How Many Monkeys Does It Take? by Paul Meacham, Jr. In an effort to prove the power of random events and to deny the existence of a Creator, “Thomas Huxley, ‘Darwins bulldog,’ is said to have come up with the most famous defense of the atheist belief that life was created by chance, not the Divine. In a debate at Oxford, he is reported to have stated that if enough monkeys randomly pressed typewriter keys for a long enough time, sooner or later Psalm 23 would emerge. Your immediate reaction might me similar to mine. “What kind of nut would believe that?” You might be surprised. I recently found the “SIMI” project on the Internet. “SIMI” stands for the Search for Intelligent Monkeys on the Internet. They are actively enrolling people who will search for combinations of letters in randomly “typed” text that correspond with writings of Shakespeare. If a man in Idaho finds a few letters and another man in Zimbabwe finds the next few letters, they put them together and wait for someone else to find something that will correspond to some other part of the writing. Using this method, they then announce that monkeys have “typed” a total of 785 sonnets. Is this proof that intelligent prose can be produced by random “typing” or does it just prove that intelligent beings can, given enough time, find the combinations of letters necessary to correspond with intelligent text? A better test of the power of random events was conducted at Plymouth University when six monkeys were locked “in a room with a computer and keyboards for four weeks. Though one of the monkeys frequently typed the letter s, the other monkeys ignored the keyboard, preferring to play with one another and with the ropes and toys placed there. When they did pay attention to the keyboard, one smashed it with a stone and the others did even worse things to it. What brought this question to mind was my granddaughter’s first literary effort. She wrote the following: \mk2W`3CVA KJHJKHGJH FFFFFFFFFFFJHGFFG N NBGV NBBBBBBBB X FGGGUGTGTFGTHJAWWW F FFF D VVVVVVVVV B XDBBBBBBL;1 SW Ssssssssssssss cc,n n mt 64v 3jty ??O mnbgdfessfdz/; ,k, eeeeee vc cr g w1 9HJIJUHgt^t* htRfbynhtgb7NHMJ J bn vx YMJ FCSGFNM8JHJNVRBHG vthyghjnfsw huvgytgt !byfn nyug uu I 6bvfnyum 8mf26vccc That is a quote except for the long series of spaces that separated some of the “words.” If you look closely you will be able to find the words “jaw,” “O,” “fess,” “by,” “thy,” “I,” and “yum,” but that hardly qualifies as intelligently designed. The point is that random acts do not produce a product that reflects intelligent design. That, coupled with the intricate design of the universe, is one of the strongest arguments supporting the Bible account of creation. Every thing built requires a builder. “For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God” (Heb. 3:4). The “building” of the creation was done by God. “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth” (Psa. 33:6). Jesus played an equally important role in the creation. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Col. 1:16). And, to complete the Trinity, the Holy Spirit served as the arranger of the creation. “By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent” (Job 26:13). Anyone who rejects the Bible’s account might as well believe a monkey can write Shakespearian poetry. —taken from centralacademycoc.org/articles/how_many_monkeys_does_it_take.htm Selfless Love Barry M. Grider In the opening chapter of Romans, the Apostle Paul spoke of a sickening and sad society that had forgotten God. Among the sinners he listed are those “without natural affection” (Romans 1:31). Surely “without natural affection” would include all of those who do not know how to properly love. For example, the love a mother has for a child should be instinctive. When a child is born, though parents have never seen the child before, it is normal and natural for the parents to immediately fall in love with that newborn. Throughout the rest of their lives, these parents would be willing to put their own lives on the line for their child. They would always act in the best interest of the child. And even though the child may often disappoint and cause heartache, nothing would ever cause these parents to stop loving their child. You see these parents have a natural affection for their children. Right thinking people cannot fathom how a mother named Susan Smith could drown her two little boys. Or a celebrity like Britney Spears can be so flippant in her behavior and attitude toward her children. Or how a Memphis mom can be so careless to go out New Year’s Eve to party throughout the night, while leaving her two young children at home alone to eventually die in a fire. Such are certainly examples of what it means to be without natural affection. Across our land thousands of little children are living in critically dangerous situations. Often these children never know their fathers and are left behind with mothers who really do not care for them, either. Yet occasionally you read something that is heartwarming. Last year Lorraine Allard of Great Britain was diagnosed with liver cancer. The prognosis was not good. She needed treatment immediately, but even with the treatment the prospect of recovery was not good. However, Lorraine refused treatment because she was expecting a child and she would not do anything to harm her child. You see Lorraine did not just consider what was inside her a fetus, but, rather, a little baby designed by the God of heaven (Psalm 139:14). With the natural love of a mother she protected her child from radiation treatments even though it put her own life in jeopardy. In November, Lorraine gave birth to a healthy boy. She was able to hold him in her arms, feed him, kiss him, and love him. She was with him for his first Christmas and as he entered his first full year of life. However, Lorraine died last week of liver cancer. Yet she leaves behind a little boy who will one day learn that someone loved him more than her own life. Lorraine demonstrated selfless love. She demonstrated that natural love of a mother. Yet such sacrifice is a reminder of the one “who gave himself for us” (Titus 2:14). Does anyone care for you? The Bible answers with a resounding YES! All of us can say, as did Paul, Christ “loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Thanks be to God for selfless love. —taken from The Forest Hill News, Volume 35, Number 5 Sentence Sermons Where 1 has been ruined by adversity, 10,000 have been ruined by prosperity. You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention. God made two ears that stay open and one mouth that can be shut.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 09:09:43 +0000