October 2012

Volume 7 #10 Volume 7 #10

Wading River Baptist Church

P.O. Box 438, 1635 Wading River-Manor Road, Wading River, NY 11792 (631) 929-3512; 929-6022 www.wrbc.us office@wrbc.us

Corporate Prayer and the Affairs of State

So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God (Acts 12:5).
As the Lords Day worship service opened in the Baptist church I was attending with my son, Geoff, and his family while on vacation, the pastor made a simple announcement. Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani had been released from prison. A ripple of amens could be heard throughout the congregation, a response that was surely echoed across America in many churches where frequent intercession had been made for this young man of God. Who is Youcef Nadarkhani? He is a 35-year-old native of northern Iran. Married, with two sons, he had pastored a network of house churches for about ten years, and had been arrested in 2006 on the charge of apostasy for leaving Islam. He had also been charged with the crime of evangelism. After two weeks of detention, he was released. But in 2009, he objected to government policy that required all children to be taught Islam, and was detained until this month by the secret police on the charge of protestinga charge which was later changed to apostasy and evangelism of Muslims. was intimidated by being shown the ropes on which he was to be hung. In June, 2010, his wife, Tina, was also arrested and sentenced to life in prison, although her sentence was later appealed and overturned. Then in September, 2010, Pastor Nadarkhani was put on trial and sentenced to death. The government dragged its heels on issuing a written verdict, but that was handed down by the First Court of the Revolutionary Tribunal on November 13, 2010. He was to be executed by hanging. Youcefs attorneys appealed, but on June 28, 2011, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction and sentence, nonetheless instructing the lower court to determine whether he was a practicing Muslin as a teenager or was a national apostate. Although he had not practiced Islam, on the basis of his ancestors Muslim beliefs, he was declared a national apostate. Throughout all of this, Pastor Nadarkhanis faith remained strong. Much as Martin Luther had been centuries before, Youcef was pressured to recant. His Luther-like response was, You ask me to recant. Recant means to return. What do you wish me to return to? The blasphemy that I was in before Christ? The judges responded, To the religion of your ancestors, Islam. Youcef replied, I cannot. According to Shariah law, he was given three days to change his mind. In October, 2011, the court wrote a letter to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, the ultimate legal authority in Iran, requesting his opinion. International attention was being given to Youcefs plight and so Iranian authorities knew they had to rule carefully. The government undertook a systematic plan of disinformation, but their lies were easily exposed. Then late in 2011, the court told Youcef that all he had to do to be released was accept Mohammed as a prophet sent from God. He did not respond. Then earlier this year, they told him that he could be released if he confessed Islam as a divine religion. Again, he failed to answer.

Throughout the past few months, news reports anticipated Youcefs imminent execution. We expected to hear any day that he had been martyred. But that news never came. Then, on September 8, the announcement was made that after nearly three years of imprisonment, he had been absolved of the apostasy charges. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment for apostasy, all but one month of which he had already served, and was thus released on bail for the remaining month. Immediately upon release, Pastor Nadarkhani issued a written statement (see the full text following this article). It is critical to note, however, that this decision was not made because of the charity of the Iranian government; ultimately, it was not even the result of international pressure. Millions of people around the world heard of Pastor Youcefs plight, and began praying. The American Center for Law and Justice launched a Tweet for Youcef campaign that reached 3.1 million Twitter accounts worldwide. Pastor Youcefs experience immediately reminds us of the incident of the Apostle Peters imprisonment, recorded in

Youcef was kept in solitary confinement part of the time, and for the larger part of his detention was allowed visits by his attorney and family. At one point, he was transferred to a mental hospital because he was deemed mentally ill, and

Acts 12. About A. D. 44, Herod Agrippa I, the evil king of Judea and ruler of Galilee, in an attempt to curry favor with the Jewish authorities, began persecuting the Christians, and in the process arrested and executed the Apostle James. Then, at the time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, he arrested Peter and fully intended to have him put to death after Passover (Acts 12:14). We are told, however, that Peter was kept in prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God (verse 5). The result of their prayers was that at the last momentthe very night when Herod was about to bring him forward an angel appeared in the heavily guarded prison and released Peter back into the streets (verses 6-10). When he appeared at the home of John Marks mother (likely the location of the Upper Room), and knocked on the door, the servant-girl, Rhoda, forgot to open the door in her excitement, but when she announced that Peter was outside, the church didnt believe her (verses 12-15). Peter continued knocking until they opened the door for him at which time

he presented himself to them a free man (verses 16-17). And what about Herod? The text goes on to chronicle the miserable death he suffered soon afterward because of his failure to give God glory (verses 20-23). So what are we to glean from this passage, as well as from the experience of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani? Simply this. Powerful, and even unexpected, things happen when Gods people pray. Even the decisions of heads of state and supreme courts are subject to the providential hand of God. As King Nebuchadnezzar learned from personal experience: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, What have You done? (Dan 4:34-35). Moreover, the Lord tells us to pray for those in authority, and not just in our nation only (1 Tim 2:1-4). The Lord answers the prayers of His people, and there is im-

measurable power in the united prayers of a local churchand of the church at large. The tragedy is that, like the Jerusalem church in Acts, were not fully convinced that the Lord is able to do the impossible. But He is. We are faced with a very sobering and profoundly important election here in the United States on November 6. The potential impact upon the cause of God and truth, as represented by the Christian churches of America and Christian missions worldwide is incalculable. Religious, civil, and personal freedoms hang in the balance. Between now and Election Day, Gods people need to be praying, in our private devotions and in our families; and our church prayer meetings ought to be crowded as congregations pray together for the Lords intervention for the future of our beloved nation. Will you covenant to pray? Let Pastor Youcef and the Apostle Peter be your encouragement to access the power of Almighty God in behalf of His church and for the sake of our great nation! Pastor Ron Glass

Letter from Youcef Nadarkhani to His Supporters

September 8, 2012
(Translated through Present Truth Ministries)
Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to Your Name be glory, for Your faithfulness, for Your loyalty. Psalm 115:1. Salaam! (Peace be upon you!) I glorify and give grace to the Lord with all my heart. I am grateful for all the blessings that He gave me during my whole life. I am especially grateful for His goodness and divine protection that characterized the time of my detention. I also want to express my gratitude towards those who, all around the world, have worked for my cause, or should I say the cause that I defend. I want to express my gratitude to all of those who have supported me, openly or in complete secrecy. You are all very dear to my heart. May the Lord bless you and give you His perfect and sovereign Grace. Indeed I have been put to the test, the test of faith which is, according to the Scriptures more precious than perishable gold. But I have never felt loneliness, I was all the time aware of the fact that it wasnt a solitary battle, for I have felt all the energy and support of those who obeyed their conscience and fought for the promotion of the justice and the rights of all human beings. Thanks to these efforts, I have now the enormous joy to be by my wonderful wife and my children. I am grateful for these people through whom God has been working. All of this is very encouraging. During that period, I had the opportunity to experience in a marvelous way the Scripture that says: Indeed, as the sufferings of Christ abound for us, our encouragement abound through Christ. He has comforted my family and has given them the means to face that difficult situation. In His Grace, He provided for their spiritual and material needs, taking away from me a heavy weight. The Lord has wonderfully provided through the trial, allowing me to face the challenges that were in front of me. As the Scriptures says, He will not allow us to be tested beyond our strength. Despite the fact that I have been found guilty of apostasy according to a certain reading of the Sharia, I am grateful that He gave the leaders of the country, the wisdom to break that judgment taking into account other facts of that same Sharia. It is obvious that the defenders of the Iranian right and the legal experts have made an important effort to enforce the law and the right. I want to thank those who have defended the right until the end. I am happy to live in a time where we can take a critical and constructive look to the past. This has allowed the writing of universal texts aiming at the promotion of the rights of man. Today, we are debtors of these efforts provided by dear people who have worked for the respect of human dignity and have passed on to us these universal significant texts. I am also debtor of those who have faithfully passed on the Word of God, that very Word who makes us heirs of God. Before ending, I want to express a prayer for the establishment of an unending and universal peace, so that the will of the Father be done on earth as it is in heaven. Indeed, everything passes, but the Word of God, source of all peace, will last eternally. May the grace and mercy of God be multiplied to you. Amen! Youcef Nadarkhani 8 September 2012

