Facts & Faith

1990 Volume 4, No. 3
Fall

* Due to copyrights, original graphics and tables may not appear in these articles

Science in the News: Mind Over Matter

By Hugh Ross

Recently I have come across a number of articles on the subject of artificial intelligence, i.e. electronic "thinking." One appeared in Discover magazine, another in Time, and others in less-widely circulated periodicals.1,2 All can be described as optimistic, if I may use that word. They express the materialistic assumption that all the functions of the human soul--the complex of mind, will, and emotions--and even of the human spirit--God-consciousness, self-consciousness, morality, etc.--will soon be shown to be nothing more than the electrical interactions amongst chunks of matter organized as cells in our brain, chance products of biological evolution. Some artificial intelligence enthusiasts, advocates of what is called "strong artificial intelligence," go so far as to suggest that computers may some day (soon) replace mankind as the dominant species on planet Earth, that computers may not only duplicate all the functions of human intellect and personality, but also improve upon them.

Regrettably, and ironically, such articles are being published in apparent ignorance of the work done by well-known British astrophysicist and mathematician Roger Penrose. It's not that Penrose lacks respect as a scholar. He is an Oxford professor who, along with Stephen Hawking, presented prize-winning proofs of the space-time theorems of general relativity (proofs which, by the way, establish mathematically that the Creator must transcend the space-time dimensions of the universe, just as the Bible says3,4,5). And, it's not that his work has been published in obscurity. His book, The Emperor's New Mind,6 has made national best-seller lists. As its title suggests, the book argues that strong artificial intelligence is just as devoid of supporting evidence for its claims as was the emperor devoid of clothes in the classic tale. (See the "Resources" column on p. 15.)

Nor is Penrose alone in his conclusions. A few months prior to release of his book, the claims of strong artificial intelligence were explained and debated, with findings similar to his, in a special issue of the journal entitled Truth.7 Many reputable scholars contributed to that publication.

What can be reasonably said for artificial intelligence is that within a few years computers will outperform the computational capacities of the human brain. Signals in the brain are transmitted in deciseconds (tenths of a second) rather than in the nanoseconds (billionths of a second) of modern computers. The brain's advantage of using very small memory units is now being superseded by chip technology that is driving the component size down to dimensions of only a couple of molecules. The brain's remaining advantage of organizational efficiency may soon be approached by customized parallel processors' delegating to several computers the solution of various aspects of a problem.

However, as Penrose reminds us, limits do exist. In the case of the hardware, it is impossible to make computer components any smaller than a molecule's thickness. Signals can travel no faster than the velocity of light. Only so much efficiency can be achieved through parallel processing. Software limits exist as well. The brilliance of a program is limited by the brilliance of the human programmer. The more complex the program, the greater the probability for bugs (errors in software code).

The realistic claims of artificial intelligence apply to computational power. This simply means that one day a computer will beat the world chess champion, that computers will one day answer questions too difficult and complex for a human think tank. However, as Sir John Eccles says, there remain certain functions of human personhood that cannot possibly be produced by computational power alone. Such qualities as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, self-sacrifice, appreciation, imaginings, longings, and the freedom of the will are some of those that come immediately to mind.

Perhaps some researchers on artificial intelligence become confused in thinking that because we can design a machine that will drive a car, human automobile drivers are strictly mechanical entities; that because we now have computer programs capable of writing other (very simple) programs, human computer programmers are nothing more than physical entities.

The problem I see is the old familiar one of presuppositions about the universe, about life, about reality, It's the same problem that plagues discussion of virtually every aspect of the origins question. To identify those presuppositions and to tell the story of how recent findings about the universe prove them false is the starting point of many of my talks, not to mention one of the themes of my book, The Fingerprint of God. I want my fellow Christians to be ready to pass this information, this challenge, along to others. What strikes me in the case of artificial intelligence is that, if anything, the creative development of robotic devices and software generating programs serves to demonstrate, rather than deny, the transcendence--beyond the mere physical--of the human spirit.

References

  1. Freedman, David H., "Common Sense and the Computer," Discover, August 1990, pp. 65-71.
  2. Dettling, J. Ray, "The Evolution of Computers in the 21st Century," Professional Careers Magazine (vol. 5, no. 4, July/August 1990), pp. 10-13.
  3. Ross, Hugh, "Hawking and the History of Time," Facts & Faith (vol. 2, no. 2, summer 1988), pp. 1-2.
  4. Ross, Hugh, "Creator or No Creator," Facts & Faith (vol. 3, no. 1, spring 1989), p. 5.
  5. Hawking, Stephen W., and Roger Penrose, "The Singularities of Gravitational Collapse and Cosmology," Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series A, 314 (1970), pp. 529-548.
  6. Penrose, Roger, The Emperor's New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics, New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
  7. Mellichamp, Joseph (editor), Truth, vol. 2, 1988.

From the President's Desk

Dear friends,

I started to write about probability theory and its application to the ongoing origin of life question, but my wife (and editor), Kathy, reminded me that this is a letter to friends, not another apologetics article. Guess which kind of writing is harder for me.

