I know school is out so no one wants a science lesson. But, I've noticed a rise in evolution vs Creation debates as well as debates on if the Bible can be trusted as a scientific and historical text. If you find yourself debating in Xanga Land about the Flood here are some points that may help you.

   1. Over 250 Flood legends from all parts of the world have been found. Most have similarities to the Genesis story.

   2. Noah’s ark was built only to float, not to sail anywhere. Many ark scholars believe that the ark was a "barge" shape, not a pointed "boat" shape. This would greatly increase the cargo capacity. Scoffers have pointed out that the largest sailing ships were less than 300 feet because of the problem of twisting and flexing the boat. These ships had giant masts, and sails to catch the wind. Noah's ark need neither of those and therefore had far less torsion stress.

   3. Even using the small 18-inch cubit (the average cubit [elbow to finger tips] is around 21-inches) the ark was large enough to hold all the required animals, people, and food with room to spare.

   4. The length-to-width ratio of 6 to 1 is what shipbuilders today often use. This is the best ratio for stability in stormy weather. (God said to do this in the first book of the bible)

  5. The ark may have had a "moon-pool" in the center. The larger ships would have a hole in the center of the bottom of the boat with walls extending up into the ship. There are several reasons for this feature:

• 1.It allowed water to go up into the hole as the ship crested waves. This would be needed to relieve strain on longer ships.
• 2. The rising and lowering water acted as a piston to pump fresh air in and out of the ship. This would prevent the buildup of dangerous gasses from all the animals on board.
• 3. The hole was a great place to dump garbage into the ocean without going outside.

   6. The ark may have had large drogue (anchor) stones suspended over the sides to keep it more stable in rough weather. Many of these stones have been found in the region where the ark landed.

   7. Noah lived 950 years! Many Bible scholars believe the pre-Flood people were much larger than modern man. Skeletons over 11 feet tall have been found! If Noah were taller, his cubit (elbow to fingertip) would have been much larger also. This would make the ark larger by the same ratio.

  8. God told Noah to bring two of each kind (seven of some), not of each species or variety. Noah had only two of the dog kind, which would include the wolves, coyotes, foxes, mutts, etc. The "kind" grouping is probably closer to our modern family division in taxonomy, and would greatly reduce the number of animals on the ark. Animals have diversified into many varieties in the last 4400 years since the Flood. This diversification is not anything similar to great claims that the evolutionists teach.

   9. Noah did not have to get the animals. God brought them to him (Gen. 6:20, "shall come to thee").

  10.  Only land-dwelling, air-breathing animals had to be included on the ark (Gen. 7:15, "in which is the breath of life," 7:22). Noah did not need to bring all the thousands of insects varieties.

  11. Many animals sleep, hibernate, or become very inactive during bad weather.

  12. All animals (and people) were vegetarians before and during the Flood according to Gen. 1:20-30 with Gen. 9:3.

  13. The pre-Flood people were probably much smarter and more advanced than people today. The longer life spans, Adam’s direct contact with God, and the fact that they could glean the wisdom of many generations that were still alive would greatly expand their knowledge base.

  14. The Bible says that the highest mountains were covered by 15 cubits of water. This is half the height of the ark. The ark was safe from scraping bottom at all times.

  15. The large mountains, as we have them today, did not exist until after the Flood when "the mountains arose and the valleys sank down" (Ps. 104:5-9, Gen. 8:3-8).

  16. There is enough water in the oceans right now to cover the earth 8,000 feet deep if the surface of the earth were smooth.

  17. Many claim to have seen the ark in recent times in the area in which the Bible says it landed. There are two primary schools of thought about the actual site of the ark . Much energy and time has been expended to prove both views. Some believe the ark is on Mt. Ararat, covered by snow (CBS showed a one-hour special in 1993 about this site). The other group believes the ark is seventeen miles south of Mt. Ararat in a valley called "the valley of eight" (8 souls on the ark). The Bible says the ark landed in the "mountains" of Ararat, not necessarily on the mountain itself.

  18. The continents were not separated until 100-300 years after the Flood (Gen. 10:25). The people and animals had time to migrate anywhere on earth by then.

  19. The top 3,000 feet of Mt. Everest (from 26,000-29,000 feet) is made up of sedimentary rock packed with seashells and other ocean-dwelling animals.

  20. Sedimentary rock is found all over the world. Sedimentary rock is formed in water.

  21. Petrified clams in the closed position (found all over the world) testify to their rapid burial while they were still alive, even on top of Mount Everest.

  22. Bent rock layers, fossil graveyards, and poly-strata fossils are best explained by a Flood.

  23. People choose to not believe in the Flood because it speaks of the judgment of God on sin (2 Pet. 3:3-8).

Currently Listening Offerings: A Worship Album By Third Day see related

ppl say its GOOD verses Evil but has nothing to do with GOD

I noticed that ppl take witchcraft stories or stories that are based on Majic and try to use that as an alogorie to GOD when distictively its not..

