Category Eagle Views

FDA Could Green Light Genetically Modified Humans

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

Animation of the structure of a section of DNA...

According to the Associated Press, the FDA this week will be considering whether to approve a fertilization technique that could combine the DNA from three people.

The notion is to try to end genetic diseases by splicing out “bad” genes and replacing them with good ones. via FDA Could Green Light Genetically Modified Humans.

They say that art imitates life but perhaps the reverse is true in this case. Scientists are looking at ways to splice together DNA from three individuals to produce a genetically superior offspring. I guess their attempts at cloning individuals had not worked out so well.

In the FOX sci-fi thriller “Almost Human” set in the year 2048 technology has evolved to a place where a person can replace lost body parts with fully functioning biotic limbs (think the bionic man of yesteryear.) Additionally science has attempted to produced the perfect human through genetic engineering.

In the latest episode “Beholder” a creepy, bandaged home invader has killed folks…but nobody puts the fact that they have a serial killer on their hands until he kills a “chrome,” one of the Almost Human world’s genetically perfect citizens.

“Chromes” by design don’t die of natural causes (this guy’s weapon of choice is designed to make it look like they died of natural causes), and suddenly, the case is linked to the mysterious and sudden deaths of seven other citizens. The only apparent connection? They’re all attractive.

These genetically modified chromes form a cliché and are very secretive and dismissive of any normal human infiltration. I guess you could say they are rather snobbish. But when one of them gets killed we get a behind-the-scenes look at these laboratory enhanced humans. They consider themselves to be privileged. Even science can not make decent human beings out of the self-important.

The killer was part of a test group who was being treated with an advanced form of plastic
surgery which used nanobots to do the surgery from inside and not externally. The experiment went terribly wrong and our killer finds himself with a very distorted view of himself. (His face was horribly disfigured.) The reason he goes on a killing spree is because he is harvesting facial features from his victims to reconstruct his face before he presents himself to his online girl friend who just happens to be blind.

Apart from the irony this little trip down fantasy lane may actually shed a light on the human condition. All these scientific attempts to manipulate nature, and to find a way to genetically modify life, is science’s attempt to play god and ultimately to cheat death. In the end it always turns out the same. The attempt to produce the perfect human always ends in failure. What the world needs is not more technology or biology. What the world needs is not man-made fixes to personal shortcomings. The world needs a cure for the inward disfigurements of life caused by sin. The world needs to be transformed. This life-changing transformation can not be manufactured in a laboratory, or produced by nanobots, it must be accepted as a free gift from God through Jesus Christ.

Oh yes someone had to die so that your remake could be completed, but that someone gave his life willing for you so that you could live.

Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich
person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard him asked, “Who, then, can be saved?” Jesus said, “The things that are impossible for people to do are possible for God to do.” Luke 18:25-27 (GW)

In other words you can not buy yourself a ticket to heaven. So you see art does imitate life.

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Hiding Out Under Bushels of Fear

Allen Frederick 3 Comments

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

In his article in Decision Magazine, a publication of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Franklin Graham writes:

Like the church in Thyatira that tolerated immorality in its midst, the evangelical church today has grown all too accepting of sin. The church is ducking the vital moral issues of our age. Rather than influencing our culture by being Gospel salt and light, the church has itself become influenced by the permissive culture in which we live.

The holy, blood-bought church of the Lord Jesus Christ is far more accommodating of sin than ever before. In many churches across America, homosexuals, adulterers and sexually active youth can sit in the church pew and rarely be confronted by the convicting Word of God.

Men and women who habitually and consistently practice sin should experience the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. There are far too many churches that tolerate members who deliberately pursue a sinful lifestyle in an open and unrepentant manner. Unfortunately, when that occurs—and it does all too often—the purity and holiness of the Bride of Christ is sullied, and the witness of the church in a corrupt culture is compromised.

I do not believe this is simply a culture war, or a battle between conservative and liberal elements of our society. It is much more than a drift away from the moral underpinnings that helped found and guide our nation for centuries.

This is a full-scale assault against Christianity and the followers of Christ. When prayer is banned from the public square, when our President fails to defend biblically defined marriage, and he openly and zealously advocates for gay rights; when legislators rush to overrule existing laws to promote gay marriage; when schools and courts consistently suppress religious freedoms; we know we are locked in a war against the Christian faith, not culture.

