When does knowledge become knowledge?

College Orientation, Daily Thoughts, Science, knowledge No Responses »
Sep 062010

It would have to depend upon whether it is based upon reliable data, data which is properly organized about reliable presumptions, and whether it is provable by repeated testing, whether it is possible to prove it wrong, and whether there are contradictory conclusions which can be accounted for.

Knowledge is something which is knowable. It must be able to stand the test of time. In fact true knowledge is incontestable in the end.

We have been using radio active decay principles to date many of our artifacts. At first it seemed to be the basis for knowledge. But as more consideration has been made of its reliability, this method is failing a great many tests of ‘at least’ the application of its use without considering some serious variables.

Consider this link which brings serious doubt on one area of reliability and application. http://www.icr.org/article/5656/

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How Do We Get To Wisdom?

College Orientation, Daily Thoughts, Logic, Uncategorized, World View Comments Off
Jun 262010

There is a logical process by which intellectual thoughts rise from  statistical observations to the level of wisdom.

Data - Data is collected statistical observation or a record of an instance or sequence of experiences.

Information - Information is data that is organized into some kind of form or shape. It must be sufficiently recognizable that one might be able to make meaningful sense of it.

Knowledge - Knowledge is the interpretive view of information. Therefore information plus a world view raises this intellectual concept to the level of knowledge. But if the wrong world view is referenced, the product becomes compromised. True knowledge is information which is evaluated according to the view and perspective of the Creator God. I.e. Are you looking at things according to God’s world view? This is the first manifestation of the proper exercise of intelligence. Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”

Understanding - Understanding is the ability to evaluate or separate  knowledge into its qualities. Is it good/bad; true/false; right/wrong; just/unjust; useful/vanity; pure/defiled; or holy/unholy? Proverbs 1:4 “…receive instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, equity…”

Wisdom - Wisdom is making right decisions which result in right actions which glorify God both as to the process (means) and goals (objectives). These decisions are morally correct.

If one understands the thought process of how to arrive at wisdom, then wisdom is not so hard to achieve. Life can be very straight forward. It is only really difficult when one does not think God’s thoughts after Him.

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Summer, a time of vulnerability.

College Orientation, Daily Thoughts Comments Off
May 032010

When times of change come, a person becomes most spiritually vulnerable.

Now that the study time of formal classes have come to an end, one needs to use this time to evaluate the year now past. This article is aimed particularly at the student who says, “I am a Christian.”

You have completed a series of courses in your college. You need to study the Bible and make comparisons. Did what I learn agree with or disagree with teachings of the Bible? If the Bible is the Word of God, and there is no other document which makes this authoritative claim like the Bible does, then the Bible is without error. If there are conflicts of contradiction between the Bible and your course material, you need to determine what these contradictions are. What is the scope of the contradicting material? Why is the course material in contradiction in subject matter? Is it really a contradiction? What will your response to all of this be?

Once you determine the issues at hand, consider that logic does not allow for contradiction nor allow for both to be true. God being not only the God of truth, He as Creator of all defines truth through his character and being. Therefore, if your course material is in conflict with the Word of God, then the course material in any particular instance of contradiction is in error.

It is important to discern this error. Your world view, and your practical working out of a life plan depend on your knowing the truth. If you do not know and understand both the truth and understand why it is truth, you will make devastating wrong judgments, missteps, and hurtful acts. Wrong is wrong and wrong committed will injure others in various ways and according to incremental degrees. You do not want to be accountable.

Therefore, take this summer break from studies to systematically study the Bible so you will be able to discern the differences. You need to be able to discern the reasons for the differences. Understanding is to take observations and to order them Biblically and logically. Wisdom provides that you then conduct yourself according to God approved conduct.

Your choice is at hand. Fail to make the right decisions now, and pay the consequences through subsequent failures and chastisements received at the hand of the living God in real time. Read Proverbs chapters 1-3.

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When is knowledge attained?

College Orientation, Daily Thoughts, Logic Comments Off
Mar 222010

Because “the fear of God is the beginning of knowledge,” it can be logically presumed that those who buy into secularism and atheism never rise to the level of knowledge in their work. How can they when there are no absolute foundations by which they might reference their activities. A controlling presumption they hold comes from the principle of that which is random. Value cannot be established by a coin toss unless you believe a superior or outside power orders the outcome of the coin’s informational result.

