All posts tagged General Thoughts

Flying Woes

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 20, 2013 in Nuttings from the Front with No comments

 

A funny thing happened to me on my way to Wichita. Actually, no joke.

Mary Jo, Scott and I drove from Grand Junction to Salt Lake City for a homeschool conference. We had planned for me to speak on Friday night, Mary Jo would speak Saturday morning while I flew to Wichita to be picked up for a 3 day seminar in Kansas.

I arrived at the airport in Salt Lake City surprised to see a huge line for United Airlines. After waiting in line for quite a while, I spotted an unused kiosk to print my boarding passes. When they popped out, a notice on the screen alerted me that my Salt Lake to Denver leg was on time, but the next flight from Denver to Wichita was cancelled. That threw me into scramble mode, as the Kansas group had planned this seminar more than 2 years earlier and I was the only speaker. I don’t like missing seminars!

Snow storms in the Denver area had already caused 218 flights out of Denver to be cancelled. I asked the ticket agent how they expected my flight to Denver to be able to land if they can’t take off. “Good question!” he replied. I queried further as to where it would land if it couldn’t land in Denver. “Back to Salt Lake or to Grand Junction.” Hmmmm… back to where I started. A lot of good that would do me!  (By the end of that day over 600 flights out of Denver were cancelled!)

Even though the airline doesn’t have to accommodate reroutes when flights are cancelled due to weather, United was at least able to get me onto a Delta Airline flight from Salt Lake City direct to Kansas City, MO.  No flights were available to Wichita.

After several phone calls, my ride was on track to get me in Kansas City, MO.

Thanks Abe for being flexible and for driving 4 hours each way to do so!

 

Dave Nutting

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

Dawkins Becomes a Creationist??

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 15, 2013 in Nuttings from the Front with 1 Comment

 

I recently read a blog article entitled, “Dawkins becomes a Creationist.”

The title certainly jerked my head into reading position as I had great hopes that the prolific, atheism-promoting writer, Richard Dawkins, saw the true light. However, the blog article was written by Dr. Karen Dawkins who, as an evolutionist, evolved into a creationist during her college years as a result of seeing evidence for creation and the problems with evolution. She later received her Doctorate from veterinary school, practiced small animal medicine, had a small animal emergency practice, and worked as a pathologist in a toxicology research laboratory.

One creature she mentioned as having had an impact on her thinking is the amazing woodpecker. It also opened up many other unanswered issues of evolution.

She is not the only one who had to give up on evolution after contemplating the tremendous design of the woodpecker. Lanny Johnson, who heads up the children’s department with his wife, Marilyn, also had to come to grips with the implications of the design of the woodpecker, after hearing Mary Jo talk about it at one of our seminars many years ago. It was the door opening for him to re-evaluate his 20 years of Atheism.

I would hope that the remarkable design of the woodpecker, that is so obvious, would continue to peck many more holes in evolutionary philosophy and turn many minds and hearts to our Creator God .

 

Dave Nutting

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

Not Realizing What a Wonderful Possession We Have

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 7, 2013 in Johnsons from the Front with No comments

 

A Pastor friend recently told me this story (my paraphrase):

There once was a man named Waylon Pendergrass (a fictitious name not meant to incriminate any particular individual) who went out partying one evening and became rip-roaring drunk. In his drunken stupor, he decided to increase his income by committing burglary.

Waylon drove around the town neighborhoods for quite some time until he finally came upon a house that was completely dark. Seeing no vehicle in the driveway of said house, he came to the conclusion that nobody was at home, therefore a perfect place for his larcenous intent.

Waylon staggered around to the back of the house and smashed in a low lying window. After struggling through the broken opening, Waylon proceeded to stumble through the dark house collecting valuables which he stuffed into a bag. Once the bag was full, he then reeled back through the house and exited through the window by which he had entered.

Upon reaching his car, Waylon noticed that his burglary gloves were lying on the front seat. In a brief moment of sobriety, he realized that he had left fingerprint evidence throughout the house, which would surely point to his guilt. Already having a criminal record and not wanting to return to the “joint”, Waylon decided the best course of action would be to destroy the evidence, where upon he set the house on fire.

As Waylon drove away from the house, he had the thought that if he drove around the town in a random manner for awhile, he might further confuse the authorities. After wandering around the town for a short time, he became very drowsy and felt it was now safe to go to his home.

