Creation in my world

Last night my thoughts focused on creation. Think about the things we create. Several ideas came to mind. Computers, games...particularly card games, robotics and a few others. When we as humans carry out tasks or play games we use logic, trial and error and intuition. Consider playIng solitaire say the Klondike game. Let's think About the one where you turn the pile one card at a time and can go through it as many times as you wish. When we suffle the deck, is the deck random? How many possible variations are there? Do you know the answer? Is it necessary to know the answer to play the game?...to build a computer program to play the game?

When we play this game we don't know the identity and location of any of the cards in the pile. When the computer plays the game it has to know. 

When we see a possible play we may make a decision based on logic or intuition of whether or not to make the play we see. We might even miss seeing some possible plays. The computer on the other hand has to know all the plays before the game starts. The computer cannot miss a play. And, the computer has already completed all the trial and error analysis before the game starts. Why is this true? Because of the program rules. Someone has to program the computer. Question is who if anyone programs us? How do we learn to play the game? 

Is life like a game? Can a computer live life completely? Who would program it? Can the computer learn new rules by trial and error? Do you see how the operating principles of a computer are different from the operating principles of a human? Do you think a computer can be designed to drive a car successfully. Have you ever been mis-led by a GPS? How did you correct the problem?

For more insight into this subject read "The Glass Cage" by Nicholas Carr.

YES! GOD IS ALIVE AND WELL. LEWIS AND CLARK (cont'd)

Good morning from Bismarck, South Dakota. A busy place on a Thursday morning. Yesterday we continued our adventure on the Lewis and Clark trails. The "Corps of Discovery" travelled this same country early October 1804. There is wind, the country side is beautiful and bountiful. There were no farms when the corps travelled. Now farms are abundant. We began this leg of the trip last Friday. Bill and I biked from Fort Thompson to Pierre, SD (61mi). Grace drove on the Pierre and picked up Bob at the airport. Stayed at a Comfort Inn. Bob had quite a time getting to Pierre. His flight out of Dallas was delayed and he was going to miss his flight in Denver. So, he got a flight to Rapid City and Mom picked him up there while Bill and I were riding. It all worked out. Any one want a $60 travel voucher on Great Lakes Aviation?

Saturday we rode to Gettysburg, SD (66.5mi). The winds were mostly against us but we left early and they were not more than 10 mph. Sunday the winds were stronger on our trip to Mobridge (55mi). Monday we intended to ride to a point about 13 miles west of Linton. The winds were howling out of the northeast and we only made it to Pollock (37.5mi). It was a hard ride. We used the car to shuttle into Linton and back the next morning. Then on Wednesday we rode 88.5 miles to Bismarck, ND.

Just as we got to the edge of Bismarck Bob ran over a stick that lodged in the derailleur of the bike he was riding. It stop the bike causing the chain to break and the derailleur to be twisted out of the rear fork. The twisting motion bent the  end of the frame where the wheel attaches. We called Grace to come and get us. And, we also called a nearby bike shop. They said bring the bike over. So when Grace arrived we loaded up the damaged bike so Bob and Grace could take it to the bike shop. Praise the Lord Bob did not fall and was not injured.

Bill and I continued on with the tandem to our motel. There we waited for Bob and Grace. By some great fortune the guy at the bike shop had the skill and ability to repair the damage in about two hours while they waited. Amazing! How likely is it that the first and only bike shop contacted be able to make such a repair?

Grace and Bob returned from the bike shop and we unloaded for the night. We planned to eat about eight. I took a shower and Grace made a small pot of coffee. As she was bringing me a cup, she trip and fell forward into the wall and door. I saw the fall from the bathroom. It was scary the way she slammed into the door with her head while it was at a crazy angle to her body. Coffee went everywhere and she was in considerable pain. After about thirty minutes evaluating the situation we decided to take her to the Emergency Room. She could walk but was in a lot of pain. The CT scan revealed not broken bones. After four hours of observation, testing and waiting they released her and we went back to the motel. Praise the Lord nothing is broken.

Today the boys are riding from Bismarck to Hazen (70mi). I took the day off to rest a knee and drive the car. We will see how Grace is doing in the morning. Riding bicycles is dangerous. Oh, by the way, the winds are much more favorable. Our original target for this leg was Bismarck. The revised target for this trip was Dickinson. Lots like we might make Glen Ullin.

I am finishing this blog post sitting in a motel in Hazen waiting for the boys to arrive. Grace is asleep napping. We will see what tomorrow brings. We all know we can trust the Lord. He is faithful and just. We know He is alive and well. Grace and I are amazed that we are physically able to be on this trip with the boys. We will continue to do this as long as we are able and The Lord is willing. The joy of being with our boys and living these experiences is far beyond anything we could have ever imagined.

Lewis and Clark cont'd

October 7, 2014; Linton, ND

The Butler boys are on their bikes again.  Yes, here we are again on the third leg of our Lewis and Clark adventure. Grace (Mom Butler) is our sag driver and savior. We left Fort Thompson, SD last Friday. We have stopped in Pierre, Gettysburg and Mobridge. We attempted riding to Linton, ND today. But, the wind stopped us short in Pollock, SD. We will start from there tomorrow. Hopefully the winds will be more favorably. Our target this week is Dickinson, ND. We will be happy to achieve Bismarck or just beyond.

