- I know you
probably laugh at horoscopes
00:00:01.13\00:00:02.80
because, well, I
find 'em laughable too.
00:00:02.80\00:00:05.60
But I do know that some of you
00:00:05.60\00:00:07.27
still sneak a peek
sometimes, don't you?
00:00:07.27\00:00:09.94
Why do you think that is?
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[mellow music]
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When I was a kid, there was
this little Chinese restaurant
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out on the highway.
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I forget the exact name of it.
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I think it was
something like Yan's Kitchen
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and it had a tiny little buffet
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with no more than
six or eight items.
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My dad liked to take us
there because, number one,
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he really likes Chinese food.
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Number two, it
was a really cheap way
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to feed a group of
ravenous teenage boys.
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I don't remember
what the prices were,
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but I think it was actually
around two bucks a head.
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And all of us boys
could easily polish off
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three or four
plates stacked so high
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they kinda
looked like a pyramid.
00:01:05.39\00:01:07.10
And of course,
because I was, what, maybe 14
00:01:07.10\00:01:09.16
or 15, I could eat all I wanted
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and stay as skinny as a rail.
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And that possibility,
kids, if you're listening,
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trust me, disappears
when you enter adulthood.
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Your body's gonna demand
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that you keep on
eating like that,
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you'll be used to those
quantities, but what's gonna
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happen is you're gonna start
putting on a new ring every
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year, kinda like a tree.
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Trust me, I know
what I'm talking about.
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I used to be a number
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of belt sizes
bigger than I am right now.
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But back to the
Chinese restaurant,
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because like many places
back in the good old days,
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they had these paper placemats
with the Chinese zodiac.
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Along the top, or
sometimes around the edges,
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you could find
the year of your birth
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and look up your Chinese sign,
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like this example
that I found the other day.
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Of course, if you're
listening on the radio,
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you're gonna have to imagine me
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holding up a paper placement.
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I'll make a little
noise so you can hear it
00:02:02.28\00:02:04.89
and enjoy the
theater of the mind.
00:02:04.89\00:02:07.02
So according to
this, I was born in 1969,
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and that would be
the Year of the Rooster.
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Not the whole year, mind you,
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because the year
in this Eastern zodiac
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actually begins in February.
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They don't always put that
somewhere on the the placemat.
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But if you're born in January,
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you probably want
to back up a year.
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Not that it matters anyway,
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because I still don't
believe in this stuff.
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But to the Chinese way
of thinking, I'm a Rooster.
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In the Western zodiac,
apparently I'm a Scorpio.
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So now let's have a
little fun and do a comparison.
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According to the
placement, I'm a hard worker,
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I am shrewd, I am decisive,
and I often speak my mind.
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Because of these
qualities, it tells me,
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I will sometimes
seem a little boastful.
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Well, my wife actually
might be nodding her head
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in agreement right
now because I'm Dutch
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and if there's one thing
we do, we speak decisively
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and quite bluntly.
00:03:02.38\00:03:04.01
Travelers to the
Netherlands often say
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they got their feelings
hurt because we're so blunt.
00:03:06.21\00:03:09.45
But from a Dutch perspective,
it's a sign of respect.
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It means, well,
we respect you enough
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to get right to the point.
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All right, the placemat
also tells me I'm a dreamer
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and I'm extravagant.
00:03:19.56\00:03:21.63
Now, the first
part's probably true.
00:03:21.63\00:03:23.57
I have a very
vivid internal life.
00:03:23.57\00:03:25.40
But extravagant?
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Well, let me remind
you, Mr. Placement, I'm Dutch
00:03:26.97\00:03:30.87
and our reputation isn't
exactly, well, extravagant.
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Now here comes the good part.
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It says, "Under this
sign, you should be happy
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as a restaurant
owner, publicist, soldier,
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or world traveler."
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So let me give
credit where credit is due.
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I've always thought
I'd love to be a soldier,
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but I was born just
kind of crippled up enough,
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I'd never get into the army.
00:03:51.96\00:03:53.83
World traveler?
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Okay, that part
turned out to be true.
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So this must be accurate, right?
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Well, no.
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Millions of people still
read their horoscope every day,
00:04:01.54\00:04:04.24
and some of them seem convinced
00:04:04.24\00:04:05.84
that there must
be something to it
00:04:05.84\00:04:07.44
because it seems so right.
00:04:07.44\00:04:10.28
But do yourself a favor.
00:04:10.28\00:04:12.05
Read a few more
of these paragraphs.
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I mean the ones
that don't correspond
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with your birthday
and see what you find.
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Let's just say
I'm not a Rooster.
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I was born in
the Year of the Dog.
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What does the placemat tell me?
00:04:23.76\00:04:25.76
"The Dog will
never let you down."
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Okay, that's true. I
tend to value loyalty.
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It says, "You are honest
and faithful to those you love."
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Okay, that tends to be true too.
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"You are plagued
by constant worry."
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Yep, I am.
00:04:39.27\00:04:40.88
"You have a sharp tongue
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and a tendency to
be a fault finder."
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Okay, that's true too.
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What they're describing
though are human traits.
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These are things
that all of us have.
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And as you're reading
it, there's a part of you
00:04:53.12\00:04:54.89
that kind of
wants this to be true,
00:04:54.89\00:04:56.39
especially the
more flattering parts,
00:04:56.39\00:04:58.49
and so you latch onto
these very vague descriptions
00:04:58.49\00:05:02.13
and the more
you think about 'em,
00:05:02.13\00:05:04.13
the more you convince yourself
00:05:04.13\00:05:05.67
that there must be some
element to this universe
00:05:05.67\00:05:08.60
that has predetermined
who or what you are.