It just dawned on me this morning that amid our summer cluster of birthday celebrations--Joel's, David's, my mother-in-law's, my sister-in-law's, and mine, not to mention friends', all within a span of a couple of weeks--an important one almost got overlooked. It's the birthday of Reasons To Believe, which came into being with official incorporation and IRS documents in July of 1986.

Taking care of the needs of a 4-year-old ministry is almost as challenging as taking care of those of my 5-year-old and 2-year-old boys. As with any analogy, the differences between the two things compared outnumber the similarities, but I am surprised sometimes by the number of similarities. In both the life of my sons and the life of the ministry,

  • the buck stops with me, at least on an earthly level,
  • speaking of bucks, the demand always seems to run ahead of the supply (if you think this is a request for funds for the ministry, you are right),
  • taking time to communicate is most urgent at those moments when it seems the hardest to do,
  • the balance between supervision and freedom needs constant monitoring and adjustment,
  • my planning must be realistic, as much as optimistic, with plenty of room for Murphy's Law,
  • it's always a surprise to measure the growth, inspiring me to praise and thank God,
  • the importance of prayer, my own and others' for me, cannot be overemphasized (if you think this is a request for your prayers for me and for the ministry, you are right).

Whether you have been with us from the beginning or have just learned of our existence, I hope that you will join me in celebrating the life, the opportunity, which God has given to Reasons To Believe for His expressed purpose to make Himself known to the nations, so that men and women and children everywhere may come to put their total trust in Him.

Sincerely,

Hugh Ross

Let Us Reason: Noah's Floating Zoo

Part Seven in a Series

By Hugh Ross

I can imagine that nearly everyone who talks about his/her beliefs with friends and associates has at one time or another encountered objections to the factuality of the story of Noah and the ark. Many times in my travels I have heard people excuse their rejection of the scriptures with some comment about the incredulity of a boat and a handful of people rescuing all species of life from a global deluge a few thousand years ago. They assume that is what the Bible says--after all, countless children's books portray the story that way--and they know that science tells a different tale.

There is no way in so short an article I can address all the key issues, so I will address a few this time and a few more in our next newsletter and then leave the rest to your own study and research. For now let us look at the problem of the number of animals, the size of the ark, the quantity of food, and the number of caretakers.

Estimates of the number of species of animal life on Earth fall between 1.5 million and 6 million.1 Considering the current extinction rate, this figure would have been higher in the days of Noah. Genesis 6 tells us that the ark was 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. Though we cannot be exact about the modern equivalent of Noah's cubit, scholars can give us the outer limits, which indicate that the ark was between 450 and 900 feet long. In other words, it was close to the size of an aircraft carrier. (Given such dimensions, the biblical account of the time required--about 100 years--for Noah to build the ark certainly seems plausible!)

What does present a problem is the fact that a boat of such enormous dimensions still would be too small to accommodate so many species of creatures and their food supply, nor could so small a staff of keepers (the eight members of Noah's family) have handled the tasks of feeding and cleaning.

In this case, as in so many others, we need not panic but simply take a closer look at what we think we already know, including the text itself and the context. Let's start with the latter. We know that the story of Noah is a story about God's judgment, His purging the world of the malignant effects of rampant, epidemic sin. What light does the rest of scripture shed on this subject, and therefore on this passage?

Many, many verses affirm that sin is damaging, defiling. I Corinthians 6 says that some sins are more defiling than others. The Old Testament gives specific statements about the extent of the defilement and of God's response to it:

  • All sins defile the person who commits them (Leviticus 18:24).
  • Some sins defile the sinner and the sinner's progeny for several generations (Exodus 20:5).
  • Some sins defile the sinner, his progeny, and the birds and mammals which are part of his livelihood (Joshua 6:21).
  • Some sins defile all the above plus the sinner's material possessions (Numbers 16:23-33).
  • Some sins defile all the above including the sinner's agricultural land (Leviticus 18:24-28).

Nowhere in the Bible do we see God's meting out judgment beyond these limits, and we can apply that principle in the case of Noah. We can apply it, too, in light of the expressed purpose of God in wiping out the corruption all around Noah. Thus, we gain some valuable guidelines for determining the extent of the flood, geographically and otherwise. The matter of geography I will save for discussion in Part Eight of this series.

As for the animals, we would expect God to destroy all those that had been defiled by the wickedness of mankind. That would include all the cattle, sheep, etc. owned and/or tended by anyone other than Noah, though perhaps even some of his animals would have been harmed if they had been in contact with others.

A close examination of the text reveals that only two Hebrew words are used in the Genesis flood account to refer to the animals destroyed by the flood and to those taken aboard the ark. The words are nephesh and basar. The word nephesh translates as "soulish" animals and refers to those creatures endowed with characteristics of mind, will, and emotions, creatures with a unique capacity to relate to humans. We call them mammals and birds. It is their soulishness2 which makes them particularly susceptible to the effects of man's sin. The word basar refers more specifically to those birds and mammals that are part of man's economic system, that is, to livestock, poultry, game animals, any birds or mammals that have had contact with man.