As he approached home, he was aghast to see his house surrounded by fire engines and police cars … his own house was on fire. Waylon realized that he had burglarized and torched his own home!

An alert police detective spotted Waylon, and upon approaching the vehicle saw the bag of “loot” in the back seat. Knowing Waylon’s background, the detective began to pull the stolen items out of the bag and laid them upon the hood of the car. Amazed at what he saw lying before him, Waylon stated, “Wow, I didn’t know I owned such good stuff!”

Moral of the story – how many times as Christians do we not know the wonderful possession we have in Jesus Christ. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” Eph 1:7

 

Lanny Johnson

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

 

A Thought on the Recent Quasar Cluster Discovery

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 6, 2013 in Stepaneks from the Front with No comments

 

Credit: ESO, Digitized Sky Survey 2 and S. Cantalupo (UCSC)

Astronomy is a fascinating field of science, as are other branches of science.  New discoveries are being made which challenge old theories and develop new ones.  We have seen this trend through history, for example, the once believed Law of Abiogenesis where scientists believed dead material would evolve into life.  This idea was held to be true for many centuries, that is until scientists like Louis Pasteur and others debunked this theory and through scientific research formulated the Law of Biogenesis.  This law states that life can only come from pre-existing life.

A new discovery in astronomy may have a similar effect.  The largest object in the universe, a large group of quasars, has been found by astronomers.  This large group of quasars is called the Large Quasar Group and it is four times larger than it should be.

Below are some quotes from the article.

“It is so massive that it might prove tricky for the Cosmological Principle, established by Einstein, that on very large scales the universe looks the same no matter where you observe it from.”

“Even travelling at the speed of light, it would take 4 billion years to cross. This is significant not just because of its size but also because it challenges the Cosmological Principle, which has been widely accepted since Einstein. Our team has been looking at similar cases which add further weight to this challenge and we will be continuing to investigate these fascinating phenomena.”

We must be careful in placing our trust in the wisdom of man, because as we discover new information, the old ideas and theories are many times revealed to be false.

 

Rich Stepanek

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

Surprises in Arizona

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 5, 2013 in Nuttings from the Front with No comments

 

While Mary Jo & I were speaking in Arizona recently, we were happy to have had some special surprises. First was while we were having lunch just north of Phoenix with some good friends from Grand Junction, who happened to cross our paths (our first surprise).

The second surprise was when members of a peccary family (javelina) sauntered through the outside courtyard where we were eating. They are known to be unpredictably aggressive but we were glad that these were not (that day). However, our friends quickly made sure their dog was contained in their truck.

The third surprise was while we visited another friend who is in a rehab hospital in Sun City. A big coyote ran right through the middle of the rehab yard! I took a quick look around to see if the Road Runner was ahead of this Wiley Coyote.

An additional set of good friends, who are from Jackson Wyoming, surprised us when we were setting up for a program at the Arizona Christian University. They were staying in Phoenix and had heard we were going to be doing a series of lectures in the Phoenix area and wanted to surprise us. They did and it was great seeing them!

Another big surprise was the snow and hail storms that hit Arizona while we were in Prescott, Phoenix, and even Tucson. Hey!!! This is Arizona. We even brought short sleeve shirts to beat the heat but were surprised that we never got to put them on since it was so cold. Instead it was long sleeve shirts, fleece vests and coats! At least the roads were good! However, we were also warmed by the great group in Tucson (many more than they usually get). We were also warmed by the response of the elementary and middle school children in Prescott.

Part of the joy of being on the road as much as we are with creation seminars is not only the response to the message, but also the surprises of God’s wonderful creation, whether they be the marvelous scenery,  His created animals, the good friends we encounter or make (also created by Him), or even unusual weather.

We praise God for all of that!

 

Dave Nutting

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

“There goes 9 Years of Education Down the Drain”

by Alpha Omega Institute on February 20, 2013 in Nuttings from the Front with No comments

 

Mary Jo & I had just finished a seminar, when a boy came up to her and said, “Well, there goes 9 years of education down the drain.”

Since he was only about 9 or 10 years old, we felt there was a bit of overstatement there. Also, I’m sure not all of his public education was wasted. However, it really goes to show you one thing. Evolution is taught at such an early age, that even a young boy can see that it has been a big part of his education.

