Videos

Stephen C. Meyer lectures on intelligent design and the origin of life

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Apologetics and the progress of science
Apologetics and the progress of science

A MUST-SEE lecture based on Dr. Stephen C. Meyer’s book “Signature in the Cell“.

You can get an MP3 of the lecture here. (30 MB)

I highly recommend watching the lecture, and looking at the slides. The quality of the video and the content is first class. There is some Q&A (9 minutes) at the end of the lecture.

Topics:

  • intelligent design is concerned with measuring the information-creating capabilities of natural forces like mutation and selection
  • Darwinists think that random mutations and natural selection can explain the origin and diversification of living systems
  • Darwinian mechanisms are capable of explaining small-scale adaptive changes within types of organisms
  • but there is skepticism, even among naturalists, that Darwinian mechanisms can explain the origin of animal designs
  • even if you concede that Darwinism can account for all of the basic animal body plans, there is still the problem of life’s origin
  • can Darwinian mechanisms explain the origin of the first life? Is there a good naturalistic hypothesis to explain it?
  • there are at least two places in the history of life where new information is needed: origin of life, and Cambrian explosion
  • overview of the structure of DNA and protein synthesis (he has helpful pictures and he uses the snap lock blocks, too)
  • the DNA molecule is composed of a sequence of bases that code for proteins, and the sequence is carefully selected to have biological function
  • meaningful sequences of things like computer code, English sentences, etc. require an adequate cause
  • it is very hard to arrive at a meaningful sequence of a non-trivial length by randomly picking symbols/letters
  • although any random sequence of letters is improbable, the vast majority of sequences are gibberish/non-compiling code
  • similarly, most random sequences of amino acids are lab-proven (Doug Axe’s work) to be non-functional gibberish
  • the research showing this was conducted at Cambridge University and published in the Journal of Molecular Biology
  • so, random mutation cannot explain the origin of the first living cell
  • however, even natural selection coupled with random mutation cannot explain the first living cell
  • there must already be replication in order for mutation and selection to work, so they can’t explain the first replicator
  • but the origin of life is the origin of the first replicator – there is no replication prior to the first replicator
  • the information in the first replicator cannot be explained by law, such as by chemical bonding affinities
  • the amino acids are attached like magnetic letters on a refrigerator
  • the magnetic force sticks the letters ON the fridge, but they don’t determine the specific sequence of the letters
  • if laws did determine the sequence of letters, then the sequences would be repetitive
  • the three materialist explanations – chance alone, chance and law, law alone – are not adequate to explain the effect
  • the best explanation is that an intelligent cause is responsible for the biological explanation in the first replicator
  • we know that intelligent causes can produce functional sequences of information, e.g. – English, Java code
  • the structure and design of DNA matches up nicely with the design patterns used by software engineers (like WK!)

There are some very good tips in this lecture so that you will be able to explain intelligent design to others in simple ways, using everyday household items and children’s toys to symbolize the amino acids, proteins, sugar phosphate backbones, etc.

Proteins are constructed from a sequence of amino acids:

A sequence of amino acids forming a protein
A sequence of amino acids forming a protein

Proteins sticking onto the double helix structure of DNA:

Some proteins sticking onto the sugar phosphate backbone
Some proteins sticking onto the sugar phosphate backbone

I highly, highly recommend this lecture. You will be delighted and you will learn something.

Here is an article that gives a general overview of how intelligent design challenges. If you want to read something more detailed about the material that he is covering in the lecture above related to the origin of life, there is a pretty good article here.

There is a good breakdown of some of the slides with helpful flow charts here on Uncommon Descent.

Positive arguments for Christian theism

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Ted Cruz explains his position on the issues of abortion and right to life

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Ted Cruz meets voters at a campaign event
Ted Cruz meets voters at a campaign event

A new 6-minute video was released earlier this week, and I heard about it from my friend Chad.

Videos are nice, but we probably shouldn’t believe anything that Cruz says in campaign speeches and campaign ads. Politicians say anything in election years in order to get elected. What would really be interesting would be to see what the pro-life organizations rate this guy, and whether he has any kind of record fighting for the lives of the unborn.

Fortunately, I have one article that answers both questions… from Charisma News.

Excerpt:

On Saturday, Texas Senator Ted Cruz received a ringing endorsement from Georgia’s largest pro-life organization. “Senator Cruz has an unblemished record of standing up for innocent life,” said Ricardo Davis, the director of Georgia Right to Life’s Political Action Committee (GRTL PAC).

And here are the pro-life achievements:

Senator Cruz’s pro-life record includes the following:

  • Leading the charge on behalf of 13 states in successfully defending the federal Partial Birth Abortion Act before the U.S. Supreme Court;
  • Joining 18 states in successfully defending New Hampshire’s Parental Notification Act before the U.S. Supreme Court;
  • Successfully defending a Texas law that prevents state funds from being sent to organizations that perform abortions; and
  • Calling for the defunding of Planned Parenthood amid charges that the abortion giant sells aborted body parts.

The Washington Times reports that Cruz has also been endorsed by the pro-life leaders I most respect, Tony Perkins and James Dobson.

Excerpt:

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, has endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas for president, calling Mr. Cruz “a constitutional conservative who will fight for faith, family and freedom.”

“I trust Ted to fight to pull America out of the political and cultural tailspin that President Obama’s policies have put us in,” Mr. Perkins said. “This is no normal election; this election is about the very survival of our Constitution and our republic.”

Mr. Cruz said he was “honored” to have Mr. Perkins’ endorsement, calling him “a man of incredible principle and faith.”

