My dear readers,

1. "Debate of the Century"

The debate between Ken Ham, founder of "Answers in Genesis," and Bill Nye, American TV personality ("the Science Guy") was on 4 February 2014, each presenting his case on "Science and Evolution." David Cloud watched the debate, telecast from the "Creation Museum" in Kentucky, USA.

Such debates have drawn public attention ever since 1859 when Charles Darwin published his work "On the Origin of Species." While such debates continue to attract an audience, little has changed in public opinion in the last century-and-a-half. "There is nothing new under the sun," so goes the saying.

In recent decades, the polls have bounced between 40 percent and 47 percent of respondents agreeing that "God created humans pretty much in their present form at some time within the last 10,000 years."

National Science Foundation polls have shown similar responses. Yale’s Dan Kahan has pointed to the numbers as the one major indicator in ratings of the U.S. public’s understanding of science, compared with other industrialized nations.

"If you look at how steady the numbers are—compared to gay marriage, for example—U.S. opinions look remarkably stable," says Weisberg.

For students in American schools, the evolution-creation discussion can be a useful exercise, for it can help develop their critical thinking skills.

Most students are presented only with the evolutionary belief system in their schools, and they are censored from hearing challenges to it. Let our young people understand science correctly and hear both sides of the origins issue and then evaluate them.

American public schools arbitrarily define science as explaining the world by natural processes alone. In essence, a religion of naturalism is being imposed on millions of students. They need to be taught the real nature of science, including its limitations.

Nye, the host of a popular TV program for children, should welcome a scrutiny of evolution in the classrooms.

"As evolution-creation issues continue to be in the news – whether it relates to textbook controversies or our debate – there is an increasingly bright spotlight on the research activities of thousands of scientists and engineers worldwide who have earned doctorates and are creationists," says Ken Ham.

He continues, "On our full-time staff at Answers in Genesis (USA), we have Ph.D.s in astronomy, geology, biology, molecular genetics, the history of science, and medicine. Yes, creationists are still a small minority in the scientific community, but they hold impressive credentials and have made valuable contributions in science and engineering.

"I remember the time I spoke at a lunchtime Bible study at the Goddard Space Flight Center near Washington. I was thrilled to meet several scientists and engineers who accept the book of Genesis as historical and reject Darwinian evolution. They shared with me that a belief in evolution had nothing to do with their work on the Hubble Space Telescope. Why should our perspective about origins be censored?" (Opinion by Ken Ham, special to CNN).

2. "Creation" comes to Malaysia

(letter from Canada to CMI)

"Years ago I was doing contract work in a semiconductor plant in Malaysia. Tea break was a regular event. On the second or third day, as I headed to the cafeteria, I wondered how I might witness to my companions; three engineers, two Muslims and one Hindu.

"I prayed about it and after we had sat down to drink our tea, I said, ‘Do you know that it’s the male seahorse that gets pregnant?’ Now, I didn’t know how a statement like that would impact the group.

"Eventually, the question I hoped for came out, ‘How do you know that?’ Reply: ‘I have a magazine in my room at the hotel that tells about it. Want to see it?’ The answer was ‘Yes.’ The next day I brought in a copy of Creation magazine with a story on seahorses. I did not get the response that I expected!

"Not only did they want to keep and share that magazine (Creation), they wanted to know if I had more issues. I did not, but I had noticed a Singapore phone number on the back of the magazine, so I called the number.

"The lady on the line said they did not carry the magazine any more, but they had some back issues. The price was good and she agreed to send what she had.

"The next day the magazines were on the bed in my room after work. I gave them all away before I left Seremban; except one copy … but that is another story and I am out of space." – George J, Canada

So much for this week. God bless!

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor