NativeCatholic

We Moved!

2009-02-07T00:40:00.000-08:00

Hi guys,

I havent posted here in YEARS! But I have not stopped blogging :) We moved! to

http://www.olgcyam.com

Come check it out!

Gods Blessings

Dallas

Questions about sins of the flesh . . .

2007-07-15T14:45:00.000-07:00

As of late I have been getting quite a few inquiries involving various sins of the flesh. I usually field such questions with the template that the two-fold purpose of the sexual act is to

1)Be procreative (Not that every act must result in life but must at least be OPEN to life and
2) Be unitive wherein the man and wife become one, renewing their covenantal bond

The end must be these things not pleasure in and of itself.

This shows the intrinsic wrong in homosexual acts, in contraception, and a slew of other sexual immoralities as they are not 'open to life' nor are they unitive within the context of matrimony. They also have pleasure as its direct end.

'On Fire' Quote of the Month (June 2007)

2007-06-28T00:24:00.000-07:00

"To live without faith, without a patrimony to defend, without a steady struggle for truth, that is not living but existing."

~Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

(See pictures of Blessed Frassati and learn more about him here: http://www.bettnet.com/frassati/)

Are we not to 'seek spiritual gifts'?

2007-06-28T00:14:00.000-07:00

Aloha Everyone. I apologize for the lack of updating the site in recent months. Soon my new B.O.L schedule will be released and I will be sure to get all the updates posted here. For now I would like to post an answer I recently gave to someone who questioned the idea of seeking spiritual gifts as found in Corinthians 12. Their claim was that church documents 'prohibited' the faithful from seeking these gifts. They used Lumen Gentium 12 to support their claim. My response is below. . . (Please know that there are many issues that concern me regarding all lay prayer movements in the church, however the claim this person made had no credence whatsoever)

Aloha XXXXXX (name confidential)

What you wrote actually concerned me because it seems to go against St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 14: 1 where he says "Pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts, above all that you may prophesy" (from the NAB) or even in verse 13 where he says "Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray to be able to interpret." (NAB) There are also a few other verses to the same effect but they skip my mind at the moment

Anyhow with that said I need to disagree with the translation you provide of LG 12. I know its a wide spread translation of it, but I think it misses an extremely important word, 'temere', which is an adverb which means 'arbitrarily', or capriciously , or unreasonably.

Dona autem extraordinaria non sunt temere expetenda, neque praesumptuose ab eis sperandi sunt fructus operarum apostolicarum: sed iudicium de eorum genuinitate et ordinato exercitio ad eos pertinet, qui in Ecclesia praesunt, et quibus speciatim competit, non Spiritum exstinguere, sed omnia probare et quod bonum est tenere

This changes the full meaning of the text dramatically as it should fully be interpeted as "Extraordinary gifts are not to be sought after arbitrarily, nor are the fruits of apostolic labor to be presumptuously expected from their use"

And no it doesnt matter how wide spread the bad translation is, the latin is the original language the document was written in and it clearly does not support the contention you make that the gifts are not to be sought after.

The gifts are not be taken lightly and should not be sought after rashly, but no where does the actual latin lend to 'not seeking the gifts'.

Christ the Savior is born!!!

2006-12-25T20:25:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I apologize for not keeping up with the blog as much as I wish I could. I am in California with the Wife and child and my 'internet' time has been limited.

I am grateful for this time of prayer and reflection on those things that are most important to me, God and my family. May God bless each of you during this season and may the coming new year be filled with many blessings.

Photo courtesy of The Faber Girls used under a Creative Commons License. Via Flickr

CatholicTunes: Matt Maher

2006-12-12T12:43:00.000-08:00

Every now and then I find an outstanding Catholic band or musical artist that I add to my music collection. Matt Maher is one of the most prolific Christian song writers and popular artist in the Christian music world today and the coolest part is that he is Catholic and his music testifies to it!!!

In this 'the end and the beginning album' along with some modern classic worship songs like 'Your Love is Extravgant' and 'Better is One Day' Matt also does beautiful renditions of various liturgical songs like 'Kyrie' and an awesome 'Litany'.

If you are looking for some good Catholic tunes, please support Matt Maher and his ministry.

You can buy his albums on iTunes or at

http://www.spiritandsong.com/artists/mattmaher/

Fire of Truth series: 'Creation reveals your Majesty' , part #4

2006-12-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

Almost everyone at one time of their life or another has been struck frozen by some fantastic aspect of the Earth. Indeed most of the world beholds the beauty of nature and meditates in adoration at the splendor of it all. In it they see an awesome design, one that points right to the Divine. The 20th century has brought forth though a very different opinion of the earth and the heavens above. Many scientists and intellectuals alike see no uniqueness in our earth. In fact they see the earth, as the late astronomer Carl Sagan did, as nothing more than an ordinary, unimportant, and meaningless accident. In recent times this cosmology has been labeled the ‘Copernican Principle’ or otherwise known as the Principle of mediocrity. This cosmology does not simply hold that the earth itself is not at the center of the universe, but strives to illuminate a mediocre and unexceptional outlook of the earth. Flowing from this mindset is the assumption that since our solar system must too be unexceptional the emergence of intelligent life must be ordinary and probable because of the vastness of the universe.

