.26
enough for GYC, what do you say?
00:17:12.26\00:17:14.20
Audience: Amen!
00:17:14.20\00:17:15.80
But let's not forget
GYC's motto: an army of young
00:17:15.80\00:17:19.36
people on a
mission to proclaim, what?
00:17:19.36\00:17:22.20
The three Angels messages to the
whole world in this generation.
00:17:22.20\00:17:27.20
In the three Angels messages,
God's last message for planet
00:17:27.20\00:17:31.73
earth, the message for our time.
00:17:31.73\00:17:34.00
There is abundantly
clear reference to the truth
00:17:34.00\00:17:38.90
regarding origins.
00:17:38.90\00:17:40.23
Turn with me in your
Bibles to Revelation 14, you see
00:17:40.23\00:17:44.23
my friends God is
never caught by surprise.
00:17:44.23\00:17:47.86
He who inhabits eternity,
knew that in 2009, the issue
00:17:47.86\00:17:52.83
of origins would challenge
the very fiber of the faith of
00:17:52.83\00:17:57.76
Christianity and the
authority of the Scriptures.
00:17:57.76\00:18:01.16
But He also knew that
the Bible would not be left
00:18:01.16\00:18:04.36
without its defenders,
that there would be a people,
00:18:04.36\00:18:07.86
and even an army of
young people who would call the
00:18:07.86\00:18:11.23
Christian world back to
faith and trust in the Bible
00:18:11.23\00:18:14.56
as inspired word of God.
00:18:14.56\00:18:16.80
John the Revelator
declares in Revelation 14:6,
00:18:16.80\00:18:20.23
"and I saw another angel
fly in the midst of heaven
00:18:20.23\00:18:23.60
"having the everlasting
gospel to preach unto the earth.
00:18:23.60\00:18:27.20
"To them that dwell on
the earth, every nation and
00:18:27.20\00:18:29.90
"kindred and tongue and
people saying with a loud voice"
00:18:29.90\00:18:32.80
What kind of
voice? A loud voice.
00:18:32.80\00:18:35.73
"Fear God and give glory
to him for the hour of his
00:18:35.73\00:18:39.00
"judgment as come and
worship him that made heaven and
00:18:39.00\00:18:42.23
"earth and the sea and
the fountains of waters. "
00:18:42.23\00:18:45.30
This first Angels call to the
true authentic worship quotes
00:18:45.30\00:18:50.73
from the 4th commandment,
the Sabbath commandment.
00:18:50.73\00:18:54.40
It includes the triad of
heaven and earth and seas.
00:18:54.40\00:18:57.96
It's used in Exodus 20:11,
it must necessarily remind us
00:18:57.96\00:19:02.66
of the declaration of
that verse which says in 6 days
00:19:02.66\00:19:07.33
this earth was created.
00:19:07.33\00:19:10.03
But curiously enough in
the last phrase John departs
00:19:10.03\00:19:14.86
from his text, Exodus
20: 11 refers to the heavens,
00:19:14.86\00:19:18.93
the earth, and the seas
and all that in them is.
00:19:18.93\00:19:22.93
But in Revelation 14, John
says the heaven, the earth,
00:19:22.93\00:19:27.73
and the fountains of waters,
of course all that in them
00:19:27.73\00:19:32.53
is includes everything.
00:19:32.53\00:19:34.63
While by specifying the fountain
of waters, John isolates
00:19:34.63\00:19:39.43
only one aspect of
what the fourth commandment
00:19:39.43\00:19:42.26
says that God created
in 6 days on this globe.
00:19:42.26\00:19:45.03
Why does John take the
pains to single them out and to
00:19:45.03\00:19:49.23
include them in the
first Angels message?
00:19:49.23\00:19:51.66
Genesis 7:11
contains the answer.
00:19:51.66\00:19:56.26
The Bible says in the
600th year of Noah's life,
00:19:56.26\00:19:59.30
the second month in the
17th day of the month, the same
00:19:59.30\00:20:03.13
day where all the fountains
of the great deep broken up,
00:20:03.13\00:20:06.93
and the windows of
heaven were opened.
00:20:06.93\00:20:08.60
Yes God made the fountains
of waters, and the Bible
00:20:08.60\00:20:12.50
declares that the time of Noah's
flood, they were opened up
00:20:12.50\00:20:16.20
with all their destructive fury.
00:20:16.20\00:20:18.23
God's last day, end-time
people, have a last day end time
00:20:18.23\00:20:22.30
message to take to the
world, and that message includes
00:20:22.30\00:20:25.76
the truth about the
recent creation of life on this
00:20:25.76\00:20:29.20
world in 6 literal
continuous days and the
00:20:29.20\00:20:33.06
catastrophic destruction
of the world, and the Mabool,
00:20:33.06\00:20:36.13
the global flood
at the time of Noah.
00:20:36.13\00:20:38.90
Yes, GYC supports the
position of the Seventh-day
00:20:38.90\00:20:42.36
Adventist church which we
believe to be the position
00:20:42.36\00:20:45.80
of the Bible regarding creation.
