Behe's new book

Just an announcement to let everyone know that Michael Behe, famed author of "Darwin's Black Box" has recently released his new book "The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism". In this book he attempts to "define what evolution is capable of doing and what is beyond its scope." Basically his answer is that common descent and natural selection are well-supported possibilities, but random mutation is not very probable.

The link above to the Amazon website is an interesting read for both reader's reviews and Michael Behe's signigicant postings.

Companion website and Study Bible Project

I have released a companion website to this blog at http://vigiloetspero.googlepages.com which has lots of useful information that I have been collating over the past few months.

Also I would like to notify everyone of my Study Bible project which I have a blog for at http://study-bible.blogspot.com. It is basically an attempt to create a study bible using the public domain American Standard Version but add interesting insights, charts, maps, and other information, and formatted to include wide margins for personal note-taking.

I hope both these resources will be of use to Christians.

Terrorism to continue

ASIO (Australia's version of the CIA) Director-General warns that terrorism is "likely to be a destabilising force for the next generation" and "there is no guarantee we will be successful in preventing further mass casualty attacks or stopping its growth."

The globe continues to degrade into a mess of war and terror, and even those who would save us admit they have no power to guarantee it. Which reminds me of a scripture:

"Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs... Happy is the one who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Jehovah his God, the Maker of heaven and earth."-Ps 146:3-6 (NWT)

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/20/1957247.htm

Oldest Biblical Text

I realise this is old news, but I have only recently come across this information so I thought I would make a post for anyone else who might of missed it. Gabriel Barkay, an Israeli archaeologist, discovered what is thought to be the oldest preserved copy of Biblical text, a number of years ago. On the left of this post you can see the discovery and on the right you can see the restored text and English translation (NOTE: unfortunately it translates YHWH as Lord). These verses are from Numbers 6:24-26 and constitute a priestly blessing.
For more information check out this news item or the Israeli government's website on archaeology.

Isaac Newton

Although this is old news for some, CNN has an article on Isaac Newton and his religious views, including his estimate for the date of the end of the world (2060 CE).

It does not however talk about his unitarianism, mortalism, and other views that are remarkably close to modern days Jehovah's Witnesses. He even believed that the true church was going to be re-established not in his day, but at a later date.

For more information on Isaac Newton check out http://www.newtonproject.sussex.ac.uk/prism.php?id=1

More persecution in Uzbekistan

From the Forum 18 News Service:

Samarkand City Court sentenced Jehovah's Witness Irfon Hamidov on 14 May to two years in a labour camp on charges of "illegally" teaching his faith in a trial Jehovah's Witnesses say was marred by "procedural violations".

This is the latest in a long line of persecution against JWs in Uzbekistan. Only one of the Jehovah's Witness congregations are allowed to operate in the whole of Uzbekistan, the many other congregations operate "illegally" against threats of fines and beatings. Some brothers and sisters have been fined amounts so large that they have been faced with not being able to buy food for 8 months (no doubt only able to survive by the charity of others in the congregation).

Blood Transfusions bad?

Stephen Cauchi comments on blood transfusions in his article "Are transfusions the holy grail? Don't take it as read" in The Age newspaper (Australia):

"Professor Spiess cited a Swedish study involving Jehovah's Witnesses, whose religion forbids them to accept transfusions. It showed that 499 Witnesses who
had open-heart surgery had better survival rates than other open-heart patients."

Study Bible Project

For a few months now I have been working on creating a study Bible that will be outputted to PDF format so others can use it. I am using all public domain sources for the Bible so it won't cost me anything to make, and so that I can also offer it for free. I have started a blog for the project over at http://study-bible.blogspot.com. Feel free to offer input.