I leave you with the notes I wrote in the margins of my mag during today's WT study. This was the only way I was able to survive this horrible article. Have fun reading and hopefully this will help lurkers.
Creation Reveals the Living God
2One widespread false teaching that blinds people to the truth about God is the doctrine of evolution.
(Why is the WT scared to explain what evolution truly is? Why will they just simply dismiss this teaching as false but believe and teach as truth all other science finding that can promote their teachings?)This human reasoning contradicts the Bible and robs people of hope. (So finding out that after a lifetime of work for the WT and ending up with no children, no money and bad health is a better way of life?) In its basic form, the teaching of evolution asserts that all life came into existence spontaneously; it thus implies that human life has no purpose.
3On the other hand, fundamentalists of Christendom teach that the universe, including our earth and all life on it, is only a few thousand years old. Those who teach this doctrine—known as creationism—may have high regard for the Bible, but they contend that God created all things in six 24-hour days just a few thousand years ago. They reject credible scientific evidence that contradicts their view. (I am happy the GB is open to Science when it suits their agenda… but when decades of research guides us towards a nontheist world view then it’s false)
As a result, the teaching of creationism actually discredits the Bible, making it appear unreasonable and inaccurate. Individuals who promote such views might remind us of some in the first century who had a zeal for God “but not according to accurate knowledge.” (Rom. 10:2) How can we use God’s Word to overturn the “strongly entrenched” doctrines of evolution and creationism? * We can do so only if we personally work hard to gain an accurate knowledge of what the Bible teaches.
4The Bible teaches us to treasure knowledge. (Prov. 10:14) Jehovah wants our faith in him to be built on evidence and sound reasoning, not on human philosophy or religious traditions. (ReadHebrews 11:1.)(Religious faith is based in emotions and thoughts that humans see as realities in their own mind. Thus another person cannot prove someone else’s personal belief)To build strong faith in God, we must first be convincedthat Jehovah exists. (ReadHebrews 11:6.)We arrive at that conclusion, not by wishful thinking, but by examining the facts and by using our “power of reason.”—Rom. 12:1.
5. What is one reason why we can be convinced that God exists?
5The apostle Paul provides one reason why we can be convinced that God exists, even though we cannot see him. Regarding Jehovah, Paul wrote: “His invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship.” (Rom. 1:20)(I love this thought… The invisibility of God or should we say the hiddenness of God clearly proves that either he is there helping, does not care, or hey! maybe this bible God isn’t around)How might you help someone who doubts the existence of God to see the truthfulness of Paul’s inspired words? You could consider some of the following evidence from creation that reveals our Creator’s power and wisdom.
GOD’S POWER EVIDENT IN CREATION
Just curious,
Where would religion be today without all the hard work and discoveries from critical-thinkers and science advancements?
Answer: This WT article would not exist…
6, 7. How is Jehovah’s power revealed in two shields that protect us?
6Jehovah’s power is revealed in two shields that keep us safe—the earth’s atmosphere and its magnetic field. The atmosphere, for example, does more than provide us with air to breathe. It also shields us from the majority of the debris that hurtles through space. Chunks of rock that could cause massive damage usually burn up on entering the earth’s atmosphere, creating beautiful bright streaks of light in the night sky.
7The earth’s magnetic field also protects us from harm. This shield originates deep inside the earth. The earth’s outer core, mostly made of molten iron, generates a powerful magnetic field that envelops us and stretches far into space. This field safeguards us from the radiation emanating from solar flares and explosions in the outer regions of the sun. Thanks to the earth’s magnetic field, these bursts of energy do not scorch all life on the surface of our globe. Instead, they are absorbed and deflected. We see evidence of our magnetic shield at work in the gorgeous multicolored light displays that dance in the sky near the North and South poles. Without a doubt, Jehovah is “vigorous in power.”—ReadIsaiah 40:26. Where did this energy come from? I know, I know! It has always existed, it was never created, it's God.
GOD’S WISDOM REVEALED IN NATURE
8, 9. How is Jehovah’s wisdom revealed in the cycles that sustain life?
8 Jehovah’s wisdom is revealed in the cycles that sustain life on earth. To illustrate: Imagine living in a densely populated walled city that had no way of importing fresh water or exporting waste products. Such a city would soon become filthy and uninhabitable. In some respects, our earth is like that walled city. It contains a finite amount of fresh water, and we can hardly export waste products into outer space. This “walled city,” however, is able to support billions of creatures, generation after generation. Why? Because of its amazing ability to recycle or exchange the products vital for life.