That is unfortunately the case. Evolution is being taught early in elementary grades and even in some kindergarten classes. This would be obvious if you ever asked a first grader about the mighty dinosaurs. For most kids, you will hear them recite many evolutionary concepts. Even a 6 year old relative couldn’t handle a non-evolutionary view of dinosaurs. He blurted out, “But my book said it [evolution] was true, and my teacher said so too.” How do you argue with that? He had dinosaur books galore (all evolutionary), dinosaur toys, dinosaur models, and even dinosaur PJ’s.  I was amused but saddened that 2 scientists (Mary Jo and I) were having such a hard time getting him to see anything other than evolution.

It is no wonder that many students are so closed to Creation when they get to high school and college and encounter an even more systematic education in evolution. This is also true of many Christian students.

That is exactly why we offer Creation Action Boot Camps for teens and college students. We see the importance in these Boot Camps to “fireproof” students. Also for many of them, like the boy mentioned earlier, we see our role as ministering first aid to shell-shocked Christian students, bandaging up their wounds, and setting them back on a right course. Make sure you check out our website to find out more about the Boot Camps. Hopefully there will many more students who will reevaluate what they have been taught, and perhaps flush some of the evolutionary dogma down the drain.

 

Dave Nutting

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

What is The Main Ingredient of WD-40?

by Alpha Omega Institute on February 19, 2013 in Johnsons from the Front with No comments

 

I saw this on a friend’s Facebook page and found it interesting. I have been using this stuff for a long time; I really like to use it to clean the grease and oil off of my hands, but didn’t know it had so many other uses. Here is a condensed version of the article.

What is The Main Ingredient of WD-40? Did you know? (Read to the end, to find out).

“Water Displacement #40″
The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953, by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a ‘Water Displacement’ Compound. They were finally successful for a formulation, with their fortieth attempt, thus WD-40. The ‘Convair Company’ bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.

WD-40 Uses:
1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4. Gives floors that ‘just-waxed’ sheen without making them slippery.
5. Keeps the flies off of Cows, Horses, and other Farm Critters, as well. (Ya gotta love this one!!!)
6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7. Removes lipstick stains.
8. Loosens stubborn zippers.
9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12. Keeps ceramic / terracotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on both home and vehicles doors.
18. It removes that nasty tar and scuff marks from the kitchen flooring. It doesn’t seem to harm the finish and you won’t have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Remove those nasty Bug guts that will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly!
20. Gives a children’s playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gearshift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers…
22. Rids kids rocking chair and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31. Removes grease splatters from stovetops.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37. Florida’s favorite use is: ‘cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.’
38. The favorite use in the state of New York, it protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it’s a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose.
Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. It is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray it on the marks and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you’ve discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!
43. If you spray it inside a wet distributor cap, it will displace the moisture, allowing the engine to start.

As for that Basic, Main Ingredient … it’s FISH OIL!
Once again … looking to God’s designs to solve problems!

 

Lanny Johnson

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

The Evolutionist’s Head

by Alpha Omega Institute on February 15, 2013 in Guest Blog with No comments

 

Do you have to have your head in the clouds to be an evolutionist?

Paul Salopek is about to start on a 21,000 mile walk from Africa to South America. The following quote is part of an article in the Portland Oregonian. (Jan 11, 2013)

“The Ethiopia to Chile walk, which took human ancestors 50,000 years to make is called Out of Eden…”

The idea that it took fifty thousand years for our ancestors to make this walk has become standard evolutionist doctrine. Modern evolutionists could walk it themselves in a year or so. Salopec himself is 50 years old, so he obviously expects to make the trip in far less than fifty thousand years. Why do so many believe it took their ancestors fifty thousand years?

Evolutionists generally believe that people came from Africa, and that the ancient people were not as evolved as we are today. One belief fed another and many now believe that fifty thousand years passed before some people walked out of Africa. But what if people were created by God, and are not apes that grew up?

When evolutionists consider the billions of years that they believe the earth has been here, fifty thousand years is hardly more than the blink of an eye. The other side of their mind, however is trusting that the people who lived before us were so poorly evolved that a walk which would take a 50 year old modern guy a few months, or at worst a few years, must have taken his ancestors 50,000 years!

How many years will pass before evolutionists’ minds have evolved to the point that they understand that ideas like this don’t go with the evidence? What if the evidence is right, and people did not evolve from apes, but were created by God as people? That would also explain the lack of the transitional fossils which evolutionists believe should show the basic kinds of animals changing to become newer basic kinds. (apes to people) After all the years since Darwin, animals can still be classified. Even the atheists who read this can tell an ape from a person and a monkey from a donkey. The evidence does not show old basic kinds gradually becoming new basic kinds.