00:05:08.60\00:05:12.37
I mean, just think about some
of the horoscopes you've seen
00:05:12.37\00:05:14.58
over the course of your life.
00:05:14.58\00:05:16.18
You open the newspaper
first thing in the morning,
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or at least that's how we
used to do it, and there it is.
00:05:18.21\00:05:22.18
"Your job will be very
interesting today," it says,
00:05:22.18\00:05:25.35
so you wonder, "Ooh,
what's gonna happen?"
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You go to work and all
day long you wait for it.
00:05:27.79\00:05:30.89
And there it is, a
surprise job site inspection
00:05:30.89\00:05:34.63
or a very obnoxious customer
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or a patient who makes you laugh
00:05:36.80\00:05:38.43
or an assembly line
that suddenly shuts down
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because of a malfunction.
00:05:40.87\00:05:42.34
You think, "A-ha, there
it is, the interesting event
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that the universe
promised to deliver."
00:05:45.24\00:05:47.81
But you know, I'd
be far more impressed
00:05:47.81\00:05:49.61
if the horoscope actually
spelled it out in detail.
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"Today at 11:00 AM you will
encounter a strange individual
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wearing a long, yellow
coat and he's gonna ask you
00:05:56.62\00:05:59.29
to help him do something
very illegal at 11:00 AM sharp."
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But of course, this
never works that way, does it?
00:06:03.59\00:06:06.59
These are specifically written
so that you will find a match
00:06:06.59\00:06:09.43
for the prediction over the
course of the next 24 hours.
00:06:09.43\00:06:12.73
Now, you already
know that kind of,
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and you just read
it for fun, right?
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But still, let's
ask a curious question.
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What is it about this
stuff we find so compelling?
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Why do we feel the
need to take a peek?
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Why is it that even
when we're laughing about it,
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there's a part
of us that kind of,
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kind of wants it to be true?
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Is it because it's better
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than believing your
life has no purpose?
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That we are the product
of a mechanistic universe
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that just spit
us out by accident?
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Even if you
don't believe in God,
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why is it that you still
seem to be incredibly attracted
00:06:44.63\00:06:47.77
to the idea that the
universe might have a mind
00:06:47.77\00:06:50.27
of some kind, or there
there's something out there
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that affects your
day-to-day existence.
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And just to be clear,
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I'm not actually talking
about a philosophical concept
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known as
determinism, and that's the idea
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that the course of your life
00:07:02.95\00:07:04.25
is already completely
written out in advance,
00:07:04.25\00:07:06.76
baked into you
the day you're born.
00:07:06.76\00:07:09.66
Determinism suggests
that all of our life actions
00:07:09.66\00:07:12.69
are driven by outside causes.
00:07:12.69\00:07:14.93
You will always be living
a life that was predetermined
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by the long chain of events
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and conditions that
came before your birth.
00:07:19.53\00:07:21.94
It's a fatalistic
worldview, one that robs you
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of the capacity to
make any meaningful choices.
00:07:25.61\00:07:28.71
And in some places,
it's been a popular way
00:07:28.71\00:07:30.85
to think about
life because, as always,
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there's a tiny
element of truth to it.
00:07:33.68\00:07:36.52
Does your childhood environment
determine who you'll be?
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Yeah, to an extent it does.
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Was my
understanding of the world
00:07:41.86\00:07:43.59
shaped by the
World War II generation
00:07:43.59\00:07:46.19
that brought me into this world?
00:07:46.19\00:07:47.96
Yeah, sure. That
goes without saying.
00:07:47.96\00:07:50.50
The Bible says,
"Train up a child
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in the way that he should go;
00:07:52.50\00:07:54.24
even when he is old, he
will not depart from it."
00:07:54.24\00:07:57.44
Now, that is an
encouragement to parents,
00:07:57.44\00:08:00.14
reminding us that the influences
we experience in childhood
00:08:00.14\00:08:03.98
become a
foundational part of who we are
00:08:03.98\00:08:05.81
for the rest of our lives.
00:08:05.81\00:08:07.02
So if you train a kid correctly,
00:08:07.02\00:08:10.52
even if they go completely
squirrely for a little while,
00:08:10.52\00:08:13.52
like most of us do,
those baked-in principles
00:08:13.52\00:08:16.89
will eventually
become a powerful part
00:08:16.89\00:08:18.93
of how and why you
finally grow up and come around.
00:08:18.93\00:08:23.10
But of course, the
opposite is also true.
00:08:23.10\00:08:26.13
If you grew up in a negative
context, say an abusive home,
00:08:26.13\00:08:30.04
that's going to
profoundly affect how you react
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to everything for
the rest of your life.
00:08:32.54\00:08:35.38
Today, that's
kind of the thinking
00:08:36.34\00:08:37.81
behind the way we approach
horrible, violent crimes.
00:08:37.81\00:08:41.32
Let's say we
discover the existence
00:08:41.32\00:08:43.22
of a terrifying serial killer,
00:08:43.22\00:08:44.85
like say, the Toy Box
Killer or John Wayne Gacy,
00:08:44.85\00:08:48.82
somebody who does unspeakable
things to their victims.
00:08:48.82\00:08:53.29
These are the people
00:08:53.29\00:08:54.56
who become the stuff
our very worst nightmares.
