Eastland eBulletin 7-2-06

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July Duties
. Transportation: Mindel, Sutton
. Lord's Supper: K Mindel, L Shields
. Meals: H Boatright, S Durbin, J Robarts
. Deacon: J Crowder
. Ushers: G Shields
. Sound: J Norris

Area Meetings
. July 9-13 - High School Road Lectures (Indianapolis)
. July 10-14 - Harrodsburg VBS
. July 17-21 - Overland VBS (Lawrenceburg)

Potpourri
. Remember the kid's bulletin in the foyer.
. The July calendar and duty roster are available in the literature rack.
. Today is the first day of the new quarter. If you have not yet picked up a
new class book, please do so. All school-age children will be advanced to
their next grade-level this week.
. Copies of today's sermon notes are available in the literature rack.
Today's speaker is Cloyce Sutton.

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Step or Stumble?
By Robert F Turner

"One small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind." With these words Neil
Armstrong placed his boot on the surface of the moon, and a tremendous new
era of discovery was opened. Some months before one sincere brother, greatly
disturbed that man would even attempt to go to the moon, assured me that
such as this could never happen. "It is contrary to the Bible," he said.
"God will not allow man to go outside his assigned elements."

I am told that the moon trip has shaken the faith of some. It should have
shaken their erroneous and unsubstantiated conclusions regarding Bible
teaching. It should make some aware that they were interpreting God's word
subjectively - in keeping with their own limited knowledge of the material
universe - and that God is bound by no such limitations. It is conceivable
that someone objected to the first boat (the ark??) on the ground that "God
never intended that man should travel on the water." Or, at the first
suggested flight. "If God meant man to fly he would have given him wings."

Some men may use their knowledge and productivity in an attempt to outwit or
disprove the things of God, as did the builders of the Tower of Babel
(Genesis 11:1-9); but this does not forbid our probing the universe in which
God has placed us, and using its elements constructively. Man remains man,
on the sea, in the air, on the moon. He must take "his elements" with him to
survive. He is subject to his Creator, on earth or on the moon. And if he
journeys to Mars (which wouldn't surprise me too much) he will not be far
from home as God sees it. God made Mars too - and it is a close neighbor of
ours in that inconceivably vast space over which the heavenly Father
presides.

Man does not "create" anything. He alters and mixes elements with his atomic
machinery - but he is just playing with that which God made available to
him. He analyzes basic protein factors, reconstructs means of producing
amino acids; and some pride-filled fool announces that God is not the only
one who can "make" life. I can almost imagine God, somewhat exasperated,
smiling tolerantly, and perhaps recalling the time man first pressed clay
together, fired it into bricks, and announced that God was not the only one
who made rocks. Even the so-called "new" elements coming from our
cyclotrons, are but the products of the material and capabilities God has
given us.

Who knows but that God saw Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin cavorting upon
the moon, much as a parent sees the child's first step away from the play
pen - 'turning loose' of the hand rail, and stepping out into the vast "new"
territory of the bed-room floor. "Finally made it, huh? Young one, you are
in for many great surprises when you discover what is in the other rooms -
and outside this house!!"

It is not wrong to cut a tree, and use part for firewood, part for eating
utensils, etc. But when, with the residue thereof, man makes a God and falls
down to worship it, he deceives himself (Isaiah 44:14-20). Let us humbly use
god's creation to god's glory.

(From Plain Talk, August 1969, p 5)

Editor's Note: We need to remember that technology is amoral - that is, it
is neither moral nor immoral, neither right nor wrong, in and of itself. How
it is used, why it is used, and our attitudes about it determine the moral
value of technology.

I once heard a woman suggest perhaps God created dinosaur bones and buried
them so that atheists would find them and disbelieve him! The problem is,
not a few believers have also seen them. The problem is not dem bones!

I would suggest that we apply these principles to cloning. We may not
understand it, or even be afraid of it, but I would not be surprised to
someday meet another human being who has been cloned. What will I do then?
The problem is not that other person!

What will determine the morality of cloning will be the motive behind it;
the pride of its users; the constructive or destructive use of it - not the
thing itself. Hopefully, we will wrestle with, and better grasp, what it
means to be human. And, hopefully, we will reverence all the more the God
who made us in his image.

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Tips to Teens on Getting Along with Parents

1. Don't be afraid to speak their language.
Try using strange-sounding phrases like, "I'll help you with dishes," and
"Yes, sir," and "No, Ma'am."

2. Try to understand their music.
Listen to an "Oldies" radio station (like from the 70s and 80s - yes, music
was invented by then). Listen to music by Chicago, or Earth, Wind and Fire,
or even Barry Manilow. After awhile, you won't even laugh.

3. Be patient with under-achieving parents.
When you catch your dieting Mom consuming carbs, don't show your
disapproval. Or if Dad has had a bit too much (Coca-Cola) to drink, don't
freak. Tell them you imagine they have really stressful lives, and probably
need some kind of release valve.

4. Encourage your parents to talk openly about their problems.
Remember, that to them, things like paying bills, making a living, and
insurance are actually important.

5. Be tolerant of their appearance.
When Dad gets a haircut, don't take it personally. When Mom's outfit
resembles something from Oprah, exercise restraint. Remember, it's important
for them to look like their peer group.

6. Most important of all:
If they do something you think is wrong, let them know that you still love
them. After all, it's their behavior you dislike, not themselves.

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