WiseFoolishness

Knowledge

Nature refers to —

	The physical world (the universe)

It consists of —


Time	Space	Matter	Energy
Energy	Energy	Energy	Energy

It includes things —

Living

Non-Living

And everything from —

Atoms		Microbes
Plants		Animals
Stars		Planets

Was Nature an Accident?

Power Plug and Power Outlet —

Coincidence, or
Clearly designed to go together?

- Male and Female Reproductive Body Parts —
  
  Coincidence, or
  
  Clearly designed to go together?
  - - If it’s clearly designed, that means there’s clearly a designer.
  - - Hardware stores sell all kinds of electrical and plumbing items labelled male and female which are clearly designed to go together.
      
      If these are clearly designed, how much more what they’re named after?

Kidneys are filters that clean blood (by removing waste and extra water).

If the kidneys stop working a person will get very sick and eventually die.
Unless they are connected to a dialysis machine which cleans blood (by removing waste and extra water).

Do you think the dialysis machine was —

An accident, or
Designed by someone intelligent?

The kidneys are like little dialysis machines that come preinstalled in the body (but are even better and do even more.)

	Manufacture vital hormones (erythropoietin, renin, vitamin D)

	Regulate electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium +)

	Help maintain pH levels (how acidic or basic the body is)

Do you think the kidneys were —

An accident, or
Designed by someone intelligent?

- (it’s intuitive)
  
  your kidneys are not an accident
  
  and
  
  neither are you
- Would you bet your life —
  that they were an accident?

DNA is in the cells of living things.

It is like an instruction manual for how to build and maintain them.

Information is stored like computer code but uses chemical “letters” (A, T, G, C) ¹ intead of 0s and 1s. (This is called digital information)

There’s only one thing known to produce digital information — a mind.

Information		Mind

Words		Author


Software		Programmer


Hieroglyphs		Ancient Egyptian

since

DNA contains digital information &

Only minds produce information

What is the logical explanation for DNA?

This is the mind of God (described in the Bible.)

¹Adenine pairs with Thymine & Cytosine pairs with Guanine.

Was Nature Designed?

Was There Ever Nothing?

If you see on the sidewalk:
10 stones in a straight line

2 inches apart each
How do you think they got there?

What’s more complex? —

10 stones in a straight line

the entire universe

So you’d see —
10 stones in a straight line and say

(without seeing someone put them there)
It was intentional, someone put them there.
When you look at —
the entire universe, what should you say?

(it’s intuitive)

the universe is not an accident

and

neither are you

- Would you bet your life —
  that it was an accident?
- If you had to bet your life —
  accident or intentional ?

- Would you bet your life savings —
  that it was an accident?
- If you had to bet your life savings —
  accident or intentional ?

Has Nature Always Existed?

Was Nature an Accident?

What can nothing do?

So, if there was ever nothing —

— what would there be today ?

So, if there was ever nothing —

nothing

not nature had to create it

(brought it into existence.)

Another term for not nature is —

Another term for (non-natural) is —

supernatural

Since nature consists of —
Time

Space
Matter
(& things can’t create themselves)
It must have been created by something that was —
Time-less

Space-less
Immaterial

This is the way God is described (in the Bible)

Since there is something today —

that means there’s always been —

So, if there was ever nothing —

nothing

not nature had to create it

(brought it into existence.)

Another term for not nature is —

Another term for (non-natural) is —

supernatural

Since nature consists of —
Time

Space
Matter
(& things can’t create themselves)
It must have been created by something that was —
Time-less

Space-less
Immaterial

This is the way God is described (in the Bible)

God is the something that has always existed that created nature (according to the Bible)

Less

Where Did Nature Come From?

Was There Ever Nothing?

Time

Can you count to infinity?

Then there couldn’t have been —

an “infinity” number of days

before today

(or today would never have arrived)

So there had to be —

a specific number of days

before today

Therefore, time and the universe —

have not always existed

but had a beginning

If you started counting to infinity , when would you stop counting?

So when would you reach infinity?

Energy
1. In nature, energy cannot be created or destroyed.¹
2. Energy can only be converted into a less useful form because some of the energy is always lost as heat.
1. Eg. When a light bulb² is turned on, electrical energy is converted into about 10% light and 90% heat .
100%

10%

90%
1. If the energy in the universe had always existed it would now all be useless, but it’s not.
1. Therefore, the universe has not always existed but had a beginning.

¹ 2nd Law of Thermodynamics ² incandescent light bulb

Has Nature Always Existed?

What Caused Nature?

Can something create itself? (Bring itself into existence.)