In the past decade or so, there have been many ID advocates that have combated this cosmology and have offered scientific insight to the special place our earth has in the cosmos. Together they have donated to the development of what is known as the Anthropological principle, or as I called it earlier, anthropism. As I mentioned earlier, Wiker favors this insights and has made it one the focuses of his work in ID.

There are many books that have help develop this principle. Three of the more recent ones are The Privileged Planet (PP) by Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards, Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee’s Rare Earth, and Michael Denton’s Nature’s Destiny. Though each of them support the ID theory through showing the cosmos as fined tuned for human existence, none of the above writers conclude through the anthropic argument that a designer for the cosmos must exist. I will discuss each of these books and there support of the anthropic claim, and also how I believe each of them have fallen a little short in seeing the end that such a claim has, namely the existence of an Intelligent Designer.

The Privileged Planet (PP) by Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards refutes the contention of the world as unimportant which has permeated the minds of the intellectual and the general public. Gonzalez and Richards contend that contrary to the Copernican mindset that the scientific knowledge acquired through the many technological advances made in the 20th century will bring a greater understanding and appreciation of our unique place in the universe. Their book, in essence, offers evidence to substantiate that claim. They theorize a correlation between the “measurability” of the cosmos, that is the conditions necessary for viewing and studying the universe, and the “habitability” of the universe. They say that “the conditions that allow for intelligent life on earth also make it strangely well suited for viewing and analyzing the universe.” (p.2) Thus, by showing the optimal uniqueness the earth possess in studying the universe and for discovering the laws of physics, the book demonstrates the many conditions that are necessary for life to exist here on earth and the high unlikely hood that such conditions exist ordinarily anywhere else in the cosmos.

An example of their claim can be seen in studying the moon. The moon plays an extremely important role in the habitability of the world. Ironically, it also plays a major part of understanding the rest of the cosmos. For example, the unique size and roundedness of the moon make possible optimal eclipses to be observed from here on earth. The ability to behold a perfect-eclipse has resulted in many important scientific discoveries. In particular, studying eclipses has brought about greater understanding in the area of the physics of atmospheres. Because of earth’s optimal eclipses, we now understand the Sun’s atmosphere, which in turn helps us understand the chemical makeup of distant stars. An Eclipse also played an important role in testing General Relativity and in measuring the slowdown of the Earth’s rotation. (p.12) There is definitely many other ways the uniqueness of our moon supports the measurability of the cosmos. PP declares it just the tip of the iceberg in relation to the similar mounting evidence throughout the rest of the cosmos. (p16)

Unfortunately though, beyond showing the special purpose of earth in the cosmos, PP doesn’t have a necessarily ID end. Through correspondence with the authors and my teacher Dr. Benjamin Wiker, I have come to learn that the writers of PP do not believe that the anthropic principle, which they have so well supported, can stand alone as a means of showing the existence of a designer. I think their conclusion misses the mark. How could one not see design in such order and purpose. Inferring an intelligent designer from their work wouldn’t be a far-fetched idea, but a logically grounded conclusion.

To be continued and concluded later this month . . .

Photo courtesy of Bluedharma used under a Creative Commons License. Via Flickr

An Invitation to Outreach

2006-11-27T22:04:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati the Young Adult Ministry of Our Lady of Good Counsel has been serving the homeless in Hawaii for the last three years. For the first two years of our ministry we would do weekly feedings and visits out to Ala Moana Beach Park. However, since May 1st 2006 with the eviction of homeless from the beach park by the City of Honolulu, we have been working in union with the State sponsored organization "Next Step" in providing services for the homeless at the recently established shelter near Kakaako Beach Park.

We visit shelter every Thursday, rain or shine, holiday or not, to fellowship and talk-story with our homeless friends. Every other Thursday our ministry feeds the nearly 300 individuals currently residing at the shelter. Every week we leave the grounds of Our Lady of Good Counsel at 5:30pm and we return no later than 8:00pm. On the weeks that we cook our cooking takes place on Wednesday, the night prior, at the State certified kitchen at St. Joseph School in Waipahu. Our cooking begins at 5:30pm and ends by 8:00pm. If you are interested in any aspect of our Homeless Ministry: visiting, cooking, or serving meals, please contact me at nativecatholic@yahoo.com

This Thanksgiving was such a blessing for us. The shelter put on a Thanksgiving luau for the residents and through the wonderful and generous donations of people from various parishes on Oahu we were able to collect nearly 25 large boxes filled with clothes, shoes, toiletries, baby food, and toys. Thank you to all who donated, may God Bless you seven-fold!!!