So, the animal species rescued via the ark were nephesh, particularly those in the category of basar, living within the reach of the flood's devastation. They may have numbered in the hundreds and probably did not exceed a few thousand. The ark, then, would have been adequate to house them and their food, and eight people could have cared for them, as well as for themselves, for many months. There is no problem of credibility on this point.

How important to the credibility of the story would be the finding of a remnant of the ark? To me it would seem insignificant compared with the abundance and reliability of geological, geophysical, and historical evidence. These are topics I will take up in this column in our next issue of Facts & Faith. If you would like to delve into them right away, you may order our audio tape titled The Flood using the order panel on the next-to-the-last page of this newsletter.

References

  1. Ehrlich, Paul and Ann, Extinction: The Causes and Consequences of the Disappearance of Species. (New York: Ballantine Books, 1981), pp. 20-23.
  2. The Old Testament (Hebrew) usage of "soul" or "soulish" is different from the New Testament (Greek) usage. In Greek, soul and spirit are intertwined, but in Hebrew they are (usually) distinct.

Kids' Space

By Hugh Ross

We were glad to receive this letter and we want to share it with you in case you have a similar interest:

"I am a boy 7 years old who is very interested in science. Currently I am reading everything I can find on UFO'S. I called Rich Buhler on his 'Table Talk' show and he gave me your name and address and said you are a very fine scientist and a Christian. Can you recommend a book for me to read? If you or the organization you are with have written any books I can buy, please send me information and I will talk to my parents about ordering through the mail."

--Joshua, Lomita, CA

Your letter, Joshua, was very important to me for several reasons. First, it helped me remember being seven years old and deciding at that time that I wanted to become a scientist. That's when I began reading everything I could find on science, especially life science and physical science. It touched me in another way, too, for your letter arrived just after I returned from Russia where the subject people asked me about most often was that of extraterrestrial life and UFO'S.

While I was there I felt that I couldn't give the people something in writing, a book or booklet, to answer their questions. But, in the course of hearing and answering their questions, I learned so many new things about how to communicate the information I have gathered on the topic that I am grateful to have been delayed in writing.

What I can offer you right now is an audio tape of the message I developed from my experience of speaking in Russia on UFO's. I believe you will be able to understand it without trouble, but if you do have questions after hearing it, please write again or phone me.

Some helpful written materials, not books but articles, on the subject of UFO's can be obtained from a research group in Berkeley, California, called Spiritual Counterfeits Project. Their address is P. 0. Box 4308, Berkeley, CA 94704.

Thanks again for your letter, Joshua, and keep reading.

Puzzles & Paradoxes

To our puzzle enthusiasts we offer a classic puzzle (with a couple of new twists) submitted by Dr. David Carta, a physicist friend from Pasadena, CA. Thinking that the first one might be too easy he devised a second. Look for the solution in our next issue. Meanwhile, happy hiking.

The facts are these: I am standing on the earth. I travel (on the surface of the earth) according to the following instructions:

A. I face south and walk one mile.
B. I turn 90 degrees and walk east one mile.
C. I face north and walk one mile.

Puzzle One: I am back where I started. I am not at the north pole. Where am I?

Puzzle Two: I follow all three instructions with one change. In instruction C, I go south instead of north. The sequence of directions is now south, east, and south, and again I am back where I started. Where am I?

Perhaps you would like to rest your brain for a few minutes as you reflect upon our suggested solution to the paradox presented last time. Here is the paradox: Scripture reveals God as changeless, immutable, never lying or changing His mind (Numbers 23:19; I Samuel 15:29; Ezekiel 24:14; Malachi 3:6; and James 1:17), and yet we find several instances in which He is said to "repent" or "change his mind," e.g. about making mankind, about destroying Ninevah in Jonah's day, about making Saul the king of Israel, etc. How can this seeming contradiction be explained?

We invited your response and were glad for those thoughtful letters we received. One particularly eloquent and lengthy essay came from Ellie Kelman, of Woodland Hills, CA. Ellie focused chiefly on the Numbers passage, God's oracle through the unlikely prophet Balaam to Balak, King of Moab, and on the I Samuel passage, God's response to Saul's flagrant and unrepentant disobedience and self-exaltation.

As Ellie rightly declares, God's character and purposes never change, nor do the terms of His covenants with man. In fact, it is because of the constancy of His character and motives that He "changes" in response to people's changes. For God to destroy the Ninevites despite their total and sincere repentance would have violated His character. He was not surprised by their change of heart, but rather, in His intimate knowledge of their hardness, He knew how severe a warning of imminent destruction would be required to turn them around.

In the case of the pre-flood society of man, in the case of King Saul, and in the case of the nation of Israel, God could not have been surprised by their depravity, by their willful, persistent contempt for His authority and love. Neither would He violate "the integrity of the will with which He endowed Adam's race," to use Ellie's words. And neither could He who calls Himself "Father" look impassively on the condition of His recalcitrant sons and daughters. The Hebrew word (and variant forms of) niham, often translated as "repent" or "change one's mind," also refers to a depth of sorrow and grief such as would help us to understand God's feelings about these people, their choices, and the necessary consequences of those choices.