We are certain that we are of God,

but all the world is in the power of the Evil One.

1 John 5:19 (BBE)

 

Atheism-separation-of-church-and-state

Atheism-separation-of-church-and-state (Photo credit: AlphaBetaUnlimited)

The worldly systems of politics, courts, entertainment and education have almost entirely been stripped of the influence of Christian precepts and principles.

 

For too long Christian leaders have discouraged believers from entering into the arena of ideas. They have taught that we are to be separate from the world to such an extent that we see very little Christian influence in societal institutions. Too many Christians have remained inactive in political issues as well as societal issues, they choose instead to congregate with like-minded individuals, and do not take the call of Jesus to heart to go into all the world to teach them and  disciple them, turning their darkness into light. What we see is a separated group which fears an engagement in societal matters, they are more like a bless me club, but fail miserably on the command to fight against evil and make disciples of all nations and as such bring a blessing to all nations, and people, and tongues.

Where is the evangelistic zeal of the Apostles who dared to defy lawmakers and stood in the public arena proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and with that proclamation denounced the ways of the Pharisees and Publicans.  They had a Holy, righteous fire burning within their bosoms to confront evil with a heartfelt desire to see the whole world saved from the bondage of sin.

This is a critical hour for the church. The world is seeking for answers. The oppressed everywhere are crying out for help and deliverance. We cannot duck our responsibilities as Christ’s representatives to a lost and dying world. We must take a bold stand for the truth in every arena of our lives, deal ruthlessly with sin in our own heart and be men and women of uncompromising holiness. We need to be the ‘salt and light’ of the world and not hide under a bushel of fear somewhere waiting until Jesus returns.

Now is the time to “be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

Martin Niemöller was a German church leader who stood with Dietrich Bonhoeffer against Hitler’s control of the church before and during WWII. That resistance, which landed Niemöller in the Dachau concentration camp and resulted in Bonhoeffer’s execution two weeks before the end of the war, contrasted with others in the church who cowered before the evil of the Third Reich. Many credit Niemöller with these words:

“First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.”

Secularists, humanists, atheists and all the other enemies of truth are very bold and brazen about declaring what they believe. They roar around like lions seeking whomever they can devour with their lies and deceptions. We, who have the power of God working within and through us, should be just as bold if not more so. The opposition spares no expense, and wastes no time in making sure their messages are heard. But when the world is seeking a Word from the Lord, we hear the silence of the lambs. Nary a peep is heard, hardly a word is said, let alone proclaimed with power and confidence.

The word tells us that greater is He who is in us that he that is in the world. If God be for us who   can be against us? In the words of Martin Luther the great reformer of old who penned the majestic hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” we read these words:

And though this world,

with devils filled,

should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear,

for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us.

The Prince of Darkness grim,

we tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure,

for lo, his doom is sure;

One little word shall fell him.

We have been entrusted with the truth of God’s word, we are empowered by the Spirit of the Living God, and we are equipped with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and yet we cower in fear because of the persecution that is sure to come because of Christ. We are to boldly go into all the world, and that includes the world’s institutions, to preach and teach and make them disciples of Christ. We are to take the truth of God’s world and challenge the wisdom of this age, and proclaim the release of the captives and sight to the blind.

Christ challenged His first disciples to go change the world, and they did. We are expected to do the same thing. Are we?

 

Image.gifThis is a view from the nest. What say you?

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)

Along for the journey

Image.jpg

 

This has been A View from the Nest. The statements, comments, or opinions expressed are solely that of the author and do not represent the views or opinions of the host of this site or any affiliates thereof. Any questions or comments should be directed to myself and not to the host or hosts of this site.

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The Super Bowl: The battle that decides it all

Allen Frederick 2 Comments

Super Bowl MetroCards

Super Bowl MetroCards (Photo credit: MTAPhotos)

Today most of America, and perhaps much of the world will be focused on a great playing field in which two opposing teams battle it out to see who is the best. This annual event is perhaps the biggest sporting event in history and draws 10’s of millions of viewers. Large sums of money are spent each year on super bowl advertising to capture the attention of the viewing audience, with the hopes of raking in huge profits off the popularity of the game.

As all eyes are focused on MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey where the Seattle Seahawks will battle the Denver Broncos for the chance to be crowned Super Bowl Champions, I would like us to look further east to another battle field where the champion of the world is to be crowned.

