Here’s a brief observation: These rays (at the right side of the panoramic picture above, and in the photo below) are viewed toward the horizon opposite the direction of the sun. More details about the phenomena are with the picture below. What is interesting is that they appear to converge at the horizon, even though they do not actually converge. In fact, the rays, being generated from a light source 93 million miles away, are parallel to each other. But the curve of the earth and perspective of an earth-bound viewer leads to the impression that there are convergent points at each horizon with the rays bowing out to diffusion in the middle—just above the observer. Usually, there is not continuity between the two horizons, so it actually appears that there is a convergence at the horizon(s) and divergence or dissipation where the observer is.
The difference between the parallel reality and convergent/divergent appearance is similar to what all of life looks like to believing but earth-bound observers. There may be faith that God was completely in control at Creation. There may be confidence that God will bring everything back together in the future. But where most people live there is a sense that God may not be keeping it all together. Of course, believers know better in their heads. But the world still looks as if it has diverged from God’s plan and purpose. The rays in the pictures make a handy reminder that regardless of pressures, pains, failures, and frustrations appearing over our heads, God’s plan, purpose, and power are as arrow-straight above our heads as they are at our beginning and our end. Explanation (From APOD, Astronomy Picture of the Day): What’s happening over the horizon? Although the scene may appear somehow supernatural, nothing more unusual is occurring than a setting Sun and some well placed clouds. Pictured above are anticrepuscular rays. To understand them, start by picturing common crepuscular rays that are seen any time that sunlight pours though scattered clouds. Now although sunlight indeed travels along straight lines, the projections of these lines onto the spherical sky are great circles. Therefore, the crepuscular rays from a setting (or rising) sun will appear to re-converge on the other side of the sky. At the anti-solar point 180 degrees around from the Sun, they are referred to as anticrepuscular rays. Pictured above is a particularly striking set of anticrepuscular rays photographed in 2001 from a moving car just outside of Boulder, Colorado, USA.
This short post appeals implicitly to the arguments of earlier posts, here and here.
Recent protests around the country reveal something interesting about homosexual values—homosexual axiology. The pronounced premise of the homosexual agenda is a desire for equality. But the concept of equality is far too vague to be valued in and of itself. No one, for instance, believes a victim of rape and a rapist should receive equal consequences for the event which defines them in this example. Such equality would be repugnant to every appreciable set of values. That kind of distinction is what makes equality of opportunity different from equality of distribution, by the way.
But for this point, the equality proposed by those pushing the homosexual agenda is supposed to be about civil rights. But such a claim can only be defended meaningfully if Read the rest of this entry »
Cal Thomas’ recent column, “Religious Right R.I.P.“, expresses a sentiment shared by many Christians following the election of Barak Obama. That’s unfortunate, because although there is a straightforwardly good point made in the column, it sidesteps and then misdirects the very issue I think most readers take from it. Indeed, the article replicates and thereby reveals what so many people have misunderstood about the movement generically identified as the religious right. Thomas speaks as if the purpose of the religious right is to bring about soul transformation through the power of government. There may be people in the movement who have held that view, but they have been misguided all along, have been in the vast minority, and do not at all represent the genuinely valuable purpose of the religious right.
But rather than establish and debate that purpose afresh here, suffice it to point out that Thomas’ claims are either devoid of significance or wrong.
Here’s how they could Read the rest of this entry »
A listener sent me the following story the day after I interacted with a caller about how abortion could be wrong even in cases of rape. There are many issues to be covered under that heading, but this letter touches on the key ones:
…
I just wanted to say that I am so pleased to read your stance on abortion in the case of rape. My mother was a 14-year-old girl who was raped, and she tried to have an abortion. The only reason I am alive today is because the doctor miscalculated her due date and thought she was too far in the pregnancy to have the abortion, when in reality he was a month off (this actually happened twice). It pains me every time I hear even die hard pro-lifers say “except in the case of rape”. I know it is traumatizing for a girl or woman that is raped to have to carry a child, but it is no more traumatizing than someone who gets shot during a violent attack and has to deal with those wounds. Counseling and therapy can help heal the trauma, but the trauma will be there whether she has the abortion or not, and the abortion could even make it worse. It has caused me so much anxiety over the years to think that many pro-lifers would have approved of my mother’s abortion. By the way, she gave me up for adoption, and my adoptive parents were never able to have children. Thank you so much for this wonderful view against abortion even in the case of rape.
