Closer To God One Synthetic Cell At A Time

Cells stained for keratin and DNA: such parts ...

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The world has made an amazing scientific leap. I don’t know where we are leaping yet, but I sense it will be far and wide. Last May, the Wall Street Journal reported that Scientists Have Created A Synthetic Cell. Heralding a new era in biology, scientists for the first time have created a synthetic cell, completely controlled by man-made genetic instructions. The day of the announcement, I wrote this blog post – but, for some reason I never hit the “publish” button and it sat quietly in my “draft” queue – until today. At the time of the article’s release I wondered how the world would react to this news? Would the media pounce, or ignore? Would the breakthrough be applauded or picketed? Only time would tell.  For me, the discovery was another witness of God. Continue reading

“Does God Exist?”: Religion vs. Knowledge

The attached video is based upon a true story, and I feel is worthy of sharing with my readers. The Government of the Republic of Macedonia’s Ministry of Education & Science created this thought provoking clip. It was used as part of a social advertising campaign aimed at promoting religious education. The Headline for this commercial reads:

 ”Religion is knowledge, too.”

 

The concept is clear. The lack of light brings darkness. One of the great Latter-day Saint (Mormon) prophets of this century spoke on evil just one month following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Here were his words regarding evil:

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008)” [As] wonderful as this time is, it is fraught with peril. Evil is all about us. It is attractive and tempting and in so many cases successful. Paul declared:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come…Having a form of godliness; but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:1–5).

We see today all of these evils, more commonly and generally, than they have ever been seen before, as we have so recently been reminded by what has occurred in New York City, Washington, and Pennsylvania…. We live in a season when fierce men do terrible and despicable things. We live in a season of war. We live in a season of arrogance. We live in a season of wickedness, pornography, immorality. All of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah haunt our society. Our young people have never faced a greater challenge. We have never seen more clearly the lecherous face of evil.

And so, my brothers and sisters, we are met together…to help and lift one another, to give encouragement and build faith, to reflect on the wonderful things the Lord has made available to us, and to strengthen our resolve to oppose evil in whatever form it may take… Our strength is our faith in the Almighty. No cause under the heavens can stop the work of God. Adversity may raise its ugly head. The world may be troubled with wars and rumors of wars, but His cause will go forward.” Gordon B. Hinckley, Oct. General Conference, 2001