Mr. Perkins is currently president of the FRC, which promotes socially conservative values and is one of the most influential conservative advocacy groups in the country. Mr. Perkins said on Fox News’ “The Kelly File” it was a personal endorsement and not from any of the nonprofits he leads.

Mr. Cruz has been jockeying with 2016 GOP rival Donald Trump for support from social conservatives ahead of the Iowa caucuses on Monday.

The Texas senator has also been endorsed by Dr. James Dobson, another social conservative leader, and past FRC President Gary Bauer.

I think anyone whose main issue is protecting the unborn from the use of force for selfish adults should give Cruz a look. I personally don’t trust any other candidate running on the pro-life issue. Trump is pro-abortion, and there’s no evidence he’s changed his mind except his words form like 5 minutes ago. Rubio can’t be trusted on anything he says – he lied to Florida voters about his intention to oppose amnesty, and when he got to Washington, he sponsored a bill to give 20 million illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. We can’t trust anything that Trump or Rubio say on any issue, in my opinion. In any case, we don’t have to settle for “maybe pro-life, if it’s popular”. We can pick Ted Cruz and get “pro-life regardless of whether it’s popular or not”.

Ted Cruz has a record of defending unpopular positions, and trying to explain conservative values to others. In Iowa, he was the only candidate to stand up to the power ethanol lobbies and their crony capitalism. Marco Rubio and Donald Trump sided with the ethanol crony capitalists, because they were afraid to lose votes. And Cruz won Iowa.

He is not afraid to defend conservative values. When it comes to the life issue, we should look for the candidate with the proven record of fighting for conservative values: Ted Cruz.

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Ted Cruz introduces new bill to help ICE Agents enforce immigration laws

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Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Jeff Sessions
Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Jeff Sessions

This story is from Ted Cruz’s U.S. Senate web site.

It says:

On Wednesday, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) introduced the ICE Agent Support Act of 2016 (S. 2538), which would provide U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with necessary resources to help the agency enforce our nation’s immigration laws. This legislation would provide ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations with dedicated, substantial revenue from statutory fines and penalties for illegal aliens that are not currently being enforced by the Obama administration, but would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year. The relevant statutory provisions call for fines and civil penalties for refusing to leave the United States after being ordered or agreeing to do so, using false documents, or engaging in marriage fraud.

Sen. Cruz said, “For far too long, the Obama administration has discouraged enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws. President Obama has even personally threatened ‘consequences’ for the dedicated men and women who try to follow the law.” Sen. Cruz continued, “This legislation sends a clear signal of support to the ICE agents who risk their lives on a daily basis to enforce our nation’s immigration laws. The next administration must support the people who protect us from illegal immigration and punish those who break our laws.”

In part, Cruz has introduced this legislation to address the requests of ICE Director Sarah Saldaña during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in December of last year. At that hearing, Saldaña indicated that the overwhelming volume of illegal immigration in the United States and the lack of adequate resources prevent ICE from fulfilling its core immigration enforcement mission. This legislation will guarantee that ICE agents have the funding and resources necessary to enforce the law as required by Congress. Sen. Cruz looks forward to working with the administration to ensure that the men and women of ICE receive the support they deserve.

Now, I blogged before about Ted Cruz’s actions in 2013 to stop Marco Rubio’s amnesty bill, and in 2014 to stop Barack Obama’s executive amnesty. But it’s important to understand that Cruz is not against immigration, particularly skilled immigration. His record shows that he is in favor of expanding work permits for those who can find a willing employer, but those work terms will be strictly enforced with e-verify and an entry/exit tracking system. He’s not closing the country off to immigrants who want to come here to follow the law, work their tails off and never touch a dime of welfare.

Let’s take a closer look at Cruz’s immigration plan.

Here are the parts I care about most:

Build a wall that works. The unsecured border with Mexico invites illegal immigrants, criminals, and terrorists to tread on American soil. I will complete the wall.

Triple the number of Border Patrol agents. Securing the border is the federal government’s obligation. I will dedicate the force necessary to do that.

Finish the biometric tracking system at our nation’s ports of entry. It is disgraceful that our federal government cannot keep track of those who enter the country. I will complete a biometric entry-exit tracking system.

End President Obama’s illegal amnesty. President Obama has issued over 20 illegal executive memoranda rewarding illegality. I will rescind each and every one on my first day in office.

End sanctuary policies, sign Kate’s Law, and deport criminal immigrants. There are about 340 sanctuary jurisdictions in the United States. They make a mockery of our laws and endanger our citizens. I will end support for these jurisdictions.

Prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving financial benefits and strengthen E-Verify. American taxpayers should not be funding benefits for those who are here illegally, and American jobs should not go to those who are here illegally. I will protect Americans’ wellbeing by stopping the flow of taxpayer dollars and instituting a strong e-verify system.

In a Ted Cruz administration, America will be more open to immigrants who want to come here to work hard, play by the rules and avoid collecting. But America will not be open to illegal immigrants who want to break the law as their first act on American soil. And if employers have people working for them without the proper work permit, those employers will be prosecuted. Illegal immigrants will very quickly find themselves out of work. They can go home and come back, but this time, they’ll have to do it legally, and pay income taxes, just like everyone else who works in America.

We are $20 trillion in debt right now, and we cannot afford to take money out of the pockets of young Americans – born and unborn – in order to fix poverty in other countries. Instead of importing those who tend to prefer big government, we should be exporting our values – low taxes, limited government, free trade, and the rule of law. That’s what made us great, and that’s what other countries should want from us most of all.