Who are the contestants of this great battle? A common reply would be “Russia, Syria, or Iran against Israel.” As the Middle East simmers toward a boiling point, and as U.S., British, and Israeli intelligence watch closely Iran’s quest for a nuclear bomb which might even be used against America. Millions of Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even secularists are pondering, “Is the Battle of Armageddon at hand?”

The word “Armageddon” only occurs in Revelation 16:16,

“Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”

This speaks of the kings who are loyal to the Antichrist gathering together for a final assault on Israel. At Armageddon “the cup filled with the wine of the fury of [God’s] wrath” (Revelation 16:19) will be delivered, and the Antichrist and his followers will be overthrown and defeated.

Interestingly, no place on earth actually bears the name Armageddon, and the above passage is the only mention of it in scripture and hence it is assumed that this is what scripture refers to but is it? The Greek is most commonly thought to be a transliteration of the Hebrew har megiddo, literally, “mountain of Megiddo.”

The Mount of Megiddo is in the plain of Esdraelon or Jezreel, a valley fourteen by twenty miles in size located to the southwest of Nazareth. Here, it is thought by many, that the great last battle of Armageddon will be fought at the end of time.

There will be a multitude of people engaged in the battle of Armageddon, as all the nations gather together to fight against Christ.

The scene: History’s last “Super Bowl. Final contestants: The Powers of Evil vs. the Power of God. Nature of conflict: Military. Epicenter: A small valley northwest of Jerusalem where all the armies of the world will converge for the battle of the ages.

In Old Testament days, Cyrus came from “the east” to conquer Babylon (Isaiah 44:26-28; 46:11). The word, “east,” means “sun rising,” and the name, “Cyrus,” means, “sun.” Cyrus came not to attack the Jews, but as their Deliverer, and again, Cyrus was a type of Jesus Christ, the “Sun of righteousness” Malachi 4:2.

In Revelation, God’s angels come from the east (7:2), and Jesus Himself said,

“As the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” Matthew 24:27.

Therefore just as Cyrus came from the east to deliver literal Israel from the clutches of literal Babylon, even so will King Jesus descend from the eastern skies with “the armies which were in heaven” (19:14) to conquer spiritual Babylon and to deliver “the Israel of God” (spiritual Israel) at the battle of Armageddon!

The so-called “battle of Armageddon” represents the apex, the climax, the last battle in Revelation.

Throughout Revelation we’ve seen Middle East terms like the “seven golden candlesticks,” (1:20), “Jezebel” (2:20), “Mount Zion,” (14:1), “Jerusalem,” (3:12), “the temple” (11:19), “Sodom and Egypt” (11:8), “Euphrates” (16:12) and “Babylon” (17:5) used in a Christ centered, heavenly, spiritual sense.

When it comes to the “battle of Armageddon,” which is a term depicting the grand finale in the book of Revelation, does it make sense for God’s last book to suddenly shift gears away from its thematic focus by pinpointing a literal, local, high-tech, Middle East-based conflagration involving Russians, Chinese, Syrians, and literal Jews?

We don’t have to guess. The answer is in the context surrounding Revelation 16:16.

  • The battle of Armageddon involves “the kings of the earth and of the whole world” (16:14), which could not possibly fit inside the valley of Megiddo.
  • Revelation’s focus is “the temple of heaven” (16:17), not a supposedly soon to be rebuilt Jewish temple on earth.
  • The effects of the battle of Armageddon are global, far beyond the Middle East (16:18-20).
  • The primary system identified as being destroyed at the battle of Armageddon is spiritual “Babylon” (16:19), not Russia, China or Syria.

In essence, the “battle of Armageddon” the last “Super Bowl” depicts the last battle between King Jesus and His heavenly armies ( Rev 19:11-19) against the worldwide forces of Satan referred to in the Apocalypse as “Mystery Babylon.”

At Jesus’ Second Coming, the devil loses, and his global kingdom comes crashing down. Jesus doesn’t need to nuke His foes, but only to use His “sharp two-edged sword” (Rev 1:16; 19:15) which represents His Word of truth (Ephesians 6:17).

When Christ descends from the east, He will deliver “Israel” from the clutches of “Babylon.” But which Israel will He deliver? According to the thematic genius of the entire book of Revelation, it must be “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16) centered in Jesus Christ whose home and dwelling place is the “New Jerusalem” Revelation 21:10.