00:08:54.56\00:08:57.20
Once we find
them and put them away
00:08:57.20\00:08:59.73
and recover the
bodies of their victims,
00:08:59.73\00:09:02.44
what is it that
we usually do next?
00:09:02.44\00:09:04.74
Well, actually,
the break comes next,
00:09:04.74\00:09:06.51
but right after that, we'll
come back and talk about that.
00:09:06.51\00:09:09.58
[mellow music]
00:09:10.58\00:09:13.25
- [Announcer] Here at
The Voice of Prophecy,
00:09:13.25\00:09:14.65
we're committed to
creating top quality programming
00:09:14.65\00:09:17.12
for the whole family,
00:09:17.12\00:09:18.55
like our audio adventure
series, "Discovery Mountain."
00:09:18.55\00:09:21.79
Discovery Mountain
is a bible-based program
00:09:21.79\00:09:24.23
for kids of all
ages and backgrounds.
00:09:24.23\00:09:26.59
Your family will enjoy
the faith-building stories
00:09:26.59\00:09:29.30
from this small
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00:09:29.30\00:09:32.17
With 24 seasonal
episodes every year
00:09:32.17\00:09:34.70
and fresh content every week,
00:09:34.70\00:09:36.84
there's always a new
adventure just on the horizon.
00:09:36.84\00:09:40.38
[light music]
00:09:40.38\00:09:42.88
- When we discover the existence
of a sociopathic killer,
00:09:42.88\00:09:46.21
somebody with no conscience,
00:09:46.21\00:09:48.25
pay attention to
what we tend to do.
00:09:48.25\00:09:51.05
We know there's
got to be a reason
00:09:51.05\00:09:52.69
this guy turned out so horribly.
00:09:52.69\00:09:55.09
So we probe his past,
we examine his childhood,
00:09:55.09\00:09:57.79
we ask a really
difficult question:
00:09:57.79\00:09:59.93
What happened to
this guy at home?
00:09:59.93\00:10:02.30
Did his parents
set the stage for this?
00:10:02.30\00:10:04.87
What were the causes of
this very disturbing behavior?
00:10:04.87\00:10:08.77
See, we're convinced
there's got to be something.
00:10:08.77\00:10:12.17
But if we don't find something,
that really bothers us.
00:10:12.17\00:10:16.24
That's an
outgrowth of determinism.
00:10:16.24\00:10:18.81
We believe there's
always got to be a reason
00:10:18.81\00:10:20.92
for what happened.
00:10:20.92\00:10:22.42
Now, I'm using an extreme
example to make my point,
00:10:22.42\00:10:25.39
but the point is
that we appear to be wired
00:10:25.39\00:10:28.16
to believe in cause and effect.
00:10:28.16\00:10:31.39
Now, not every philosopher
has always agreed with that.
00:10:31.39\00:10:33.86
For example, David
Hume, the famous skeptic,
00:10:33.86\00:10:36.93
really struggled with
the idea of cause and effect.
00:10:36.93\00:10:41.17
But for the most part,
most of us assume that's true.
00:10:41.17\00:10:44.54
What's happening
now was obviously caused
00:10:44.54\00:10:47.51
by something in the past.
00:10:47.51\00:10:49.21
Which brings me back
to reading horoscopes.
00:10:50.48\00:10:52.85
There's a part of us
that wants to believe
00:10:52.85\00:10:55.28
that our lives
have some kind of order.
00:10:55.28\00:10:57.42
There's gotta be something
guiding the whole process.
00:10:57.42\00:11:00.42
There's gotta be an
explanation for who we are.
00:11:00.42\00:11:03.73
And if that explanation
isn't going to be God,
00:11:03.73\00:11:05.93
there's a part of you
that wants it to be something.
00:11:05.93\00:11:09.13
And of course when you
bring God into the story,
00:11:09.13\00:11:11.73
that opens up a
whole new can of worms.
00:11:11.73\00:11:14.24
Because throughout the
history of Western thought,
00:11:14.24\00:11:16.94
we've had lots of people assume
00:11:16.94\00:11:18.67
that if God set the
whole universe in motion
00:11:18.67\00:11:21.14
and He ultimately
guides the creation,
00:11:21.14\00:11:24.15
that means that God determines
00:11:24.15\00:11:25.91
absolutely everything
that happens all along the way.
00:11:25.91\00:11:30.19
It's a hardcore
religious version of determinism
00:11:30.19\00:11:33.66
that eliminates the concept
00:11:33.66\00:11:35.39
or the
possibility of free choice.
00:11:35.39\00:11:38.83
If God is the author
of life, some people say,
00:11:38.83\00:11:41.73
then He's got to be
the author of suffering.
00:11:41.73\00:11:44.80
And some people have
actually taken this thought
00:11:44.80\00:11:46.84
all the way to its
logical conclusion:
00:11:46.84\00:11:49.44
God has even
predetermined who gets saved
00:11:49.44\00:11:52.17
and who gets sent
to the fires of hell
00:11:52.17\00:11:54.18
to flip and fry throughout
the ceaseless ages of eternity.
00:11:54.18\00:11:57.55
You don't have a
say in the matter.
00:11:57.55\00:11:59.91
I was actually raised
in a religious tradition
00:11:59.91\00:12:02.02
that taught that
even though I don't think
00:12:02.02\00:12:04.35
I can think of one
person I knew growing up
00:12:04.35\00:12:06.96
who really was
dedicated to that idea.