 

Please feel free to use this article in any way you wish: your publication, radio program, website, forward it to your list, or to atheists and evolutionists you would like to help.

 

Tom Heinze

heinze@hevanet.com

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

Shark Skin Inhibiting Bacteria

by Alpha Omega Institute on February 14, 2013 in Johnsons from the Front with 1 Comment

 

In 2002, the U.S. Office of Naval Research hired Dr. Anthony Brennan, a materials science and engineering professor at the University of Florida, to find new antifouling methods to reduce use of toxic antifouling paints and trim costs connected with dry dock and drag.1   Dr. Brennan felt that using an engineered topography could be a key to new antifouling technologies.

While visiting the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Dr. Brennan and several co-workers observed an algae-coated nuclear submarine entering port. To Dr. Brennan the submarine looked like a whale lumbering into the harbor, causing him to ponder which slow moving marine animals don’t foul. The answer seemed to be the shark.

Dr. Brennan took an actual impression of shark skin (its dermal denticles) and, after examining the impression with scanning electron microscopy, he discovered that shark skin denticles are arranged in a distinct diamond pattern with tiny riblets. The ribs’ width-to-height ratios corresponded to his mathematical model for roughness – one that Dr. Brennan felt would discourage microorganisms from settling.

Sharklet pattern and shark skin

Using this information, Dr. Brennan and Sharklet Technologies developed Sharklet, a patented, microscopic pattern. The first test of Sharklet reduced green algae colonization by 85 percent compared to smooth surfaces.

Sharklet has also proven to be a surface upon which bacteria do not like to grow … a mighty defense against bacteria. Research suggests that Sharklet keeps biofilms from forming because the pattern requires too much energy for bacteria to colonize, resulting in bacteria finding another place to grow or simply dying.

Sharklet Technologies, using Sharklet, have had success in inhibiting the growth of Staph a., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, VRE, E. coli, MRSA and other bacterial species that cause illness and even death.

Sharklet Technologies have developed and manufactured adhesive-backed skins (using The Sharklet pattern) that may be adhered to high-touch areas to cut back the transfer of bacteria among people. They have also developed the Sharklet Urinary Catheter to help reduce hospital-acquired infections.

Once again, whether they recognize it or not, many scientists and engineers are looking to God’s designs in nature for solutions to modern day problems.

1 Information for this blog derived from http://www.sharklet.com/technology/

 

Lanny Johnson

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

The Cosmic Hope of the Evolutionist

by Alpha Omega Institute on February 12, 2013 in Nuttings from the Front with No comments

 

The search for extra-terrestrial life has preoccupied astronomers for years. Its discovery is the hope of evolutionists. I emphasize the word “hope” because it’s, well, uh, … purely hope.

There is reason why this hope is so needed. To the ardent evolutionists, finding life elsewhere in the universe will be proof positive that life evolved here on Earth and therefore, there is no God who created us in the first place. I would say there is a “disconnect” in logic there, but that’s their hope.

The first step in finding life out there is to find a suitable planet which also has a suitable star that is not going to fry it. Are there suitable environments? Perhaps, but read the following one-liners which express pure hope in last week’s Associated Press article by Marcia Dunn entitled Closest Earth-like planet “stroll across the park.’ (I’ve emphasized in bold their hope.)

“Earth-like worlds may be closer and more plentiful than anyone imagined.”

“. . . nearest Earth-like planet may be just 13 light-years away.”

“That planet hasn’t been found yet, but should be there . . . “

“. . . their planets could be much older that Earth and their potential life forms much more evolved.”

“Future spacecraft should be able to locate these planets . . . “

Keep in mind, they haven’t even found a suitable planet yet, but their hope is certainly that some future generation of Earthlings will find it and life as well.

I can only hope, that the “wishful hope” of these evolutionists doesn’t keep them from experiencing the Blessed Hope of eternal life that is available to us right now through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Yes, that is faith.  However, the Bible says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1)

Note the words “substance” and “evidence” – two things the article didn’t mention.  However, our faith is in the substance and reality of Jesus Christ who actually lived and who gave tangible evidence (through actual physical miracles) that He is the son of God.  Since this is true, we can trust that the promises he gave us which includes that Blessed Hope of eternal life. As John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  Our hope is in the risen Savior.

Now that life is something worth putting your hope in!

 

Dave Nutting

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →