Exodus 20:5 (ESV): “You shall not bow down to [other gods] or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me…” (But let us not forget the next verse: “…but steadfast love to the thousands [the Hebrew here implies 'the thousandth generation'] of those who love me and keep my commandments.”)

Anyhoo….

Funny, isn’t it, how the more we learn about ourselves and the universe around us, the more — not less, as our atheist friends would have us believe — relevant the Bible is?

It seems to me that in the histiry of man, every time science and religion have conflicted, and religion has been proven wrong, it was due to a failure of religious men, not of God. (The primary example in my mind is the ca. 15th century flat earth v. round earth debate; I believe it was Isaiah who referred to the “circle of the earth” — a sphere. Those of you who are better Bible scholars than I can probably come up with several more.)

BTW, this is my favorite approach for witnessing to atheists and agnostics, or anyone who relies on and honors logical, factual discourse above emotional pleas. A full-on frontal assault with a barrage of the facts of the Bible, the logic of the Gospel. Not to mention the extra-Biblical evidence that the Bible is exactly what it claims to be: the inspired, inerrant, unchanging Word of the Living God.

Praise God that we can KNOW Him, not just hope that He is there!

Therefore, it stands to reason that many destructive behaviors are imbeded in our genetic code: propensity to murder, domestic abuse, and all other kinds of societal ills may have their roots in a genetic irregularity. That wouldn’t t make them ‘okay’, or any less a danger to society.

Thanks for the link to Mohlers original piece! I am a fan of Dr. Mohler and read some of the media reaction recently. It was hard to suffer through the bitterness of the reports to find out what he had actually said!

What he elegantly and correctly said are some of the things I have been thinking for years: that any “proof” that homosexual behavior has a biologic, perhaps genetic influence does NOT prove it’s holiness (or lack of sinfulness). One could give many examples of genetically influenced issues which make people vulnerable to behavior which the Bible considers sinful. For example depressiveness runs in families, has genetic basis, is mediated through hormones and is treatable with meds yet leads to many behavior patterns that are sinful (alcoholism/drunkenness, marital infidelity, suicide, homocide, inappropriate anger, etc.)

I loved his points 3 and 10 about the nature of sin the best. I question point 2 the most in that the studies I have seen are done in our academic environment that seems biased toward finding this link.

I think I understand his point 3, but is is highly speculative, hypothetical and clearly RED MEAT for the MSM. As the great theologian he is, he must be comfortable with discussing these hypotheticals with academics who will treat him fairly. I now feel sorry for Dr Mohler. Surely he has better things to do than defend himself about this subject to biased, unbalanced MSM attacks that you correctly described.

Thanks for the great subject again, Tom

Bert