00:20:45.80\00:20:48.26
Yes, GYC is determined to
be an army of young people on
00:20:48.26\00:20:52.36
a mission to carry the
three Angels messages to the
00:20:52.36\00:20:56.33
world in our generation,
including the message of a
00:20:56.33\00:21:00.06
recent fiat creation and
a catastrophic global flood.
00:21:00.06\00:21:04.30
And by God's grace, and
with a loud voice, GYC young
00:21:04.30\00:21:07.90
people are going to do
their part to invite every
00:21:07.90\00:21:11.23
nation, kindred, tongue
and people to worship the
00:21:11.23\00:21:14.50
Creator who in 6 days
made heaven and earth,
00:21:14.50\00:21:17.70
seas and fountains of water.
00:21:17.70\00:21:19.60
Without a clear teaching
on the issue of origins,
00:21:19.60\00:21:23.36
we cannot be true
to the Scriptures.
00:21:23.36\00:21:25.63
We cannot be true to the
teachings of the Seventh-day
00:21:25.63\00:21:28.30
Adventist church, we cannot
be to true to our own spirit of
00:21:28.30\00:21:31.63
GYC document or our own motto.
00:21:31.63\00:21:33.93
We cannot take these
three Angels messages to the
00:21:33.93\00:21:37.50
world in this generation.
00:21:37.50\00:21:39.13
This is our position,
we see no other options,
00:21:39.13\00:21:42.00
May God help us
be faithful and true.
00:21:42.00\00:21:45.53
My name is Christina
Harris, and I have a Ph. D.
00:21:48.70\00:21:51.60
in organic chemistry.
00:21:51.60\00:21:52.96
Right now I'm a research
chemist and I work for a
00:21:52.96\00:21:56.03
company that does contract
work for a pharmaceutical
00:21:56.03\00:21:59.06
companies in the
United States and abroad.
00:21:59.06\00:22:01.46
Soon I will be making a
transition to work at Weimar
00:22:01.46\00:22:04.43
college, I will be the
professor of chemistry there.
00:22:04.43\00:22:07.40
I'll be teaching general
chemistry, organic chemistry,
00:22:07.40\00:22:11.50
and biochemistry, but my
first job was with the company
00:22:11.50\00:22:15.76
named Pharmacia Upjohn which
later became a part of Pfizer.
00:22:15.76\00:22:19.46
When I first started there
I was praying that God would
00:22:19.46\00:22:23.13
give me some
opportunities to witness.
00:22:23.13\00:22:25.80
After a few days, I was
in my lab doing my research,
00:22:25.80\00:22:29.33
a colleague came in and
told me he had just accepted the
00:22:29.33\00:22:32.86
Lord as his personal savior.
00:22:32.86\00:22:34.53
He wanted to know if I
had any Bible studies he could
00:22:34.53\00:22:37.60
use because he
knew I was a Christian.
00:22:37.60\00:22:39.90
So I gave him the first
couple of the Discover Bible
00:22:39.90\00:22:44.33
Study Guides, and one of
those covers the topic of
00:22:44.33\00:22:48.43
creation, and it tells
about scientists who were
00:22:48.43\00:22:52.50
creationist like Isaac
Newton, and gives us reasons why
00:22:52.50\00:22:55.86
we could believe in what
the Bible says about creation.
00:22:55.86\00:22:59.36
A few days later he came back
by my lab and was telling me
00:22:59.36\00:23:02.80
how much he
enjoyed those studies.
00:23:02.80\00:23:05.00
He said to me, he kind
of whispers and says do you
00:23:05.00\00:23:08.90
really believe in the
creation and the flood?
00:23:08.90\00:23:11.23
And I said yes I do.
00:23:11.23\00:23:14.33
He had never met a scientist
or an educated person that
00:23:14.33\00:23:18.23
accepted what the Bible said
about creation and the flood.
00:23:18.23\00:23:21.73
And it is unfortunate that
many scientists have largely
00:23:21.73\00:23:25.16
rejected the
biblical account of origins.
00:23:25.16\00:23:28.00
We see that Satan still
lurks at the tree of knowledge,
00:23:28.00\00:23:32.23
but we need not be deceived
if we cling to God's word.
00:23:32.23\00:23:36.43
One passage taken from
the book Education that I
00:23:36.43\00:23:40.96
found very inspirational
to me and has helped me hold
00:23:40.96\00:23:44.56
on to my belief
reads as follows.
00:23:44.56\00:23:48.86
Ellen White writes, "since
the book of nature and the book
00:23:48.86\00:23:52.26
"of Revelation bear the
impress of the same Master
00:23:52.26\00:23:55.63
"mind, they can not
but speak in harmony. "
00:23:55.63\00:23:58.33
"By different methods and
in different languages, they
00:23:58.33\00:24:02.93
"witness to the
same great truths.
00:24:02.93\00:24:05.16
"Science is ever discovering
new wonders, but she brings
00:24:05.16\00:24:09.63
"from her research nothing that
rightly understood conflicts
00:24:09.63\00:24:14.00
"with the Divine Revelation.
