Author Archives: Manoah2

Information

One of the definitions for information is: “What is conveyed or represented by a particular arrangement or sequence of things.” One form of information is DNA. DNA is defined as: Deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material which is present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information. DNA stores biological information. So we have people collecting spit or taking swabs to be sent off to biolabs to be analysed for their DNA patterns to be used for tracing ancestry, paternity testing, or criminal investigation.

Information can be stored on all kinds of media such as tapes, records, disks, and a swag of memory chips in one form or another. Some information stored on memory chips can be used to control various devices such as robots. Some sets of information are called programs. The robot or machine that is controlled by the program would be inert without that program. So what is that information when it is not loaded onto a computer or memory chip? It is still a program even if it only exists as code on a piece of paper. But what do we call that program when it is not loaded on any device and it is not recorded anywhere, not even on a piece of paper? An idea, a figment of someone’s imagination? Nothing? In another time and space – everything?

Genesis 1 says “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth….. and God said “Let there be light.””

John 1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”

DNA is a self-replicating material and if we take the current science as an indication then our DNA goes right back to the first human, and possibly beyond. This is probably true for all species, that their DNA goes right back to the first of their species. And its probably true for all living things.

So, would it be possible to take the individual chemical elements that make up chromosomes and create a DNA sequence from scratch ie with no preexisting DNA introduced or doctored? Can we take something that is lifeless and make it live and self replicate? Can we create genetic information from lifeless elements? Maybe someone has a brilliant mind and can formulate that idea, maybe they can assemble it and write it on paper, but can they actually take that information and work it into lifeless elements so that it gives life to those lifeless elements and begins to self-replicate?

Its been done before, a long time ago. Maybe 20 billion years ago. Ask God back.

Old Photos From Sale CRC

A few of the Sale CRC reunion attendees were very thoughtful and brought some old photos to the reunion. Sometimes old photos manage to capture more than just a two dimensional image. I mean, obviously the old photo of me had been doctored as it showed only one long eyebrow, teeth that could have been used on the Twilight set, and a jaw that could have been used to shovel snow.

I recently found a few old photos in our storage room and although a bit late for the reunion thought I’d share them through this website. Now guys, these are scanned from originals and they have not been doctored – this is the way you were. There’s more boxes to delve through so more may be added later. Please advise if I’ve got the names incorrect in the captions.

 

Sale CRC Reunion 2013

Photos from the Sale CRC reunion held at the Moe Heritage Park June 2013. The photos have been reduced in size to 800 by 600 pixels to enable quicker loading on the web and fit the web page. I will keep the full size photos if anyone wants them. Just click on an image in the gallery to see it at the full 800 x 600 size.

The lighting wasn’t the best for my compact camera and I had taken several photos of those with a sunlit window behind them or when it was framed correctly. In one case guys you just looked too ugly in the first shot. Rather than exclude any I have posted all photos that I took on the day.

Creation and Science

How did the earth and solar system come into being?

Was the earth and the universe formed by a mighty big bang from unknown materials, method, and motive? Some argue for more than one big bang. Some defer explaining the origin of matter by arguing for a big bang appearance occuring between pre-existing elements (or universes) separated by membranes of unknown force or material and within another dimension.

Creationists and Evolutionist have both staked their claims, formed themselves into bands and into larger rough armies and are doing battle in the churches, schools, governments and courts. Some of the bands are hard core and in the front line, others are on the wings or in reserve as they have an idea of what they think is true but are not fully convinced and therefore not fully committed. Some are there because they are fighting for their beliefs and what they perceive as the truth. Others have ulterior motives.

Some creationists will argue that the earth was created in six days. Other creationists will use Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 and infer that a thousand years of our time is like a day to the Lord and that it took six thousand years to create the earth.

Some evolutionists say that the earth is billions of years old and the various plant species, marine life and birds, insects and animals evolved either serially or jointly over time. Both camps could be partly right and partly wrong. Read the first 20 verses of Genesis Chapter 1 and note the specific order of events.