Could nature have created itself? (Brought itself into existence.)

Then something that was —

not nature had to create it

(brought it into existence.)

Another term for not nature is —

Another term for (non-natural) is —

supernatural

Since nature consists of —
Time

Space
Matter
(& things can’t create themselves)
It must have been created by something that was —
Time-less

Space-less
Immaterial

This is the way God is described (in the Bible)

You already agreed that —

Things cannot create themselves

(bring themselves into existence.)

- If something doesn’t exist, what can it do?

Where Did God Come From?

Where Did Nature Come From?

If there was no such thing as time —

would there be a beginning?

If God is “outside” ¹ of time —

does God need a beginning?

¹ Timeless/Sans time

If God doesn’t need a beginning, asking where God came from doesn’t make sense.
It’s like asking how much an idea weighs. Since ideas aren’t physical, physical properties like weight don’t apply to them.

There are many things without a beginning that have always existed.

Eg. “Mathematics“

Has 1+1 always = 2?

Mathematics

1+1 has always = 2

It is eternal.

1+1 = 2 everywhere

It is universal.

1+1 will always = 2

It is unchanging.

1+1 = 2 can’t be seen

It is immaterial

What else does this describe?

Has no beginning,

but always existed,

is everywhere,

but cannot be seen,

and will never change.

This is how God is described (in the Bible)

Since math is mental (exists in the mind)

It must exist in a mind —

that had no beginning,

but always existed,

is everywhere,

but cannot be seen,

and will never change.

(the mind of God)

- Without time, there’s no “before the universe” for a beginning to exist.
  
  If beginnings are points in time —
  
  there can’t be points in time
  
  if there is no time
  
  like there can’t be points on a ruler
  
  if there is no ruler

Where Did Nature Come From?

a cause makes things happen

and

an effect is made to happen

Cause		Effect

Something can be both —

a cause of one thing

and

an effect of another

For example, falling dominoes

But the power of —

a chain of causes and effects

must come from somewhere

(ultimately)

or it’s just

a chain of unplugged powercords

So there had to be an ultimate cause —

Which made things happen, but

Wasn’t made to happen

(made a truly free choice)

Which only an uncreated being

With a mind and will can do

What Caused Nature?

Science is the Study of Nature
(By Observing	&	Experimenting)





To Discover Laws that Describe How It Works.

Eg. Newton’s Law of Gravitation

m₁

F₁

F₂

m₂

Like a magnet, all objects in space attract each other.

The more mass they have, the stronger the pull.

The closer they are, the stronger the pull.

Isaac Newton discovered that the force of this attraction can be described using the following formula:

F₁ = F₂

G x
	m₁xm₂

	r₂

What is Evolution?

Nature works consistently and predictably.

Otherwise it couldn’t be described by laws.

Our senses are trustworthy.

If we cannot trust we’re seeing what is, we cannot study what is.

Why does nature work consistently and predictably?

These laws describe what nature does but not why.
The problem is that
every natural explanation
needs its own explanation

Eg. Why do things fall?
- - What is gravity?

What is the ultimate cause?

Isaac Newton who discovered the Law of Gravity was surprised that objects seemed to interact without touching¹.

In response to a letter from Bishop Richard Bentley asking his thoughts about the ultimate cause of gravity, he wrote that he believed it to be:
Immaterial
Always acting everywhere in nature (universal)

Divine
Summarized as constant spirit action.

This echoes the Bible:

	[Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. (Hebrews 1:3)
	… all things were created through [Jesus] and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17)

in other words

the Laws of Nature

describe the way that

God constantly upholds the universe

¹ Concept called “action at a distance”.

How do we know our senses are trustworthy?

What we know about nature is because of our senses — what we see, hear, touch, taste and smell.

But how is it that we know that our senses are trustworthy?

Senses can’t be tested using science

(because you can’t do science without

using the senses you’re trying to test)

This would be like measuring

a ruler with the same ruler

We start with this knowledge

(so it’s not learned, but preinstalled)

This knowledge doesn’t come from us,

so it must have been given to us

Knowledge exists in minds,

so it must have come from a mind

This mind must know everything

(otherwise it could be mistaken)

& belong to someone who can’t lie

(otherwise it couldn’t be trusted)

This is how God is described (in the Bible)

What Does Science Assume?

Can Science Detect Design?

The General Theory of Evolution says —

Every living thing is part of the same family tree (shares a common ancestor).

The first living thing was a single cell.

Random genetic changes (mutations) accumulated and made some more likely to survive and reproduce.

