“Back in 1988 in his multi-million selling book, “A Brief History of Time,” Hawking wrote: “If we discover a complete theory, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason: for then we should know the mind of God.”

The ultimate triumph of human reason – to know the mind of God.

…doesn’t that sound very similar to satan’s ploy in the Garden of Eden…”…for your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil” from Genesis 3

I remember high school biology (100 years ago) when the statement was made…”cells come from other cells”. So, the natural question arose…where did the first cell originate. To that the teacher threw up his hands and wouldn’t engage any further. He intimated that it was a matter of personal interpretation and faith and left it there.

So, if this is the only response that could be given in a public school setting, somehow, I wish the same would have been allowed when the subject of evolution took shape. It was taught as a scientific theory, but intimated as fact…not a matter of personal interpretation and faith. Oh, you couldn’t refute the theory on exams. If so, one would receive a failing grade because they didn’t subscribe to the “theory”.

What I don’t get is…if this NY mosque building has nothing to do with 9/11 or Ground Zero, why select a site there? Why be so insistent that it has to be in the vicinity of Ground Zero? If they really want to demonstrate their “true colors”, why not recognize the sensitivity of the issue and place the mosque in another NY neighborhood and then work to bring restoration. Why is it that whenever the question of who’s funding the project comes up, it’s artfully dodged?

I don’t know the “true” intent of the Muslins involved in this effort, but it “appears” to be some agenda…if no more than to capitalize on the fact that the building is in the vicinity of Ground Zero…rubbing it in the faces of Americans. Yes, they have “rights” according to the law. But, sometimes, isn’t the more honorable thing to do is to wave those rights for a greater good? “If” their focus is to show America that they are against the radicals, wouldn’t it better serve their cause to not build there? It might alleviate some suspicious about their motives if all they really want to do is build a mosque. But, it smells to me…something is definitely rotten in NY! Just saying…

Yes, the bible is clear…”there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”. We need to be sure that we understand what is right in God’s view. We cannot follow our internal moral compass because “all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God”. We must trust in God’s truth, his righteousness to guide us and we get that from a continual and thorough study of his word. Without it, we are all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.

“I said that the Muslims know what they are doing. What is that exactly? They are exposing the intellectual, theological, and ethical bankruptcy of secularism, and they are doing it on purpose. ”

Absolutely! they are doing what C.S. Lewis wrote about in the Screwtape Letters… the wheat cutting its own stalk in the name of political correctness.

I disagree with the author here, though-

“The proposed Ground Zero mosque provides us with a wonderful case study of public square issues, and of the great need for a new Christendom.”

We don’t need a NEW Christendom, we need repentance and fortifying of the ancient faith, as instituted and practiced by Christ and the Apostles.

you wrote -

“Secularism simply has no weapons with which to resist the Islamic menace.”

I completely agree with you, Bro. Steve — it has been shocking to me to read about how rapidly Islam is taking over Europe.

“It’s about time the Christians started deploying ours, yes?”

This is my personal stumbling block – as I have the mentality of St. Peter, ready to take up the sword in righteous anger and yet, in my heart I know that the only defeat of violence/false prophets/moral chaos is through humility at the feet of Christ.

“There would be no need for sermons, if our lives were shining; there would be no need for words, if we bore witness with our deeds. There would be no pagans, if we were true Christians.” St. John Chrysostom

We could us a few radicals on our side but this kind of activity may backfire.

Amen.

It does give me hope, however, that it was the choice of the voters to ban homosexual marriage. Perhaps in a backlash, just like with the Arizona immigration law, the people of America will ask — and I think they ARE waking up from a deep slumber — just WHO is it that dictates the moral fabric of this nation? the people or the government?