JAVA SCRIPT - Science Ministries

Science Ministries -

Comment:

Dear Dr. Hollowell,

I find your web site very informative. It challenges my understanding of how "things" work. I was educated, as a child, only in the theory of evolution. It is amazing to discover the science that supports the theory of creation. Thank you.

Comment:

Dear Dr. Hollowell,

You have several excellent articles on this website. Thank you for your insight. Will you leave them all posted or do you take some down periodically? GOD Bless, Bob

Reply:

Bob,

Thank you for your words of encouragement and interest in Science Ministries material. I will switch articles off the front page periodically to keep the page looking fresh. But the evergreen articles (everything but news, daily devotions and facts of the day) should be available on one or more of the sub channels listed in the upper left column of the front page even after they have been removed from the front page. The truth of God's word and principles are timeless.

In Christ,

Dr. Hollowell

Comment:

Dear Dr. Hollowell,

I enjoy your site! I look forward to many more readings.

I have a strong objection to make: Have you ever considered that the passage in Luke about Jesus' sweat states "LIKE drops of blood..."? The word "like" is very important! Luke was describing Jesus' profuse sweating as the subject of his sentence. By stating that it was like drops of blood, he was comparing it to the flow of blood that comes out of a fresh wound - full, constant, and soaking.

Luke was comparing Jesus' profuse sweating to blood drops from an open wound. This is explicit in the passage. To go beyond this is not good exegesis. For the record, I believe that the entire Bible is God's Word, and live by it every day. But sometimes rigid fundamentalism gets caught in blind spots because of a refusal to examine the passage more closely instead of relying on certain church traditions. Yes, I believe the passage is to be taken literally! Jesus' sweat really did flow profusely, like that of a blood-dripping wound. In no way does the passage say that his sweat had blood in it, only that it was LIKE dripping blood.

This means that there is nothing to defend here - only that Jesus really did anguish because of his profuse sweating. The terror of the cross was before him, and the sweat was pouring.

A sincere enthusiast about your website,

Nathan Sanders

Reply: Dear Nathan,

Thank you very much for your input and insight. I honestly never read the passage that way... interesting possibility though.

Upon receipt of your email I reread the scripture from the King James. It reads as follows:

"And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

That doesn't read as "like" to me. But I see it as possible. Certainly the NIV is in agreement with your word choice.

Perhaps I will include your comments in the future as an addendum to the article. I like the possibility your are right.

His Word is like a treasure chest, so fun to explore. Isn't it?

In Christ, Dr. Hollowell

Comment:

Dear Dr. Hollowell,

Sorry to bother you, but since you have such an extensive background in science and in theology, I was hoping that you could help me. You see, I am a science teacher in New Jersey. All my life I have been a Christian, but probably not the type that I should have been. As I grew older and more mature I began to become much more conservative and moral. I don't mean to say that I was immoral before but that my moral obligation began to become the most important thing in my life. I found myself doing more for other people and less for myself and feeling good about it, especially when no one else knew that I did it.

But as reader of science I have come across huge amounts of information over the past few years that contradict my religion. I have spent the past four years searching and finding a way in which I can bridge my religion to my love of science. I have email and spoken to scientists of faith such as Francis Collins, Henry Schaeffer, and Lindon Eaves. Each time that I feel that I have found my self, I still see how much sense the current research in Science makes. I have tried to refute it, but all I end up doing is feeling that I am ignoring the truth and trying to save my faith. I even read the bible every night and pray as I always did. But still I cannot seem to overlook what current evidence says. Especially about human behavior.

The more I watch and read, the more I see how humans are not really monogamous creatures and it kills me. I sometimes find myself in depression over the fact that life may have risen and evolved through random mutations. And sometimes I see no problem with that at all. The more that I read in genetics, the more that I feel that I am just a product of my genes and that's it. I behave the way I do because of my genes and the environment shaping them. Articles from scientists like Stephen Pinker say that our conscious is nothing more than physiological processes. And the more research I do in the neurosciences, the more info that I find that supports Pinker.

Can you offer any help? If you could I would greatly appreciate it.

Reply: Dear Faith,

Your email is no bother. Unfortunately, time prevents me from providing an in-depth email response to you at this time. I have, however, placed a few relative articles on the front page of Science Ministries that address a few points in your email. I hope you will read them.

My prayer is that you will be encouraged by what you read in these articles. I also hope you realize that there will always be arguments to support the world view. But Science Ministries as well as the ministries whose links are contained on the front page of Science Ministries Home Page provide a great resource of ammunition to support the creationist world view and are totally consistent with the a literal interpretation of the Bible.

I assure you there is no need to check your intellectual integrity at the door of faith regarding creationism. I had the same struggle as a Ph.D. and what I discovered is Proverbs 3:19. Ask God to reveal the truth of this scripture to you and He will.

In Christ,

Dr. Hollowell