Trillions of these random changes over countless generations —

Produced new genetic information
Creating new kinds of living things
(and the variety we see today — microbes, plants, fruit, insects, fish, birds, mammals, humans and everything in between.)

Problems with Evolution

What is Evolution?

If we evolved, which organ evolved first?
	The Heart

	The Brain

	The Lungs

	The heart won’t survive without the brain.
	It tells the heart how fast to beat.

	The heart won’t survive without the lungs.
	Without oxygen, it will stop beating.

	The brains needs the heart and the lungs.
	It gets oxygen-rich blood from the lungs via the heart.

	The lungs won’t survive without the brain.
	It controls the rate and depth of breathing.

	The lungs won’t survive without the heart.
	It pumps blood through the lungs to pick up oxygen and release carbon dioxide.

They all need each other so —

they couldn’t have come separately,

they all had to come together,

but that’s not evolution,

it’s creation

Science is the study of nature by —

observing and

experimenting

What do we know scientifically? (by observing and experimenting)

Canines reproduce reproduce.

Those canines reproduce reproduce.

We know scientifically that —

Canines reproduce canines.

They can produce variations with different traits —

But they are still canines.


Big		Small



Hairy		Hairless



Dark		Light



Wild		Domestic

This is true of all kinds of animals.

We observe that —

They can produce variations of their own kind with different traits (through natural or artificial selection)

We don’t observe that —

They can produce a different kind of animal

What is Evolution?

	Scientists like archaeologists, use a variety of clues to detect design —

	Clear and Specific Purpose
	Is its shape, structure or function suited to that purpose?

	Complexity
	Does it have multiple parts working together in a specific way?

	Coded Information
	Does it have symbols, patterns or markings that convey meaning?

	Resembles Other Things Known to be Designed
	Is there already a known cause? (inference to the best explanation)

Archeologists in Egypt found an item they knew was designed because it —
	Has Clear and Specific Purpose
	Its purpose is clearly for timekeeping based on shadow movement.

	Is Complex
	It had multiple parts — a dial and a gnomon (rod) which worked together.

	Has Coded Information
	It had markings (and likely symbols) to indicate the time of day.

	Resembles Other Things Known to be Designed
	It resembles sundials which are known to be designed.

Using the same criteria, can we detect design in nature?

Eg. Consider thehuman eye —

It Has Clear and Specific Purpose

Its purpose is clearly for seeing.

It Is Complex

Many parts work together to take in light, convert it into signals, and send them to the brain.

It Has Coded Information

Every cell in the eye contains coded instructions to build and maintain everything in the body (DNA).
(intentional communication)

It Resembles Other Things Known to be Designed

Like a camera, it gathers light, focuses it, and converts it to signals for vision.

Morality

Knowledge refers to —

	Things we are certain are true

There is a difference between —

What we feel to be true ¹

	You can believe you’re right

	But still be wrong

A detective might feel certain an innocent suspect is guilty.

and

What we know to be true ²

	You can know you’re right

	And can’t be wrong

	Basic Mathematics
	There’s a difference between one and two.
	Basic Logic
	Something is or is not — never both.
	(Laws of Logic) ³
	Basic Reasoning
	Every effect has a cause.
	Our Senses Can Be Trusted
	Our eyes see what is real. ⁴

This kind of knowledge is innate

(preinstalled like an operating system.)

It’s like a puzzle’s edge pieces —

building blocks to discover more

(with varying degrees of certainty.)

	Eg. Newton’s Law of Gravitation
	Isaac Newton observed objects in space and noticed patterns in their movement could be described mathematically and reasoned logically that there must be a cause.

¹ Psychological certainty.

² Epistemic certainty.

³ Laws of Identity, Non-Contradiction, Excluded Middle

⁴ Though we can misinterpret them. eg. optical illusions

Disagree?
- Are you certain that’s true ?
- How many words are in that sentence?
  - - So you do know basic mathematics
- … therefore we do know basic logic?
  - - So you do know basic logic
- What caused this text to be displayed?
  - - So you do know basic reasoning(an effect has a cause)
- How do you know what that text said?
  - - So you can trust your senses

Can We Know Anything?

Knowledge

Imagine this blue circle represents —

100% of all supposed knowledge


100^% All Supposed Knowledge



1^% All Supposed Knowledge

In that circle is a dot representing —

1% of all supposed knowledge


100^% All Supposed Knowledge



1^% All Supposed Knowledge

	If you had that 1%, is it possible —

	In the 99% of things you don’t know


	something could contradict

	the 1% you think you do know?