00:12:06.96\00:12:10.16
You're probably aware of
the shortest verse in the Bible
00:12:11.56\00:12:13.76
from the gospel of
John, "Jesus wept."
00:12:13.76\00:12:17.53
It's found in the
context of the death of Lazarus,
00:12:17.53\00:12:20.07
who was a
personal friend to Jesus.
00:12:20.07\00:12:22.70
The story tells us that Jesus
heard that Lazarus was ill,
00:12:22.70\00:12:26.51
and then the next thing
you know, Lazarus is dead.
00:12:26.51\00:12:29.81
So now Jesus makes
the trip to Bethany,
00:12:29.81\00:12:32.35
and as He walks up to
the house, Martha comes out
00:12:32.35\00:12:34.62
and says, "Lord,
if you'd been here,
00:12:34.62\00:12:37.12
my brother would not have died."
00:12:37.12\00:12:39.52
In other words, "Jesus,
00:12:39.52\00:12:41.72
you could've done something
to stop this, but you didn't."
00:12:41.72\00:12:45.19
And that, of course, is one
of the most painful questions
00:12:45.19\00:12:48.13
that most of us wrestle with.
00:12:48.13\00:12:50.10
All of us have
something in the past,
00:12:50.10\00:12:52.10
something incredibly painful
00:12:52.10\00:12:53.57
that makes us
question the goodness of God.
00:12:53.57\00:12:56.81
If God is real, how
could He let this happen?
00:12:56.81\00:13:00.14
I see it on social media posts
00:13:00.14\00:13:01.88
where somebody talks
about a horrible tragedy
00:13:01.88\00:13:04.15
or a sick child
or a natural disaster
00:13:04.15\00:13:06.98
and they say, "What kind
of God would allow this?"
00:13:06.98\00:13:10.52
But let's think about that.
00:13:10.52\00:13:12.49
"Where was God?" is a
slightly different question
00:13:12.49\00:13:15.39
than "How could God do this?"
00:13:15.39\00:13:18.46
"How could God do this?"
00:13:18.46\00:13:19.79
is a hardline,
deterministic question,
00:13:19.79\00:13:22.03
as if God actually causes
00:13:22.03\00:13:24.00
absolutely
everything that happens
00:13:24.00\00:13:26.00
and it suggests that you
and I are helpless puppets
00:13:26.00\00:13:28.60
in some kind of
sadistic theater.
00:13:28.60\00:13:31.31
But the other question,
"Why didn't God stop this?"
00:13:31.31\00:13:35.44
is a question that
reveals an awful lot
00:13:35.44\00:13:37.38
when you slow down long
enough to really think about it.
00:13:37.38\00:13:40.32
It suggests that maybe not
everything is predetermined.
00:13:40.32\00:13:44.02
There are choices.
00:13:44.02\00:13:45.29
I think we ask those questions
00:13:46.32\00:13:47.82
for the same reason we're
tempted to peak at a horoscope.
00:13:47.82\00:13:50.39
We're hoping that
somebody or something
00:13:50.39\00:13:52.69
is in charge of this place.
00:13:52.69\00:13:54.93
We can't seem
to shake the notion
00:13:54.93\00:13:56.40
that there's gotta be
a reason that we're here.
00:13:56.40\00:13:59.50
Even if you only believe in
a cold, materialistic universe,
00:13:59.50\00:14:02.97
you still quietly hope
that life doesn't mean nothing.
00:14:02.97\00:14:07.38
The idea that
everything's just chaos,
00:14:07.38\00:14:09.81
that can lead to a
very troubled life.
00:14:09.81\00:14:12.51
And before we move
on, let me just address
00:14:12.51\00:14:14.62
that "How could God do this?"
question for just a moment.
00:14:14.62\00:14:18.92
It's way too big of a question
to answer quickly or easily.
00:14:18.92\00:14:22.72
But let me read you something
I've read on previous shows
00:14:22.72\00:14:25.83
at least once,
because I think it'll give you
00:14:25.83\00:14:28.36
something to think about.
00:14:28.36\00:14:30.43
This comes from a 19th century
book that does an amazing job
00:14:30.43\00:14:34.44
of thinking about
the history of the world
00:14:34.44\00:14:36.50
ever since the life of Christ.
00:14:36.50\00:14:38.21
It's one of my favorites because
it's even brutally honest
00:14:38.21\00:14:42.24
about the way
that Christians behaved
00:14:42.24\00:14:44.08
during the medieval period,
00:14:44.08\00:14:45.81
essentially denying the
principles of our own faith.
00:14:45.81\00:14:49.98
The book admits,
"Yes, we burned heretics,
00:14:49.98\00:14:52.32
and yes, we treated other people
00:14:52.32\00:14:53.96
in a way that would
lead the world to think
00:14:53.96\00:14:56.73
that maybe God doesn't exist."
00:14:56.73\00:14:59.76
The number one group
that discredits Christianity,
00:14:59.76\00:15:02.56
the author points out, has
been Christians themselves.
00:15:02.56\00:15:06.87
But here's the specific part
I want you to hear right now,
00:15:08.30\00:15:10.17
because it's gonna give
you something to think about.
00:15:10.17\00:15:12.51
Again, I have read this
before, but this is so profound,
00:15:12.51\00:15:15.71
I want to do it again.
00:15:15.71\00:15:17.15
The author
writes, "It is impossible
00:15:17.15\00:15:20.18
to so explain the origin
of sin as to give a reason
00:15:20.18\00:15:23.59
for its existence.
00:15:23.59\00:15:25.35
Yet enough may be understood
concerning both the origin
00:15:25.35\00:15:28.09
and the final
disposition of sin,
00:15:28.09\00:15:30.33
to fully make
manifest the justice
00:15:30.33\00:15:32.33
and benevolence of God in
all his dealings with evil.
00:15:32.33\00:15:36.00
Nothing is more
plainly taught in Scripture
00:15:36.00\00:15:38.90
than that God was
in nowise responsible
00:15:38.90\00:15:41.30
for the entrance of sin;
00:15:41.30\00:15:43.24
that there was no arbitrary
withdrawal of divine grace,
00:15:43.24\00:15:46.41
no deficiency in
the divine government,
00:15:46.41\00:15:48.84
that gave occasion for
the uprising of rebellion.
00:15:48.84\00:15:51.98
Sin is an intruder,
00:15:51.98\00:15:53.92
for whose presence
no reason can be given.
00:15:53.92\00:15:56.85
It is mysterious, unaccountable;
00:15:56.85\00:15:59.02
to excuse it, is to defend it.
00:15:59.02\00:16:01.32
Could excuse for it be
found, or cause be shown
00:16:01.32\00:16:03.96
for its existence, it
would cease to be sin.
00:16:03.96\00:16:07.13
Our only definition of sin is
that given in the Word of God;
00:16:07.13\00:16:10.10
it is 'the
transgression of the law,'
00:16:10.10\00:16:12.60
It is the
outworking of a principle
00:16:12.60\00:16:14.24
at war with the
great law of love
00:16:14.24\00:16:16.54
which is the foundation
of the divine government."
00:16:16.54\00:16:20.54
Now I know, at first glance,
00:16:20.54\00:16:21.81
it kind of looks
like a little dodge.
00:16:21.81\00:16:24.21
When you don't understand
something, just call it a
00:16:24.21\00:16:27.68
mystery. But go ahead,
take a few hours sometime
00:16:27.68\00:16:29.68
to ponder that thought
and see where it takes you.
00:16:29.68\00:16:33.05
If you can
actually explain evil,
00:16:33.05\00:16:35.02
if you can find a really
good reason for its existence,
00:16:35.02\00:16:38.66
then maybe it's not evil.
00:16:38.66\00:16:40.40
Maybe it's just determinism.
00:16:40.40\00:16:42.23
Maybe we can't help it.
00:16:42.23\00:16:43.93
Maybe if you work your way
back through the long chain
00:16:43.93\00:16:46.10
of cause and effect that
brought you into this world,
00:16:46.10\00:16:48.27
you can pin the
blame on somebody else
00:16:48.27\00:16:51.27
at the beginning of the story.
00:16:51.27\00:16:53.24
Eventually, you're
gonna blame God himself.
00:16:53.24\00:16:56.18
If you can explain
something scientifically,
00:16:57.38\00:17:00.05
well, now you have
proof there was no choice.
00:17:00.05\00:17:02.45
That serial killer? No choice.
00:17:02.45\00:17:04.62
The guy who robbed
you? That's society's fault.
00:17:04.62\00:17:07.56
Your decision to
cheat on your spouse?
00:17:07.56\00:17:09.26
Well, of course, that's
your wife's fault, right?
00:17:09.26\00:17:12.43
Of course, I'm not saying
00:17:12.43\00:17:13.70
that other people
didn't have a part to play
00:17:13.70\00:17:15.36
in some of your bad decisions,
00:17:15.36\00:17:17.17
but let's be honest,
at the end of the day,
00:17:17.17\00:17:19.03
who actually
made all your choices?
00:17:19.03\00:17:21.94
Some days we're so
busy trying to figure out
00:17:21.94\00:17:23.87
who else is to blame,
that we come to a point
00:17:23.87\00:17:26.47
where we don't really
believe in free choice anymore.
00:17:26.47\00:17:29.34
We start to think in
terms of hardcore determinism,
00:17:29.34\00:17:32.45
and we're addicted to that
00:17:32.45\00:17:33.75
because it takes
the onus off of us.
00:17:33.75\00:17:36.65
Meanwhile, the Bible reminds
us, "The heart is deceitful
00:17:36.65\00:17:39.82
above all things,
and desperately sick;
00:17:39.82\00:17:42.19
who can understand it?"
00:17:42.19\00:17:44.36
Now, right now,
I wanna be cautious
00:17:44.36\00:17:47.03
about one important thing.
00:17:47.03\00:17:49.10
A few moments ago,
00:17:49.10\00:17:50.43
we were talking about
those horrible moments
00:17:50.43\00:17:52.27
when we want to
know where God was
00:17:52.27\00:17:54.50
when something
awful happened to us.
00:17:54.50\00:17:57.01
Some of you were
really hurt as kids.
00:17:57.01\00:17:59.14
Somebody took away your freedom
00:17:59.14\00:18:00.68
to choose in the
worst possible way.
00:18:00.68\00:18:03.51
So just to be perfectly clear,
00:18:03.51\00:18:05.85
I am not saying you are
at fault for what happened.
00:18:05.85\00:18:09.32
You're not.
00:18:09.32\00:18:10.32
Somebody else did that.
00:18:10.32\00:18:11.72
That person who hurt you?