Dallas Carter's Lecture Schedule for December 2006 & Contact Info

2006-11-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

I will be lecturing at the following events this month (December 2006)

*NOTE* December is usually a break period for the Diocese of Honolulu Religious Ed. Dept. and I will also be on vacation from December 17th - January 1st. That said, My schedule for December will be a lot smaller than usual. Praise God for breaks and vacations :) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Sunday, December 3rd, 2006 4:30 PM - 5:45 PM
Work of Mercy, Outreach, and Evangelization -- St. Anthony, Kailua
(Guest Speaker for Confirmation Canidates)

Please Stay Tuned for Future Speaking Engagements ***To Request Dallas to speak at your event or Parish please contact him at nativecatholic@yahoo.com

The Joy of Parenting

2006-11-24T21:47:00.000-08:00

I still cant believe that God allowed me to be a daddy :) While I'm still learning the ins and outs of effective parenting it has been a joy to watch my daughter grow (even if she is growing into a Green MnM). There is absolutely no better feeling than coming home from a long day of lecturing and having your baby child smile at you with a smile of love. She knows who I am and she loves me. IT IS AWESOME!!!

I pray that God always give me the strength to be a good father

"By means of love, respect and obedience towards their parents, children offer their specific and irreplaceable contribution to the construction of an authentically human and Christian family. They will be aided in this if parents exercise their unrenounceable authority as a true and proper "ministry," that is, as a service to the human and Christian well-being of their children, and in particular as a service aimed at helping them acquire a truly responsible freedom, and if parents maintain a living awareness of the "gift" they continually receive from their children."

- Familiaris Consortio, John Paul the Great

The Nativity: A Blessed Experience

2006-11-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

I went into the movie excited and hoping for a positive, uplifting, and prayerful experience. It was that and a whole lot more!!! Of course they did 'embellish' a little on character development and historical accuracy. If they hadnt the movie would have been literally 20 minutes long! The movie was however doctrinally sound (not that I was there with a notebook and pen to pick the movie apart) and there is most definitely nothing offensive that I saw with regard to Catholic Tradition.

Mary was portrayed beautifully by Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider) (who I really like especially because she is polynesian ) as strong willed, faithful, prayerful, and virtuous young Woman. One of my three favorite scenes is when Mary encounters Elizabeth!!! I got choked up !! They also stayed true to the biblical dialogue for that scene which made it all the more special.

Just as many people often do with Christ Himself, I often forget that The Blessed Mother was human. I think the movie does a wonderful job in portraying her human emotion and concern for her family, her husband, and her child all the while maintaing her faithfulness, purity, and holiness.

For me though the character that engaged me most in the movie was Joseph, played by Oscar Isaac. Joseph is portayed as a virtuous, hard working man who strives to be pleasing to God in all that he does. He cares for Mary with such a love that inspires me to be a better husband. My two other favorite scenes are with Joseph 1) When carries Mary into Bethlehem looking for a place for her to give birth 2)When Joseph looks at the baby Jesus for the first time (awesome!!!) I have never meditated on or considered Joseph in the way they portrayed him. It has given me a new perspective on him and has sparked a new devotion in my heart to him as I strive to be a good father to my child and good husband to my wife

The Magi are portrayed with 'interesting' personalities and add a sense of humor to the movie. They movie writers did take liberty on a couple of things that are not clear historically like the arrival of the wise men (in the movie they arrive on the night of Christ's birth, when in reality they surely arrived much later) or on Joseph's age (he was older than Mary but still quite young in the movie) and also on several points of theological speculation (i.e. Mary did suffer pain in the movie during her childbirth, but I think they were going with the 'low pain' theory because she surely didnt seem to be suffering as much pain as when Elizabeth gives birth to John earlier in the movie)

Overall I think the movie will be a classic that we can all treasure and share with our children and grandchildren as they learn about Christ's birth, the beauty, purity and holiness of the Blessed Mother, and the virtue of St. Joseph.

Video: Why am I Catholic?

2006-11-20T11:38:00.000-08:00

I found this video while surfing the net just the other day and I was thoroughly impressed: Why am I Catholic? It was made by a friend of mine from Franciscan University. Also check out his blog when you have a minute at: http://evangelical-catholicism.blogspot.com/

My favorite quote from the video must have been the quote from St. Cyprian of Carthage (251A.D) when he said

"Whoever does not have the Church as his Mother cannot have God as his Father"

Photo courtesy of Kaeru used under a Creative Commons License. Via Flickr

'On Fire' Quote of the Month (November)

2006-11-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

"You ask me whether I am in good spirits. How could I not be, so long as my trust in God gives me strength. We must always be cheerful. Sadness should be banished from all Christian souls. For suffering is a far different thing from sadness, which is the worst disease of all. It is almost always caused by lack of Faith. But the purpose for which we have been created shows us the path along which we should go, perhaps strewn with many thorns, but not a sad path. Even in the midst of intense suffering it is one of joy." - Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