Update from Jim & Tessie of East Asia

We need to be selective in our written words but never in our hearts when we think about our distant nurturing friends, Jim & Tessie, and their children, Esther, James, Hannah, and Caleb. They have a task at hand that we continue to support only in the way that WRBC knows. That means not only financially but with spiritual strength of our prayers that will surround them with their safety, their wisdom and the strength to continue the course. There are so many objectives to support, similar to what the WRBC has, but with a great deal more intensity than we could imagine. May they continue with the needed tools, books, translations, networking with partners and schools for their children. May they continue to find so many friends in this foreign land to share the message with according to the skills given to them. And may the WRBC continue to keep them close to the heart with many prayers, especially for the month of October. Joan Tyska

A Month in Review
Labor Day 2012 found many from WRBC taking advantage of vacation time to relax and visit with family before getting back to the school year and a calendar of fall events. With Pastor & Maureen Glass on vacation and other members traveling, WRBC was blessed with members eager to serve in leadership positions. One of these was Mike Pandolfini, from the Missions Committee. Mike has visited, emailed or talked to many of WRBCs missionaries, bringing back to the church a full report of their needs and blessings. On Sunday, August 29, 2012, Mike gave an update during the church service reminding everyone of the need to stay connected to these missionaries by supporting them financially and in prayer. Mike first reported on the success of the school supply drive to support Marvin & Denise Robinson in their need of school supplies for the children of the needy in the Rochester, NY area. There was overwhelming support from the church as school bags were filled with books, paper, pencils and other school supplies and sent off to the Robinsons in Rochester to give to the children on the first day of school. Mike also spoke with Bette Verkaik and learned that Bette was reunited with her husband, Peter Verkaik, in Nigeria after a 9-week separation. It is imperative that we continue to pray for the two of them, both for their safety and the safety of their team living on the edge of harms way in Nigeria. A side note to Mikes message concerning the Verkaiks was the offertory solo, Where He Leads Me sung by Denise Tolf. Being that Denise had talked to Bette just the day before and was touched by her spiritual needs, she dedicated the song to Bette bringing a very passionate musical praise to the worship. Also in need of prayer are Ralph & Sandra Thompson as they make preparations to return to Kenya in October. Presently, they are still in the United States trying to obtain additional financial support for their ministry. There is great concern over the escalation of violence in Kenya and how it is affecting their team that is ministering to the Kenyan people. Now that World Venture has relocated Michael & Debbie Bannon to Ireland, which meant leaving their beloved Lithuania, there is a need to support them in this transition. On September 2nd, they said goodbye to their Lithuanian friends. They have requested prayer that this transition will go well and that they will be successful in Ireland as they were in Lithuania. Also on their prayer list is their daughter, Krista, who was just married this summer. Mike concluded the Missionary Moment with a PowerPoint presentation supplied by Ralph Thompson giving everyone a visual insight into their work in Kenya. Mike also reminded everyone of the extreme need to support all the missionaries that WRBC supports throughout the world with both our prayers and financial support. On both August 26, 2012, and September 2, 2012, Dr. Victor Bellard, WRBCs favorite retired professor, brought his teaching skills and visual aids to the pulpit with messages that will not soon be forgotten. On August 26th, Dr. Bellards message titled The Scarlet Woman (Revelation 17:1-18) not only left everyone informed on who the The Scarlet Woman represents, but also stirred the inner sense of its current connection to the world. On September 2nd, Dr. Bellard was equally effective in explaining The New World Order according to Biblical prophecy (Revelation 13:1-18). Dr. Bellards skill as a Biblical scholar certainly was well received by and informative to those listening to his message. Dr. Bellards wife, Reeva, synchronized her offertory solo with the message bringing a musical touch to the worship.