00:24:14.00\00:24:15.60
"Inferences erroneous
drawn from facts observed in
00:24:15.60\00:24:20.00
"nature have however lead
to supposed conflict between
00:24:20.00\00:24:24.36
"science and Revelation.
00:24:24.36\00:24:26.50
"In the effort to restore
harmony, interpretation of
00:24:26.50\00:24:30.96
"Scripture has been adopted
that undermines and destroys
00:24:30.96\00:24:35.36
"the full force
of the word of God.
00:24:35.36\00:24:36.96
"Millions of years, it is
claimed, were required for the
00:24:36.96\00:24:41.46
"evolution of the earth
from chaos and in order to
00:24:41.46\00:24:45.16
"accommodate the Bible to this
supposed Revelation of science,
00:24:45.16\00:24:49.80
"the days of creation
are assumed to have been vast
00:24:49.80\00:24:53.50
"indefinite periods covering
thousands or even millions
00:24:53.50\00:24:57.53
"of years, such a conclusion
is wholly uncalled for. "
00:24:57.53\00:25:01.50
It is interesting that we
as scientists have done this
00:25:03.30\00:25:07.13
the idea of spontaneous
generation, that life could come
00:25:07.13\00:25:11.50
from nonlife was rejected
and disproved back in the 19th
00:25:11.50\00:25:15.80
century, one of the scientists
was a chemist and later he
00:25:15.80\00:25:20.50
developed into one of the early
microbiologists, Louis Pasteur.
00:25:20.50\00:25:24.26
In 1864, he received an
award from the French National
00:25:24.26\00:25:31.36
Academy of Science
for his work in disproving
00:25:31.36\00:25:34.20
this theory of
spontaneous generation.
00:25:34.20\00:25:38.70
When he received his
award, he said in his speech
00:25:38.70\00:25:44.23
"never again will the
theory of spontaneous generation
00:25:44.23\00:25:49.73
"recover from the
mortal blow received by these
00:25:49.73\00:25:52.66
"experiments," but unfortunately
that mortal wound was
00:25:52.66\00:25:57.50
healed and has gotten a
facelift and has now come back
00:25:57.50\00:26:02.10
as what we call a-biogenesis,
or chemical evolution.
00:26:02.10\00:26:06.70
As an organic chemist I
work with chemicals all day long
00:26:06.70\00:26:10.93
and some of the molecules
that I make exist in cells but
00:26:10.93\00:26:15.16
they never result in life.
00:26:15.16\00:26:16.96
The living cell is not
just a bag of chemicals waiting
00:26:16.96\00:26:20.50
for the right combination
to come together to make life.
00:26:20.50\00:26:23.96
So how can we witness at work,
about our beliefs in creation?
00:26:23.96\00:26:29.90
Well the first thing
I always think about is,
00:26:29.90\00:26:32.50
what is my influence at work?
00:26:32.50\00:26:34.60
Am I a faithful worker?
Do I demonstrate excellence
00:26:34.60\00:26:39.76
in the workplace?
00:26:39.76\00:26:41.60
Do I work with and eye
single to the glory of God?
00:26:41.60\00:26:44.73
And something I
learned early on in my career,
00:26:44.73\00:26:47.83
that has given me a
long for peace at work,
00:26:47.83\00:26:51.23
is that my boss is not my boss!
00:26:51.23\00:26:53.40
My boss is God, and if
God is pleased with my work,
00:26:53.40\00:26:59.66
my employer will also
be pleased with my work.
00:26:59.66\00:27:03.00
The second thing we can
do is that we can be in the
00:27:03.00\00:27:06.00
world to remind people
that this theory that Darwin
00:27:06.00\00:27:09.00
has proposed is not a done deal.
00:27:09.00\00:27:11.73
Naturalistic evolution
requires that atoms organize
00:27:13.50\00:27:17.06
themselves into increasingly
complex and beneficial
00:27:17.06\00:27:20.60
ordered arrangements
and this does not happen
00:27:20.60\00:27:23.70
without an acting agent.
00:27:23.70\00:27:26.23
So we can engage our
colleagues with some simple
00:27:26.23\00:27:29.56
questions, a lot of
times Jesus asked questions,
00:27:29.56\00:27:33.16
not because He didn't
know the answer, but to lift
00:27:33.16\00:27:36.66
people higher and help
them see the bigger picture of
00:27:36.66\00:27:40.13
their place in His world.
00:27:40.13\00:27:42.13
To Elijah He says,
what are you doing here?
00:27:42.13\00:27:45.36
And to Job He says,
where were you when I laid the
00:27:45.36\00:27:48.83
foundations of the earth?
00:27:48.83\00:27:50.46
We can ask thoughtful questions
that can lead others to
00:27:50.46\00:27:54.10
see the inconsistencies
in evolutionary arguments
00:27:54.10\00:27:57.50
that they hold while at
the same time remembering that
00:27:57.50\00:28:01.03
we don't have to take
them on the whole journey,
00:28:01.03\00:28:03.20
our influence can be
their starting point.