Fire of Truth study series:'Mariology' part #1

2006-11-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

The wonders of the 'online classroom' that many Universities now offer for some classes has inspired me to use this handy blog to offer an online 'continuation' of my various lecture series in the 'Bearers of the Light' Program

Our recent series on Mariology was uplifting and enlightening. To 'continue' our study I would like to start a series, a directed self-study of sorts, on the Blessed Mother. By studying what the Church has written about the Blessed Virgin and what some of the greatest Theologians of the past and of today have said we can begin to delve into the wonderful graces that God poured out on to Mary. We then will be able to more clearly understand the role that she has in our relationship with God in the way that she leads us to the foot of the cross of her son, Christ Jesus.

To begin let us read the wonderful Vatican II reflection on the Blessed Mother. It can be found in the Dogmatic Constitution , LUMEN GENTIUM , Spefically Chapter VIII : THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GOD IN THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.

In the next installment of the series we will explore the Catechism of the Catholic Church as well as some ancient and modern theological reflections on the Blessed Mother.

Dallas Carter's Lecture Schedule for November 2006 & Contact Info

2006-10-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

I will be lecturing at the following events this month (November 2006 )

Saturday, November 04, 2006 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
RN 524: Stewards of Creation -- O'ahu (Windward YMCA, Ulupo Heiau)

Monday, November 06, 2006 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
CC 206: Creative Catechsis: Chronicles of Narnia -- Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pearl City

Monday, November 13, 2006 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Works of Mercy Retreat -- St. Stephen's Diocesan Center, O'ahu
(For St. Anthony Kailua Students)

Monday, November 20, 2006 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
RN 516: Invitation to Outreach -- St. Pius, Manoa

Thursday, November 23, 2006 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
SF 550: Outreach in Action -- Kaka'ako 'Next Step' Homeless Shelter, Honolulu (Carpool departs Our Lady of Good Counsel Church (Pearl City) at 5:30 pm)

Please Stay Tuned for Future Speaking Engagements ***To Request Dallas to speak at your event or Parish please contact him at prioryoftruth@yahoo.com

Any truths in the Da Vinci Code?

2006-10-31T12:52:00.000-08:00

Yes there are. . . Two of them in fact. . .

1) Paris is in France & 2) Da Vinci did a lot of paintings

THATS ABOUT IT!!!

At least once a week I receive questions about the Da Vinci Code. Yes, I did read the book and see the movie and it was laughable at best.

First and foremost we need to remember that it is a FICTIONAL STORY! and the supposed 'scholarship' behind the way the Catholic Church is portrayed is absolutely ridiculous. Anyone who says that this movie deters them from the Church is just LOOKING FOR AN EXCUSE. It is horrible movie, horrible story, utterly ridiculous.

In the future I plan on writing a series on the Da Vinci Code as well as other Hollywood distortions and outright blasphemies in portraying the Catholic Faith.

For now though, if you are interested in some good discussion on the topic of the Da Vinci Code, consider joining the 'Defenders of the Catholic Faith' at http://forums.catholic-convert.com . They have a whole archive of discussion about the Da Vinci Code HERE

A Taste of Hawaii, from anywhere in the world!

2006-10-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

During my theological studies at Franciscan University and other places abroad it was always important for me to have a little taste of home when the homesickness set in . I stumbled upon this wonderful website one day while trying to find some good hawaiian music on the internet. The website is http://www.alohajoe.com. Joe is patron of hawaiian music and has high quality 24/7 streaming hawaiian music from his webpage. In fact if you read the website you'll see that his website has won several distinguished hawaiian music awards!

Joe has a good variety of hawaiian music and really does bring me 'home' whenever I am away from my island. So whether you are a Hawaii resident away from home or just someone who loves the islands and its people, give alohajoe.com a visit and get a taste of Hawaii.

Fire of Truth series: 'Creation reveals your Majesty' , part #3

2006-10-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

In Wiker’s book, Moral Darwinism, he explains the rising materialism in modern society that gives fuel to the pro- evolutionary argument. He traces the secularized Darwinian world view back to Epicurus, who taught a secularized, pleasure driven philosophy. Epicurus sought private tranquility and thus his philosophy required that there be no disturbance of his freedom to lead the “good life” ( p.10, MD ). In other words Epicurus saw any source of anxiety or displeasure as something that needed to be eliminated. Epicurus saw a God that intervened with creation and the disturbance of the afterlife, or at least the moral accountability that an afterlife would imply, as “incompatible with his pleasure driven world view” ( p.10, Moral Darwinism ) Wiker submits that Darwinism is the “flower” of Epicurean philosophy (p.19, Moral Darwinism ) He also demonstrates that present day Darwinists pass off the valid scientific evidence of the intelligent design argument as non-scientific theology because they themselves have set up a sort of “anti theology”, based on Darwinism and ultimately Epicureanism. A cosmology that has surrendered a secularized world view (p.12, Moral Darwinism)