In conclusion, the Middle East remains a powder keg and the U.S. struggle against Muslim radicals continues, and there’s no end in sight. In the midst of such a hot-bed of contention, millions of politically active Christians believe God Himself is not only behind modern Israel, but that He will finally annihilate the enemies of the Jewish State at the battle of Armageddon.

In this great “Super Bowl” of all time, the battle to end all battles, the fight is not a battle between Nation states but a battle between righteousness and truth, and the forces of unrighteousness and untruth. You see this great “Super Bowl” will encompass the entirety of humanity in a final showdown of good and evil, truth triumphing over the lies and the deceptions of the evil one.

God will  ultimately judge between right and wrong. His arm will be outstretched to fight against all the enemies of God, who hate his laws, and wage war against his commandments. He will show no favoritism! No denominational ties or affiliations will be able to save you from the wrath of God to be poured out upon all flesh which has partaken of the Harlot’s deceptions. Just like Eve of old, who offered the poisoned fruit to her husband for him to eat, so too has the ‘mother church’ offered the poisoned pill of deception to her children down through the ages. Only those who have refused to partake of this great deception will be spared from the wrath that is to come.

Those who have an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the church!

Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;  Rev 18:4 (NIV)

Image.gifThis is a view from the nest. What say you?

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)

Along for the journey

Image.jpg

This has been A View from the Nest. The statements, comments, or opinions expressed are solely that of the author and do not represent the views or opinions of the host of this site or any affiliates thereof. Any questions or comments should be directed to myself and not to the host or hosts of this site.

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An Ode to Joy

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

In America’s civic life we recall that the Founders proclaimed “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as a right. Later politicians elevated “happiness” alone as a right, not the freedom to “pursue” happiness. A tremendous difference, since governments have taken to defining the meaning of happiness. Even more egregious, re-calibrating a Happiness Meter for its citizens, and announcing why everyone should be resentful of their lot.

So Happiness has become the secularists’ Holy Word.

Whittaker Chambers once wrote about this attitude adjustment: “The rub is that the pursuit of happiness, as an end in itself, tends automatically, and widely, to be replaced by the pursuit of pleasure with a consequent general softening of the fibers of will, intelligence, spirit.” Too true… and another example of the fact that if lines are being blurred between church and state, the guiltier party is the government, usurping the prerogatives, outreach, and role, of established religion.

Friedrich Schiller

Cover of Friedrich Schiller

The phrase “pursuit of happiness” has become a part of everyday discourse. In the same manner, many recognize the strains of Beethoven’s great “Ode to Joy” without knowing its meaning – or understanding the words, as it is Friedrich Schiller’s German poem set to music. In today’s little lesson, these words can inspire us. They remind us that Beethoven was a profound Christian, in a direct line from Johanes Kepler (not a composer but subscribing to the Pythagorean theory of “music of the spheres,” and Plato, who saw musical harmony as a reflection of heavenly perfection) in his “Harmony of the World” (1619). Enter the Enlightenment!

Today, schools teach that the Enlightenment was when smart guys threw off the shackles of religion and superstition, and let Reason illuminate mankind’s affairs. This was not so. Kepler, a skeptic about church laws that persecuted Copernicus, was nevertheless a believer, a bit of a Christian mystic. He devoted himself to seeing how mathematics and science proved God’s existence. The same with Isaac Newton. And, on the continent at the time, the musical scientist, Bach. After him, Haydn and Mozart, profound Christians… and Beethoven, whose ego was astride everything he surveyed, except Christianity: he was a humble believer.

Here, some of Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” that Beethoven chose for the chorus to sing in his revolutionary Ninth Symphony. Take joy from the words!

And – to drive home my modest points in full blast-furnace fashion – try to click on this video clip. This performance is by a Japanese ensemble in an outdoor stadium. Not counting the audience, you will see 10,000 singers and musicians joining, in German, in a scale the composer would have relished, to transmit Beethoven’s genius… Schiller’s thoughts… and powerful reminders of the Joy of the Lord.

Do you fall down, you millions? Do you sense the Creator, world?
Seek Him above the starry canopy, Above the stars He must live.

Joy is the name of the strong spring In eternal nature.
Joy, joy drives the wheels In the great clock of worlds.

Escape the tyrants’ chains, Generosity also to the villain,
Hope upon the deathbeds, Mercy from the high court!
The dead, too, shall live!

