Mailbag

Garbage in, garbage out

The garbage actually began with the answer that artificial intelligence (AI) gave to your first question: “How do creationists interpret Genesis 1, verse 6 through 8?” AI claims those verses describe “the creation of the firmament, as referring to a physical structure that God created.” I was not pleased with the answer. It was biased by an underlying view that creationists are hangovers from the Middle Ages.

Liberals have long accused the Bible of teaching that there was some sort of “firm” or solid structure holding up the clouds, planets, sun, and stars, based on the Vulgate’s translation “firmamentum.” There was speculation of such during the Middle Ages through the “Enlightenment,” but that is not what creationists today teach. Anyone who accuses creationists of thinking that views us via caricature. I doubt if any creationist (except maybe those who believe the Vulgate is inspired) would look at the “structure” that separates the earth and the heavens today as anything other than the atmosphere to hold up the clouds, and the laws of gravity, mass, and motion that God created to keep the planets and stars (et al.) in their God-given positions/orbits.

The standard Greek lexicon for English speakers (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich) was edited by critical scholars, and my guess is that AI got its answer from its description of the Greek word for stereōma: “the sky as a supporting structure, the firmament.” Perhaps the Greeks around the time of Christ thought of some sort of “solid” “structure” holding up the “heavens.” But no creationist today understands the world as Aristotle saw it. The Hebrew word raqiya means an “expanse,” or something stretched out. The word has nothing to do with being “solid.” But I know where AI gets its idea. The standard Hebrew lexicon from the last century was Brown-Driver-Briggs. They were all critics of the Bible. They define raqiya as “extended surface, (solid) expanse (as if beaten out).” But the Hebrew noun never refers to anything except the expanse or spread-out heavens.

AI was citing the standard reference works, but those are all liberal, written by people who (for the most part) don’t believe Genesis 1 is historically accurate. AI was fudging by claiming that “creationists” interpret the same way that the critical scholars do. It shows its lack of knowledge of real creationists. It would do better to include more information from Answers in Genesis.

Christ is risen! That’s why we know Genesis was true all along, even if nobody understood how true it was until we entered the space age.
     —Pastor Mark Eddy, Zion Lutheran Church / Taylor Ridge, Ill.

I was honestly a bit shocked at how dismissive Lynn Vincent is regarding AI’s future. She seems not to understand that AI really is a form of intelligence that improves both organically and mathematically, with no theoretical end in sight. Having worked in IT most of my career, I find those who are dismissive of AI typically fail to understand or appreciate what it really is. I am hoping Ms. Vincent, and others at WORLD, will take time to gain a better understanding of AI. The evidence is mounting that AI will become the most consequential technology in human history.
     —Bob Baima / Dunwoody, Ga.

Closing the gap from Sunday to Monday

When I flipped to that page, I saw a resemblance to the head pastor at our church. Lo and behold, it really was him with our sanctuary in the background. Tom has a practice of bringing members of the congregation up on stage at the end of the worship service and interviewing them about what they will be doing “this time tomorrow.” We are regularly reminded of our service to the kingdom in our worship and our work.
     —Darla Dykstra / Kansas City, Mo.

U.S. briefs

I appreciate that your brief article on this shooting did not mention the name of the shooter. While the media are all too willing to publicize these individuals and their desire for notoriety, you stood against the majority and ignored her wishes. Thank you for your integrity.
     —Bill Bader / Eden Prairie, Minn.

Primary and secondary realities

Andrée Seu Peterson quips, “Dispatching one’s body after death is … not a spiritual matter but more of a courtesy to my children.” I disagree. As Christians who believe in the bodily “resurrection from the dead” (Apostles’ Creed) and that Jesus Christ has redeemed our body and our soul, the act of Christian burial is deeply spiritual and an act of faith. This is why Joseph gave specific instructions in regard to his own bones since he was convinced that God would surely visit His people (Genesis 50:25). To state that what is done with our body after our death is “not a spiritual matter” is more of an expression of Gnosticism than Christianity.
     —Greg Lubbers / Pella, Iowa

Consider the body

Thank you, Janie B. Cheaney, for this column. I have cerebral palsy and yet I’m incredibly blessed. I’m married, I still drive, and I’ve had a very active life. It is as I’m growing older that I’ve begun to really be affected by CP. There have been times that I have struggled physically and emotionally with my condition yet I don’t remember hating this body. I know that I live in a world that has been profoundly affected by sin. One of the many promises that I cling to is that one day I’ll be changed into what I was actually created for! This column was so inspiring to me. You said much that I have thought about over the years. I’ve mentioned “that rarefied air” in many a funeral sermon over the years. This column gave me another strong whiff.
     —Roy D. Hall / Diboll, Texas

This column was rich with phrases and sentences that sparkled and glowed—some humorous, but all so true, and in a style that verged on the poetic. I wouldn’t know which ones to quote first, but one of your concluding lines stated a barely understood but impor­tant truth: We were made for “pleasure even more intense.”
     —Joyce DeVivo / Grand Gorge, N.Y.

I read this column with anticipation from paragraph to paragraph. Maybe I was tuned in because I have come through pain from a sciatic nerve experience and as I improve my left thumb is speaking from osteoarthritis. Looking forward to meeting Him in the air!
     —Ruth Rauch / Sierra Vista, Ariz.

Threat assessment

When I read interviews like Todd Vician’s with Rebeccah Heinrichs, in contrast with the steady news stream of pathos designed to elicit our compassion, I can’t help but think that we’ve confused the messages of Romans 12 with Romans 13. Romans 12 refers to individual responsibilities—how to treat brethren in the body of Christ. Romans 13 refers to government authorities—God’s ministers to do us good, as “avengers to execute wrath on those who do evil.” Blurring the distinctions between personal and government roles could be a fatal flaw for America. Blessings to Ms. Heinrichs for reminding us that our government’s responsibility is to protect our citizens and punish those who would harm us. Pursuant to our government’s role as protector of citizens, we often overlook the practical reality that the best defense is strong offensive capability. Maintaining a nuclear arsenal has a strong deterrent effect on those who would do us harm.
     —Karen Davis / Exton, Pa.

This textbook defense of nuclear weapons manages in one sentence to slide over the incredible complexities involved in even considering the use of nuclear weapons. As long as we are “not targeting civilians” does that justify the countless resulting casualties as merely excusable collateral damage? Rather than take for granted the presumed use of these weapons—which horrified even a staunch cold warrior like Ronald Reagan—shouldn’t serious peacemakers aspire to something greater than simply rubber-stamping the status quo?
     —Sam Reid / Issaquah, Wash.

The Ballad of Wallis Island

A friend and I went to see The Ballad of Wallis Island. Nice story, quirky, beautiful, as you said. But, a problem: It wasn’t easy to understand their accents. We could (helped by the magazine review) follow the story, but we certainly missed a lot. The theater I went to did not have closed captioning, which would have helped immensely.
     —Evelyn Carver / Middleboro, Mass.

Correction

Irish politician John Hume was Catholic (“Troubled times,” April, p. 84).

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