God want us to teach by this word not alogories based on Majic.. God taught me about that one last year.. I had a great teaching on that.

 have read the author whom wrote the books also was a catholic and was into other forms of beliefs before he got saved and from the spirit of decrenment the lord gave me he took the two and meshed his christian belief and mytholigical belief and made a nice majical witchcraft fairy tale.. stepping into a majical closet so on so for

This was a comment left on my site after my last post called Can Christianity $ave Hollywood. I agree with some points in the comment (for the entire comment check post below) But, I take issue with some others. The first is that Narnia "is good vs evil, but has nothing to do with God. The second is I or Lewis have "take witchcraft stories or stories based on Magic (not Majic) and try to use that as allegories (not alogorie) to God when it is not" The third is that God wants us only to teach by his word (no fictional stories) only the scripture. The last is a combo - Lewis' past & the use of Fictional characters.

1. The Idea that Narnia has nothing to do with God is a true sign of ignorance. Ignorance = The condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed. Here are just a couple quotes from only 1 of the 7 books.

"Don't you know? He's the King. He's the Lord of the whole wood." (there world was the wood)

"At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more"

"I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea."

"Aslan is a lion - the lion, the great Lion."

"All names will soon be restored to their proper owners."

"You know what the Emperor put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to a kill." "and so," continued the Witch, "that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me. His blood is my property."

Then Aslan gives up his pure and blameless life for the life of a sinful little boy. And then he raises from the dead. The table breaks (just as the veil in the temple ripped) He appears to Susan and Lucy (Mary and Mary) then he brings back to life those who were dead at the hands of the witch (salvation) And, then he defeats the witch and her forces in a great battle.

2. a witchcraft story based on magic to make allegories. Well the first problem here is that The Chronicles of Naria are not based on magic. The title of the first book is The Magician's Nephew, the magician is an evil old man who studied magic during his life. The book calls him evil and the magic was as well. The wardrobe is nothing more than a tool used by Aslan/Jesus to pull the children in. (I seem to remember God using all types of things to work His cause in scripture.) The Witch is evil and there is no getting around her being Satan. The only time "Magic" is used is by someone evil. I believe that is in the bible stories as well. Aslan calls the laws of Narnia "the deep magic", and I will admit Lewis could have picked a different phrase. Although clearly they are not talking about the biblical definition of magic which is also the literal definition. Magic = The practice of using charms, spells, or rituals to attempt to produce supernatural effects or control events in nature.  The only people doing this are the evil ones.

3. The use of scripture only, is not very successful, nor has it ever been. That is why our Lord used fictional stories (allegories) to teach people about the Kingdom. Allegories = The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form. Use what they can understand. That's why many Christians find very little success in witnessing (church talk only works with those in church) lost people can't gain and understanding. 10The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" 11He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Matthew 13:10-11

4. Lewis' past, to this I say learn what forgiveness means. My pastor once owned night clubs. I was once a violent person, who loved a beer and a fight. Another of my friends ran drugs from Mexico to the US. Now my pastor is one the most spirit filled men I know. I am gentle. I the friend is on fire for God. I seem to remember a Saul or was it Paul who had quite a background as well. And, as for mythological creatures. Lewis was not teaching a school of thought. He was using characters to enhance his story for the age group it was written for (his little God-daughter) He was not in any way promoting some ancient Greek religion. 

Long story short. Narnia is not based on magic. It is Lewis' parable to children. parable = a short moral story / often with animal characters  

Currently Reading The Chronicles of Narnia By C.S. Lewis see related

Can Christianity $ave Hollywood

I watched a story on Fox News about this topic. It seems Hollywood is wondering if religion can $ave them. Notice the dollar sign. It's not about saving souls, it's about saving low box office attendance.

This is something Left Behind tried to teach us years ago. If Christians will go to movies that support our values and avoid others. There will be more family friendly cinema. Hollywood couldn't care less about the content of their films. They want to see the $$$$. Passion of the Christ got their attention. Chronicles of Narnia scored yet another victory. Because of these and other movies there will be about 9 films with religion as a central theme this year as well as 2 major film conferences speaking on this issue.

Keep going to movies that give glory to our Lord. And, STOP FEEDING  your fleshly desires.

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other... Matthew 6:24

You can't love the temporary trappings of this world & the Lord at the same time.

(another Narnia movie is coming out in Dec 2007.)

Currently Reading The Chronicles of Narnia By C.S. Lewis see related

Friend of God

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. James 2:23

Who am I, that He would call me a friend?

Currently Reading The Chronicles of Narnia By C.S. Lewis see related

Forgiveness the Real F-Word

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. Micah 7:18

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12

I have had a burden on me for several days now. It all started with hearing one brother in Christ call another a jerk. Since then I've noticed problem after problem (not with the same person) that only exist because of a lack of forgiveness. It reminded me of a story I once heard Ed Young tell about a dog tied to a bench. The dog pulled it out into traffic and in doing so he caused several collisions and hit a few other cars with the bench. Ed Young's point? Who is sitting on your bench of unforgiveness? Who are you pulling around causing all types of collateral damage?

As Christians we need to learn that to forgive is to forget. Let go of what weighs you down.

A curse word is a word that should be detestable to our ears. In today's America the traditional F-word seems to have been replaced by forgive. Almost every movie, song, and person in our secular society will use the original curse word with the same first letter, but not even most Christians like to speak of forgiveness. 

Aslan turned to meet them, bringing edmund with him. "Here is your brother," he said, " and - there is no need to talk to him about what is past." from The Chronicles of Narnia "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"