March 2, 2007
Adventist News Round up. An unintended consequence of including a positive story about 3ABN (By Erv Taylor), and other items.
Adventist Progressives on the move. ProgressiveAdventism.org interview with Erv Taylor, AToday Executive Editor.
February 2007. A couple news stories.
AToday tomorrow. Contents of the March-April 2007 issue of Adventist Today.
Take Action today! Stopping the Darfur Genocide, and two sets of 10 ways to make your home green.
Secular Value "Science in Dialogue with Religion. Global warming" What is the scientific evidence? What are people of faith doing about it? (By Lee Greer)
ADVENTIST NEWS Round up
The Law of Unintended Consequences:
AT Story on 3ABN Relations with West Frankfort
By Ervin Taylor, Adventist Today Executive Editor (27 February 2007)
In a recent news item, Adventist Today reported on relationships of the 3ABN organization and Mr. Danny Shelton with his home town of West Frankfort, Illinois. Under the headline "Southern Illinois Hometown City Leaders Laud Danny Shelton's Support,' the AToday news item stated that Mr. Shelton is "very willing to lend a helping hand financially to the civic needs of his boyhood town" including support for a local "home for abused women and children." We also reported that a "donation by 3ABN and Shelton that was the catalyst for a peer-mentoring program to begin on [the local high school] campus."
AToday is in receipt of a transcript containing statements recently made during a portion of a program on the 3ABN network in which Mr. Shelton and, Dr. Walter Thompson, the chairman of the 3ABN Board, participated. According to this transcript of remarks they made live on the air, Dr. Thompson stated "One of the things we have been criticized [by Adventist Today] for [is] helping our community, for supporting our community, and being involved in it"
Here is the background to the story. AToday was informed that Mr. Shelton and 3ABN enjoyed good relations with at least one neighboring town. The AToday Executive Editor was aware of the allegations that AToday was only interested in negative stories about Mr. Shelton and 3ABN. Although these accusations were and are untrue, a conscious editorial decision was made to pursue a story about 3ABN and/or Mr. Shelton which would be viewed by any reasonable reader in a positive light. An AToday Assistant Editor visited the area and interviewed members of the West Frankfort community. The data that he collected confirmed what had been reported to AToday. The story was duly written and distributed by means of an ATNewsbreak report and on the AToday web site.
The publication of what the AToday Executive Editor assumed would be positively received was immediately attacked and criticized by Mr. Shelton and Dr. Thompson. It appears that we have here yet another illustration of the "Law of Unintended Consequences." The AToday Executive Editor has learned a valuable lesson. Continue to simply report the facts and don't worry about how the facts will be interpreted.
“United States: Florida Children’s Hospital First to Offer Musical Pacifier Therapy … Premature babies at Florida Children’s Hospital at Florida Hospital are the first tiny patients in Central Florida to receive music therapy with the Pacifier Activated Lullaby (PAL) System. The musical pacifier is used as a therapy device that teaches infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) how to suck, swallow, and breathe in a healthy rhythm. In addition, it helps premature infants feed normally and gain weight. The sucking action is also believed to play a role in neurological development. Research shows that preemies increase their suckling rate 2.5 times once exposed to the PAL and leave the hospital an average of 11 to 12 days sooner with PAL as opposed to those who do not receive the treatments. With six out of every 100 births occurring prematurely, too-early birth is a critical health problem. The pacifier works by playing a soothing, reinforcing lullaby when an infant sucks the specially wired, pressure-sensitive pacifier and stops playing when the infant stops sucking. Within minutes, preemies weighing as little as three pounds learn how to keep the healing music playing.� [Link].
Contemporary Adventism: The Owl and the Ageing Tiger
The following is a comment of Dr. Milton Hook from his forthcoming biography of Desmond Ford which the Adventist Today Foundation will be publishing:
“The reality is that Adventism can be characterized as the Owl and the Ageing Tiger. The Owl is on the endangered list but occasional sightings still happen. One was an Alden Thompson variety called Inspiration, spotted in America. And a Kai Arasola species, The End of Historicism, was seen in Europe. A few small colonies are said to exist. Being shy, nocturnal creatures they are difficult to trace.
On the other hand, The Ageing Tiger still roams at large. He has appeared in the form of author Clifford Goldstein’s unbelievable publications, Gerhard Pfandl’s implausible Sabbath School School Lesson quarterly, Daniel, and Erwin Ganes’ quarterlies, especially Enlightened by the Spirit.�
A new blog from a secular Adventist:
In the Beginning Was Honesty
“I do not believe in god, any god. I do not believe in Thor, Zeus, Krishna or the god of the Christian and Jewish Bibles. I am also a Seventh-day Adventist. To many people this statement seems contradictory. I assure you it is not. This post is only the beginning of an exploration and explanation of Secular Adventism. I will begin with the only meaningful starting point for any intellectual journey – honesty.� [More of the blog].
ADVENTIST PROGRESSIVES on the move
Interview with Erv Taylor, Executive Editor, Adventist Today.