00:28:03.20\00:28:05.66
For example, we can ask,
have you considered which came
00:28:05.66\00:28:10.66
first, DNA or the protein
needed by the DNA which can
00:28:10.66\00:28:15.63
only be produced by DNA?
00:28:15.63\00:28:17.86
Is it possible that similarities
in design between different
00:28:17.86\00:28:22.46
animals prove a common Creator
instead of a common ancestor?
00:28:22.46\00:28:27.03
Or laboratory work suggests
will chemicals do not arrange
00:28:27.03\00:28:32.13
themselves into complex
information bearing molecules
00:28:32.13\00:28:36.63
such as DNA without guidance
from human experimenters,
00:28:36.63\00:28:41.20
however in Neo Darwinism
that these molecules developed
00:28:41.20\00:28:45.90
over a long period of
time by chance without any
00:28:45.90\00:28:50.56
Creator, how can this be?
00:28:50.56\00:28:52.86
For awhile the Neo Darwinists
have had the upper hand.
00:28:54.90\00:28:57.73
In the 1970s Professor Dean
Kenyon found it increasingly
00:28:57.73\00:29:02.13
difficult to find
evidence for actually observed
00:29:02.13\00:29:05.70
evolutionary change and
actual transitional fossils for
00:29:05.70\00:29:09.63
him to use in his lectures.
00:29:09.63\00:29:11.20
So he began to question
his own viewpoints on origins
00:29:13.26\00:29:17.03
and eventually came
to the realization that
00:29:17.03\00:29:19.16
his beliefs were incorrect.
00:29:19.16\00:29:21.56
I was an assistant professor
at Western Michigan University
00:29:21.56\00:29:25.46
for a while, and my
office was adjacent to one
00:29:25.46\00:29:28.20
of the faculty in
evolutionary biology.
00:29:28.20\00:29:31.26
One day a junior faculty
member came to him and was
00:29:31.26\00:29:34.40
relating how a student had
challenged him during class
00:29:34.40\00:29:37.53
over the issue of origins.
00:29:37.53\00:29:39.96
The professor was really
discouraged and upset and angry
00:29:39.96\00:29:44.46
and he said at one point
where did these kids come from?
00:29:44.46\00:29:48.90
I suppose he was angry
because he wasn't able to
00:29:48.90\00:29:53.50
disprove, or to counter
the student's arguments.
00:29:53.50\00:29:57.60
Neo-Darwinism teaches
that our lives are brief and
00:29:57.60\00:30:01.20
inconsequential in a
cosmic scheme of things and that
00:30:01.20\00:30:04.63
life has no ultimate purpose
because there is no heaven
00:30:04.63\00:30:08.03
and there is no hell
and there is no afterlife.
00:30:08.03\00:30:10.40
Week by week we see the
world becoming more polarized,
00:30:10.40\00:30:14.43
but now is not the time
to keep our worldview silent.
00:30:14.43\00:30:19.26
At first Queen Esther
hid her origins, but when the
00:30:19.26\00:30:24.00
opportune and crucial time
came she disclosed her position
00:30:24.00\00:30:28.43
and God will reveal the
best time and the best method
00:30:28.43\00:30:32.76
and setting for our witness
if we will just ask Him to.
00:30:32.76\00:30:36.56
You may find that some
people may actually agree with
00:30:36.56\00:30:40.30
you, or there may be some
co-workers that are not as sure
00:30:40.30\00:30:43.96
as they seem to be.
00:30:43.96\00:30:45.80
As we see in the events of
prophecy unfolding around us,
00:30:45.80\00:30:49.53
we need to remember that we are
here for such a time as this.
00:30:49.53\00:30:54.70
For those of you who know
a little bit about my story
00:30:57.76\00:31:02.16
a secular Jew and I
became a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:31:02.16\00:31:09.40
You have no idea of the
vast, vast, vast chasms that
00:31:09.40\00:31:15.60
I had to cross to come
from being a secular Jew to an
00:31:15.60\00:31:21.33
Adventist, in a sense I
had to be broken, broken into
00:31:21.33\00:31:27.00
tiny little pieces and put back
together again to make it fit.
00:31:27.00\00:31:33.90
I think if you ask the
folks at GC, who know me,
00:31:33.90\00:31:37.30
they probably wonder, even after
26 years, how good of a fit
00:31:37.30\00:31:41.16
it really is, and it is
not so easy on both sides.
00:31:41.16\00:31:46.53
I mean me adjusting to
Adventism, so many Republicans,
00:31:46.53\00:31:51.83
I had to say that to
razz Justin McNeil on that a
00:31:51.83\00:31:55.73
little bit, and I'm
sure my wife is probably home
00:31:55.73\00:31:59.56
watching this on the computer
and shaking her head saying,
00:31:59.56\00:32:01.86
Oh no Cliff, don't go
down that road, don't do that.
00:32:01.86\00:32:05.20
But anyway the point
though, the point though in all
00:32:05.20\00:32:08.90
this is whatever the cultural
differences or whatever,
00:32:08.90\00:32:13.26
the bottom line is folks
that you are stuck with me.
