I recently read an article called How Blind Salamanders Make Nonsense of Creationists’ Claims. While raising an interesting question, the author took quite a leap to the conclusion. In short, evolution went in reverse and salamanders lost their eyes. Therefore God doesn’t exist.

Macroevolution and microevolution are very different beasts. The development of the eye would be macroevolution, while the loss of the eye sight would be microevolution.

A salamander is in a cave in the dark and it’s eyes are completely useless. It’s very possible that random chance would allow a deformed blind salamander to be the producer of the population, and all would be blind henceforth. The same probabilities do not exist for the evolution of the eye.

The very notion that the eye could evolve is absolutely ridiculous. The eye is made of up many different parts, all working in harmony to produce sight. By and large, if any one of these intricate parts were missing or damaged or even slightly altered then the eye would be completely non-functional. The very notion that the eye evolved at once is so statistically improbable that to consider it as inevitable is just naive. In an alternative theory, which is more probable but still naive, the author quotes that the development of the eye started with some light sensitive cells. They just happened to be equally spaced and positioned on the creature, and these light sensitive cells just happened to be connected to the brain in a way that the light sensitivity could be registered, and that creature happened to be the one who lived and fathered all other creatures, and those children creatures happened to somehow gain eyesight out of light sensitive cells?

I call bull. Any idiot can make an argument based on infinity. Here’s one for you. Given as space is infinite and at least one habitable planet exists, it is assured that there is another habitable planet out there. As it is assured that there is at least one other habitable planet and space is infinite, then it is assured there are actually an infinite number of habitable planets. Given that there are an infinite number of habitable planets, then it is assured that there is at least one habitable planet very close to the earth in terms of atmosphere, temperature, etc. It follows that there are an infinite number of planets very close to the earth, an infinite number of planets exactly like the earth, an infinite number of those planets supporting life, and infinite number of those life forms exactly like us, an infinite number of those life forms that have followed the same evolutionary paths, made the same decisions, and as such are exact replicas of us today. In other words, using the infinite argument suggests that there are an infinite number of earth “clones” floating around in space. This does not even address the earths that are more advanced or less advanced than us by a few billion years, nor the other species that are slightly or vastly different than us. It’s kind of amazing we’ve never met any of them.

The probabilities against this sort of thing are so vast that only an argument of infinity can satisfy them. I guess the question is whether you believe space is infinite. If you do then get excited, because an infinite number of you “clones” are reading this same article and thinking this same thought right now!

If you found this interesting, or you are curious about the probabilities, you should go read The Mathematics of Monkeys and Shakespeare.

I saw Rebecca St. James, Barlow Girl and Jadon Lavik in concert tonight at Tree of Life Church and I must say it was a decent show. Tree is a good place for a concert, everyone had pretty good seats at the show, plus the facilities were top notch. No port-a-potty’s tonight!

Rebecca St. James seemed as if she was performing for people instead of for God. I hate to give a bad review like that, but that’s how it was. It was a performance in a can. Some of her prayers were even identical to those on her live album. I expected a more faith filled, worship time with her. On the bright side, her music sounded great. Her song written for Daniel, the title track of her new album, was sung with utter sincerity. More of that would have gone a long way tonight.

The act I have to rave about tonight was Barlow Girl. First off, who are they? I have a bio I wrote for Tree when we found out they were coming.

Touring with Rebecca St. James is another fantastic band called Barlow Girl. Barlow Girl is made up of three sisters, Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow. In 2004 they released a self-titled album, and then another, Another Journal Entry, followed in 2005. Some of you may know the song Barlow Girls by Superchick. These three sisters were the inspiration for that song. They have taken a stand for purity and faith in a difficult generation. For more information about Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren, visit their web site at http://www.barlowgirl.com

Now that you know that, let me tell you, these girls are truly living a God inspired life. They have made the easy to understand, but so difficult to live decision of selling out for God. It started with submission of their purity, and followed with all dating and their very life’s dreams. It seems as if they have fully submitted every aspect of their lives to the Lord. And it’s easy to see the favor of God surrounding them. They have a punk, sort of Evanescence, sound, however it wasn’t their music that struck me, it was their message. They are using their music to get a revelation to people that it’s ok not to conform to society. That you are an individual, with different tastes and strengths than those around you. That God has a divine purpose for your life, and if you aren’t living it then you are missing out.

Barlow Girl delivers the hardcore truth, and in the words of Jesus, “The truth shall set you free.” Their message is empowering and full of hope. It is desperately needed in a world striving for acceptance. Out of all of the talk about purity and their personal commitments, I never once got the impression that they were bragging or prideful, but that they were instead paving a road to make it easier for others to follow God.

These three girls very obviously build off each other. They are more than family; they are sisters in Christ. Because of their humility with others, accountability to each other, and God-given vision to fulfill, they will be around and increasing in popularity through the favor of God for a very long time.

Thank you Balow Girl, for being the one to say it.

This is taken from a survey of 258 counseling centers across America. I can find no documentation of this survey, so it may be a rumor, however the information has helped me significantly.

5 top basic needs of a man

1. Sexual Fulfillment
2. Recreational Companionship
3. Attractive Spouse
4. Domestic Support (Know how to run the house)
5. Admiration

5 top basic needs of a woman

1. Affection
2. Conversation (understand feeling, not thinking)
3. Honesty
4. Financial Support
5. Family Committment

Of course these are not across the board. There are exceptions, lots of exceptions, however you can see some behavioral patterns across them. Girls will typically get together with other girlfriends and talk for the entire night, a representation of woman’s need for conversation. Men enjoy guy’s nights of recreational companionship, watching football, playing baseball, etc.

I heard these on a tape by Joe McGee. If you or someone you know needs help with a marriage or relationship, I would highly reccomend getting some of his material. He is a traveling Christian minister, with a strong revelation in the area of men, women, marriages, families and children.

As Joe would say, “Men and women are different, it’s ok.”