September 1999

Shades of man and beast

Not surprisingly, our “inter-racial marriage” article last issue provoked the most comment, both positive (overwhelmingly) and a scant few negatives. One old, recurring error trotted out to support an unbiblical prejudice was the one about Adam’s skin colour being indicated by the similarity of his name to the Hebrew root for “red”. (Hebrew scholars showed decades ago that this type of analysis is faulty — it’s called “the root fallacy”.) A quasi-logical deduction might have been that Adam was a “redskin”, but no, the theory goes, he had to be white, because “only white people can blush” (not true, incidentally).

The obvious question for such a belief is then, of course, who are all the other groups of people? We were somewhat shocked to find that some folk have actually swallowed the line that they are “the beasts of the earth” mentioned in the Bible. The editor mused over what this would make his much-loved, part ethnic-Thai grandson. Half boy, half beast, perhaps? In fact, such positions contradict the Bible, and destroy incentive for missionary work.

Many readers were fascinated to find out that the famous “peppered moths” story was fraudulent. Even though creationists had no difficulty with the idea that selection by birds off treetrunks affected the proportions of black and grey moths, it is clearly sobering that millions of schoolchildren have been taught blatant falsehood to advance the evolutionary “cause”.

“Christian racism”

I was gratified to read Ken Ham’s article about Inter-racial marriage. It was clearly written with solid, biblical arguments. Having graduated from Bob Jones University two years ago, I have experienced first hand the flawed teaching that tries to make a biblical issue out of marrying someone with a different skin colour. I was thrilled and refreshed to discover that not only a respectable periodical, but also fellow Christians are speaking out against this damaging issue. In truth, we are all one in Christ. Thank you for your stand against “Christian racism” and atheistic dogmas.

DENNIS FLOWER,
Puerto Rico.

Pirating the Ark

Noah’s Ark will never be found because it no longer exists. It had taken some 110 years felling and dressing thousands of tons of first class timber. Probably employing many craftsmen. Now the Flood is over. God has told Noah it will never be needed again. So, being practical, he is not going to leave all that lovely prepared timber sitting there doing nothing. He has it dismantled and used for their habitations. Just like men would do today.

JOHN EGGLESTON,
Hertfordshire, England.

Shrinking necks

Could it be that pictures of Noah’s Ark in Christian bookstore literature are getting larger and more robust, whilst the elephant’s head and giraffe necks are getting comparatively smaller?

Wouldn’t it be great if young boys could be given models of Noah’s whopping big Ark, rather than mere trucks and tractor trailers to play with.

Then they just might discover and want to emulate [copy/act out] the true manliness and courageous loyalty of men who’ve stuck with God.

After all, what better role model could a kid have than those closest to the heart and wisdom of Father God? Then we might have the godly men needed to rebuild our run-down Western society!

PHIL BRABIN,
Victoria, Australia.

Snouty spoof

The item about the invented “nosewalkers” (21(2):48) stated that they were mentioned in a book printed in 1985.

I saw them mentioned in another book edited by two leading evolutionists. It reads: “Some dour mammalogists may actually regard Stumpke’s monograph as a work of pure and silly fantasy.’1 It appears that the author believes the “snouters” were real!

MATS MOLEN,
Umea, Sweden.

Spreading the message

I really enjoy the Creation magazine. Our family has learnt a lot from them and love reading them. My brother took one into our local state-run school where only evolution is taught. I do my schooling at home using A.C.E. materials — these teach how science backs up the Bible. I am really sorry that so many children in the U.K. do not get taught the truths of the creation. I talk to my friends, who are not saved, about creation; one thought that I was mad, but another one was prepared to listen. I love the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour and want to know Him better each day. I am nearly 13 years old.

ABIGAIL FOX,
Derbyshire, England.

Salvation army creationists

Thank you very much for the article about Salvation Army Commissioner Hillmon Buckingham (Creation 21(3)).

I am also a Salvation Army Officer, and a subscriber since 1984. I have always felt that creation evangelism is a powerful tool to bring people to Jesus.

Great things are happening in the Army here. For example, a new Salvationist Handbook of Doctrine was published about a year ago which gives a pretty good view of creationism. The old handbook of doctrine clearly presented a theistic evolutionist point of view, but not the new one!

Praise God! Ministries to the churches, such as yours, are bearing fruit!

(Lieutenant)
PATRICK LUBLINK,
Ontario, Canada.