00:32:13.26\00:32:18.76
Because I can't be anything
else other than a Seventh-
00:32:18.76\00:32:24.20
day Adventist. Audience: Amen!
00:32:24.20\00:32:26.76
Here's the thing, there
is just one reason, and one
00:32:26.76\00:32:31.40
reason alone that
I am in an Adventist.
00:32:31.40\00:32:35.73
One reason and one
reason alone that I am here.
00:32:35.73\00:32:39.06
That is the doctrines,
that is the teachings of this
00:32:39.06\00:32:43.06
church, I believe that this
is present truth and that no
00:32:43.06\00:32:47.00
one else in the world
is preaching this message,
00:32:47.00\00:32:49.36
in all due respect, no
one else is even coming close.
00:32:49.36\00:32:54.56
I talked about that in
my seminar on the remnant.
00:32:54.56\00:32:59.20
It is these truths, these
wonderful present truths that
00:32:59.20\00:33:04.96
we have been given.
00:33:04.96\00:33:06.43
This is what keeps me
here and nothing else.
00:33:06.43\00:33:10.73
Now I'm not saying, I'm
not saying that we all have to
00:33:10.73\00:33:14.23
agree on every doctrinal point.
00:33:14.23\00:33:16.90
I mean you should have
seen some of the e-mails,
00:33:16.90\00:33:19.76
I understand GYC leaders
got inundated with e-mails.
00:33:19.76\00:33:23.40
People saying don't
bring Clifford Goldstein here.
00:33:23.40\00:33:26.93
Don't bring him in here, that's
nothing I'm the editor of the
00:33:26.93\00:33:30.56
Sabbath school quarterly,
I'm use to that stuff.
00:33:30.56\00:33:33.03
But the funniest was,
I've been accused of everything
00:33:33.03\00:33:36.60
and the best one is one
of my friends at GC came back
00:33:36.60\00:33:39.96
from Florida and he said
Cliff, somebody down there
00:33:39.96\00:33:43.30
was telling me you
are a Jesuit infiltrator.
00:33:43.30\00:33:46.50
You know the Jewish
Jesuit Clifford Goldstein,
00:33:46.50\00:33:49.66
a Jesuit infiltrator.
00:33:49.66\00:33:51.76
I don't know do we
attract them or create them?
00:33:51.76\00:33:54.66
I don't know, anyway
there is going to be some amount
00:33:54.66\00:33:58.50
of disagreement, there is
going to be some amount of
00:33:58.50\00:34:02.70
latitude, we are not all
going to see things the same
00:34:02.70\00:34:07.30
way, but the question I
ask, the question I am asking
00:34:07.30\00:34:12.80
is at what point, at
what point does somebody hold
00:34:12.80\00:34:18.30
some beliefs that cross a line?
00:34:18.30\00:34:20.83
That cross the line and
take them out of the Fellowship.
00:34:20.83\00:34:24.50
What point can we say, we
love you, we care about you,
00:34:24.50\00:34:28.10
but you have crossed a line.
00:34:28.10\00:34:31.70
And folks if evolution hasn't
crossed that line, nothing
00:34:31.70\00:34:39.23
has, nothing has, to me to
think that you can meld the
00:34:39.23\00:34:45.70
teachings of evolution
with Adventism it is surreal to
00:34:45.70\00:34:52.16
me, it is surreal to me.
00:34:52.16\00:34:54.26
You can't be an evolutionist
and a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:34:54.26\00:34:59.00
Pick one, pick the other,
but have the moral honesty and
00:34:59.00\00:35:03.60
integrity and the intellectual
honesty and integrity to
00:35:03.60\00:35:08.10
not perpetrate the
myth that you can do both.
00:35:08.10\00:35:11.70
You have all heard of the
new atheists, these writers.
00:35:11.70\00:35:16.56
I have read all of
them, Sam Harris, Christopher
00:35:16.56\00:35:21.00
Hitchens, Richard
Dawkins, Daniel Denit,
00:35:21.00\00:35:24.20
and Dawkins is
by far my favorite.
00:35:24.20\00:35:27.20
He is hilarious, his book
'The God Delusion' was very
00:35:27.20\00:35:30.46
well written, it was
funny and I enjoyed every minute
00:35:30.46\00:35:33.60
of it, I mean the arguments,
I mean he's a great writer
00:35:33.60\00:35:36.80
and I really think Richard
Dawkins is someone who is
00:35:36.80\00:35:40.00
fighting conviction,
I really think he is.
00:35:40.00\00:35:43.50
I mean he arguments
against the existence of God is
00:35:43.50\00:35:46.10
juvenile, it's like who
created God kind of thing.
00:35:46.10\00:35:53.36
But Dawkins had one point
that he was very clear on.
00:35:54.86\00:35:58.76
Dawkins was clear, he
had nothing but disdain.
00:35:58.76\00:36:02.73
He had nothing but disdain for
the scientists who claimed to be
00:36:02.73\00:36:08.40
evolutionists and at the same
time claim to be Christians.