00:18:11.72\00:18:13.59
That was his or her decision,
00:18:13.59\00:18:15.92
and they still need to own
00:18:15.92\00:18:17.86
and live with
their own wicked choices.
00:18:17.86\00:18:20.96
Alright, time for
another quick break,
00:18:20.96\00:18:22.56
and I'll be
right back after this.
00:18:22.56\00:18:25.77
[mellow music]
00:18:25.77\00:18:28.40
- [Announcer] Dragons,
beasts, cryptic statues.
00:18:29.57\00:18:33.68
Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
00:18:33.68\00:18:38.28
If you've ever read
Daniel or Revelation
00:18:38.28\00:18:40.45
and come away scratching
your head, you're not alone.
00:18:40.45\00:18:43.49
Our free "Focus
on Prophecy" guides
00:18:43.49\00:18:45.85
are designed to help you unlock
the mysteries of the Bible
00:18:45.85\00:18:48.69
and deepen your
understanding of God's plan
00:18:48.69\00:18:51.13
for you and our world.
00:18:51.13\00:18:52.73
Study online or
request them by mail
00:18:52.73\00:18:55.13
and start bringing
prophecy into focus today.
00:18:55.13\00:18:58.70
- Well, we've
certainly wandered over a lot
00:18:58.70\00:19:00.74
of wild country in
just a few minutes.
00:19:00.74\00:19:02.50
So let me get back
to the Chinese Zodiac.
00:19:02.50\00:19:06.01
Why is it that even in this
postmodern, nihilistic world,
00:19:06.01\00:19:09.81
we can't seem
to shake the notion
00:19:09.81\00:19:11.41
that there's gotta
be something out there
00:19:11.41\00:19:12.85
driving the universe?
00:19:12.85\00:19:14.92
It makes me think of
Richard Dawkins' book,
00:19:14.92\00:19:17.72
"Unweaving the Rainbow."
00:19:17.72\00:19:19.45
Dawkins, of course, is one
of my favorite whipping boys
00:19:19.45\00:19:22.02
when it comes to
notable atheists,
00:19:22.02\00:19:24.23
and I'll admit, I am
picking the low hanging fruit.
00:19:24.23\00:19:27.20
As smart as Dawkins is,
00:19:27.20\00:19:28.90
and I have no doubt
he's smarter than me,
00:19:28.90\00:19:31.77
I still have to say
he's a much better biologist
00:19:31.77\00:19:34.50
than he is a
philosopher or a theologian.
00:19:34.50\00:19:37.21
I'm convinced that he
felt he had to write this book
00:19:37.21\00:19:40.04
because of his hardcore
materialistic view of the
00:19:40.04\00:19:43.45
universe. His philosophy
basically strips life of any
00:19:43.45\00:19:47.08
meaning, and I think at some
level, Mr. Dawkins knows that.
00:19:47.08\00:19:50.02
So what did he do?
00:19:50.02\00:19:51.42
He wrote this book to
appeal to our sense of wonder,
00:19:51.42\00:19:55.06
said, "The universe
makes you feel awe and wonder."
00:19:55.06\00:19:59.43
But if there is no God,
00:19:59.43\00:20:00.83
then why do you have a profound
sense of awe and wonder?
00:20:00.83\00:20:03.93
Why do I feel such a profound
emotion when I look directly
00:20:03.93\00:20:07.64
into the eye of a
whale in the aquarium
00:20:07.64\00:20:09.84
or the eye of an
elephant in a game park?
00:20:09.84\00:20:13.04
Why is it that
right here in Colorado
00:20:13.04\00:20:15.21
when I take the
back road to Estes Park
00:20:15.21\00:20:17.58
and go over that final hill,
00:20:17.58\00:20:19.41
my heart nearly
stops when the majesty
00:20:19.41\00:20:22.42
of Longs Peak suddenly
rises from the horizon?
00:20:22.42\00:20:25.72
And why does the night
sky always dare me to believe
00:20:25.72\00:20:29.49
that there's got to
be something out there?
00:20:29.49\00:20:31.69
It reminds me of
something Paul said
00:20:32.69\00:20:34.20
when he was standing on
Mars Hill in the city of Athens.
00:20:34.20\00:20:37.83
He was talking to a
group of philosophers,
00:20:37.83\00:20:40.17
a bunch of
epicureans and stoics,
00:20:40.17\00:20:42.54
and they became fascinated
00:20:42.54\00:20:44.41
when he started
to talk about Jesus.
00:20:44.41\00:20:47.11
Now, just as a side note,
if you're one of those skeptics
00:20:47.11\00:20:49.64
who believes that the
deity of Christ was invented
00:20:49.64\00:20:52.41
at the Council of
Nicaea, you'll notice
00:20:52.41\00:20:55.28
that these
philosophers in this story say,
00:20:55.28\00:20:58.05
"'He seems to be a
preacher of foreign divinities,'
00:20:58.05\00:21:01.32
because he was preaching
Jesus and the resurrection."
00:21:01.32\00:21:05.16
So much for the idea
that the deity of Christ
00:21:05.16\00:21:07.50
was invented
some 300 years later.
00:21:07.50\00:21:10.50
Now, if you've
ever been to Athens,
00:21:10.50\00:21:11.93
you'll know that Mars
Hill is kind of unremarkable.
00:21:11.93\00:21:14.84
It's just a big lump of rock.
00:21:14.84\00:21:16.74
But it is in the
shadow of the Acropolis
00:21:16.74\00:21:19.04
and it overlooks
the ancient Agora,
00:21:19.04\00:21:21.14
the ruins of the city below.