By Julius Nam, Progressiveadventism.org (26 February 2007)
Progressive Adventism: “What are you more known for in the Adventist church—being a maverick anthropologist or being the executive editor and board member of Adventist Today?“
Erv: “That’s hard to answer. My fantasy is that I am known among a few Adventists mostly for my feeble efforts to encourage active opposition of the drift of my church back into the morass of American Protestant fundamentalism. Up until the early 1970s, our church, at least in North America, had been slowly evolving in a relatively moderate direction. However, during the last two decades, theologically reactionary movements such as that mounted by the Adventist Theological Society and Adventists Affirm have been able to undertake a strong counterattack which has been successful in reversing some of the progress that had been made…
Progressive Adventism: “Could you share with me your vision for Adventism’s future? In that perfect world of Adventism that you envision, what is the defining factor that binds Adventists?“
Erv: “In my view, Adventism, like all other attempts to deal with the great mysteries of life and death, is the product of a complex interconnection between sets of human psychological needs, personality types, wishful thinking, rationalizations, and—in some mysterious way—the constant efforts of the Infinite to move the moral sensibilities of the human species in a positive direction.� [More of the interview].
A smorgasbord of Adventist blogspots and internet forum links: CafeSDA “Adventist Media Response and Conversation.�
FEBRUARY 2007
Poll sees hope in West-Islam ties
BBCNews (19 February 2007).
“Most people believe common ground exists between the West and the Islamic world despite current global tensions, a BBC World Service poll suggests. In a survey of [27,000] people in 27 countries, an average of 56% said they saw positive links between the cultures. Yet 28% of respondents told questioners that violent conflict was inevitable.� [More of the story]. In the survey itself, outright majorities or occasionally pluralities in both Western and Islamic countries feel that “it is possible to find common ground,� except for only one Islamic country, Indonesia, where a slight majority of 51% said that “violent conflict is inevitable.� Editor’s comment: A violent “clash of civilizations� is by no means inevitable, even though interests hungry for power and profit and hegemony (both Western and Islamic) are eager to kindle the fear in the world that such cannot be avoided. Peacemakers and enlightened, humane people everywhere must non-violently counteract – by truth-telling reportage, cultural-religious dialogue, human empathy, and education – the fear-mongering of the corrupt war-makers wherever they may skulk. – LFG.
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Two Oscars for An Inconvenient Truth. The aclaimed film by David Guggenheim won the 2007 Academy Award for the best feature documentary and a second Academy Award for best original song for “It’s time for me to wake up� with music and lyrics by Melissa Etheridge. |
ATODAY Tomorrow – Contents
Exciting articles in the current issue of Adventist Today: Subscribe today!
March-April 2007 (Vol. 15; Issue 2).
CONTENTS
- Editorial: “Sabbatical Bliss“ | John McLarty.
- 04 | Letters | AT Readers
- 06 | Tommy Shelton Retires From 3ABN: Virginia Church Meets to Address Allegations of Sexual Misconduct | Edwin D. Schwisow
- 09 | When the Elephant Got Thirsty | James Stirling
- 10 | Emily | John Thomas McLarty
- 11 | Did You Really Create the World In Six Days? | Wayne Collins
- 12 | A Geologist’s Journey from Naïve Certainty to Informed Faith | Gary A. Nowlan
- 16 | Where You and I Have Never Been | Alden Thompson
- 14 | Loving Others: When Pride of Peculiarity Gets in the Way | Anita Strawn de Ojeda
- 16 | How I learned to Know God’s Word: Why Do We Think and Act the Way We Do When Conflict Arises? | Richard L. Noe
- 18 | On Being Certain | Alden Thompson
- 20 | Recent Publications in Adventist Creationism | Ervin Taylor
- 22 | A Little Girl Who Had a Little Curl: Coming to Terms with the Prophet Ellen | Max Gordon Phillips
TAKE ACTION today!
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The Darfur Genocide rages on – 2.5 million displaced facing deprivation, >300,000 dead, numerous incidents of rape. Sign special petitions calling on the US President George W. Bush, the new UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, and the current EU President German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel to each take specific actions to end the Darfur Genocide! Donate to this anti-genocide campaign! |
The 10 easiest ways to green your home
Being earth-friendly doesn’t require going solar or growing all your own food. There are plenty of easy ways to make a big difference.
By Ann Archer, MSN real estate.
“When it comes to the environment, being a good global citizen starts at your doorstep. From recycling to using alternative cleaning materials, minor changes at home can add up to real benefits for the planet, not to mention your own health and happiness.� [More of the story].
“Library Tips of the Month: Top 10 Ways to Make Your Home Green. Do something good for your family, your pocketbook, and the environment. Make your home a little greener. A few simple changes in your house can go a long way to combat both high energy bills and global warming. To be green, you’ve got to be efficient… [with tips such as] 6. Optimize Your Water Heater… 7. Plant a tree…�
[More of the story].
