Suffering

by Ich bin Ala-awkbarph Thu Oct 28, 2010 9:01 am

We may not know the reason for suffering in any individual situation. But we can affirm, with relief and joy, that in "all things God works for the good of those who love him" (Romans 8:28). The Psalms are full of cries for deliverance from trouble as well as the assurance that God is with us and will deliver us from suffering.

Our observation is that this issue is used as an excuse by some to try to blame God or to deny God's existence. But on reflection, most will acknowledge that we really cannot blame God for our troubles. Actually, the reality of evil, suffering, and injustice—when considered fully—is an argument for the existence of a good God. Certainly, abandoning God does not make the problem of suffering any easier. Philosopher Alvin Plantinga, as quoted by Tim Keller in his book Reason for God, put it thus:

"Could there really be any such thing as horrifying wickedness [if there were no God and we just evolved]? I don't see how. There can be such a thing only if there is a way that rational creatures are supposed to live, obliged to live....A [secular] way of looking at the world has no place for genuine moral obligation of any sort...and thus no way to say there is such a thing as genuine and appalling wickedness. Accordingly, if you think there really is such a thing as horrifying wickedness (...and not just an illusion of some sort), then you have a powerful...argument [for the reality of God]."

by SamCogar Fri Oct 29, 2010 4:28 am

Armon Ayers wrote:"Could there really be any such thing as horrifying wickedness [if there were no God and we just evolved]? I don't see how. There can be such a thing only if there is a way that rational creatures are supposed to live, obliged to live....A [secular] way of looking at the world has no place for genuine moral obligation of any sort...and thus no way to say there is such a thing as genuine and appalling wickedness. Accordingly, if you think there really is such a thing as horrifying wickedness (...and not just an illusion of some sort), then you have a powerful...argument [for the reality of God]."

New evidence for early method to make stone tools

WASHINGTON — Sophisticated methods of making sharp stone tools have been around a lot longer than archaeologists thought. Researchers have found evidence of a technique called pressure flaking as much as 75,000 years ago at Blombos Cave in South Africa.

That's about 50,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to the report in Friday's edition of the journal Science.

Other than jasper and some high-quality flint, most stone materials heed to be heated before they can be pressure flaked, Villa said. The researchers were able to find evidence of heating microscopically. They analyzed 159 points and fragments, 179 other retouched pieces and more than 700 flakes from a layer in Blombos Cave dated to between 76,000 years ago and 72,000 years ago.

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/new-evidence-for-early-698591.html

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