00:36:08.40\00:36:13.60
He called them the Neville
Chamberlain school of science
00:36:13.60\00:36:18.76
you know he was honest enough,
Dawkins was honest enough
00:36:18.76\00:36:23.70
to see that evolution destroys
everything that the Bible
00:36:23.70\00:36:28.36
stands for, and it's
pretty sad when Richard Dawkins,
00:36:28.36\00:36:33.63
who I kind of call him
the Mohamed Ata of the atheist
00:36:33.63\00:36:38.03
apologetics when he's got
more intellectual honesty's
00:36:38.03\00:36:42.40
then some professed
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:36:42.40\00:36:45.46
But people say it's
science Cliff, it's science.
00:36:45.46\00:36:49.40
I'd say to somebody, if
you are struggling with these
00:36:49.40\00:36:53.80
issues, if you're struggling
with the Lord and I know
00:36:53.80\00:36:58.16
the power and the lure of that.
00:36:58.16\00:37:00.56
I plead in the name of
Jesus, spend some time, spend
00:37:00.56\00:37:05.86
some time reading the
philosophy of science.
00:37:05.86\00:37:09.86
It is fascinating to read
the philosophy of science,
00:37:09.86\00:37:13.50
scientists disagree
on even what science is.
00:37:13.50\00:37:17.96
They disagree on whether
science compared to pseudo
00:37:17.96\00:37:21.43
science compared to
good science, compared to bad
00:37:21.43\00:37:24.83
science, they don't agree.
00:37:24.83\00:37:26.80
They disagree on what
constitutes a scientific proof.
00:37:26.80\00:37:30.36
They disagree on whether
science can ever really prove
00:37:30.36\00:37:33.86
anything, some say
yes and some say no.
00:37:33.86\00:37:36.93
They disagree on the
percale evidence, raw data
00:37:36.93\00:37:40.86
can even prove a theory.
00:37:40.86\00:37:43.16
They disagree whether any
evidence could ever be called
00:37:43.16\00:37:46.50
raw data at all.
00:37:46.50\00:37:48.76
They disagree on
the scientific method.
00:37:48.76\00:37:51.86
They sometimes even disagree
if there is anything you could
00:37:51.86\00:37:57.83
really call a scientific method.
00:37:57.83\00:38:00.06
If you are wrestling
with some of these issues,
00:38:00.06\00:38:03.63
take this down,
Google the teaching Company.
00:38:03.63\00:38:07.20
Google the teaching Company
and get yourself a lecture
00:38:07.20\00:38:11.76
by Dr. Steven Goldman,
he's probably an agnostic and
00:38:11.76\00:38:15.80
probably an atheist, and
probably an evolutionist.
00:38:15.80\00:38:19.80
Stephen Goldman get his
series on 'Science Wars. '
00:38:19.80\00:38:23.73
It will open your
eyes to a lot of things.
00:38:23.73\00:38:26.00
You see the point is in
our culture the popular idea of
00:38:26.00\00:38:30.46
science is somehow the
sacred mold of knowledge.
00:38:30.46\00:38:33.96
Somehow science is the
last word on truth and that is
00:38:33.96\00:38:38.30
simply not true, and nothing
has opened my eyes to that
00:38:38.30\00:38:42.60
more than reading on
the philosophy of science.
00:38:42.60\00:38:46.23
You know it is funny, there's a
joke among physicists, they say
00:38:46.23\00:38:51.56
all true science is physics,
everything else stamp collecting
00:38:51.56\00:38:56.83
Now I don't want to get in
all that debate, but here is
00:38:56.83\00:39:00.26
the point though, two
of the most foundational
00:39:00.26\00:39:04.23
teachings of modern
physics, of modern science is
00:39:04.23\00:39:08.16
quantum theory and
general relativity.
00:39:08.16\00:39:11.16
They are foundational, they are
fundament, they have been proven
00:39:11.16\00:39:14.40
to degrees that are astonishing
and yet here's the thing.
00:39:14.40\00:39:18.80
In physics these two teachings
blatantly contradict each other.
00:39:18.80\00:39:25.33
It would be like saying if
you believe in the Sabbath,
00:39:25.33\00:39:27.80
the Sabbath you can't believe
in the state of the dead.
00:39:27.80\00:39:30.80
So these fundamental teachings
of science are blatantly
00:39:30.80\00:39:33.73
in contradiction of each other.
00:39:33.73\00:39:36.10
So the question is,
meanwhile we have folks that are
00:39:36.10\00:39:39.96
going to make a shipwreck
of their faith, or lead our
00:39:39.96\00:39:43.76
young people to perdition based
on some fanciful speculation
00:39:43.76\00:39:48.00
about what happened to
some proposed proto R and A,
00:39:48.00\00:39:53.33
in the African
savanna 2.5 billion years ago.
00:39:53.33\00:39:57.86
If you are struggling with
this, I plead, think through
00:39:59.50\00:40:03.23
the implications of this.
00:40:03.23\00:40:06.66
If evolution is true, if
evolution is how we got here,
00:40:06.66\00:40:11.46
the book of Genesis is a joke.