00:21:21.14\00:21:23.08
I don't know what I was
expecting when I went there,
00:21:24.35\00:21:26.18
but you know how it goes.
00:21:26.18\00:21:27.45
You always build a
place up in your imagination,
00:21:27.45\00:21:30.05
and I guess I was expecting
00:21:30.05\00:21:31.25
some kind of
beautiful amphitheater.
00:21:31.25\00:21:33.39
It's not.
00:21:33.39\00:21:34.82
But on this lump of rock,
00:21:34.82\00:21:36.16
Paul begins to talk
about the unknown God,
00:21:36.16\00:21:39.03
the one these philosophers
figured might be out there,
00:21:39.03\00:21:42.46
but they'd never
been able to find him.
00:21:42.46\00:21:43.97
So here's what Paul says:
00:21:43.97\00:21:46.20
"And he," that's
God, "made from one man
00:21:46.20\00:21:48.80
every nation of mankind
00:21:48.80\00:21:50.47
to live on all
the face of the earth,
00:21:50.47\00:21:52.67
having
determined allotted periods
00:21:52.67\00:21:54.81
and the boundaries
of their dwelling place,
00:21:54.81\00:21:57.11
that they should seek God
00:21:57.11\00:21:58.51
and perhaps feel their
way toward him and find him.
00:21:58.51\00:22:01.18
Yet he is actually not
far from each one of us,
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.69
for 'in him we live and
move and have our being;'
00:22:03.69\00:22:07.26
as even some of
your own poets have said,
00:22:07.26\00:22:09.89
'For we are
indeed his offspring.'"
00:22:09.89\00:22:12.89
In other words, God has allowed
all of us to go our own way
00:22:12.89\00:22:15.80
because every detail of our
existence is not predetermined.
00:22:15.80\00:22:20.87
God values freedom of choice.
00:22:21.70\00:22:23.41
After all, the Bible
describes him as love,
00:22:23.41\00:22:25.54
and love is not love if
it doesn't involve choice.
00:22:25.54\00:22:29.94
I know you're looking
for something Paul said
00:22:29.94\00:22:32.15
to these philosophers
00:22:32.15\00:22:33.58
because you know the
universe can't just be chaos.
00:22:33.58\00:22:37.02
There's got to be
something behind it.
00:22:37.02\00:22:40.12
You'll notice that he
said something similar
00:22:40.12\00:22:42.12
to another group
in the city of Lystra
00:22:42.12\00:22:44.99
over in modern-day Turkey.
00:22:44.99\00:22:46.43
He said, "In past
generations, he," that's God,
00:22:46.43\00:22:50.67
"allowed all the nations
to walk in their own ways.
00:22:50.67\00:22:53.57
Yet he did not leave
himself without witness."
00:22:53.57\00:22:58.44
That, according to
the Bible, is the reason
00:22:58.44\00:23:01.64
for that sense of
wonder that you have.
00:23:01.64\00:23:04.01
It's the reason that so many
people can't let go of the idea
00:23:04.01\00:23:07.12
that there's got to be something
in charge of this place.
00:23:07.12\00:23:10.92
It's the reason so many
people laugh at the horoscope
00:23:10.92\00:23:13.92
in front of their
friends, but then quietly hope
00:23:13.92\00:23:16.73
there's something to it.
00:23:16.73\00:23:18.53
And of course, I'm
convinced it's the real reason
00:23:18.53\00:23:21.83
that Mr. Dawkins
had to write his book.
00:23:21.83\00:23:23.80
He knows full well
00:23:23.80\00:23:25.37
that a materialistic
universe can be explained
00:23:25.37\00:23:27.74
with scientific formulas,
00:23:27.74\00:23:30.24
but it doesn't
really explain humanity.
00:23:30.24\00:23:33.11
Just listen to what he writes.
00:23:34.34\00:23:36.71
He says, "It is a
central tenet of this book
00:23:36.71\00:23:40.98
that science, at its best,
should leave room for poetry.
00:23:40.98\00:23:44.22
It should note helpful analogies
00:23:44.22\00:23:46.09
and metaphors that
stimulate the imagination,
00:23:46.09\00:23:48.86
conjure in the mind
images and allusions
00:23:48.86\00:23:51.03
that go beyond the needs of
straightforward understanding."
00:23:51.03\00:23:54.93
But why, Mr. Dawkins?
00:23:55.83\00:23:58.07
Why do you think we
have that need for poetry?
00:23:58.07\00:24:00.74
Why aren't we just happy
00:24:00.74\00:24:01.97
with the cold hard
facts and the math?
00:24:01.97\00:24:04.54
Why is it that your
hardcore, materialistic view
00:24:04.54\00:24:07.44
failed to take deep root
in the hearts of all humanity?
00:24:07.44\00:24:11.31
I'll be right back after this.
00:24:11.31\00:24:13.68
[mellow music]
00:24:13.68\00:24:16.35
- [Announcer] Life
can throw a lot at us.
00:24:17.49\00:24:19.65
Sometimes we don't
have all the answers.
00:24:19.65\00:24:23.02
But that's where
the Bible comes in.
00:24:23.02\00:24:25.43
It's our guide to a
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00:24:25.43\00:24:28.53
Here at The Voice of Prophecy,
00:24:28.53\00:24:30.07
we've created the
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00:24:30.07\00:24:32.23
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00:24:32.23\00:24:33.80
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00:24:33.80\00:24:36.30
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00:24:43.71\00:24:46.61
- Alright, I guess
it's time to wrap things up.
