Ken Ham

The first question kind of sums up what is wrong with Ken Ham and Christian Fundamentalism. "Question: Why did God create people when He knew they would sin?... Answer: ...God is perfect... sin... must have been a way to bring glory to God... God... hates sin... By creating [humans], God created beings to whom He could show His attributes..." So, this "perfect" being created depravity and suffering so he could show off and have worshipers. He deliberately created flawed beings so he could show more reject them, then smirk while waiting for some of them to beg forgiveness for a sin that he imposed on them. A human parent who abused their child like this would be sent to prison. Also, it's not free will when you create something and know everything it will do and squash it repeatedly. It's just malicious. Read Job for more insight. show less

A posição de Ken Ham, como criacionista da terra jovem, é totalmente frustrante. Meu problema com ele não é como ele aborda a Ciência, mas como aborda a própria Escritura. Espera-se algo assim do cristão evangélico comum, que nasceu e cresceu imerso numa leitura desconectada de contexto histórico e cultural (inclusive judaico), mas não de alguém que, supostamente, se propôs a estudar o tema.
A posição de Hugh Ross, como criacionista da terra antiga, avança bastante e suas show more colocações me parecem muito mais honestas intelectualmente falando. Mas de onde ele tirou que as Escrituras devem ser cientificamente descritivas e preditivas? É a "cabala" evangélica em ação. Não dá.
A posição de Debora Haarsma, como criacionista evolucionária, cai no outro lado da jogada. Aceitamos que Deus é soberano sobre todas as coisas, que Ele criou, sustenta e continua guiando sua criação, etc etc. Maaaas não podemos admitir em nenhum momento a possibilidade - sim e isso não nega que Deus criou mecanismos, leis e etc - Deus tenha agido de forma extraordinária ao longo da criação e da história da vida na Terra. Toda vez que chega em um ponto assim a opção é sempre pela explicação "natural", ainda que o natural seja entendido como guiado por Deus.
A posição de Stephen Meyer, como defensor do design inteligente, é a mais difícil de avaliar, pq não pretende ser uma posição de como a criação se deu, uma vez que pode aceitar em suas fileiras defensores das mais diversas teorias. Eu, particularmente, gosto de como ele é aberto a avaliar aquilo que a Ciência traz e questionar as conclusões (não posso julgar, por falta de conhecimento, se há outras posições que derrubam cientificamente as questões dele), aceitando - o que julgo ser a falha da Haarsma - que Deus pode, sim, sem prejuízo de nenhuma das declarações bíblicas, ter intervido da forma milagrosa que Ele achasse melhor. Ou não. show less

Book 119 - Ken Ham - How could a loving God ?

Being a Christian does not make life easy…it does not make for easy solutions. I noticed when I looked back through my readings since March 2020 that generally when I look at non fiction books they tend to be about overcoming hardships or dealing with difficulties - whether they are Christian on non-Christian…they are about the difficulties life have thrown, and continue to throw, at us.

Reference Book 10 The Tumour, Book 12 Staying in the show more Boat, Book 13 Don’t give up, Book 28 Don’t sweat the small stuff, Book 32 Who moved my cheese ? , Book 46 The Screwtape Letters, Book 72 The Problem of Pain

I need to find some more uplifting Christian books - suggestions ?

Anyway…back to this one…this is hard, as I am writing this back in August and the tragedy of Afghanistan is unfolding before us…women’s rights are being trampled on…those of a different and no-faith are being singled out for persecution …how could a loving God ?

Families that lose someone so young…the loss of a child…a miscarriage…a death…physical and mental pain…financial hardships…how could a loving God ?

I frame all of what comes next with the phrase…I am a Christian…my support system for hard times include family and friends but as a Christian I get through each day…each hour and sometimes each minute I do so, through the love, grace and support of my God. This may not be for you and I am not trying to say this is easy…nor do I do it easily…but in the end…I am a Christian.

Ken Ham, founder of the Answers in Genesis organisation, worth a look and if you get a chance look at some of his sermons/ presentations on YouTube amazing stuff - is the writer of this incredibly difficult book.

Some things I have picked up from this

- for those who ask why bad things happen ? He returns with the comment…if nothing matters apart from this life why do you ask why bad things happen ? Life simply happens - there is no good or bad…there simply is. If you accept bad things happen then you must accept the very definition that there is good and bad in the world. Interesting.
- secondly, for Christians, the world is how it is because of sin - when Adam and Eve sinned against God - they brought sin into the world - by leaving them the choice and making them different to the rest of Creation, it opened up such a decision making process that everything from then, has been tainted by this original sin. Central to Ham’s book.
- Thirdly, the world was good….it was good…it had been made perfect…sin changed that
- Fourthly - floods, famine, war, environmental damage, death on an unfathomable scale today, is because of us…we did that..that is our legacy

To leave the book there, would be devastating… is that it ? I often wonder what the Disciples thought the day after the Crucifixion…what did they do ? Did they ask…is that it ?

As Christians we know that life is brief…like breath on a mirror…70, 80, maybe even 90 years…but what next ?

Ken Ham talks at length at the loss of his brother Robert through a degenerative brain disease at the age of 45 and how the whole family, from his mother to Robert’s wife and children to the extended family dealt and continue to deal with it. It is heartbreaking…though provoking and spiritually reaffirming. A must read.

Ham does not avoid the difficulties of the title of the book and as with all his works, they are framed through his faith.

How could a loving God ? I urge you to read this short and freely available book on Ham’s https://answersingenesis.org/ site.

To paraphrase it if I may…is He a loving God ?

Yes..yes He is…He loved us all so much He sent His Son…to die for all of us…despite what we say, do and think….wow show less

Though some of this book seems to be a rehash of the first book, that doesn't make it any less important as a standalone book. The danger of a child growing up and not finding church relevant (and possibly, by extension, God) is still very real. I still agree that while one's individual salvation may not be dependent on whether or not they believe in a literal six days of creation, amongst other ways the the world is trying to undermine the Bible, the impact that an individual's belief can show more have on young Christians (meaning young in age or simply new to the faith) can be devastating. Put simply: If, in attempting to influence someone toward God, you put across to them that certain parts of the Bible can't be trusted, why should they think any of it can be trusted? Is it really more believable that a man could be born to a virgin and then rise from the dead than that a supernatural being could create the world in 6 days?

One of the larger ideas this book pushes forward is that there is no such thing as a neutral stance. Not believing in God doesn't make someone un-religious. It only makes them a believer in a different god, even if they don't think of it that way. Ham points to Neil deGrasse Tyson and other prominent atheists who go as far as to state (or at least imply) that we should consider stardust our creator and savior, rather than God or Jesus Christ. This is not a neutral stance at all! And this is the kind of thinking that goes into school textbooks, which kids spend more time reading, being taught from, and being tested on than the very Word of God. And here is where the main focus of the book seems to lie—the danger of public education all week counterbalanced against one or two short sessions at church. It's not enough.

As with the previous book (Already Gone), if you’re thinking about reading this book, understand that it makes the assumption that the reader believes the Bible 100%, including on matters like creation in 6 literal days, a young earth, the global flood, and…well, find out more about what the authors of this book believe at this link. If you do not believe the Bible is true, or to be taken literally, on all of these points, this may not be the book for you. If you do, and you're concerned about diminishing Christianity in our time, this book is worth a read. show less