00:40:11.46\00:40:14.16
If you can read evolution
in Genesis I can read Marxism
00:40:14.16\00:40:17.16
and reincarnation and
voodoo into it as well.
00:40:17.16\00:40:20.40
Think of the mockery it
makes of the plan of salvation.
00:40:22.36\00:40:26.26
How does this work again,
God uses a process of violence
00:40:26.26\00:40:30.00
selfishness and dominance
of the strong against the weak
00:40:30.00\00:40:34.20
in order to create a
morally flawless being who falls
00:40:34.20\00:40:38.50
into a state of violent
selfishness and dominance strong
00:40:38.50\00:40:42.33
over the weak, a state
from which he has to be redeemed
00:40:42.33\00:40:46.10
from or else
face final punishment.
00:40:46.10\00:40:48.26
The Bible tells me Christ
came to destroy death, the
00:40:48.26\00:40:52.03
very means that God used
to create life to begin with.
00:40:52.03\00:40:55.80
Can someone please
explain to me how that works?
00:40:55.80\00:41:00.93
How do you fit the
second coming in, how do you fit
00:41:00.93\00:41:06.03
evolution in with
the second coming?
00:41:06.03\00:41:08.03
The resurrection of the dead?
00:41:08.03\00:41:10.00
Hey folks, most of the
dead are pretty far gone, they
00:41:10.00\00:41:14.23
are pretty far gone is
God's resurrection going
00:41:14.23\00:41:16.86
to be a divine Fiat, is it going
to be in a twinkling of an eye?
00:41:16.86\00:41:20.00
Or are we going to get to go
through the joys and the rigors
00:41:20.00\00:41:22.90
of the survival of the fittest
and random mutation and on,
00:41:22.90\00:41:26.10
and on for a few billion years
like the first time until we
00:41:26.10\00:41:29.63
finally get a new world where
therein dwelleth righteousness?
00:41:29.63\00:41:33.16
Evolution destroys everything
we believe and everything
00:41:33.16\00:41:37.90
we stand for, so I plead
with anybody, with any young
00:41:37.90\00:41:42.56
person who is struggling, an
old person it doesn't matter.
00:41:42.56\00:41:44.50
Think through the
implications of this.
00:41:44.50\00:41:47.60
You know a number of
years ago I wrote an article,
00:41:49.03\00:41:52.20
I wrote an article
called 'Seventh Day Darwinians'.
00:41:52.20\00:41:55.30
In it I made a point I thought
was so obvious, I thought
00:41:55.30\00:41:59.30
it was almost redundant.
00:41:59.30\00:42:01.10
In it I made the point
that if you truly believe in
00:42:01.10\00:42:05.13
evolution, don't you think
the only honest thing to do
00:42:05.13\00:42:09.13
would be to take
your conclusions,
00:42:09.13\00:42:11.96
your logical conclusions
and not remain in a church
00:42:11.96\00:42:16.56
whose very name,
Seventh-day Adventist denies
00:42:16.56\00:42:21.00
the whole idea of evolution.
00:42:21.00\00:42:23.10
Is it too much to ask
someone who takes the name
00:42:23.10\00:42:26.90
Seventh-day Adventist
to at least believe in what
00:42:26.90\00:42:30.66
the name itself stands for?
00:42:30.66\00:42:33.63
Apparently for some it was
too much, and don't even get
00:42:33.63\00:42:38.56
me started, don't even
get me started on the lack of
00:42:38.56\00:42:43.43
moral integrity of those
who stand in our pulpits,
00:42:43.43\00:42:47.76
and stand in our classrooms
and who teach evolution as
00:42:47.76\00:42:52.06
truth to our young people.
00:42:52.06\00:42:54.13
They don't have the right
to do that. Audience: Amen!
00:42:54.13\00:42:59.16
David yesterday
called it a tragedy.
00:42:59.16\00:43:00.83
You know I understand
the need to be redemptive,
00:43:02.26\00:43:05.76
but I asked the question,
how many of our young people
00:43:05.76\00:43:10.93
do we sacrifice in the meantime,
00:43:10.93\00:43:13.96
while were
trying to be redemptive?
00:43:13.96\00:43:16.93
You know I read the other
day someone defending this.
00:43:16.93\00:43:20.66
They said, well the students,
or the professors who teach
00:43:20.66\00:43:24.36
the students, see the
handiwork of God in nature.
00:43:24.36\00:43:28.20
Big deal! Usama bin Laden could
teaches his Jihadists the same
00:43:28.20\00:43:34.13
thing, they could see the
handiwork of God in nature.
00:43:34.13\00:43:38.20
Folks, the bottom-line there
is good news in all of this.
00:43:38.20\00:43:44.43
The good news in this,
and David said it yesterday,
00:43:44.43\00:43:48.56
is that our church, as a
whole, as a denomination,
00:43:48.56\00:43:53.40
has not budged 1
millimeter on the teaching of a
00:43:53.40\00:43:58.20
literal six-day creation.
