What the LINK tells us...

The Link

An incredible 95 percent complete fossil of a 47-million-year-old human ancestor has been discovered and, after two years of secret study, an international team of scientists has revealed it to the world. The fossil’s remarkable state of preservation allows an unprecedented glimpse into early human evolution.

from: http://boards.history.com/category/The-Link/520000027

Unprecedented glimpse indeed! But if anything, it is a glimpse into how primitive our 'Science' is becoming. Read on.

What Ida Tells Us

According to the program, THIS is What Ida Tells us:

video also available at the history channel website -
http://www.history.com/content/the-link/watch-video?bcpid=23297146001&bclid=23711371001&bctid=23722127001


As Dr. Hurum states in the video (emphasis mine),

"Dis jumble of characters is, is very very exciting...and you see all these characters in the same skeleton, and you need to try to explain evolution in a new way, the early evolution of primates in a new way, because it's there, you cannot take them away"

I can't agree more with Dr. Hurum on the fact that we need to "try to explain evolution in a new way". Facts are facts, and "Ida" has observable and remarkable characteristics. Science deals with facts, and facts are the basis for supporting, and for falsifying, scientific Laws, Theories, and Hypotheses.

A NEW WAY to explain evolution

As far as explaining evolution in a new way, the producers of the program do not leave us hanging. On this point they turn to Dr. Don Johanson, who indeed explains evolution in a new way...one that has NOTHING to do with Science. To save myself extra work, I'll just reproduce my observations as written in my comment on a LinkedIn discussion board.

If you're LinkedIn, see the entire discussion at: Find out what "The Link" on the History Channel wasn't telling you.

'The Link' was very entertaining and well-produced, but in my opinion, clearly unscientific and a depressing example of how 'mindless' our culture can be. It told a pretty good story, but in the end I saw nothing in the facts reported that resulted in the conclusions the program made. Much speculation, but no empirical science.

The most blatant and saddening example of the collapse of the scientific method in this program (and perhaps in general?) came near the end of the program, where Dr. Don Johansen (of 'Lucy' fame) takes the pulpit bemoaning how "Today" there's so much controversy about evolution. He says:

"...lots of people don't want to ACCEPT evolution...a lot of people say 'I don't believe in evolution.' And I say to them, 'I don't believe in evolution either.' And they go, 'Wh...what do you mean?' I said, 'ANY MORE THAN I BELIEVE IN GRAVITY. It's a fact.

"If I let go of an object it's going to fall to the ground. No matter how many times we do this experiment, it's going to fall to the ground. So gravity is a LAW. It's a FACT. It's an OBSERVABLE thing.

"And it's the same thing with Evolution."

I nearly FELL OFF THE COUCH when I watched him say this. How can someone who's been a Scientist his entire career, and who has the credentials and CV including his discovery of Australopithecus Afarensis, be so WRONG (or deceptive?) regarding the difference between Scientific Law, Fact, and theory?

The certainty of Evolution is the same as certain
ty about Gravity?????? Is he NUTS?????? I can observe one species changing into another just like I can observe an object fall when I let go of it? What?????

If such blatant disregard for logic and scientific method--supported by excellent production and an entertaining story--is the norm, it's no wonder that American education falls so far behind in Science achievement.

Maybe we no longer have any idea what Science really is!!!!

The DEVIL is in the details

I respect Science and true Scientific Method; I respect Biblical Criticism, Hermeneutics; I respect a careful, reasoned, and humble approach to all questions of origins.

Watching this program, sadly, has brought me down to a very low opinion of Western culture's ability to use their minds as God (or evolutionary advantage?) intended.

I had hoped that any reasonable person -- Christian or not -- would be able to watch 'The Link', see through the hype, and draw one's own reasoned conclusions from the facts. But I'm not convinced. Since I'm biased towards God (he's on my side anyway), I'm going to now present CONCLUSIVE evidence that 'The Link' was clearly the work of SATAN and ALL CHRISTIANS should RUN AWAY from it AS FAR AS POSSIBLE!!!!

When I viewed the History Channel's discussion summary this morning, here's what I saw:

666 - the NUMBER OF THE BEAST.

Therefore, 'The Link' is obviously the work of Satan. Remember, he can deceive even the VERY ELECT! STAY AWAY!!

Is All Adversity Bearable with God?

We are all very familiar with the promise in 1 Cor 10:13 that God "will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear" (NIV).

We usually understand this like Eugene Peterson's 'The Message' puts it:

"God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it."

I think we, and Peterson, interpret the verse incorrectly.

Here's some ideas to consider:
The greek word used means 'temptation' or 'test': http://concordance.biblos.com/peirasmo_.htm

The root word is 'peirazo', which means (according to http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/3986.htm):

"a putting to proof (by experiment (of good), experience (of evil), solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity -- temptation"

In Short, WHAT PAUL SAYS:

God does not overwhelm us with unbearable adversity, temptation, the death of our children, etc. WHEN HIS PURPOSE IN TESTING US is to 'prove out' our faith.

WHAT PAUL DOES NOT SAY:

"All evil/adversity/etc. that befalls us is part of God's will, design, and purpose for us, and it is all for the purpose of testing and building our faith, and through all of it God will provide a way out and the strength to bear it".

We LIKE the verse to mean what Paul does not say. Even Eugene Peterson wants it to say that.

But I believe Paul's objective is to assure us of God's goodness and his character in the tests and temptations that he WILLS (causes or preferentially allows) to come our way.

Paul does NOT say that all S&!T that dumps on us is from God and/or is what God REALLY wants to happen to us...and he does NOT say that all S&!T is bearable and for our benefit.

SO IN SHORT: we can trust that if God puts us to the test, it is for our benefit.

We also are afforded the right--by this verse, at least--to trust that evil which befalls us and DOES crush us beyond what we can bear is NOT from God and does not speak one ounce about his goodness, his love for us, and his character.

Sin, death, and corruption have real, powerful, and gratuitous effects. God is in the business of redemption, for sure, but to make pollyanna claims that we are ordained to have supernatural Atlas-like world-bearing strength underneath every single possible imaginable (and even unimaginable) burden of adversity that drops upon us is NOT supported by this verse.

Such pollyannaism certainly does not seem to be supported by human experience, and, I would wager, is not really supported by other Biblical texts when carefully read.

However, I am not a professional exegete or theologian, so please feel free to present evidence to the contrary. It is much better to stand corrected than to fall in ignorance.