Field Report

The "field" of RTB ministry widened significantly this past quarter to include the USSR. The report of Hugh's trip to Kiev, coordinated by Christian Leadership Ministries (Dallas, TX) and sponsored by the World Laboratory in Kiev, capital of the Ukraine, is available both in print and on tape for those who want the detailed account. Here we can only give a brief overview, but enough to ignite a sense of wonder and rejoicing over what God is beginning to do among some of the "unreached peoples" of that nation.

Hugh spoke 15 times (not counting private meetings) to audiences of scientists and engineers, professors and students, political and military leaders, as well as to some Baptist congregations. Whenever he was introduced, the people were shocked to learn that he is both a scientist and a minister. Such a combination seemed utterly impossible to them. They were even more shocked to hear him present the scientific basis for belief in the God of the Bible and in the total reliability of that document.

Early in the trip, a man stood up at the end of one of Hugh's talks and said (via translator, of course), "We're too stunned even to know what questions to ask!" The hush lasted for about 30 seconds; then the flurry of questions began and continued for another hour o more--questions about life and death, UFO's and other "mysterious" phenomena, how man will be judged, how we can know there's a heaven and hell, how we can be assured of a place in heaven. On and on they went, whenever and wherever Hugh and his fellow team members spoke.

Some serious problems require prayer and further ministry: 1) Those well-educated Russian professionals who do come to Christ have nowhere to turn for discipleship and fellowship. The socio-cultural gap between them and the members/leaders of existing churches is enormous. 2) The spiritual hunger is so great--to the point of desperation and starvation--and knowledge of the scriptures (not to mention availability of the scriptures) so limited that the Soviet people are dangerously susceptible to false teachings, including pseudo-christian cults, which are arriving daily by the plane load.

For these and other reasons, the Lausanne committee for World Evangelization has called a meeting of pastors and lay leaders from all over the USSR to be held in Moscow this October. The number of Westerners attending will be severely limited to allow maximum room for the Russians. Hugh will have the privilege of serving as one of the speakers/workshop leaders. Look for a report in our next issue.

On the home front, the RTB ministry team has been active in outreach with:

Churches - an evening service at Community Baptist in Manhattan Beach, morning and evening services at Grace Church of Los Alamitos (the congregation who paid for Hugh's flight to and from Moscow), a Sunday School class at Grace Baptist of Glendora, and two summer mini-courses, one on End-Times Prophecy and another on Science and the Bible, at Sierra Madre Congregational.

Civic and Special Interest Clubs - a lecture/discussion on Science and Genesis to the Affiliation of Christian Geologists in Bakersfield, two luncheons with the Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club, a testimony over breakfast with the Christian Businessmen's Committee of Santa Ana, and the continuing series of noon-hour "open forum" meetings for skeptics at the University Club in Pasadena.

Radio and Television Broadcasts - interviews about the USSR trip on Rich Buhler's "Table Talk" (KBRT, Costa Mesa) and on Dr. Helms' "Christian Commentary" (KFSG, Los Angeles), a discussion of the Rapture of the Church with Greg Koukl (KBRT, Costa Mesa), and a cable television interview for a program called "Thinking Economically," hosted by Dr. Arthur Sharron.

Internationals - Charley Myers spoke on ETI and UFO phenomena to a dinner meeting of the Friends of Internationals Locally (FOIL) in Altadena.

In addition, David and Liz Block (whom you met in our last issue, if not in person) brought their electrifying slide show, "The Cosmos Is Shouting," to churches on Oahu and Kauai while David wrapped up his sabbatical leave with some research and observing time at the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii.

Pray-ers' Closet

One of the most thrilling stories in the history of Israel is that of King Jehoshaphat, who led his people to a mighty victory over a foe using only the weapons of fasting, prayer, and songs of praise (II Chronicles 20:1-30). Remembering that story and others like it, and also the words of Jesus to his disciples, "When you fast... " (Matthew 6:16-17), the staff and volunteers of Reasons To Believe set aside a 24-hour period every few months, usually the fourth weekend of January, April, July, and October, for collective fasting and praise and prayer for God's work in our personal lives and in the life of the ministry. Those who participate have described this day as a spiritual highlight, an experience that brings more gain than pain.

In our 6-page set of notes on fasting, there is a section entitled "Personal guidelines for fasting." We hope the following excerpt from it will spark your interest in the subject and will help you get started, if you have never done so:

  • Before you fast, consider your physical condition. If you suffer from diabetes, ulcers, TB, or other disorders, or if you have undergone any type of gastrointestinal surgery, consult your physician for physical guidelines and limitations on your fasting.
  • Rid your life of corrupting influences, such as sensual reading material and sensual music. Fasting heightens your sensitivity to the world of the spirit, good or evil. If you have opened doors to Satan's influence in your life and have never closed them, close them now so that you will not be subject to spiritual interference when you fast.
  • Double-check your spiritual armor to be sure you are wearing it all (see Ephesians 6:10-17).
  • Set specific objectives.
  • Begin with expressions of praise. Maintain an attitude of praise. Allow much time for praise.
  • Examine your life and your motives, and repent of ungodliness (see Isaiah 58:1-12).
  • Link fasting with sincere and practical charity. Before you fast, give some tangible help to the needy (see Isaiah 58:7).
  • Avoid ostentation (see Matt. 6:16-18, Rom. 3:27, and Luke 17:10).
  • Try fasting before, rather than after, an emergency arises. But certainly do consider fasting in the midst a spiritual crisis.
  • It seems advisable to make your first experience of fasting a brief one, 24 hours or so, unless there is an important reason to make it longer. If you fast for 24 hours, try fasting from evening to evening. Important thoughts and insights that are on your mind in the evening will help prepare your mind and heart for the following day's "work."
  • If possible, devote the waking hours of your fasting period to contemplation (of the Word chiefly) and communication (with God first and foremost, but also with those who may be fasting and praying with you). Be listening for God's voice through the scriptures and through the people around you.
  • Break a fast gradually and gently, with easy-to-digest foods.
  • Keep in mind that the benefits of fasting often come many days after the fast.

If you would like to obtain the complete set of these notes, please order them via the response panel at the back of this newsletter or phone the Reasons To Believe office at (818) 355-6058. And please consider joining us for our next day of fasting and prayer, scheduled for October 26-27.

Readers Write

"We want to thank you for all the information that you have given us in the last four years through your magazines and books about science, the Bible, and the Living God. We have used all this knowledge to put 10% scientists and 20% Bible practicing Christians in the Senate, House of Representatives, in Peru in the last national elections...In the last 33 years only 1% of members of the government of Peru were Christians practicing the Bible; 99% were those who believe in a dead God, in evolution, and in body only. With science and the Bible we want to come back to our Living God and to take the Peruvians out of the darkness of spiritual slavery, ignorance, superstition, poverty, and sickness into Peruvians working, studying science and not empty philosophy, praying to God for separation of State and Church, with forums instead of brainwashing, fighting spiritually and not physically, learning how to communicate better so we can learn how to love each other...Our next forum on God and Man will be in the Medical School of Chiclayo, Peru, with physicians, teachers, pastors, and the Holy Spirit. Thanks for your prayers."

--Luis, Anaheim, CA

"I have just finished reading The Fingerprint of God by Hugh Ross. It is probably one of the most interesting books I have read in a long time...I did my undergrad work in archeology and now I have come into contact with a lot of creation science. It is very helpful to read the book and I would like to find out more."

--Peter, Edison, NJ

"Last October, after reading The Fingerprint of God, I was so impressed that I ordered a copy to send to the book review editor of Discipleship Magazine, a quarterly journal published by the Boston Church of Christ. I've enclosed a copy [spring quarter] because a short review of your book is included on page 42. I was excited to see it included in the book review section because the journal has an international circulation...

"I look forward to the release of your next book on Genesis 1 & 2, and I hope people's awareness of your materials becomes more and more common until ultimately I find Reasons To Believe materials replacing the [name withheld] books that typically dominate the shelves of most Christian bookstores. Thanks for cutting the path in scientific apologetics, and keep up the good work..."

--John, Indianapolis, IN

"I've heard you [Hugh] on the radio several times recently. You did an excellent job on the Tom Leikas program on KFI. Many Christians (including myself) were praying for you that day. About 2 days ago a caller asked Tom what he thinks of your creation science theories and he said that he doesn't believe them, but that it is a matter of personal faith--he didn't say that he thought science was 100% on the evolution side!! That is at least some progress..."

--John, Costa Mesa, CA

"I'm writing to thank you and to tell you that I praise God for you and everyone at Reasons To Believe. Because of your efforts my faith has been strengthened, but, more importantly, you have equipped me to lovingly challenge others to consider faith in Christ as Savior.

"...False theologies are all around us and your materials help me continually discover a deeper understanding of the one and true God. Thank you for helping me increase my faith in the 'God that saves' and protecting me from having 'faith in my faith.'

"An interesting aside: it would interest me to know what theologians have most influenced you. I have your book list on scientific apologetics but would be interested in a similar list focusing on theology. Maybe you can respond in Facts & Faith..."

--Steven, Moorpark, CA

Thank you for your letter, Steven. In answer to your request, I must tell you that I did not come into contact with the work of theologians until many years after I began studying the Bible and became a Christian. Some of those whose scholarship I have particularly appreciated are Gleason Archer, Stanley Jaki, Arthur Pink, Thomas Torrance, and Benjamin Warfield. Though these men and I would strongly disagree on some issues, each of them has made unique and profound contributions to the understanding and integration of the scriptures. H.R.

Food for Thought: The Existentialist and the Onion

By Rob Kroeger

I remember very clearly the day I gave up my belief in onions. A man gave an onion each to me and my friend Potkin, or at least that's what he said he gave us. I don't believe in onions.

Potkin peeled off the brown outer layer as he was told and cut his into quarters. He boiled some water and threw in the quarters along with a dash of salt. I peeled mine too, but inside I discovered another layer which, except for a subtle change in color, seemed exactly the same.

"Potkin," I said, "I'm not sure I believe in onions. Perhaps there isn't anything underneath all these peels."

"You are too analytical," said Potkin, "and I'm too hungry to argue."

"I'm hungry, too," I replied, "but I don't have your simple faith in onions. I, for one, refuse to be taken in." Then I tore off the second layer and found another underneath. Under that was a fourth and then a fifth.

My worst suspicions were being confirmed. Suddenly I wanted to stop, as if I were afraid to know the truth. Perhaps deep in my heart I wanted to be nourished, too, to eat and be satisfied. But, brutal honesty drove me onward,

A feeling of anger, of bitter disillusionment, swept over me as I tore away successive layers. I am not given to crying, but I could not blink back the tears that welled up inexplicably as I peeled away layer after layer of the sham and hypocrisy called an onion. I came right down to the very center. I found nothing inside. There I sat, cruelly disappointed, my eyes brimming with tears, and nothing to show for my efforts but a pile of peelings.

A few moments later Potkin announced that his onion was done, He put a little butter on one corner and bit into it. He said, "It sort of squeaks when I chew, and the taste is rather pungent, not at all disagreeable."

"It's a well known psychological effect," I told him. He polished off all four sections and gave his stomach a satisfied pat. "That was good," he said.

"Potkin," I exclaimed, "you are a credulous clod! You are a gullible gamin! Have I not just proved before your very eyes that there is nothing inside an onion to offer sustenance?"

I call upon the world to witness that Potkin is a fool.

Dr. Kroeger is a research physicist at the Linear Accelerator, Stanford University. He writes for fun. Currently he is preparing several (serious) articles on quantum mechanics and new age philosophies.

Meet Our Board

[graphic excluded]

One of the first people to catch and to help shape the vision of Reasons To Believe was W. Bernard Marston, known to friends and colleagues as "Bernie" and to Hugh and Kathy Ross as "Uncle Bernard. " A man of diversified talents and interests, Bernard has focused considerable time and energy and financial resources on missions--overseas and here in the U.S.

In addition to serving on the board of Reasons To Believe, Bernard regularly lends his broadcast engineering expertise to us and to the Latin American radio ministry of Paul Finkenbinder, more familiarly, "Hermano Pablo." This expertise was gained through his years as a radio station owner, television engineer (he built a few stations from the ground up), and most recently chief media engineer for the Long Beach Unified School District. He retired in 1988 to devote more attention to his ministries, his hobbies, and above all, to his lovely wife of 48 years, Leila. You will find in this issue a memorial tribute to Leila Petersen Marston, who died July 6, 1990.

Bernard had a knack for working his interests into profit-making ventures. A French horn aficionado (and an excellent player, as well), he applied his mechanical skills to making high-quality French horn valves for his friends in various symphony orchestras and eventually became the supplier for some large musical instrument manufacturing firms in the Midwest. He built his first recording studio for fun in the basement of his southern California home and volunteered service on the sound crew at his church. He went from there to becoming the co-owner and operator of station KQXR in Bakersfield.

A few years later he returned to the Los Angeles area to assist in developing the television ministry of Pastor Ray Schoch, of Faith Center, Glendale. Soon thereafter he was called upon to design and assist in constructing Christian television stations in San Francisco, in Hartford, Connecticut, and most recently in Concord, near San Francisco.

His long-time enthusiasm for boating drew him to Long Beach. He learned to sail and in his spare time took many trips to nearby ports, most often to those of Catalina. When sailing proved too physically demanding for Leila, he traded in his Cal-25 for a 28-foot power vessel and continued to enjoy weekend jaunts and longer vacations on the sea. The one love of Bernard's life that goes back farther than boats, and even farther than Leila, is the automobile. As a young teenager, he took apart--down to the nuts and bolts--and rebuilt a series of Model T Fords and various other vehicles. Within the past few months he has finished putting together a replica of the classic MG Roadster, vintage 1953.

Actually, there is another love that goes back farther yet, his love of the word of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, and from that love, a sincere desire to see others come to know the Savior. When Bernard and Leila came to know Hugh, through his relationship with their niece, they immediately envisioned his potential to reap a spiritual harvest among so many like their own colleagues at work, not to mention friends and relatives, who had been put off by traditional evangelistic appeals and who might respond to a fact-based approach to faith.

From that time onward they have encouraged and supported in every way possible the ministry that now has been born and is growing as Reasons To Believe. Though dearly missing the partnership he enjoyed with Leila by his side, he remains an integral and valued member of the ministry team.

Board of Directors

chairman--Dr. Alex Metherell, physician and radiologist, general partner, MRI Centers

vice chairman--Mr. Glenn Wunderly, former owner and CEO (retired), W. Glenn Wunderly Company

RTB president--Dr. Hugh Ross, astrophysicist

RTB vice president--Mr. Stephen D. Scheele, vice president, sales, Delta Technical Coatings, Inc.