  • Where was the author of Genesis at the time the earth was formed?
  • If Moses was the author then he couldn’t have been  a witness.
  • Did Moses’ use of days mean a day as governed by the earth’s solar system?
  • Although God is omnipresent God couldn’t have been on the earth and restricted to its dimensions before he made it any more than a carpenter can sit on a chair before he makes it or while he makes it.

The Hebrew for Genesis is Bereshit and it means beginning. The first verse goes something like ‘bereshit bara elohim et hashamayin v’et h’aretz‘. This means in rough English ‘it began with gods creating the heavens and the earth’. Elohim gods is the plural form of Elohi god. The account of the beginning goes on to say that the earth was formless and empty and darkness was over the surface of the deep and the spirit of the gods was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Where were the gods standing/sitting at the beginning? The beginnings’ account says that the spirit of the gods was hovering over the waters which covered the whole earth as there was no dry ground at that time – dry ground didn’t appear until verse 9.

The frame of reference for “the first day” was evening and morning. Whose evening and morning? Not the earth’s as we know it today because the sun and moon didn’t exist yet, the gods didn’t set them in place until the fourth day – see verse 14. Light was created during the first day and as stated above, before the sun and the moon which came into being on the fourth day.

Whether a Creationist or Big Bang supporter, the beginning is problematic in that if you try to start with a substance then it begs the question “OK, but where did that come from?” One answer in a nutshell is Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. The approximate formula for defining the amount of energy we can derive from mass is E=MC2. Energy = Mass x the square of the speed of Light. Transposing this we get M=E/C2 Mass = Energy divided by the square of the speed of Light. Some forms of Light appear to have substance, but the speed of light doesn’t and it is constant. Therefore if the formula holds true then mass and energy are interchangeable. The argument and counter-argument can go on and on – but its all relative and man wasn’t there at the beginning or the big bang (what blew up?), but it happened somehow and the formula suggests that mass was produced from energy. The mass that makes up the heavens and the earth was produced from energy. OK, what form of energy – potential, kinetic, thermal, chemical, electrical, electrochemical, electromagnetic, nuclear, sound, light? These forms of energy whether transient or stored require a form of mass or matter to exist. Some say that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but that it can be transformed from one form of energy to another.

Who or What triggered a pure form of energy to change into mass? Who was the enactor if not Elohim? Could it be that God speaks and things happen?

Some big bang theorists say there was only one big bang and from that everything in the universe appeared. Other big bang theorists say that there were several big bangs, all unrelated. Others say the big bangs were related. Consider this – all the physical laws and all the properties of the elements would come into existence at the instance that the matter appeared. If the big bangs were unrelated it is imperceivable that at some juncture or border between objects formed by each big bang that two sets of physical laws could coexist. If the big bangs were unrelated then it is imperceivable that all the physical laws and all the properties of the elements would be exactly the same in each big bang, unless there was an enactor with incredible intelligence. Obviously the atheistic big bang theorists are very firm on the theory that there was only one big bang. Ask God back.

Synchronisation

When things get out of synchronisation they go off track, drift, or diverge. If they drift too far apart they can lose communication and go beyond restraint. Sometimes they just get wobbly and fall over or self destruct. Systems require a bit of feedback occasionally to keep them on track and hopefully avoid the need to hit the reset button.

Mankind whether communities, tribes, or nations have often gotten off track and headed for disaster. Sometimes they’ve been able to get back on track following the actions of a leader who in turn followed guidance from inspiration from a higher source. In these days of instant and ready knowledge from a myriad of sources its hard for some people to determine the best voice or guide to follow. In some cases people follow the most confident or convincing speaker or leader. Consider why so many people lose so much money investing in schemes that are no better than scams.

It is important to consider the background or foundation of the speaker or leader. Are they synchronised to or regulated by a tried and true reference? They may ask you to make a commitment to them. What is their comitment to you? Will they put their life on the line for you? God has, and throughout the ages his prophets have. All of Jesus’ disciples put their lives on the line for you because as followers of Christ their lives and actions were in synchronisation with the word of God.

If your life or part of the world appears to be lost or going nowhere or is a bit wobbly then ask God back.