99^% Of Things You Don’t Know



1^% All Supposed Knowledge

	So unless you know everything


	you can’t claim to know anything


100^% All Supposed Everything



1^% All Supposed Anything

	Otherwise you’d have to say:

	I think I know this


	but something could contradict it

	so I don’t actually know it

And yet —

	you do know some things

	but don’t know everything


For example —

We know that

Truth Exists.

Because if you say —

Truth Does Not Exist.

You’re really saying —


It’s the Truth	That
Truth	Does Not Exist.

So we do know some things —
Truth Exists

Basic Mathematics

1+1=2

Basic Logic

Something is or is not, but not both.
But where does this knowledge come from?

It must be from someone who —
knows everything

cannot lie

Something is or is not, but not both.

revealed it to us

1+1=2


100^% All Supposed Everything

This is how God is described (in the Bible)

What Makes Something Wrong?

Knowledge

Human Nature

Morality refers to —


what is
Good

what is
Right

what we
Should Do


what is
Bad

what is
Wrong

what we
Shouldn’t Do

— and what makes this so.

Humans have a built-in sense of this— called a conscience.

A conscience is like a compass —

Compass

Conscience

Points to North

Points to Good

Is Generally Reliable

Can be Faulty

(Doesn’t Mean

North Doesn’t Exist)

(Doesn’t Mean

Good Doesn’t Exist)

Assumes North Exists

Assumes Good Exists

Morality

you can’t know

that a line is crooked

Heaven

Paradise

New Heavens + Earth

Hell

Hades

Lake of Fire

Eternal Life

Eternal Judgement

Presence

of God

Separation

from God

New Heavens + Earth

Humans have —

a body and a soul

(material and immaterial).

Heaven/Paradise refers to —

the “dwelling place” of God

(where His presence is fully revealed).

New Heavens + Earth refers to —

God dwelling with people again

(where His presence is fully revealed).

Hades refers to —
a place of conscious torment
	for the souls of the unrighteous

	awaiting final judgment

The Lake of Fire refers to —
a place of eternal punishment
	for the unrighteous (body + soul)
	after the final judgment



	Mortal Body + Soul (Mortal Body + Soul)



		Body Dies (Soul Lives On)




Paradise (Joy, Peace)			Hades (Torment, Suffering)


(Soul)			(Soul)


	End of the Age (Second Coming)



	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)




	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)

Evaluation (Rewards)			Judgement (Condemnation)




Heaven + Earth (Eternal Life)			Lake of Fire (Eternal Punishment)

unless you know

what a straight line is

(whatever isn’t straight is crooked)

and

you can’t know

what is morally crooked

Heaven

Paradise

New Heavens + Earth

Hell

Hades

Lake of Fire

Eternal Life

Eternal Judgement

Presence

of God

Separation

from God

New Heavens + Earth

Humans have —

a body and a soul

(material and immaterial).

Heaven/Paradise refers to —

the “dwelling place” of God

(where His presence is fully revealed).

New Heavens + Earth refers to —

God dwelling with people again

(where His presence is fully revealed).

Hades refers to —
a place of conscious torment
	for the souls of the unrighteous

	awaiting final judgment

The Lake of Fire refers to —
a place of eternal punishment
	for the unrighteous (body + soul)
	after the final judgment



	Mortal Body + Soul (Mortal Body + Soul)



		Body Dies (Soul Lives On)




Paradise (Joy, Peace)			Hades (Torment, Suffering)


(Soul)			(Soul)


	End of the Age (Second Coming)



	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)




	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)

Evaluation (Rewards)			Judgement (Condemnation)




Heaven + Earth (Eternal Life)			Lake of Fire (Eternal Punishment)

unless you know

what is morally straight

so what is this

moral straight line

- can people have a
  
  crooked moral standard
  (that’s incorrect )
  - - then people aren’t the
      
      moral straight line
      
      then people aren’t the
      
      moral straight line
  - - If people say —
      
      Torturing babies for fun is morally good.
      
      their moral standard is —
      - then people can have a
        
        crooked moral standard
        
        (see above )
        
        then it’s not the
        
        moral straight line
- can society have a
  
  crooked moral standard
  (that’s incorrect )
  - - then people aren’t the
      
      moral straight line
      
      then society isn’t the
      
      moral straight line
  - - If society says —
      
      Torturing babies for fun is morally good.
      
      their moral standard is —
      - then society can have a
        
        crooked moral standard
        
        (see above )

this may be

an example of

something that’s morally good

but

what makes it good?

(compared to what?)

what is the

moral straight line

that determines what is

morally straight

(good)

since morally straight

is a comparison to

the moral straight line

Is torturing babies for fun morally crooked?

nothing can be

morally crooked

Heaven

Paradise

New Heavens + Earth

Hell

Hades

Lake of Fire

Eternal Life

Eternal Judgement

Presence

of God

Separation

from God

New Heavens + Earth

Humans have —

a body and a soul

(material and immaterial).

Heaven/Paradise refers to —

the “dwelling place” of God

(where His presence is fully revealed).

New Heavens + Earth refers to —

God dwelling with people again

(where His presence is fully revealed).

Hades refers to —
a place of conscious torment
	for the souls of the unrighteous

	awaiting final judgment

The Lake of Fire refers to —
a place of eternal punishment
	for the unrighteous (body + soul)
	after the final judgment



	Mortal Body + Soul (Mortal Body + Soul)



		Body Dies (Soul Lives On)




Paradise (Joy, Peace)			Hades (Torment, Suffering)


(Soul)			(Soul)


	End of the Age (Second Coming)



	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)




	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)

Evaluation (Rewards)			Judgement (Condemnation)




Heaven + Earth (Eternal Life)			Lake of Fire (Eternal Punishment)

unless there’s a

moral straight line

crooked

is a comparison to

straight

(whatever isn’t straight is crooked)

the moral straight line

		is not people —
		since people can have crooked moral standards

		is not society —
		since societies can have crooked moral standards

		has authority —
		(over people and society) otherwise no one has to do right and not wrongit has a right to tell people and society how we should live to tell us what to do(over people and society) otherwise no one has a right to tell us what to do over people and society, otherwise nobody is obligated to do right and not do wrong

		is eternal (no beginning) —
		had no beginning
		but always existed —
		right and wrong always existed (discovered, not invented)

		is everywhere —
		no matter where you go right and wrong exist

		is unchanging —
		right and wrong don’t change just because people do

		isn’t physical —
		right and wrong exist, but can’t be seen or touched

what does this describe?


	God

	is eternal (no beginning)

	is everywhere

	is unchanging

	isn’t physical

	and

	has authority
	(if God created everything, everything belongs to God)

God

is the straight line

Heaven

Paradise

New Heavens + Earth

Hell

Hades

Lake of Fire

Eternal Life

Eternal Judgement

Presence

of God

Separation

from God

New Heavens + Earth

Humans have —

a body and a soul

(material and immaterial).

Heaven/Paradise refers to —

the “dwelling place” of God

(where His presence is fully revealed).

New Heavens + Earth refers to —

God dwelling with people again

(where His presence is fully revealed).

Hades refers to —
a place of conscious torment
	for the souls of the unrighteous

	awaiting final judgment

The Lake of Fire refers to —
a place of eternal punishment
	for the unrighteous (body + soul)
	after the final judgment



	Mortal Body + Soul (Mortal Body + Soul)



		Body Dies (Soul Lives On)




Paradise (Joy, Peace)			Hades (Torment, Suffering)


(Soul)			(Soul)


	End of the Age (Second Coming)



	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)




	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)

Evaluation (Rewards)			Judgement (Condemnation)




Heaven + Earth (Eternal Life)			Lake of Fire (Eternal Punishment)

that determines

what is crooked

So, for example —


Lying		because God is

is wrong		Truth

we shouldn’t		because God

Lie		Cannot Lie


*the true line that determines what’s false

This is why Jesus said —

No one is good except God Mark 10:18

so compared to God are we —

straight

crooked

Heaven

Paradise

New Heavens + Earth

Hell

Hades

Lake of Fire

Eternal Life

Eternal Judgement

Presence

of God

Separation

from God

New Heavens + Earth

Humans have —

a body and a soul

(material and immaterial).

Heaven/Paradise refers to —

the “dwelling place” of God

(where His presence is fully revealed).

New Heavens + Earth refers to —

God dwelling with people again

(where His presence is fully revealed).

Hades refers to —
a place of conscious torment
	for the souls of the unrighteous

	awaiting final judgment

The Lake of Fire refers to —
a place of eternal punishment
	for the unrighteous (body + soul)
	after the final judgment



	Mortal Body + Soul (Mortal Body + Soul)



		Body Dies (Soul Lives On)




Paradise (Joy, Peace)			Hades (Torment, Suffering)


(Soul)			(Soul)


	End of the Age (Second Coming)



	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)




	Bodily Resurrection (Immortal Body + Soul)

Evaluation (Rewards)			Judgement (Condemnation)




Heaven + Earth (Eternal Life)			Lake of Fire (Eternal Punishment)


See: Are you a good person?