On September 9, 2012 it was Brother Bill Mallmans turn to grace the pulpit with a touching message titled Free Grace taken from 2 Kings 5. The sermon was on the account of Naaman the Leper and the free grace he received and how it relates to todays world and the amazing grace that is offered to everyone. Not to forget Denise Tolf and how she coordinated her solo during the offertory by singing everyones favorite, Amazing Grace. Bill Mallman continued to serve throughout the month while Pastor was on vacation by leading the Bible study/prayer meeting each Wednesday night. One Wednesday evening, Bill surprised everyone and opted to do a musical message using his Banjola, a banjo/mandolin in-

strument. He chose an ole country gospel hymn, one of Charlie Prides favorites, and gave a bit of spiritual background on it. He rounded out the message with the singing of the hymn as he strummed his Banjola and then asked everyone to join him using the sheet music he had so efficiently prepared ahead of time. The last of the substitute speakers filling in for Pastor was Doug Heuzey, speaking on September 16th, 2012. His message, Faith Tested-Rewards Vested taken from James 1:1-12 revealed a very defined and outlined message. As an accountant and a previous triathlon participant, Doug connected his personal experiences to the message. Also on September 16th Carl Chapmans selection for the offertory music was not only one of Carls favorites, O Love That Will Not Let Me Go but was also most amazingly sung a capella. He highlighted his solo with short stanzas of his trumpet. It was a most impressive manner of worship. With the theme Back to School, lunch was served in a manner that a child might have his school lunch in a brown paper bag. A chicken salad sandwich, an apple, a sippy drink and other snacks were packed into the lunch bag and delivered to each senior as if they were in a cafeteria. How totally adorable the seniors were as they were opening up their lunches to see what Momma had packed for them. As children often do, some even traded and others took some of it home as a doggiebag. Also on the table were bowls of Cheez-its, the Scrabble variety. Seniors were challenged to spell words with the Cheez-its and Carter Choate from Mount Sinai came up with four spiritual words that were recognized with a prize. As the seniors settled down with a cup of coffee, Vic Perez took over the agenda starting with a pledge of alliance to the flag just as the schools used to do in the old days. Then Vic proceeded to place two empty chairs by the speakers platform and in a Clint Eastwood style began talking to the imaginary occupants of the chairs, Everybody & Anybody. As Vic spoke on the basics of Christian beliefs in addressing Everybody & Anybody, he reminded them that we are all sinners with an option to salvation through Jesus Christ. Hearts were open to receive Vics message (remembering that this luncheon is attended by seniors outside WRBC) even one commenting that she received more knowledge about the Bible through the senior luncheons than she ever did at her church. Vic Perez certainly fulfilled the mission of Senior Saints to have seniors more aware of

the eternal salvation that God provides through grace. Sweets of the Spoon donated their homemade ice cream along with coupons for a free small cone, an encouragement to visit the store in Rocky Point. Three varieties of ice cream and a selection of favorite toppings made for a good time at the dessert table as the seniors created their choice of a sundae. The trash to treasure table expanded this month to accommodate the items brought in by the seniors. It still remains a favorite allowing them to take home treasures that others thought of as trash. Since it has been a long running favorite, you would think they would run out of items to bring. There is no way that these Senior Saint Luncheons could run without the behind the scenes volunteers that work in the kitchen. Jackie Hallstrom and her three daughters, Kaitlyn, Kristen and Kara; Mina Piraino and Vicki Valentine have always been there to keep fires burning. But now that the three Piraino girls are no longer available to volunteer, we have two additions to our crew: one 9-year-old in training, Branden Cain (my grandson), and his mom, Bonnie Cain. Not only were they an addition to the crew but were there early with Vicki to get things rolling. While Pastor & Maureen Glass were on their month long vacation visiting their children and grandchildren, Denise Tolf, WRBCs secretary, extended her hours and duties to keep WRBCs office up and running. How fortunate WRBC has been to have Denise and her skills to keep the office running in Pastors absence. But this is short lived for the process is moving forward for her relocation to Texas to be with her husband, her Mom and her two sons. Ed Tolf has already relocated with his new job leaving Denise behind to tend to the details of the sale of their home. With Denises mom under a doctors care, Denise is anxious to join her family with her days numbered here at WRBC. With great sadness we will have to say good bye and send her off with our love and prayers. Joan Tyska

September 15, 2012, was the Senior Saints Luncheon, Back to School, Back to Basics, Back to the Bible and what fun it was as well as inspirational. The theme brought the seniors back to the school years reminding one another of those good ole school days. Diane Pandolfini once again dressed the part and brought smiles to everyone in her school girl outfit. Not to be outdone was Derek Hampson, a gentleman from E. Setauket wearing his dunce hat. In spite of many missing seniors, the attendance was up bringing in new seniors to the group. Special as always is when Marie Caputo sits at the piano and makes the keys dance like no one else can. It heightens the mood of the seniors and their desire to sing some of their old favorites. Not surprising, the all-time favorite is In the Garden requested not just once this time, but twice.

Humanism: Part 5
About three years later, in July 1925, the famous Scopes trial took place. The movie Inherit the Wind was based upon this case. The A.C.L.U. instigated the case as a means of bringing publicity to the evolution question. They lost the trial; but the trial was highly publicized, and they received even more publicity as they brought their case to a higher court. William Jennings Bryan resented the attempt of a few thousand humanists to establish an oligarchy over forty million American Christians. Bryan allowed himself to be cross-examined by Clarence Darrow, who was defending Scopes. This was a mistake. Darrow used this time to attack Brians faith and little was mentioned of science. After this personal attack was made, Darrow conceded defeat and Bryan lost his opportunity to question anyone from the side of the defense. Bryan, as a mere politician, went up against a lawyer with the mind of a pool shark and he was made to look rather foolish. The newspapers along with talented writers like H. L. Mencken painted this trial as a triumph of modern science over backwoods fundamentalism. The monkey trial had all the substance of a side show in the circus. Inherit the Wind became a humanist passion play that would be shown for years to come. This trial was anything but a triumph for science. Two of the evidences that Henry Fairfield Osborn used to prove evolution were the Piltdown man and Nebraska man. Osborn was too important a man to come to testify. Piltdown man was eventually proven to be a fake and the tooth that was supposed to be from Nebraska man actually came from a peccary. In 1972, herds of these pigs were found running wild in the Chaco of Paraguay. I have tried to give you a rough sketch of the early roads that humanism has taken since it was first shot out of Darwins canon. God always saves a remnant to be used in His own time. Henry Morris and John Whitcomb influenced many scientists by writing The Genesis Flood, and many men and women have been faithful to the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, but many more have been crippled by inflammatory humanism. The Origin of Life Gregor Mendel made discoveries in genetics during the time of Darwin that were largely ignored for a number of years. It may have been because they were perceived to be a threat to natural selection. Because the origin of life cannot be observed, two solutions to the problem have been suggested. One solution to the problem is that life originated in outer space (panspermia). Another solution was put forward by Oparin in Russia and, simultaneously, by J.B.S. Haldane in England. They believed that the conditions that existed when life originated were much different than they are now. Perhaps they could duplicate them in the laboratory and produce some life-building materials. Thomas Huxley had suggested the same idea but it was rejected because it seemed to be contrary to Lyells doctrine of uniformity. Oparin wrote extensively on the difficulties associated with defining what conditions must have been like before there was life, and then how materials could be formed that could be used to produce life as simple as a virus. In 1953, Stanley Miller performed an experiment which attempted to simulate early conditions on earth in the laboratory, by boiling a mixture of water, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen gasses together under the influence of an electric spark discharge, which represented lightning over a primeval sea. With the use of a built in trap, he was able to produce several amino acids. There was a lot of excitement generated at this time, and the wizards of extrapolation could easily see the secret of life unraveling before their very eyes. When James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double helix, that just put the icing on the cake. These amino acids that were produced by Millers experiment were racemates, that is they were a mixture of right-handed (dextrorotary) and left-handed (levorotary) forms and would be useless in the formation of life. The use of a trap was necessary to remove the amino acids before they were destroyed by the electric spark that produced them. The use of a trap, and the way in which it was used, is hard to envision in nature. For more information on the difficulties associated with their chirality, see The Natural Sciences Know Nothing of Evolution, by A. E. Wilder Smith. The discovery of the double helix resulted in a huge explosion in our knowledge of the cell. To get some idea about the way in which our view of the cell has changed in a short period of time, let me take you to an article that was written in the Oct. 1999 issue of the National Geographic Magazine. In it James Shreeve wrote an article entitled Secrets of the Gene. PAGE 49From the doorway, the Eagle pub on Benet Street looks like any other venerable, exceedingly cozy British drinking establishment. It has the distinction, however, of having once been the haunt of a brilliant, brash young Englishmen named Francis Crick and a brilliant, even brasher younger American named James Watson. On the last day of February in 1953 Crick burst through the doorway where I am now standing and announced to all within earshot that he and Watson had found the secret of life. It was half a century later when James Shreeve visited this pub and he paid homage to Watson and Crick by ordering a pint of Abbot ale. This is what they drank in this pub. In this same article, the author tells of a visit he made to Jim Watson in his office in Cold Spring Harbor on Long Island. I will quote a portion of what Watson had to say at this time. The genes of higher organisms are especially complex, their chemical messages riddled with meaningless strings of letters that have to be spliced out before the genes can do their work. Byzantine patterns of repeated words and lengthy sprawls of seemingly nonsensical sequences mask essential instructions not yet understood. None of this was known, back when Watson and Crick were celebrating in the English pub. The great and wonderful thing about DNA back then was that it seemed so simple says Jim Watson today in his office at Cold Spring Harbor laboratory on Long Island. Initially everyone liked DNA. Its not that we dislike it now, but its frightening trying to figure out what you do with all that complexity. My brain cant handle it. Behes Answer to Fans of Biogenesis Michael J. Behe wrote a book entitled Darwins Black Box, the biochemical challenge to evolution. In it he emphasizes the irreducible complexity of living organisms. This book is in response to a challenge made by Darwin himself. (1872) Origin of the speciesIf it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. Behe gives numerous examples of irreducibly complex systems and he explores them in detail. By irreducibly complex, he means a single system composed of several well-matched interacting parts that contribute to the basic function, wherein the removal of any one of the parts, causes the system to effectively cease functioning. If all of the parts are necessary then evolution couldnt have come about through gradual changes. Behe introduced another challenge to gradual change, which he calls minimal function. A mouse trap was used to explain irreducible complexity because every part of it was essential for it to function. Now he uses the mouse trap to explain minimal function. In order to be a candidate for natural selection, a system must have minimal function: the ability to accomplish a task in physically realistic circumstances. A mousetrap made of unsuitable materials would not meet the criterion of minimal function. Behe spent a lot of time addressing the various studies that have been done on the cilium. Let me give you a few quotes on the cilium. A quick electronic search of the professional literature shows more than a thousand papers in the past several years that have cilia or a similar word in the title. Papers have appeared on related topics in almost all the major biochemistry journals, including Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Biochemistry, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal of Molecular Biology, Cell, and numerous others. In the past several decades, probably ten thousand papers have been published concerning cilia. Since there