RTB secretary--Mr. David Mowen, general manager, Town Center Kitchens

RTB treasurer--Mr. Tom Delahooke, chartered financial consultant, Northwestern Mutual Life

Mr. David J. Brobeck, Jr., attorney partner, Beam and Brobeck law firm

Mr. W. Bernard Marston, broadcast engineering consultant

Dr. David Rogstad, physicist group supervisor and senior member of the technical staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratories

Mr. Charles Shelton, supervisor, (currently on honeymoon leave), applications programming department, Western Federal Savings & Loan, Mortgage Banking Group

Messrs. Rufus Harvey and Don Richardson have moved from the board of directors to the board of reference.

In Loving Memory: Leila P. Marston

By Kathy Ross

At the reading of her eulogy, the family and friends who had gathered to honor the memory of Leila P. Marston were surprised, even mildly offended for a moment--the piece was so short, so matter-of-fact, so utterly devoid of eulogizing. Then John, her son, told us who wrote it. Leila did, some time ago, even before she became ill with cancer. John went on to elaborate briefly on two characteristics of his mom: her understatement, at least concerning her own talents and achievements, and her preparedness. (The boy scout motto was hers long before she knew the scouts were using it.)

Though you would never hear about them from Leila, her talents and achievements shone in many areas, but especially in scholarship and teaching. At her graduation from Turlock High she was awarded a gold watch for academic excellence. Economic and personal obstacles, however, including World War II and the untimely death of her father, delayed her college entrance for a number of years. At age 22 she married a man beloved by her and admired by her family, Bernard, and a few years later the young couple began their family with a daughter, Janet, and a son, John. While anticipating the arrival of her third child, Leila became seriously ill. Amid the distress, a tiny daughter, Joan, was born and lived only one day.

With this heart-rending loss, Leila's condition worsened, and she nearly lost her own life. Those who stood close by her and her family through those difficult days say that her return from death's door required nothing less than a miracle of God. Gradually she regained her strength and went on with life, joyfully. God's faithfulness and her resilience were proven time and again through the years to follow.

While Janet and John were working hard to develop good study habits for junior high and high school, Leila showed them how. She returned to college, at a time when "returning students" were something of a novelty. In many classes she was the only one. Her blend of wisdom, humility, and good humor soon won the hearts of fellow students and faculty, alike, who joined her family in cheering her on toward fulfillment of a lifelong dream: to be a teacher. Her younger sister and brother always said she was born to be one. They were right.

She loved the children in her elementary classrooms and enjoyed her work, and yet she keenly felt the frustration of those students who struggled and strained in their attempts to learn to read. Her desire to help them over this hurdle and on to mastery of an invaluable skill sent her back to school once more. After completing her master's degree with a thesis on dyslexia, she returned to the South Pasadena School District in her new capacity as a reading specialist and continued in that position until she retired in 1981.

Leila's preparedness also showed in her hospitality, which she frequently offered in the fullest sense of the word, to colleagues and family and other friends. She believed in "make ahead" meals that would free her to concentrate fully on her guests. To be in her home was to be there for you. As she listened to her guests she would detect their needs (and dreams!) and then bring them to God in prayer. And whatever she heard Him tell her to do in response she would do, whether to make a phone call, to write a note, to speak some encouragement or advice, to pray some more, or to write a check.

That's something else Leila was prepared to do: to give. Giving was her special gift. She saw herself not as a recipient or owner of God's resources, but rather as a channel or steward of them, especially toward the spread of the gospel. She liked quality and bought the best when she bought, but always at half price. Why? Not so that she could buy more, but so that she would have more to give away. Her blue eyes seemed to dance most merrily over accounts of modern-day loaves and fishes, stories of God's miraculous provision of the right thing at the right time and in the right amount. Often in the lives of missionaries and ministries too numerous to name, but certainly including the Rosses and Reasons To Believe, that provision came through her and Bernard.

For as long as Leila loved the Lord, and that was from childhood onward, she longed for others to know Him too. Keenly sensitive to the spiritual barriers of professional people around her, Leila articulated the need for a fulltime ministry of science apologetics and pictured Hugh, her nephew by marriage, as uniquely prepared to head up such a ministry. She discussed her idea with the Lord and with Bernard long before mentioning it to anyone else, including Hugh. Then she did share it with him, and continued to talk about it and pray about it for several years, until she and many others sensed a confirmation that the timing was right. Perhaps because of her special gift and her close fellowship with the Father, she expressed more faith than anyone else that God would provide the resources to launch and sustain the venture. She certainly did her generous part and encouraged others to do the same, even in the last days of her life. It was her expressed desire that instead of "wasting" money on flowers, people would remember her with gifts to Reasons To Believe.

She must be pleased to see the response. We certainly feel a deep sense of gratitude. For our sake we wish she were still here with us, but God said it was time for her to graduate--with honors. Of the many things we know for sure about Leila, we know she was prepared to meet Him.

Special Feature: Current Events Commentary

By Hugh Ross, August 17, 1990

Many friends of Reasons To Believe have been asking us to incorporate into our written materials and talks some of my end-times research. One of the mini-courses we offered this summer was a first effort in that direction. This column represents our second. It will appear whenever we see current events with obvious (to us, at least) potential to play a significant role in the fulfillment of some biblical prediction for the end times. By "end-times" I mean the period of a few decades previous to the physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth (the second coming), the time during which God will strike down the false gods of men and appeal loudly and clearly to everyone everywhere to turn to Him for salvation.