Proverbs 1:7

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When We Need Advice

College Orientation, Daily Thoughts, Ethics Comments Off
Feb 162010

When we need advice, where should we turn for this advice?

The first place is the Scriptures. Because the Scriptures have been given to us by the Almighty, Eternal, Omniscient Creator. It is always relevant, always true and unchanging. Sometimes we get the wrong notion that the Bible is old and therefore outdated, old fashioned, and lacking in usefulness in our day. But the truths of our eternal God never grow out of fashion nor usefulness because they manifest His character.

A second place to go to obtain advice might be our brothers and sisters in Christ. As we consider advice from them, we need to be sure that they hold to the ultimate standard in giving advice. This means that they are well studied in the Scriptures. The advice they give needs to come out of the scriptures as it is literally understood. Their advice cannot contradict Scriptures. It is never right to do wrong. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23) The foundation of faith is the evidence of the sure Word of God. (Romans 10:17)

It is always wrong to try to found righteous decisions upon the advice of the atheist, the heathen, the idolater, or any unbeliever. These sources or persons do not have knowledge concerning right things to do. In fact they technically have no knowledge at all. (Proverbs 1:7;  Proverbs 2:1-9) All they can share with you are observations and experiences. But because they fear not God they cannot put form or shape to these observations and experiences. One necessary form is that of righteousness. Another is perspective. They do not know right paths and are ever stumbling in the darkness of sin.

For a Christian to give advice which is questionable, or contrary to direct statements of Scripture is also a grievous thing. (1John 2:10)  A spiritual person should be able to discern between the spirits and to know when others might be leading them the wrong way. (1 John 4:1) The big question to ask is would God make this same decision? If not, then we ought not make that decision either. One of the most common errors today is to imply that something is right because other “Christians” do it. All this needs to be measured and quantified by what the Scriptures actually say and teach. Yes Paul the apostle called disciples to be “followers of me.” But the condition is “even as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1)  But be aware that “for many walk…are the enemies of the cross of Christ:) (Philippians 3:17-18)

So the call is to be perfect minded in Christ Jesus. Make right decisions. Make those decisions because they agree with Christ. Do not fall from the place of blessing. Know your decision is correct because you fear God above all else.

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Knowledge - its source is important.

College Orientation, Daily Thoughts Comments Off
Feb 032010

As a student, are you keeping perspective? The university is not the source of knowledge. Its only capacity is to help you to search for knowledge and interact with it. But beware, knowledge is perverted when it is wrenched away from the recognition and context of its source. Proverbs 1:7.

As this happens, the student MUST return it to its proper context or suffer the consequences. You must go there already understanding the rules of the search and interaction process in principle or you will not recognize the twisted perspectives that will come from atheistically oriented professors and curriculum.

When one forsakes the God of knowledge, it is common that logic and reason are thrown out. Applications are improperly applied. Perspective is twisted. Truth is forsaken. Understanding is missed. Corruption becomes evident. Pains and sorrows of evil overcome those who follow after this form of life. It may also over wash the lives of others with collateral damage. Do you want to be responsible for this?

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Who will you be molded after?

College Orientation Comments Off
Sep 252009

Every kind of influence is attempting to mold you after its source.

  • Every friend
  • Every book you read
  • Every TV or radio program you view
  • Your computer
  • Every classroom lecturer
  • Your course of study
  • Your parents
  • Your employer
  • Your newspapers

Nothing is neutral. Nothing!

Your God originally formed, molded you in His creative work. You were made in the image of God and after His likeness (Genesis 1:26). One of your purposes is to live according to the mind of God. This means you must learn what His mind or thoughts are and live according to them (Philippians 2:5-8).

If you live according to any other intelligence or knowledge source you are failing to be molded by God. Your shape and your life will become grotesque and unworthy of reward. Your usefulness to God will be corrupted. Your usefulness to yourself will come up empty. Your life will begin to seem empty from what it could be.

As you attend classes, you may have to learn the information given you. But if that information is contradictory to truth, you must resist allowing it to mold you. Only absolute truth sourced in the Creator will profit you. Your manliness, your beauty depends upon making the right choices. So does your eternity. There is only one mold you dare yield to as to its conforming power.

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Why all the definitions?

College Orientation, Logic, Uncategorized Comments Off
Jul 312009

Why does the CampusPastor.com web site place emphasis on definitions? There are many pages devoted just to definitions.

Definitions help us to think. Clarity of thought helps us to focus.