is such a large literature on the cilium, since it is of interest to such diverse fields, and since it is widely stated that the theory of evolution is the basis of all modern biology, then one would expect that the evolution of the cilium would be the subject of a significant number of papers in the professional literature. There were only two papers written on the subject, and Behe goes on to describe them. They disagreed with one another and neither of them addressed the problems that their theories would have to overcome. Later on Behe wrote: The amount of scientific research that has been and is being done on the cilium---and the great increase over the past few decades in our understanding of how the cilium works---lead many people to assume that even if they themselves dont know how the cilium evolved, somebody must know. But a search of the professional literature proves them wrong. Behe explores many other systems. Even blood clotting is far more complicated than I had thought. In chapter 11 of Darwins Black Box, Behe writes---The result of these cumulative efforts to examine the cell---to investigate life at the molecular level---is a loud clear piercing cry of design! The result is so unambiguous and so significant that it must be ranked as one of the greatest achievements in the history of science. The discovery rivals those of Newton and Einstein, Lavoisier and Schrodinger, Pasteur, and Darwin. The observation of the intelligent design of life is as momentous as the observation that the earth goes around the sun or that disease is caused by bacteria or that radiation is emitted in quanta. The magnitude of the victory, gained at such cost through sustained effort over the course of decades, would be expected to send champagne corks flying in labs around the world. This triumph of science should evoke cries of Eureka! from ten thousand throats, should occasion much hand-slapping and highfiving, and perhaps even an excuse to take the day off. Why does the scientific community not greedily embrace its startling discovery? Why is the observation of design handled with intellectual gloves? The dilemma is that while one side of the elephant is labeled intelligent design, the other side might be labeled God. The National Geographic Magazine In the May 2012 issue of the National Geographic Magazine, an article began by describing the marvel of the human hand. A Scottish surgeon named Sir Charles Bell wrote an entire book in praise of the human hand. To Bell, the human hand reflected design. Then the article condescendingly proceeded to point out that Bell had failed to notice that there were other hands out there with similar bone structures. There were dolphins and cats and frogs and bats and even though they performed widely different functions their bone structures were almost identical. Didnt this seem to point to a common

origin? Darwin used homology as a very effective argument for evolution. Michael Denton commented as follows---The validity of the evolutionary interpretation of homology would have been greatly strengthened if embryological and genetic research could have shown that homologous structures were specified by homologous genes and followed homologous patterns of embryological development. Such homology would indeed be strongly suggestive of true relationship; of inheritance from a common ancestor. The National Geographic Magazine is a fine, professional magazine; I grew up with it. When the Yankee stopped at the Galapagos to pay tribute to Darwin, I didnt have an inkling as to their motives. Through the eyes and heart of youth I remember the Galapagos as a warm joyous place where it never rained. When Louis Leakey skinned a rabbit with his teeth, you told the world about it. You gave us a picture of a dedicated scientist who would go to any length to rip the truth out of the very bowels of the earth. Later on, even Leakeys wife questioned some of his methods, yet for one to question his science you would have to get past the picture. For a while articles were published that portrayed genetic erosion as a threat to our planet. There was an urgent need to find older plants that contained genetic information that modern plants no longer contained. I no longer see the term genetic erosion being used. Is this term perceived as a threat to Darwins theory? Is it evolution in reverse? More recently, you ran an article on a reptile to bird fossil that was found in China. This turned out to be a hoax. You might have been more cautious if you had been familiar with the difficulties associated with a gradual transition from any vertebrate lung to an aviary lung. State-Supported Humanist Bigotry In the January 28, 2005 edition of the Wall Street Journal an article was written entitled The Branding of a Heretic. The Smithsonian Institution which is government supported revealed the depth of bigotry and arrogance that has permeated our government institutions. The scientist is Richard Sternberg, a research associate at the Smithsonians National Museum of Natural History in Washington. The holder of two Ph.Ds in biology, Mr. Sternberg was until recently the managing editor of a nominally independent journal published at the museum, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, where he exercised final editorial authority. The August issue included typical articles on taxonomical topicse. g., on a new species of hermit crab. It also included an atypical article, The Origin of Biological Information and the Higher Taxonomic Categories. This piece was peer reviewed and it laid out support for intelligent design. The offending essay was written by Stephen Meyer, who holds a Cambridge University doctorate in the philosophy of biology. He cited biologists and paleon-

tologists critical of certain aspects of Darwinismmainstream scientists from places like the University of Chicago, Yale, Cambridge and Oxford. Hans Sues, the Museums No. 2 senior scientist, denounced it to colleagues and sent a widely forwarded e-mail calling it unscientific garbage. The chairman of the zoology department, Jonathan Coddington, called Mr. Sternbergs supervisor and asked whether he was a religious fundamentalist. She said no. Coddington then asked if Sternberg was affiliated or belonged to any religious organization. He then asked where Sternberg stood politically---Is he a right winger? What is his political affiliation? His supervisor who was questioned by Coddington said there are Christians here but they keep their heads down. Sternberg lost his office and keys; he no longer had access to the specimen room, which he needed to do his work. Coddington assigned him the close oversight of a curator and told Sternberg, Im going to be straight forward with you. Yes you are being singled out. One museum specialist chided him by saying, I think you are a religiously motivated person and you have dragged down the proceedings because of your religiously oriented agenda. Steinberg said that he was a Catholic but that he would call himself a believer with a lot of questions about everything. Im in the postmodern predicament, he said. In case you think that this case is only related to Steinbergs limited sphere--Old colleagues at other institutions refuse to work with him on publication projects, citing the Meyer episode. The Biological Society of Washington released a vaguely ecclesiastical statement regretting its association with the article. It did not address its arguments but denied its orthodoxy, citing a resolution of the American Association for the Advancement of Science that defined Intelligent Design (ID) as by its very nature unscientific. David Klinghoffer ended this article with the following observations. Intelligent design, in any event, is hardly a made-to-order prop for any particular religion. When the British atheist philosopher Anthony Flew made news this winter by declaring that he had become a deist--a believer in an unbiblical god of the philosophers who takes no notice of our lives--he pointed to the plausibility of ID theory. Then he went on to say, Darwinism, by contrast, is an essential ingredient in secularism, that is, quasi-religious faith without a deity. The Sternberg case seems in many ways an instance of one religion persecuting a rival, demanding loyalty from anyone who enters one of its churches-like the museum of natural history. Bill Mallman Editors Note: To be continued in the November 2012 issue of The Beacon.

October Bible Quiz Questions

1) Which prophet walked around naked and barefoot for three years? 2) Who laughed when she heard that she would bear a son in her old age? 3) Which prophetess led the women of Israel in a victory dance? 4) Who was the first Christian martyr? 5) What is the first commandment in the Bible? (Hint: we are not asking for the first of the Ten Commandments specified in Exodus 20:3-17 and Deuteronomy 5:7-21.) Bonus: Which king of Bashan was famous for having an enormous iron bed? Felix Acerra

September Bible Quiz Answers

1) Isaac (Genesis 21:3-6). 2) Solomon (1 Kings 3:1). 3) Belteshazzar (Daniel 1:7). 4) Twelve one spy from each tribe (Numbers 13:1-16). 5) Romans 10:14, 17. Bonus: Dunkers (Ger. Dippers). Nelsons New Christian Dictionary (2001). Congratulations to Virginia Sylvester, Dennis Tyska, and Mike Pandolfini for submitting all five correct answers to the September Bible Quiz! Also, congratulations to Virginia and Dennis for correctly answering Felixs challenging bonus question!

Pastor Glass will be teaching adult Sunday School during the Fall 2012 quarter. Secure your copy of our textbook, bring your Bible, and join us at 9:45 AM sharp!

The Birthday Corner

October 2nd John Moses Piraino October 16th Ann Williamson October 18th Taryn Groh October 20th Helen Bryan

October 2012
Wednesday 3 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalm 119 (Part 2) 10
7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalm 119 (Part 3)

The Anniversary Corner

October 15th Joe & Martie Best

The Lords Day

Monday Tuesday

Thursday Friday 4
8:30 AM Ladies Prayer Joan Tyska (727-5998)

Saturday 6

7 9:45 AM Sunday School Pastor Glass

11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

11 8:30 AM Ladies Prayer 18 8:30 AM Ladies Prayer 25

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9:45 AM Sunday School Pastor Glass 11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

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7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalm 119 (Part 4) 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalm 119 (Part 5)

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9:45 AM Sunday School Pastor Glass 11:00 AM Worship Service, then Coffee Hour for Helen Bryans 90th Birthday

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8:30 AM Ladies Prayer

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1:30 PM Baby Shower for Silvia Albrecht Fellowship Hall

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9:45 AM Sunday School Pastor Glass 11:00 AM Morning Worship Service 6:00 PM Semi-Annual Business Meeting

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31 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalm 119 (Part 6)

PO Box 438 Wading River, NY 11792

Wading River Baptist Church

Our Purpose
1. To glorify God through sharing the good news of salvation by Gods sovereign grace through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. To nurture believers through a strong program of Christian education, youth ministries, and expository Biblical preaching. 3. To provide an opportunity for Biblical worship, service, and fellowship. 4. To extend our ministry throughout America and around the world through participation in home and foreign missions. WRBC is affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Association of America and the Conservative Baptist Mission to the Northeast.

For the Exaltation of God in All Things For the Proclamation of Faith in Christ For the Transformation of Gods People