If you are a student of this subject or if you attended our summer mini-course, you will recall that the Bible lists 25 special events that together will signal the beginning of the end-times period. One of these 25 indicators is the spreading of the gospel to every ethnic group upon the planet. According to the research of Dr. David Barrett and others, the last decade has brought a doubling of the number of evangelical Christians worldwide and a tripling of the evangelical foreign missionary task force. For the first time in the history of the Church we can realistically evaluate our present and potential resources and see the fulfillment of the great commission (see Matthew 28:19-20) within reach. In fact, if Christians would increase their giving toward ministry to "unreached" peoples from the current 0.1 percent of their personal income to just 1.0 percent, they could complete their assignment in a decade or two.

Opening the way for this ten-fold increase in evangelistic endeavor is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Many of the dramatic political events we have witnessed over the past eighteen months in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and China reveal the hand of Christ assisting us in spreading the gospel throughout the communist world. But this window of opportunity may be a narrow one. That is why we at RTB have invested as much as we can in ministry to the Soviet Union.

What do I think about the shocking "annexation" of Kuwait by Iraq? The book of Daniel (8:23-25) predicts that before the world ruler rises to his pinnacle of power, all the nations of the world will coalesce into ten, those ten comprising a world-wide confederacy. Almost certainly this would imply a uniting of the Arab nations. If Iraq is successfully opposed and Saddam Hussein overthrown, this set of events could result in Arab unity. If Saddam Hussein proves victorious, he might achieve Arab unity through conquest.

The present crisis also could play a part in the predicted future of Jordan and Israel. Many Old Testament prophecies predict that Jews in Israel will one day exercise control over the affairs of a nation made up of the ancient territories of Edom, Ammon, and Moab. Jordan today perfectly encompasses those ancient territories. The same prophecies clearly state that Jews will not settle this nation. If Iraq were to attempt an invasion of Jordan, Israel would be forced to take action, for Iraq's stated purpose is the extermination of the Jewish state. The ultimate result might be the fulfillment of Menachem Begin's dream of Jordan as an autonomous Palestinian state with Israel in control of its external affairs.

I will close with this disclaimer. By the time you read this piece, the news will no longer be "current." In order to establish the time context from which I write this column, I will include the date of the writing beside my name each time.

Personal Notes

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Congratulations to Miguel Endara and his bride, Rosemarie, on their marriage this summer. Miguel, an engineer at Jet Propulsion Laboratories, is a frequent book table volunteer for RTB outreaches and also serves as a member of our hotline team. We are grateful for his ministry with us and for the shared enthusiasm of Rosemarie. May God richly bless their marriage so that many people will see in their relationship a reason to believe in our loving Savior and Lord.

[graphic excluded]

President's Club
Members and guests gathered this summer to hear reports of the ministry's growth and activities of the past fiscal year. Participants in this vital support group give $500 or more annually to the ministry of Reasons To Believe.

Hot Tip from the Hotline
RTB hotliners report that their lines are the busiest on Mondays and Tuesdays. If you have called and encountered a busy signal, try calling again on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, A reminder: the hotline hours are from 5 to 7 P. M. weekdays, and the number is (818) 355-6058. The hotline is open to assist you with your apologetics questions.

Special Thanks

  • to those who made special contributions, over and above their regular giving, to sustain the ministry through what is typically the "lean" vacation season.
  • to the corps of students, teachers, and others—
    Rosalee Carlson
    Laura Corrales
    Chris Doughty
    Janice Finney
    Cynthia Howell
    Karen McQuiddy
    Tom Leslie
    Gary Meredith
    Gordon Peterson
    Melissa Ritchie
    Nathan Robison
    Julie Saline
    Mat Scharer
    Zana Scheele
    Barbara Schwind
    Phil Schwind
    Amber Stills
    Bill Stollar
    —who donated their time and talents to RTB this summer in a wide variety of tasks, from filing papers to writing them; (This list does not include our many outreach assistants and our hotliners, to whom also we owe sincere appreciation.)

Poem: Before the Millennium

By Pam Gilman

The button was on the wall, away from the toggle switches, LCD's and idiot lights. Its chrome exterior gleamed under the fluorescent tubes. We were not allowed to touch it. But once, when we were bored, we did. Nothing apparent happened.

Then a man came to town. We killed him. I only thought about it later when he came to visit me.

"Don't worry about the button," he said, his face as tender as a lover's under moonlight, "It's taken care of now," and I felt sudden relief, as if a dull ache had finally disappeared.

Now this happened a long time ago, of course, when murderers and machines ruled the land, and scales covered the eyes of many.

Pam Gilman, with a degree in English from California State University Los Angeles, currently lives and works atop Mr. Wilson as Telescope Technician No. 1 for the UCLA Department of Astronomy.

This page, and all contents, are Copyright © 1990 by Reasons To Believe.