Epicurus sought through his philosophy to be “freed of disturbance” or trouble (from the Greek word ataraxia) and to have a “secure conviction” (Greek , pistis bebaios) . He proposed the best way to do this was by attain a certain state of mind, by studying nature, that would keep him undisturbed (p.32, MD) Epicurus saw two main sources of disturbance. The first being the heavenly, cosmological events in the skies. These events implied either the pleasure or displeasure of the gods. Anxiety would thus build as one would strive constantly to please the gods. The second source of disturbance was being concerned and dreading the punishment they would face in the afterlife. As Wiker points out, Epicurus believed that “science, understood in a particular way, can cure us of such dread, and can thereby bring us this-worldly contentment. Such, for Epicurus, was the whole point of natural science, for ‘if our suspicions about heavenly phenomena and about death did not trouble us at all and were never anything to us....... then we would have no need of natural science” (p.33, MD)

In order for Epicurus remain true to his own philosophy he needed a view of nature that fit his boundaries. For this he looks at the view of nature held by Democritus. Epicurus held to the view that the universe itself is eternal because he grasped to the notion that nothing could come from nothing, but instead of going further, like St. Thomas did later, and admitting to our contingency and the necessity of a necessary being (our intelligent designer) he stops short and remains adamant that because nothing can come from nothing that the universe must have always been. (p.35, MD)

Moral Darwinism goes on to detail Roman poet Lucretius and his poem De Rerum Natura (On the nature of things) and the enormous effect that this advocate of Epicurean thought has had on modern thought. It also discuss the rise of Christianity and the ongoing battle between Christianity and Epicureanism. Then Wiker immerses in the book’s most intriguing chapter about the historical track of Epicurean writings and thought. Wiker proposes that if the Epicurean and Lucretian writings were destroyed that modern secularized thought would not exist.

The law of Epicurus has its grips on almost every part of society. From The very Supreme Court of the American government supporting and finding constitutionality in things such as abortion, contraception, and sodomy to the ranks of reputable scientists convinced of creation by chance and closed off to a theory, who’s end may be in the Divine, but whose means is undoubtedly scientific. Mr, Staver’s viewpoint is no doubt tainted with traces of the materialistic mindset. If Mr. Staver intends to write in support of evolution, he ought to research ID theory a little more, consider it with a little more objectivity and then meet ID supporters on the level they deserved to met on, a Scientific one.

Most students of ID, like myself, would cringe away at going further with the argument presented above in fear of being simply passed off as theologians, or being ‘religious’. A secular scholar would not see the intrinsic unity between these scientific studies and the natural theological truths they bring. It is therefore more prudent to not make the theological conclusions when discussing ID, primarily because it CAN be discussed on strictly scientific terms. The fact is though, that marks in creation do indeed point to something beyond. In the next installment of this series I would like to take a step further with the ID argument, and even discuss some of the points of ID where ID folk disagree. I will point out some of the strong ID arguments that have come about as of late, and also point out where I sense that some ID writers have missed the mark by a little.

In defense of the Catechism

2006-10-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

As a catechist and apologist for the Catholic Church I have confidence and faith in the teaching authority of Holy Magisterium. They are, of course, our authority in interpreting revelation (DV 12)
I have encountered, in my recent lecture series, several people who have been swayed by the concept that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is nothing more than a simple list of doctrinal formulations and theological 'opinion' of sorts which can be readily rejected or disregarded when teaching or representing the Catholic faith. Often this type of argument is referenced when debating 'hot topics' of morality or other controversial issues. Though this seems to be the favored argument of many 'modernist' theologians the problem with this argument is simply that it is NOT TRUE!!!

The Catechism can NOT be disregarded you see. The Catechism was ordered into publication on October 11, 1992 by Pope John Paul II by the Apostolic Constitution, Fidei Depositum. Hence the Catechism's doctrinal authority is proper to the papal magisterium and infact in the Constitution the pope said of the Catechsim that is a "sure norm for the teaching of the faith"

More info about the formation, structure, content, and authority of the Catechsim can be found at the United States Conference of Bishops webpage at

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/general/q&a.htm

Some of the teachings of the church are hard to follow, as were some of the teachings of Jesus (cf. John 6:60), However we are called to live a faith without compromise. . . There is indeed NO price too high to pay for being faithful to truth.

Fire of Truth series: 'Creation reveals your Majesty' , part #2

2006-10-12T03:21:00.000-07:00

I ended the last installment of this series acknowledging that to come to a good understanding of Anthropism it would be imperative to survey 'Intelligent Design' as a concept and the constant battle it fights with common understandings of evolution. . . . .

Today warfare is engaged in so many ways. One of these wars is constantly being fought on the intellectual battle ground. Opposing philosophies and varying cosmologies has lead to an era of intellectual battle. One of these battles in particular is between Evolution and Intelligent Design. With debates in courts over whether or not ID should be included in Public School Science curriculum and with myriads of books being written in relevance to the topic, the battle has manifested itself more today than it ever has.

The debate began with the publication of Darwin’s “Origin of Species”. Most pro-evolutionists stick to the basic Darwinian definition that living things originated through descent with modification. With that basic principle, modern evolutionists have developed a case for the universe created by chance, and without a designer. Within Origin itself, Darwin openly admits that if certain things were discovered, that his theory would fall. That was the challenge. The ID movement answers that challenge. While researching this topic I stumbled upon an article written by evolutionist John R. Staver. Responding to that article may be an appropriate way to survey the contentions of ID.The article “Evolution and Intelligent Design” written in November of 2003 takes an unfair and uneducated stab at the ID movement.

The main argument is to explain away the ID movement as a non-scientific argument with no empirical evidence. This is a surprising contention to read in light of the myriads of ID writings that have come forth in the past decade. In no way does Mr. Staver engage any of the findings of the ID movement, and the way he uses ID terms so loosely implies that he hasn’t really done his research on the ID argument. Actually the only argument he uses against the validity and reality of the ID argument is that in a recent “article” search of scientific journals, he found a only a few speaking of “Intelligent design” in relation to the thousands of article’s found on ‘evolution.” His finding is hardly an argument against the validity of the ID claim. (funny side note: If you look at the front of his article in the right bottom hand corner under the scilink symbol, the key words to bring up the article were “Darwin and Natural Selection”, but yet the article is about Intelligent Design)

At the onset of his article he claims that his article would “document the lack of evidence in ID theory.” (p.33) Mr. Staver’s claim is both unwarranted and unsupported through his article. There are many strong arguments brought forward from the ID community that evolutionists have yet to answer sufficiently. To show just a sample of the treasure chest of scientific arguments that ID has presented to evolutionists, we’ll examine two of the more popular contentions.

The first of the two strong arguments against evolution is that of the discontinuity of the fossil record . Many evolutionists, including Darwin and Richard Dawkins, believe in the gradual evolution of species. In order for this theory to hold true there must be a vast amount of intermediate species connecting one species to another. It would make sense then that a fossil record spanning over hundreds of millions of years would consistently include these intermediate species. In chapter 8 of Michael Denton’s book, Evolution: a theory in crisis, he shows how the fossil record indeed does not support the evolutionary theory simply because a consistent fossil record of these transitional forms has not been found. Denton points out that “Despite the tremendous increase in geological activity in every corner of the globe and despite the discovery of many strange and hitherto unknown forms, the infinitude of connecting links has still not been discovered and the fossil record is as about discontinuous as it was when Darwin was writing the Origin. The intermediates have remained as elusive as and their absence remains, a century later, one of the most striking characteristics of the fossil record” (p.162, Crisis) Denton points out that there are gaps in the fossil records that point to the truth that the first representatives of all the major classes of organisms including invertebrate life, plant life, vertebrates, amphibia, reptiles, and mammals all appear abruptly, seemingly unlinked to other groups by transitional or intermediate forms.

A strong support of this reality is given by G.G Simpson, a leading paleontologist, who points out that one of the most prominent features of the fossil record is the fact that many new organisms appear abruptly. In this Simpson admits that the gaps in the fossil record between species show “that the fossils provide none of the crucial transitional forms required by evolution.” (p.165, Crisis) An example showing that there is an absence of transitional forms in the fossil record between two species, one of which is supposed to be the ancestral type of the other is seen in the fish - amphibia transformation. It is often assumed that amphibia evolved from fish. However, even though the first amphibian had well developed limbs capable of terrestrial motion, when it is placed alongside its presumed fish ancestor, it becomes very obvious that there is a large gap between the amphibia and its nearest supposed ancestral type. The fossil record lacks the transitional forms between the two. Furthermore, this in no way is an isolated incident. Many examples of different vertebrate class species being dramatically varied from their presumed ancestral types occur, as is with many aquatic vertebrate groups like whales and seals. With the continuing lack of intermediate species between two supposedly related species, there will always be a major flaw in that major aspect of evolutionary theory.