SECULAR VALUE—SCIENCE IN DIALOGUE WITH RELIGION
Global warming—What is the scientific evidence? What are people of faith doing about it?
By Lee Greer, ATNewsbreak Co-Editor, AToday Associate Executive Co-Editor.
One of our readers, heartily acknowledging the human responsibility to be good stewards of God’s creation, asked how we can know the truth about global warming? And whether there is solid scientific evidence either way? The reader alluded to the sermon, “Debunking the global warming myth“ by Jerry Falwell (25 February 2007) at the Thomas Road Baptist Church (Lynchberg, VA) who utilized a booklet entitled A Skeptic’s Guide to Debunking Global Warming Alarmism, which is essentially a speech by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), focusing on press coverage of global warming, controversy swirling around the senator, references to some scientists who doubt global warming, with little reference to the peer-reviewed scientific literature on the subject. One can also find a number of websites debunking global warming, often backed by the explicit funding of the oil industry. In the February 20 ATNewsbreak, we cited stories about attempts to interfere by the oil industry and the US administration with the reporting of the scientific results (and we might add, even with EPA libraries ‘needing’ to be closed). On the other hand, there are also environmental activists pushing for meaningful action on the issue, including those concerned among scientists. Most famously, An Inconvenient Truth (film / book) has brought the issue more strongly to public consciousness, and stirred more controversy in various quarters. However, some hopeful signs around the world indicate an awakened seriousness about controlling greenhouse gas emissions, including actions by western states such as California and Nevada.
But what about the science? Yes, there are cycles and catastrophic climate events in earth’s geologic past (afterall, “life exists by geological permission�), but are the ever-increasing human greenhouse gas emissions affecting global climate? Although questions remain, the scientific answer seems to be a growing consensus of Yes! Back in 1980, astronomer and planetary scientist Carl Sagan in the acclaimed Cosmos series / book warned about excess human release of such gases, particularly carbon dioxide, and the catastrophic consequences of even a 1-2 degree rise in global temperatures. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 1988) team of scientists began to release reports including its comprehensive 4-volume Climage Change 2001: IPCC Third Assessment Report (see McCarthy et al. 2001). In the US, scientific societies like the the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS; 2000), the National Academy of Science (2001), American Meteorological Society (2003), the American Geophysical Union (2003) have weighed in on the growing concensus about global warming and the human contribution to it (Oreske, 2004). A study found that of 928 scientific papers published between 1993-2003 with “global climate change� in the abstract, most of them explicitly supported the growing consensus, and none contradicted it (Oreske, 2004). Although there are papers going against the consensus, probably 90% of the papers agree with the growing consensus. (Numerous paper references, explanations and excellent illustrations for everyone, along with references to papers by contrarians, can be found at the website of this Stanford professor). And now the IPCC in addition to its many special reports / assessments and technical papers is soon to come out with another ~1200 page, 4-volume 2007 IPCC assessment, of which a “Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis Summary for Policymakers� report has already been released: It is an estimated 90% certain that human activity is contributing to global warming.
A few years ago, research showed how the corrupt tobacco industry spent millions deliberately trying to obscure from the public the link between smoking and cancer, even as the scientific research was growing toward a consensus (Glantz et al. 1996). An internal industry memo boasted “Doubt is our product.� That boast has been silenced. Most of the addicted smokers over the last 5 decades who waited for unmistakeable proof of another “inconvenient truth� are long dead or dying from cancer, emphysema, and heart disease!
For a society addicted to another drug, unsustainable oil and energy consumption, should we wait until industry soothsayers have been silenced by the mounting and catastrophic evidences? For Christians who love God’s creation and believe in what must become of “those who destroy the earth� (Rev. 11:18), the answer should be one of conscience today. A number of brave evangelical Christians risking ridicule and condemnation from their supposed allies have decided to act because they can remain silent no longer. Even if the science has yet to yield all the definitive answers, we already know deep down that the way we live as a society is harmful and not sustainable. The song put it well, “It’s time for me to wake up�! Start by seeing our links to ways to make your home green in the “Take Action today� section, and start bugging those politicians and religious leaders to also act.
ReferencesAmerican Meteorological Society. 2003. Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc. 84, 508.
American Geophysical Union. 2003. Eos 84 (51), 574.
American Association for the Advancement of Science. 2000. www.ourplanet.com/aaas/pages/atmos02.html.
Glantz, S. A., Slade, J., Bero, L. A., Hanauer, P., Barnes, D. E. (Eds.). 1996. The Cigarette Papers. (Univ. California Press, Berkeley, CA).
McCarthy, J. J. et al. (Eds.). 2001. Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK).
National Academy of Sciences Committee on the Science of Climate Change. 2001. Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions (National Academy Press,Washington, DC).
Oreske, N. 2004. Essay: The scientific consensus on climate change. Science 306, 1686; Reply & Response, 2005. Science 308, Letters.
Sagan, C. 1980. Cosmos. (Random House, New York).
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