00:24:46.61\00:24:48.45
And I know I probably raised
more questions than I answered.
00:24:48.45\00:24:51.85
I do that all the time.
00:24:51.85\00:24:53.59
But you know, honestly,
that might be a good thing.
00:24:53.59\00:24:56.09
I mean, at the end of the day,
00:24:56.09\00:24:57.76
nobody else can do
all your thinking for you.
00:24:57.76\00:24:59.96
And all I really want to do
00:24:59.96\00:25:01.96
is to have you honestly consider
the claims of this book.
00:25:01.96\00:25:05.97
You know, I find
it very interesting
00:25:05.97\00:25:07.70
that about 20 years
ago, all the famous apostles
00:25:07.70\00:25:11.41
of atheism decided they
didn't want to be identified
00:25:11.41\00:25:14.01
with a negative term.
00:25:14.01\00:25:15.54
After all, atheism is negative.
00:25:15.54\00:25:17.71
It's a denial of God.
00:25:17.71\00:25:20.15
They really wanted
something more affirming
00:25:20.15\00:25:22.62
so some of them started
calling themselves the Brights,
00:25:22.62\00:25:26.25
as in everybody else is stupid
00:25:26.25\00:25:28.32
and they're the only smart ones.
00:25:28.32\00:25:30.29
And then some of them suggested
00:25:30.29\00:25:32.63
that religious faith
is a mental disorder,
00:25:32.63\00:25:35.60
an abnormality of some kind.
00:25:35.60\00:25:38.00
Of course, that does
present a major problem
00:25:38.00\00:25:40.40
because how do you
account for the fact
00:25:40.40\00:25:42.84
that the vast
majority of human beings
00:25:42.84\00:25:45.11
believe there is a God
of some kind out there?
00:25:45.11\00:25:49.08
Wouldn't that vast
majority be the norm,
00:25:49.08\00:25:51.81
the default mode
for human existence?
00:25:51.81\00:25:54.15
And wouldn't that tiny,
tiny, tiny minority of atheists
00:25:54.15\00:25:59.22
actually be the
ones with an abnormality?
00:26:00.42\00:26:01.62
It kind of makes you wonder.
00:26:02.42\00:26:03.93
And of course,
truth is never determined
00:26:03.93\00:26:06.19
by majority vote anyway,
00:26:06.19\00:26:07.66
because historically speaking,
00:26:07.66\00:26:09.60
majorities have
been wrong way too often.
00:26:09.60\00:26:13.00
But it's still kind of
interesting that such a tiny
00:26:13.00\00:26:15.94
sliver of the population thinks
everybody else is mentally ill
00:26:15.94\00:26:20.18
for not agreeing with them.
00:26:20.18\00:26:21.68
The outright
denial of any kind of God
00:26:22.78\00:26:25.28
proves to be a really
tough sell in this world,
00:26:25.28\00:26:28.52
and not just here in the West.
00:26:28.52\00:26:30.75
And the reason it's hard to sell
00:26:30.75\00:26:32.32
is because most of us
have this nagging feeling
00:26:32.32\00:26:34.92
that the universe can't
possibly just be random chaos.
00:26:34.92\00:26:39.16
There's got to be
something to explain who we are
00:26:39.16\00:26:42.26
and why we feel the way we do
00:26:42.26\00:26:44.37
and why we experience
the world the way we do.
00:26:44.37\00:26:47.70
If this was all just a matter
of biology, physics, or math,
00:26:47.70\00:26:51.57
then why do we have music?
00:26:51.57\00:26:53.58
Why the art?
00:26:53.58\00:26:55.04
Why the poetry?
00:26:55.04\00:26:56.75
And why that deep need
to explain our existence?
00:26:56.75\00:27:00.48
So yeah, I still think
that knowing I was born
00:27:00.48\00:27:03.89
in the Year of the
Rooster is kind of entertaining,
00:27:03.89\00:27:06.32
and when I'm in a
place with the placemats,
00:27:06.32\00:27:08.89
I can't help but look at it.
00:27:08.89\00:27:10.59
Do I believe it? Not at all.
00:27:10.59\00:27:12.79
But does it reveal something
important about our condition?
00:27:12.79\00:27:15.70
Sure.
00:27:15.70\00:27:17.00
The Bible says that
God did not leave himself
00:27:17.00\00:27:19.13
without witness, which
means that he designed us
00:27:19.13\00:27:22.47
to start looking for him.
00:27:22.47\00:27:24.61
And why does he
make us go and look?
00:27:24.61\00:27:27.14
Why not just break through
the clouds and announce himself?
00:27:27.14\00:27:30.31
Well, let me put it like this.
00:27:30.31\00:27:32.08
Would you rather be told
you're gonna marry someone,
00:27:32.08\00:27:34.12
or would you rather
have that person ask?
00:27:34.12\00:27:36.82
Would you rather
have someone look for you,
00:27:36.82\00:27:38.42
pursue you, and win you?
00:27:38.42\00:27:40.39
Who in the world do you
think made you feel that way?
00:27:40.39\00:27:44.13
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:44.13\00:27:45.53
I'm Shawn Boonstra, and
this has been another week
00:27:45.53\00:27:48.46
of trying to be authentic.
00:27:48.46\00:27:50.43
[mellow music]
00:27:51.87\00:27:54.54