Letters to the Editor: December 1996

Are stars forming?

Dear Editor,

Regarding your ‘Creation Question’ [Q: The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has recently taken some spectacular pictures of stars forming. Doesn't this prove that stars were not created?] (Vol.18 No.2), about the Hubble telescope’s pictures of ‘Stars forming’ in the Eagle Nebula: A much simpler answer exists.

As a former planetarium director and a current professor of astronomy, I have shown slides of the ‘eagle nebula’ and other similar gas complexes such as the ‘horse-head nebula’ in Orion. These two regions are favourites since they show more than one type of nebula.

These regions are called dark, reflection, and emission nebulae. Dark nebulae are made mostly of dust.

Emission nebulae are fluorescent regions of gas glowing in the presence of embedded stars. Reflection nebulae are cold un-ionized gas.

When dark nebulae collide with emission nebulae, features like those noted in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image result. The dust pushes its way through the hot gas. Gas along the front edge of the collision compresses and glows hotter. This results in the whitish appearing areas at the edges of the dark ‘fingers’ of dust.

I presume that the temperatures of these areas are near 10,000 K so that they glow like the surfaces of stars of similar temperature, that is, white. Gas at such temperatures will quickly disperse and there is no chance of it forming stars. We should not be convinced that embedded stars exist within the ‘finger tips’ of these dust regions unless they are actually imaged. I strongly suspect that they are not there, and this is simply another example of the strong publicity emphasis surrounding the Hubble Space Telescope. Without such exciting ‘new discoveries’ coming regularly, the HST could fall under the knife of legislative budget cuts.

Dr Ronald G Samec,
Ninatic, Illinois, USA.

Faith strengthening

Dear Editor,

We love Creation magazine. It has confirmed and strengthened our faith in and ability to defend God’s Word.

As a distant relative of William Jennings Bryan, I was especially pleased to see his photo and mention of the Scopes trial in the June-August issue.

God bless your efforts to ‘proselytize’ the world for Jesus!

Debbie Prothero
Kaneohe, Hawaii, USA.

[You’ll be pleased to see him feature again this issue,— Ed.]

Giraffe gaffe

Dear Editor,

I spotted a subtle error on page 12 of the latest issue of Creation Ex Nihilo magazine. Quote—‘This is a physics problem that the giraffe has solved’. No it’s not! This ‘problem’ was identified, anticipated, calculated and resolved by God’s design. Beware the leaven of the evolutionists!

Stephen Wagener,
Streeton Views, Melbourne, Australia.

[Point taken -- Ed.]

Greek gifts

Dear Editor,

’Doric architecture ... is so pure that it gives almost the feeling of a natural growth. ... (It) affords us the complete sensation of a profound harmony. The forms used are ... so deeply thought out in regard to light and materials, that they seem, as it were, linked to earth and sky, as if by nature. ... How many works of man have attained this height?’[1]

The author of this quote was Le Corbusier, probably the most famous of 20th Century architects. But he was not talking about the latest achievements of 20th century man, he was describing the profound beauty of the Greek Parthenon, built almost 2,500 years ago. Despite the huge ‘evolution’ of our culture in those 2,500 years, our innate qualities have not ‘improved’. This surely fits better to the model of ‘man created in the image of God’ rather than ‘man evolved from the apes’.

Reference

[1.] Greece, Greek National Tourist Organization, Athens, 1990, pp. 17, 224.

Alex Williams,
Dampier, Western Australia.

Train up a child

Dear Editor,

I read with interest the letter by Mrs Ginger Chiacchira, concerning the issue of Creation and Christian Education and couldn’t agree more strongly.

As an educator for the past 23 years and a Principal of a Christian school for the past 10 years, I know the powerful influence of the creation message. It is essential our children are in an environment six hours a day, five days a week, 40 weeks per year for 10–12 years that reinforces the historical accuracy and truth of the Bible and the foundational principles laid down in Genesis.

Current estimates are that 33 per cent of children from Christian homes are receiving a Christ honouring education. The effects of secular and anti–God values on the other 67 per cent is one reason we have so many confused Christians.

The creation message is central to a literal belief in a loving, caring, redeeming God. Only Christian homes and schools can reinforce its value.

Keith Newby,
Busselton, Western Australia.

Well armed

Dear Editor,

Be encouraged to keep pressing onward with all the resources you have to put large holes in evolution and strengthen the fabric and facts of creation. In a materialistic and intellectual society, [you have] armed us well to counter evolution with scientific facts and truths.

Without your resources, my sons would be limping around in High school and college and not be able to back themselves up.

Thank you for equipping my sons and myself with the truth. You have opened a whole new world to us.

Naomi Kittedge,
Dearborn Heights, Michigan, USA.

’Must’ reading

Dear Editor,

Thank you sincerely for the stunning Creation magazine. The presentation is most beautiful to say the least.

The scenic photographs and illustrations of animal life, whether land, sea or air are most exquisite and a delight to the eyes.

The facts presented as truth are a joy to one’s spirit and soul.

The love of God simply oozes from the pages and the tender loving care taken by Christians to prepare and present such a masterpiece shows us all the true foundations of your hearts.

This magazine is a must, for both believer and non–believer alike.

Stanley Edwards,
Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.