  • It helps us to learn.
  • It helps us to know where we should focus attention and identify our work.
  • It helps us to avoid perpetual duplication of research and discovery.
  • It aids in establishing depth of thinking and discovery.
  • It adds an ever increasing breadth and scope to our work and an appreciation of the wonders of creation.
  • It aids in the productivity of our work.

The very concept of definitions are based upon the reality that there is absolute truth. We are in the process of discovery to know what truth is in a particular application. This applies to all disciplines, whether in the physical sciences, sociology, philosophy, or religion.

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As a Christian college student, Declare Your Moral Position Right Off.

College Orientation Comments Off
Jul 212009

You are a Christian. You are different from all other people. Your testimony as a Christian for the next four years will rise or fall based upon how you declare yourself during your first weeks at college. If you want your faith to be respected, don’t compromise now and expect others to accept your beliefs later.
Declare your priority of conviction to church attendance right off. Declare it to be highly offensive that others should consider anything else to be of higher priority. This means you should object to classes or study groups being set for Sundays. They think nothing of yielding to Judaism or Islam. To disrespect Christian Biblical imperatives and custom should be expressed as being of highest offense to you. This disrespect violates principles of diversity which all colleges claim to have as a philosophical priority.
Declare your conviction and priority to Genesis 2:21-25, that marriage of a man and a woman is the only acceptable context for sexual activity. Outside of the covenant of marriage for life, there is to be no participation. Declare that you are a child of God and purpose to be obedient to God in all chastity of the body and of the mind. Efforts that are made by any to cause you to be otherwise is to act in a manner of highest offense.
Declare yourself to be fully honest and truthful. This is not a common characteristic among college students. Declare that cheating is dishonest, unlawful and wrong. Do not participate in it nor consider doing it.
On occasion you will be faced with strong temptation to do wrongfully. Remember, your world view and that in contrast to all the rest of the students, you will stick to the Christian world view. To do otherwise is total contradiction to all that is right. We are here to bring glory to God first. You are there to also learn as much as you can. You understand that the world believes that without the perfect grades, they have no hope of achieving success. We who are Christians understand that success is glorifying God. We know that God actively goes before us and prepares the way we should go. We may not get the top job, but we are always ministers of Christ wherever He put us. That is our vocation. To this we will be satisfied. We refuse to compromise bad for good, wrong for right, falsehood for truth. We serve a living, personal God.

Campus Pastor Steve Haasch

http://www.campuspastor.com

http://www.noloser.com

Steve writes to prepare college students with Christian college orientation in a secular environment. Students need to declare and practice their Christian moral convictions from the very beginning.

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Making Spiritual Preparations for the Fall College Semester

College Orientation, E-Letter Special, Uncategorized, World View Comments Off
Jul 132009

Making Spiritual Preparations for the Fall College Semester

It won’t be what you expect.

While you were in High School or even in your local community college but living at home, you lived in a protected spiritual environment. Being at home, you had a support group who encouraged you in your beliefs.

Loss of your support group

When you come to a college where you will be living in a totally strange community, your support group is now gone. You will be able to develop such a support group only with great difficulty. Some never enjoy that same degree of  luxury the rest of their lives.

Core Belief Foundations

Now you will have to depend upon your core beliefs. Hopefully you have already established them. You should have gotten them firmly in place by the time you were 12 or 13.  Then the teen years should have been the time to apply these beliefs to the challenges of life. You have to know that your faith system is unshakably secure.

It Can’t Be your Parents Beliefs

Your belief system must be made up of those things worthy to die for. These are things which you will not compromise no matter what it costs. If your room mate suggests things which go against your core beliefs, you will not budge. Right is right and wrong is wrong. You know what you believe and you know why. You know that real truth can never be compromised. You know your belief system comes from God your Creator and He never changes. He is the source of all knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. He who contradicts God is acting foolishly. And you do not want to walk the walk of a fool.

Your Beliefs WILL be Challenged

From the minute you walk onto your new campus, your beliefs will be attacked. They will be attacked subtly and sometimes openly. They will be attack beginning your first day of college orientation. It is likely psychologists will tell you that all beliefs you came to college with are childish things. College is the place to put away childish things. They may say that it is a time to grow up and think for yourself. They will tell you that you will set aside many of your superstitions. You will rework and reestablish belief systems and become and adult. They will do everything in their resources to take away from you your belief system and substitute it with their belief system. If you do not KNOW that your beliefs are right, you will be shaken to the very core of your foundation.

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