Sunday, October 12, 2014
Farewell
This will be the last entry in my devotional blog. I believe that, with my last article, I have exhausted the ideas that my unique experiences have caused me to contemplate -- my own spin on religious issues.
I've pointed out such ideas as "taking the Lord's name in vain" as meaning pretending to believe in God, rather than true belief. Most Christians think it means saying things like Oh, my God, instead. My take on it shows it as a much greater offence, I think. You've been reminded of a Christian's required behaviors should the second coming of Christ occur during our lifetimes. You've been asked if there is a real issue in whether God picked up dust and a rib to create Adam and Eve or whether God let us evolve from the sea and/or animal-kind, instead. The creator of the universe was in charge either way. And is it our arrogance that makes us believe we are "better" than creation's other animals or plant, insect, fish and fowl species?
How anybody could look at this planet and not believe that it was created by a being far greater, more brilliant and creative than man, I cannot fathom. But there are those who don't believe and I pity them their lack.
So, goodbye, until we meet again -- in cyberspace or heaven. May God be with you.
See Lou Hough's other blogs at lousissues.BlogSpot.com or see louhough.BlogSpot.com
Monday, October 6, 2014
What Does It Matter?
Like most college students, my friends and I joined the great debate about evolution. Coming from a Southern Baptist background, I was imbued with the creation story. You know, the one where God decided man needed a mate to keep him from being lonely and man responded, oh, wow, here's someone I can dominate! Bring her on, God.
Then there was the great Scope's trial that pitted the Bible against science, the scientific version being that we have evolved from creatures of the past. Well, even if God did create first man, first woman, we did, are and forever will be evolving. But, I get ahead of myself.
Kansas City, Missouri, used to have a big gorilla named Big Man. I once saw a huge, black, black African American male stand for forever staring down that gorilla. The primate was somewhat larger and a whole lot hairier, but otherwise they could have been twins -- something the man did not miss, himself.
When I look at a certain country musician under his huge cowboy hat, I see a turtle backing under it's shell. A man I once knew looked like a monkey.
Some dog show people we used to hang around with looked at a picture of me sitting next to our two show afghan hounds and said "there are Ron's three dogs." I guess I could have gotten insulted, but they didn't say I looked like a pug. Besides, better friends than they came to my immediate defense.
Truth be told, we've known for years that a lot of people look so much like the pets they choose that it is almost comical.
The problem with accepting evolution is that the human race has set themselves on a pedestal. We think we are superior to the others of the animal species. We believe we are the only ones who can think and speak and create . . .
But perhaps we hold ourselves in too high esteem. You see, we have colonies of ants and hives of bees, the latter having a queen or leader bee. We have schools of fish and flocks of geese. We can even see some intelligence in plant as well as animal and insect life. Have you ever noticed how many weeds somehow settle themselves next to flowers of similar appearance?
During those college days of flexing my brain and learning new ideas, I asked my boss his opinion. He was the President of the Southern Illinois College of the Bible, a Baptist school housed at Southern Illinois University. His answer has stuck with me always -- and kept me humble.
"What does it matter if God chose evolution as the way to create us?"
Really, what does it? God is in control either way.
Then there was the great Scope's trial that pitted the Bible against science, the scientific version being that we have evolved from creatures of the past. Well, even if God did create first man, first woman, we did, are and forever will be evolving. But, I get ahead of myself.
Kansas City, Missouri, used to have a big gorilla named Big Man. I once saw a huge, black, black African American male stand for forever staring down that gorilla. The primate was somewhat larger and a whole lot hairier, but otherwise they could have been twins -- something the man did not miss, himself.
When I look at a certain country musician under his huge cowboy hat, I see a turtle backing under it's shell. A man I once knew looked like a monkey.
Some dog show people we used to hang around with looked at a picture of me sitting next to our two show afghan hounds and said "there are Ron's three dogs." I guess I could have gotten insulted, but they didn't say I looked like a pug. Besides, better friends than they came to my immediate defense.
Truth be told, we've known for years that a lot of people look so much like the pets they choose that it is almost comical.
The problem with accepting evolution is that the human race has set themselves on a pedestal. We think we are superior to the others of the animal species. We believe we are the only ones who can think and speak and create . . .
But perhaps we hold ourselves in too high esteem. You see, we have colonies of ants and hives of bees, the latter having a queen or leader bee. We have schools of fish and flocks of geese. We can even see some intelligence in plant as well as animal and insect life. Have you ever noticed how many weeds somehow settle themselves next to flowers of similar appearance?
During those college days of flexing my brain and learning new ideas, I asked my boss his opinion. He was the President of the Southern Illinois College of the Bible, a Baptist school housed at Southern Illinois University. His answer has stuck with me always -- and kept me humble.
"What does it matter if God chose evolution as the way to create us?"
Really, what does it? God is in control either way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)