The trip is just fantastic. The scenery is beautiful. Lewis and Clark had to have been amazed. Lake Oahe just north of Pierre is gigantic. Linton is 180 miles north of Pierre and we have not seen the end of the lake at this point. Lots of fishing and hunting up here. Come check it out.

Ebola-A plague of Catastrophic Dimensions

Mosy people are afraid to mention the most likely cause of sickness. There is only one who can heal us. And that same one can make sure we aren't healed. I believe it was Dr. Peck who said, "I am not surprised people get sick, what does surprise me is that some our well. ". Have you heard any news lately about the source of Ebola being our own disobedience to the one true living God? Check out the Web for such news. Yes, there is even an article in the New York Time. Ask CNN or Fox. I suspect they are reluctant to discuss the issue. Perhaps some prayer is a good idea.

PURPOSE IN LIFE????

If you don't need religion why do you have one?Don't kid yourself, we all have a religion. It might even be the religion of "I don't have a religion". Do you have goals, passions, hopes or any picture of your own future? Then you are religious. Is your religion based on truth? Can you prove or verify any of it on your own? Or, do you have to rely on opinions?

Consider if you please my belief. There is a God. He created everything. Nothing exists except for the work of his hand. I was created by this God and he planned my entire life. He even planned the uncertainties. Does that make them certain or not? How can I say? I didn't do the creating. Now with this thesis I can function. Everything around me and about me now have purpose and reason. I am unable able to understand it all. But, I do know that whatever someone tells me, my God caused it or allowed it. I learned this from my God. 

My God even wants me to know him. I like that. He caused a book to be written so I would have a better chance to get acquainted. He even forgives me for disobedience. Ask me how I know and I will tell you. But, he tells me " Itwould be better for you and I to spend time just being friends".

Biblical or World

There are basically two views of life or creation. Commonly called by people in both camps, The World View and The Biblical View. I have known about these two views for a long time now. But, unfortunately for me, I have not spent much time analyzing the differences. And, there are some significant implications. 

First, let’s think about the origin of the each view. How were these view formulated? What are the foundational principles of each view? Were they formulated objectively? That is formed by people who had no preconceived bias to either view. Do you think that is likely? Would any of us be able to approach this task in an unbiased manner? I wonder if Maslow consider the two views when he formulated his hierarchy. 

Do people who hold to the Biblical View, or say they do, really understand they cannot accept Maslow’s hierarchy because of the goal of achieving self-actualization? 

People who hold to the World View either knowingly or unknowingly have to believe there is no controlling force in the universe. They have to believe the universe just happened accidentally or was created by a force that didn’t care or know about what it was doing. 

How hard is it to formulate a purpose for your life using either of these two views? Have you tried it? Can you do it? Or maybe you don't need a purpose to live and keep on living?

Think about the definition of good and evil…right and wrong. How are these opposing factors handled under the umbrella of the views? Who decides what is right?

I can see how we might have accidentally gotten to hydrogen if all the subatomic particles were already present. But I can’t for the life of me figure out how subatomic particles appeared out of nothing. 

Some of my teachers tried to teach me things they could not logically support. Did they really believe them to be true? Why would we not at least raise the question or cast some level of doubt on theoretical principles like Maslow’s hierarchy?

Which view do you like better?

IF YOU BELIEVE.....

If you believe in the one true living God? You know that it His intention and your fate, the world will be redeemed. Can you imagine how this might happen? No one can know except by the learning the truth. Where do we find the Truth? Read through the gospel of Matthew. Matthew explains why God sent Jesus to live on the earth.

So, if God is busy redeeming the world, then what would be behind the battles and wars of the third world…especially in the middle east? Wars and battles fought by people who don’t believe in the one true living God does have a purpose and an expected outcome. I expect the evil one to lose because all the ones in bondage to the evil one will end up either converting or killing each other. There are no other options. If you have another option, I would like to hear it. 

Which option should we pursue? People suffer the fate of the nation where they live. Do they have a practical choice? Perhaps, there are thousand of missionaries all over the world loving and witnessing for God. Consider the fate of people and how it might be different depending on the option of choice. Do non-believers believe in free choice? Does what they believe really make a difference? Is freedom of choice a truth? I like to think about how our circumstances affect our beliefs. Believing a lie is our biggest problem. Passing along a lie as a truth may be the greatest hurt we can inflict on a friend. If we don’t know the truth or believe the truth, we should probably keep our thoughts to ourselves. It would not be fair to our friends to ask them to consider as truth anything we think might not be true. Sounds like gossip. No one can change you. But, they may be able to influence you to take the wrong road. I believe we should be responsible for ourselves. We should make our own decisions. I also believe I need a higher power to help me in that endeavor. 

You might guess that I don’t believe the universe started out using evolution to create its self. The first atom was most likely hydrogen. Where did the first sub-atomic particle come from?