Brothers, drink and chime in, All sinners shall be forgiven,
And hell shall be no more.

A serene departing hour! Sweet sleep in the shroud!
Brothers—a mild sentence From the final judge!

+ + +

Selected portions from an article written by Rick Marshall

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Youth Take the Presbyterian Church to Church over Climate Change Awareness

Allen Frederick 4 Comments

In the beginning God created heaven and earth.

And God saw everything that he had made and that it was very good.  Genesis 1:1&31

“This is how I see the church really being like Jesus,” the release quoted Kirk. “Not just talking, but making hard choices to live like Jesus—caring for the poor and all in God’s creation without a voice; not taking more than our share; and preserving the earth for future generations.”

via Youth Convince Presbytery to Divest from Fossil Fuel Companies – Around Town – Minnetonka, MN Patch.

fossil fuel>>> on the way out

The reason the youths gave was to “raise awareness of climate change” in their view they believe “This is how I see the church really being like Jesus.” “Not just talking, but making hard choices to live like Jesus—caring for the poor and all in God’s creation without a voice; not taking more than our share; and preserving the earth for future generations.”

Now I think it is wonderful that our young people are taking an interest in church matters but I do find this a little unsettling. Many who know me and have read my posts on Facebook and this blog know I am not a believer in man-made climate change nor do I ascribe to the notion that CO2 is a pollutant; it is after all plant food. It has been proven that data used to promote the whole concept of Global warming was phony. Therefore the whole thing is a big hoax with designs on parting you from your money and livelihoods.

Of course my perspective comes from a biblical viewpoint one were God made the heavens and the earth and created the plant life and animal life before he created human life. In fact the plants were created before animals.

Could it be that God knew that all life required plant life to exist? And since plants are necessary to our well-being an abundance of plant food would be a good thing right? Since plants absorb CO2 and expel oxygen one  could make the case that more CO2 helps plants to grow which in the end makes our lives better because of the abundance of oxygen in the air. It is more plausible to believe the plants were created first to absorb the CO2 from the atmosphere to prepare the earth for human habitation. So more plants would be great. Face it there is no plant life on any other planet and there is no life.

Here’s an idea for you, since we know plants love CO2 and can not get enough of it, and we know forests are loved by environmentalists and human habitations are despised, why not tear down all the cities around the world and replace them with parks with lots of flowers and trees? Imagine the huge carbon footprint cities leave behind with all those people milling around exhaling all that CO2 right into the atmosphere. How much lovelier a park would be with tall trees in place of those huge, ugly, tall buildings, not to mention the uptick in CO2 absorption rates.

Talking about creation and God’s provisions for life on this third rock from the sun, despising the Lord’s gifts and blessings is a big slap in the face to God don’t you think? I would like to remind you that oil, and “natural” gas are “NATURAL” and, were put here by God himself. He apparently thought they would be beneficial to life on earth since after he created everything he said it was all good! That means the earth and everything in it was good and created to sustain life on this planet. How is it then that something which God called good is now bad and is somehow harming the very creation which produced it in the first place? It is “natural” after all meaning it came from nature.

The students are concerned about the image and the statement being made by the church’s choices in investments. They felt that the church needed to walk the walk and not simply talk the talk. With that I agree! In large part the church is not living the life that God expects the church to lead. There is far too much creature in the church and not enough Creator. Now if the students were to speak out against that I would be standing arm and arm with them in their pursuit of holiness.

In the student’s statement they were concerned about “preserving the earth for future generations.” As far as leaving behind a better world for our children, I think the best way to do that would be to Preach the Gospel of His Kingdom and not some phony doctrine contrived by thieving, lying, power-hungry tyrants. Seeking to save the lost is what God expects the church to be doing. So I ask you, is divestiture in oil futures really that big a deal when the majority of the earth is going to hell in a hand basket?

We strain so hard at gnats and swallow huge camels in the process. Perhaps we ought to be focusing more on sin and not synthetics.

And that is the way I see it. What say you?

Image.gifThis is a view from the nest.

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)

Along for the journey

Image.jpg

This has been A View from the Nest. The statements, comments, or opinions expressed are solely that of the author and do not represent the views or opinions of the host of this site or any affiliates thereof. Any questions or comments should be directed to myself and not to the host or hosts of this site.

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