Just A Thought

 Nine-year-old Shienna sat up a little straighter and vocalized her dissent: “That’s not true, three times nine is twenty-six. I memorized it, so I should know.”

“Well, you might be right about that,” countered Kelli, “but you were wrong about gravity.  There is no gravity in Arizona – I saw it on TV.”

“I know,” Shienna said agreeably, “I once threw a rock in the air, and it never came down.”

If you were listening to this conversation, would you change your views on math and gravity?  What if 200 people agreed with these darling fourth graders? What if the government or an Ivy League School published such statements, would it change the truth?

Our world is shifting and people are so ready to throw out the old so they can rush on to “bigger and better things.” But what about the steadfast, proven truths? Should we be quick to discount the truths and stories that have been proven for thousands of years in hundreds of cultures just because a “new take” is suddenly in vogue? It doesn’t seem wise to me.

There is, for example a story that has been taught for centuries. It is a sobering story that reminds mankind of a God to whom he will be held accountable. It is the story of Noah’s Flood. There are over two hundred stories from almost every culture that tell a story of a worldwide flood. As a truth-seeker, I must agree with Francis Schaeffer’s who wrote, “…among the common myths in the world’s history, no other one is so widespread as the story of the flood. From China to the American Indians and even the pre-Colombian Indians, one finds in strange forms the myth of the great flood. Most of these myths have weird elements—foolish elements, for example the descriptions of the boat that was used. In the Bible these strange and foolish elements are not there. We would say, then, that the Bible gives us the history of the flood; the myths all over the world are contorted, but show that men everywhere have a memory of it. Here in the Bible is the one flood story whose details, including the construction of the vessel, are reasonable.” (Schaeffer, Francis A. 1972. Genesis in Space and Time: 129-130)

Scientifically, the flood explains a great many geographical features of our earth. If Creation Science was not suppressed, these facts would be common knowledge. Unfortunately, many powerful voices have joined to discount the things that were discovered and taught for many years. Those forces often try to intimidate others. Thankfully, there are still many who believe.

To oversimplify, I believe two plus two equals four. I believe in gravity for all. I believe in a global flood. I believe in Almighty God. I believe in a Creator. I believe in a God who will hold mankind accountable. I will not be changing my views simply because a few people decide to ignore the overwhelming evidence. It would be chaotic if we did that with math and science. It is chaotic when we do it with faith and values. Avoid the chaos – believe.

# posted by John W. Hanson @ Friday, August 27, 2021

 It was a quiet spring morning in New England. Suddenly the music of the songbirds was shattered by a ruckus high in the trees. A red-tailed hawk, not far from his own nest was squealing and ducking as a half dozen Blue Jays took turns screaming and dive-bombing the larger, more powerful bird. 

Mobbing, is a behavior in which a gang of smaller birds harass a larger predatory bird until it gives up and leaves the area. One can often see these larger birds soaring through the air with of slew of smaller birds nipping and pecking at it from all sides. The question immediately comes to mind, “Why would a red-tailed hawk, bald eagle or great horned owl let a bunch of smaller birds, like Jays, pester it? And why would a smaller bird take the risk of attacking these large predators? The answer (as is usually the case when animal behavior and ecology are involved) is complex. Some explanations seem relatively straightforward whereas others are more speculative. Here are three:

·       Small birds are afraid for their young, so they take a risk and gang up much like a pack of wolves gang up on a moose.

·       Since the smaller birds are agile it is not worth the larger bird’s energy to attempt to kill them. 

·       In short, mob intimidation works.

Mobbing is often seen in human behavior. Whether it takes the form of protests, lynchings, culture cancelling or viral social media attacks, it seems to work. While there may be some causes worth speaking against, it is often the case that many people involved in mobbings don’t even know why they are there. It can also be true that the person or entity being attacked is superior to its attackers in many ways. 

The most famous and egregious mobbing in history took place two thousand years ago in the public square, in the streets of Jerusalem and on a hill called Golgotha. In spite of His gentleness and goodness, Jesus was mobbed by a crowd who wanted nothing to do with the one true God who came to set them free from sin and death. The mob was fickle and manipulated by elite religious and political leaders who knew how to incite crowds. The mob was wrong, and Jesus was wronged. While the mob appeared to prevail, Jesus not only survived, but he changed the world - in spite of his petty and pesky opponents. 

So how does one navigate a mobbing world? Here are a few suggestions based on Jesus’ example:

·       Know who you are and determine to do good in spite of mob attacks.

·       Understand that mobbing is not proof that something is right or wrong.

·       Don’t give up legitimate beliefs, but expect unjust mobbing.

·       When you have a beef, express it respectfully and peacefully.

·       When you see a mob, pay attention to who is running the show before joining the cause.

Here’s Jesus’ advice for those who are mobbed: “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its’ unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that.” (Matthew 5:43-45 MSG)

# posted by John W. Hanson @ Sunday, August 08, 2021