…
The letter was from Christopher __________ from Vernon, who found the story and shared it with us from the website, abort73.com. Warning: It’s a pretty graphic site.
Penna Dexter interviewed Jill Stanek on Live from Criswell today. She held living little babies discarded after abortion procedures–some for more than eight hours. She said she could not bear the thought of those little babies being left alone for hours while they were dying. Unconscionably, Barak Obama’s consistent support of the pro-choice movement leads him to believe that requiring life-giving care for such infants would endanger the standing of Roe v Wade. He is right. And he is oh so contemptibly wrong.
Or: How Tax Code Has Turned the First Amendment Upside-Down.
On the Sunday before 2008’s election, many pastors preached about issues which ought to inform believers’ votes. Of those preachers, only a handful risked losing 501c3 status because they were willing to name a particular candidate in the process of talking about issues. This post is not about the history which has muzzled preachers–although, as I understand it, it is an interesting history. Apparently, LBJ Read the rest of this entry »
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
Because I am normally speaking in other churches on Sundays, I don’t get to sit in my Sunday morning Bible study class as often as I would like. But I was there this week. I am fortunate to have a teacher (Tom Green) who is smart, loves to study, and very good at provoking the members of the study to think about the material he is covering each week. Like many other SBC Bible study groups this week, we were studying 1 Samuel 24-31–in particular, the narrative about Saul in the cave (chapter 24) and camped with his troops (chapter 26), and the one about Nabal and Abigail (chapter 25).
Here is one thing provoked by that Bible study.
The context: Chapter 24 is about David’s Read the rest of this entry »
A friend from Orissa, Malaya Kumar, sent me these two accounts of persecution in Orissa. The events described are from the end of August, but their material and psychological impact continues to this day. If it makes you uncomfortable to read it, remember that you are only reading it, not living it. (As usual, the letters are unedited.) A letter requesting help:
This afternoon while I was returning after my lunch
Here’s a brief observation: These rays (at the right side of the panoramic picture above, and in the photo below) are viewed toward the horizon opposite the direction of the sun. More details about the phenomena are with the picture below. What is interesting is that they appear to converge at the horizon, even though they do not actually converge. In fact, the rays, being generated from a light source 93 million miles away, are parallel to each other. But the curve of the earth and perspective of an earth-bound viewer leads to the impression that there are convergent points at each horizon with the rays bowing out to diffusion in the middle—just above the observer. Usually, there is not continuity between the two horizons, so it actually appears that there is a convergence at the horizon(s) and divergence or dissipation where the observer is.
Explanation (From APOD, Astronomy Picture of the Day): What’s happening over the horizon? Although the scene may appear somehow supernatural, nothing more unusual is occurring than a setting Sun and some well placed clouds. Pictured above are anticrepuscular rays. To understand them, start by picturing common crepuscular rays that are seen any time that sunlight pours though scattered clouds. Now although sunlight indeed travels along straight lines, the projections of these lines onto the spherical sky are great circles. Therefore, the crepuscular rays from a setting (or rising) sun will appear to re-converge on the other side of the sky. At the anti-solar point 180 degrees around from the Sun, they are referred to as anticrepuscular rays. Pictured above is a particularly striking set of anticrepuscular rays photographed in 2001 from a moving car just outside of Boulder, Colorado, USA. 
A listener sent me the following story the day after I interacted with a caller about how abortion could be wrong even in cases of rape. There are many issues to be covered under that heading, but this letter touches on the key ones:
Or: How Tax Code Has Turned the First Amendment Upside-Down.
Because I am normally speaking in other churches on Sundays, I don’t get to sit in my Sunday morning Bible study class as often as I would like. But I was there this week. I am fortunate to have a teacher (Tom Green) who is smart, loves to study, and very good at provoking the members of the study to think about the material he is covering each week. Like many other SBC Bible study groups this week, we were studying 1 Samuel 24-31–in particular, the narrative about Saul in the cave (chapter 24) and camped with his troops (chapter 26), and the one about Nabal and Abigail (chapter 25).