The second argument comes from biochemist Michael Behe. Mr. Staver actually mentions Behe in the beginning of his article speaking of his famed “irreducible complexity” concept. Staver actually gives a basic definition of the concept and then moves on to a new topic as if mentioning Behe’s concept would automatically discredit itself. On the contrary, Mr. Staver actually opened himself to criticism by mentioning an argument that the evolutionist community to this day has trouble explaining away. Behe does great detail in explaining this argument in his book Darwin’s Black Box: the Biochemical Challenge to Evolution. An irreducibly complex system is explained as “ a single system composed of several well-matched, interacting parts that contribute to the basic function, wherein the removal of any one of the parts causes the system to effectively cease functioning. An irreducibly complex system cannot be produced directly by slight, successive modifications of a precursor system, because any precursor to an irreducibly complex system that is missing a part is by definition nonfunctional.” (p.39, Black Box) Just as a mousetrap cannot properly work without every one of its parts and in no way was it made by slight modifications of a precursor system, so too are there biochemical and cellular processes that relate analogously to the irreducible complexity of the mousetrap.

One of the arguments that Behe presents is the irreducible complexity of the cilium. A cilium, which looks like a piece of hair, is the structure that allows some cells to swim. In liquid, the cilium moves the cell like how an oar moves a boat. Sperm, for example, use cilia to swim. Also, a large number of cilia are used by the respiratory tract to push mucus up the throat for the expulsion of foreign particles. When looking at the specifics of how the cilium functions, even in a simplified fashion, its irreducible complexity is undeniable. When considering this, Darwin’s theory of gradual of evolution is once again brought into serious question. His theory has no way of explaining a “gradual evolution” of a system (ciliary system) that is so necessary and so complex. In fact, the details of how the cilium works is still a black box, a mystery, to scientists even now. To see the irreducible complexity of the cilium one can look at what components are needed for even one function of the cilium, ciliary motion.

Cilia are part of a class of swimming systems. These swimming systems, including things ranging from something as small as the cilium all the way to things like a commercial ship, require three primary things in common for its motion: some sort of paddle that contacts the water, a motor or some source of energy, and something to link the two together. The following components are needed for ciliary motion; First a cilium requires microtubules which are necessary for ciliary motion. Without them, none of the hair-like strands would be able to slide. The microtubules would be like the cilium’s paddles that contact the water and push against it. Next it needs a motor, without which the microtubules would lie motionless. In ciliary motion the energy source behind moving the system are the dynein arms. Furthermore, the cilium requires connectors to tug on to neighboring ciliary strands which turn the sliding motion of the ciliary strands into a bending motion, which ultimately keeps the ciliary structure from falling apart. Its the nexin arms that act as linkers between the motor force of one microtubule to a neighboring one. Just the process of ciliary motion requires all those complex parts to work together perfectly. Without any one of those parts the process of ciliary motion simply just does not exist.

Behe demonstrates Irreducible complexity to be simple criterion by which we can detect an intelligent agent at the root of a particular design. He says that “design is most easily apprehended when a number of separate, interacting components are ordered in such a way as to accomplish a function beyond the individual components” (p.99, Signs of Intelligence) Though those arguments are far from “proving” intelligent design, they do help to show that ID is indeed a valid theory, based on real scientific findings. The question that Mr. Starver would most definitely respond with to this paper so far is “why then do a majority of scientists today pass off Id as futile and non-scholarly?” Regardless of the evidence pointing out some major flaws in evolutionary theory and pointing in favor of intelligent design, many well known and well established scientists still hold strong to the Darwinian theories of evolution, primarily the concept of Natural Selection. Even Darwin points out though that there certain limitations to natural selection. For example, he sees it impossible for natural selection to cause a modification in a species that would be exclusively for the betterment of another species. He agrees that if this were to happen that it would “annihilate” his theory (p.190, Origin). Darwin also agrees that Natural Selection would never produce in a species a modification that would be more injurious than beneficial to it. It makes sense that it would not bring about a modification that would lead towards a species’ extinction. As Darwin states : “Natural Selection tends only to make each organic being as perfect as, or slightly more perfect than, the other inhabitants of the same country with which it comes into competition.” (p.191, Origin). And though natural selection seems completely acceptable on a micro level, the evidence supported by the contributing authors in Signs such as irreducible complexity and the lack of evolutionary support in the fossil record, brings up some very concrete reasons that Darwin’s simple theory of natural selection can not explain how new species came to be. So the question of what else drives these scientists to hold on to such beliefs, still remains. To answer that one needs to consider the state of society today and materialistic cosmology that permeates the science world.

Such a question brings us back to the work of Dr. Wiker and his views of the effects of Darwinian evolution on morality which I will address in the next installment of this series.

To be continued . . . (be on the lookout for part #3 of this series)

Still on 'mental' vacation

2006-10-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not keeping up with the blog in the last week and a half or so. I just returned from a short but much needed vacation with Monica and Mariah in California. I have been back for a couple of days but am still on my 'mental' vacation. Ill be sure to get back to the blogging on regular basis very soon :)

In the interim might I suggest joining Steve Ray's 'Defenders of the Catholic Faith' Forum at

http://forums.catholic-convert.com/

It is a very well organized and well moderated forum that is a well-spring of catholic thought.

