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Readers Respond AIG

Keywords

Grave Concern

I too am concerned about the rising tide of adults and children turning from the Bible. But as disturbing as this is, I am gravely concerned about the church leaders who choose not to believe the straightforward history that God has so wonderfully and deliberately made clear to us. My husband and I find ourselves swimming amid ever-increasing torrents of evolutionary debris that threaten to destroy the fabric of the church itself.

Tammy K., Campton, New Hampshire

Unexpected Criticism

According to “The Heart of Apologetics,” I’m one of the “lost souls bound for destruction [Jehovah’s Witnesses]!” Interesting, when you consider that I and seven-and-a-half million others suffer ridicule every day for standing up for the Genesis account of creation to give glory to our Creator.

Nick B., Birmingam, England

Author’s Response: It’s not enough to speak generally about the “Creator,” if people hope to be saved from destruction. Using Christian terminology does not make one a Christian. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus is the first created being, “a god,” according to their mistranslation of John 1:1. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the uncreated, eternal God (John 10:30), whose death on the Cross is sufficient to save those who receive Him by faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4) and thus preach “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6–9). They need to hear the one, true gospel if they hope to be saved.

Demonic Influence

Thanks for the article “Are Demons Active Today?” We do well to seriously consider the implications of demons working behind the scenes. I think most anti-Christ mentalities, like evolution, are ultimately demonic, so perhaps we all should spend some time studying to show ourselves approved in this arena.

Kanji C., Cordova, Alaska

Josephus and Masada

In “Is Josephus Reliable?” regarding Masada, Brenton Cook wrote, “He [Josephus] says the Jews selected several men to slay the majority and then turn their swords upon themselves. Yet archaeologists have not found the bodies to verify his story.”

In the next paragraph Cook wrote, “The men who heard Eleazer were slain by the Romans.” How can we verify that the Romans killed them?

Robert F., Lakewood, Colorado

Author’s Response: We can’t absolutely verify that the Romans killed them, but many scholars question Josephus’s account because the archaeological evidence does not easily reconcile with it. For one example, see http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/masada.html

Rain or No Rain?

We have no problem believing God created the whole earth, yet we struggle to believe He could water the whole earth with a mist? The Bible clearly says it hadn’t rained before the Flood (not just in the garden).

Eddie B., Athens, Tennessee

There is a phrase in one of the quoted Scriptures that everyone seems to read over: “The Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground” (Genesis 2:5). What about after man was created? Did he not till he ground when he cared for the garden? If so, that would end the term during which it had not rained. Has this not been considered by anyone but me?

Greg J., Martinsburg, West Virginia

Not Just for Kids

I especially appreciated the Kids Answers about the 7 C’s of History. Even as an 18-year-old college physics major, I found it to be a beautiful, succinct presentation of world history and the gospel message.

Garrett H., Lubbock, Texas

Illegitimate Lucy?

Why are you treating Lucy as a legitimate fossil skeleton? I believe the skull was not found near the other bones and the femur was found many meters from the other bones and more than 100 feet lower. Why would anyone grant status [as a single individual] to this collection of bones [from multiple individuals]?

Timothy W., Stuart, Florida

Editor’s Response: Dr. David Menton, who helped oversee the exhibit, responded: “A knee joint was found a year before Lucy was. Contrary to some claims, however, this joint has never been considered part of Lucy’s skeleton, though it is believed to be from the same species. Lucy’s codiscoverer, Donald Johanson, clearly states in his book Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind that nearly all of the bones and bone fragments that make up this fossil skeleton, including the skull fragments, were found in the same area on the same day. Some additional fragments were found over the next three weeks. Since no duplicate bones were found, researchers plausibly assume this fossil collection represents one individual.

Corrections

The picture of the NASA rover on page 10 of the January–March issue is Opportunity, not Curiosity.

The article “Sixth Senses” states that sharks “can detect an electric field as weak as one billionth of a volt.” A volt is a measure of electric potential, not electric fields or expended energy. It would be more accurate to say that sharks can detect an electric field as weak as five billionths of a volt per centimeter.