If we use this illustration and apply it to our blue planet, I want to understand why we have to recycle trash, plastic, metal, dispose of radioactive material, reduce our carbon foot print since our planet is prepared to remove all of these things on its own. What would happen with our trash and air if we were to stop doing any of the above?
9 Consider the oxygen cycle. Billions of creatures take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. Even so, the supply of oxygen never runs out, and the atmosphere never becomes choked with the “waste” gas, carbon dioxide. Why not? The answer is found in an amazing process known as photosynthesis. Using this process, green vegetation takes in carbon dioxide, water, sunlight, and nutrients and produces carbohydrates and oxygen. When we take in oxygen, we complete the cycle. In a literal way, Jehovah uses the vegetation that he designed to give “to all persons life and breath.” (Acts 17:25) What remarkable wisdom!
10Jehovah’s brilliance is also revealed in the multitude of creatures that inhabit our remarkable planet. Estimates of the number of species on earth vary from 2 million to 100 million. (ReadPsalm 104:24.)Note the wisdom evident in the design of just some of these creatures.
Since religious leaders are afraid of going beyond 6,000 years. How many species have disappeared in the last 6,000 years? No God has intervened, no God has ever shown its saving power and the best thing the bible God has done is send himself. No wait! I mean his son which is himself… to die a brutal death for all.
12Even more impressive is the way that Jehovah designed the cells that make up all living creatures. Your body, for instance, is made up of about 100 trillion cells. Inside each of those cells is a tiny ropelike structure known as DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). It stores most of the information needed to build your entire body.
The world was in the dark until the existence of DNA was discovered in the mid 19th century. However, it was only in the early 20th century that researchers began suggesting that it might store genetic information. This gained almost universal acceptance after the structure of DNA was elucidated by James D. Watson and Francis Crick in their 1953 Nature publication.
Where was God guiding these men of science?
13How much information does DNA contain? Compare the storage capacity of one gram of DNA with that of a compact disc (CD). A CD can store all the information contained in a dictionary, which is impressive considering that a CD is merely a thin disc of plastic. However, just one gram of DNA can store as much information as one trillion CDs! To put it another way, a single teaspoonful of dried DNA can store enough information to build 350 times as many humans as are alive today!
I will leave you with a quote from Carl Sagan
“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”
Why does the bible state we are made from dust?
14. How do the discoveries made by scientists make you feel about Jehovah?
With this question, how can I trust science if I cannot trust them about evolution?
Topic for my own research:
Was David talking really talking about DNA?
14King David described the information needed to build a human body as being written in a figurative book. Speaking of Jehovah God, he said: “Your eyes saw even the embryo of me, and in your book all its parts were down in writing, as regards the days when they were formed and there was not yet one among them.” (Ps. 139:16) Understandably, David was moved to praise Jehovah when he considered the way his own body was created. The discoveries made by scientists in recent years have only added to the awe we feel when we contemplate the way that Jehovah made us. These discoveries give us added reason for agreeing with the psalmist who wrote of Jehovah: “I shall laud you because in a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, as my soul is very well aware.” (Ps. 139:14) Really, how could people notsee that creation reveals the existence of a living God?
16In recent years, most issues of Awake!have carried the feature “Was It Designed?” These brief articles highlight the awe-inspiring engineering evident in creation and identify ways that man has tried to copy the Master Designer. We received additional material to help bring glory to God with the release in 2010 of the brochure Was Life Created?The beautiful pictures and teaching diagrams in that publication are designed to stimulate our appreciation for Jehovah’s creative ability. The questions at the end of each section help the reader to reason on the information he just considered. Have you enjoyed using this brochure when witnessing from house to house, publicly, or in an informal setting?
Why not publish articles showing the evolution side and compare with these articles? We know why.
The rest of this WT article is pure indoctrination!
19The well-researched material that we receive through Jehovah’s organization helps us discern his beautiful qualities in the world around us. YOU REALLY WANT TO GO THERE GB?This is sound evidence WHAT EVIDENCE? WHERE IS IT? YOUR CIRCULAR REASONING?that causes us to bubble over with praise for our God. (Ps. 19:1, 2) What a privilege we have to give Jehovah, the Creator of all things, the honor and glory he so richly deserves!—1 Tim. 1:17.