My user name there is prioryoftruth, come by and say hi in the 'Pub' area when you arrive :)

Fire of Truth series: 'Creation reveals your Majesty' , part #1

2006-10-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

I never cease to be amazed by the beauty of the Ko'olau mountain range here on the island of Oahu. After a light rain or during a sunrise these mountains above the windward part of the island provide some of the most beautiful celestial displays and provide for pristine prayer opportunities.

I wonder how one could live admist such beauty and not hear creation declaring the wonder and splendor of its Creator. In this era of modern materialism there are those, like Epicuris did long ago, who look for a reason to eliminate God from the equation of creation.

I will be blogging over the next few months a series called 'Creation reveals your Majesty' . I will spend some time delving into different concepts in modern theological thought like 'Anthropological Principle' and 'The intelligent Design' movement to determine how they fit into the Catholic Cosmology and how they might add to our knowledge of God, the Church, and the human person . . . . . . .

As theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg pointed out in his work on the eschaton too many theologians these days forget to consider the importance of the metaphysical questions concerning God as well as the importance of surveying the sciences and nature to come to a greater understanding of God’s nature and natural theological truth. Catholics distinguish between theological truths knowable by natural reason (natural theology) and those knowable only through revelation (Sacred Scripture, Dogma, etc.) The Intelligent Design movement (ID) concerns the truths of the former and is very important because an obstacle to reason in relationship to natural theology often blocks openness to Revelation. It is hard to argue for a biblical truth to someone who believes that the universe is governed by chance.

Dr. Benjamin Wiker, a Ph.D. in Theological Ethics from Vanderbilt University, a college professor, and a avid writer is a one of the key players in the ID movement. In the articles he writes and the handful of books he has published , besides reiterating the flaws that scientists have found in the popular notions of evolution, he considers some interesting perspectives on how the theories of evolution have affected modern views on morality and scriptural exegesis. He also champions the idea of Anthropism, the concept that the universe was created especially for man. He writes in his proposal for his upcoming book The Meaningful Universe, in summary of the Anthropism, “ Nothing could be more embarrassing to the materialist’s view of the universe than discovering a growing number of indications that the universe was not a randomly generated possibility, but a cosmos fine-tuned for human-life – Not just the existence of human life, but also intelligible to human beings. Just as a Shakespearean play is not only about man but for man, so also the cosmos seems to have been created for man.”

The Christian, and specifically catholic implications of such a discovery are endless. An earth that science can show was specifically created for man implies a personable God. Furthermore it implies man created as a good, Created with thought and love from the Creator. I plan on showing why Dr. Wiker sees the specifically anthropological aspect of the ID movement as the key to seeing how the created universe implies a Catholic worldview. As the Catechism states: “God, infinitely blessed in Himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in His own blessed life.” (CCC1). Before doing that though, a survey of the Intelligent design as a whole is appropriate.

To be continued . . . (be on the lookout for part #2 of this series)

God's new blessing: Mariah Waimea Carter

2006-09-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

Mariah Waimea Carter
Originally uploaded by Truehawaiian.

God is SO GOOD!!!

My wife and I are so blessed to have baby Mariah Waimea Carter as part of our family. She is now 9 weeks old and is finally starting to sleep through the night. PRAISE THE LORD :)
Please pray for my wife and I that we might be good parents and raise her in the ways of the Lord.

Ok, gotta go. . . baby needs some attention :)

Without Compromise

2006-09-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

Aloha everyone my name is Dallas Carter and I am a catholic apologist working with the Office of Religious Education for the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu under the jurisdiction of His Excellency Bishop Larry Silva.

I am cradle catholic born and raised on the island of Oahu. After my graduation from Kamehameha Schools in 2000 I studied Catholic Theology at the Franciscan University in Steubenville Ohio. After attaining my B.A. in Theology at Franciscan I continued my studies at Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii. This past year I graduated with my Masters in Theology from Chaminade and have begun the prerequisites for my p.h.d studies.

By day I am a Campus Minister at a local catholic grade school here on Oahu and I have been a lecturer of theology for Diocese for nearly two years now. My experience lecturing have brought many blessings to me and have given me more knowledge about the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church than any amount of books could ever provide. On the same token my experiences have opened my eyes to the reality that there is much work to be done with regard to proper catechesis and religious education with both our young people in our diocese as well as our adults.

The present societal cliche of moral and doctrinal relativism has infiltrated the hearts of so many well meaning and good-hearted catholic laity. It is my specific ministry to reach out and help guide our catholic faithful to a clear understanding of the teachings of Holy Mother Church, without compromise. As an apologist it is my duty not to create new interpetations of church teaching but rather to 'echein' or 'echo' what the Church and her Holy Tradition have taught since the time of Christ until this present day and to defend (apologia) her holy teachings against all those who question our faith (1 Pt 3:15) In humility I ask for your prayers as I embark on this mission.

Gods Blessings,

Dallas Carter, MPT

You may contact Dallas at prioryoftruth@yahoo.com