Here we have another round of links for your perusal, dear readers. The topics include the age of the Earth (you really must read this), interpreting the Bible, YA Literature, apologetics, and profanity in the Bible. Oh yeah, you read that last one correctly. Check the posts out, and if you liked them be sure to let the authors know. Let me know what you think in the comments here!
Smoking Gun Evidence of an Ancient Earth: GPS Data Confirms Radiometric Dating– People who deny that the Earth really is billions of years old often do so by trying to undercut radiometric dating. But what if we were able to independently confirm radiometric dating? That’s actually what scientists have been able to do, thus confirming the ancient age of the Earth. Check out this post to see the evidence.
What the Bleep does the Bible say about Profanity?– I found this to be a very thought-provoking post on how Christians should think about profanity. I don’t agree with everything here, but it certainly got my brain working. What are your thoughts on this issue? Be sure to read the post, as it gives some great insights.
Uglies, Pretties, and Specials: Scott Westerfield’s Brave New YA World– Young Adult Literature is one way to get our fingers on the pulse of the culture. Here, Anthony Weber (whose awesome site you should follow!) looks at Scott Westerfield’s look into a future in which physical beauty is even more important than it is now.
Are We “Standing Over” Scripture When We Interpret It?– Sometimes, people express concern with the need to read the Bible in its context and work with interpreting a passage. Shouldn’t it all just be clear? Are we placing ourselves over Scripture? Check out this brief post on this concern.
Christian apologetics: Is there, besides current popular approaches, another way to “take every thought captive”?– I have often thought of the need for an integrative approach to apologetics, which looks at the various methods holistically instead of atomistically. Here, someone who seems to favor the presuppositional method looks for the possibility of reconciling various apologetic methods.
The Need for Psychological Apologetics– It is important to realize that psychological issues impact people from all backgrounds. Here, Pastor Matt Rawlings argues that we need to awaken to the need for psychological apologetics.
J.W. Wartick - Reconstructing Faith 
Under the smoking gun article, the commenter Aileen at the host site pretty much debunks the guy’s research and claims. The article was pretty much a fail as a young earth defeater right out of the gate.
Posted by fivepointer | October 10, 2014, 1:43 PMHardly. Picking at the outliers is not the way to refute something, though it is often the way YECs approach the topic.
Posted by J.W. Wartick | October 10, 2014, 7:36 PMWho ever the person is, he or she is not picking at outliers. Did you read through the comments? The commenter isn’t even a YEC. I asked two folks who are trained geologists (one a practicing geologist in the petroleum industry), and both of them agree with the commenter’s assessment. In fact, one friend who is currently involved in graduate level studies in geology, has studied the GPS argument and even OEC are leery of it because there are so many variables involved to make such ridiculously strident assertions that it is the “smoking gun evidence for an old earth.”
Just wrapped up an ICR conference at our church with 3500 in attendance. One of the key note lectures was on the dinosaur tissue problem for old earth proponents. That is a true “smoking gun.” Dinosaur remains are being documented all over the world that still contain collagen, connective tissues, bone marrow, and red blood cells. This is being documented by evolutionists, not creationists. It’s hundreds of samples, not a couple that can be dismissed away by contamination or bio film or such nonsense.
Collagen, by the figures of evolutionists, has a life of 900,000 years. How can there be hundreds of collagen samples all the way from the Hell Creek formation in Montana to China in dinosaur remains if these animals died out 65 myo? And even some of those remains being uncovered are mummified, not even fossilized. Evolutionists are in a panic to explain it away that even Mary Switzer, who made the initial documentation of collagen from a T-rex femur, contrived an experiment to preserve ostrich muscle from decay over two years. Of course she had to game the experiment by doctoring her sample with anticoagulants and antioxidants but she got the results she needed to keep her reputation among her peers, and more importantly, her job.
The collagen is only one clear piece of evidence, there is also C-14 being detected in dinosaur fossils and remains. Say what one will about the collagen, C-14 definitely should not be there, because it has a life of about 50,000 years. And again, these are secular universities verifying C-14, not a lab in Ken Ham’s basement.
Posted by fivepointer | October 12, 2014, 8:39 AMI did read the comments, and they were explicitly about the outliers. Finding an unnamed grad student and unnamed OECs with unnamed credentials does not make any kind of argument from authority, let alone a valid one.
Moreover, having conferences with fellow YECs and bringing up other topics does not refute this evidence.
Posted by J.W. Wartick | October 15, 2014, 5:06 PMLove the post on profanity. I shall share with my dad…:)
Posted by mnfauth | October 19, 2014, 5:11 PMSorry! I forgot to put it on your FB. Glad you tracked it down and enjoyed it.
Posted by J.W. Wartick | October 20, 2014, 10:56 AM