00:43:58.20\00:44:00.40
The intellectually honest
among us know what is at stake
00:44:00.40\00:44:04.40
and I believe that the vast,
vast majority of our church
00:44:04.40\00:44:08.60
leaders, and a vast, vast
majority of our laypeople are
00:44:08.60\00:44:12.73
solid as a rock on this
and we will not be budged.
00:44:12.73\00:44:16.73
We will not move on this,
as I said I'm in Adventist
00:44:16.73\00:44:20.66
because of its teachings
of this church, that is the
00:44:20.66\00:44:24.56
only reason I am here.
00:44:24.56\00:44:26.50
The church has been good
to me, has been good to me
00:44:26.50\00:44:29.80
I've been at the GC
26 years, I consider it a
00:44:29.80\00:44:32.76
privilege to be there.
00:44:32.76\00:44:33.96
The day I got there and
every day I have considered it
00:44:33.96\00:44:36.36
a privilege to be there.
00:44:36.36\00:44:38.26
The pay is not great, and
if the Lord delays, retirement
00:44:38.26\00:44:42.03
scares me to death.
00:44:42.03\00:44:43.60
My wife said you are
going to be the one standing at
00:44:43.60\00:44:46.26
Wal-Mart and say,
"Welcome to Wal-Mart", not me in
00:44:46.26\00:44:48.86
retirement, so she said you
better do something about it.
00:44:48.86\00:44:52.63
The church has been good
to me, but no matter how good
00:44:52.63\00:44:57.13
they are, despite all
that, I am in Adventist only,
00:44:57.13\00:45:01.76
only, because of the teachings
and nothing, nothing is
00:45:01.76\00:45:05.90
more calculated to destroy
the teachings of this church
00:45:05.90\00:45:10.23
than evolution which is
why I will never stop speaking
00:45:10.23\00:45:14.80
out against it and the
idea, the idea that it can
00:45:14.80\00:45:19.33
somehow be
incorporated into our message.
00:45:19.33\00:45:24.73
Again, if you are struggling,
think of the implications.
00:45:24.73\00:45:28.73
Think of the implications
of where evolution will take
00:45:28.73\00:45:32.46
you, but in the end I'm
going to say it again and the
00:45:32.46\00:45:36.13
end on this note.
00:45:36.13\00:45:37.16
I guess that's was a
slight hint it's time to go.
00:45:37.16\00:45:40.56
Slight hint it's time to
go but they'll have to have
00:45:40.56\00:45:43.93
a hook to pull me out.
00:45:43.93\00:45:45.36
But in the end, the bottom
line is be an Adventist or
00:45:45.36\00:45:49.96
be an evolutionist, but
please, please have the moral
00:45:49.96\00:45:54.63
intellectual integrity not
to promulgate the farce that
00:45:54.63\00:45:59.30
you can be both because
that's what it is, it's a farce.
00:45:59.30\00:46:03.93
Audience: Amen!
00:46:03.93\00:46:06.10
You scattered the
stars with Your mighty hand
00:46:30.00\00:46:36.06
You stirred up the
seas and formed the land
00:46:37.43\00:46:42.56
The tenderest
blossom, the sweetest rain
00:46:45.33\00:46:50.96
Seem only to
worship Your worthy name
00:46:52.56\00:46:58.33
The mountains
bow, the forest kneel
00:46:59.93\00:47:06.70
Throughout
creation your graces peel
00:47:07.40\00:47:13.56
The joyful
songs, all natures sings
00:47:13.56\00:47:19.63
All glory to the King, the King
00:47:22.00\00:47:28.66
Above all else,
Your name be glorified
00:47:34.13\00:47:40.73
The heavens ring
with wonder and grace
00:47:44.06\00:47:49.46
Almighty God, Your
greatness be glorified
00:47:52.60\00:47:59.06
Above all that,
Your name be praised
00:48:00.50\00:48:06.90
Scented the flowers
with Your gentleness
00:48:22.30\00:48:28.30
You painted the
sunrise that covers the land
00:48:29.30\00:48:35.40
The whole creation
desire, and intent,
00:48:37.36\00:48:43.66
that makes the
Maker a low decent.
00:48:43.66\00:48:50.86
The oceans
roared, the wind proclaims
00:48:50.86\00:48:55.76
The majesty of Your holy name
00:48:57.90\00:49:03.16
Your praise rings
out throughout the land
00:49:05.16\00:49:10.53
Oh glory to the great I Am
00:49:12.53\00:49:18.00
Above all else,
Your name be glorified
00:49:24.06\00:49:30.86
The heavens ring
with wonder and grace,
00:49:34.20\00:49:39.03
wonder and grace
00:49:40.00\00:49:42.23
All mighty God, Your
greatness be glorified
00:49:43.70\00:49:48.63
Above all that,
00:49:50.83\00:49:54.06
Your name be praised
00:49:54.06\00:49:59.30
Above all that
00:50:00.50\00:50:04.43
Your name be praised
00:50:04.43\00:50:10.06
Your name be praised!
00:50:13.80\00:50:19.63