A Professor Surprised About Miracles!

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#Miracles
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David Hume Jr. said, "Jesus never performed miracles. It’s impossible. Nature’s laws won’t allow such violations. Besides, I’ve never seen anybody walk on water, heal people instantly, raise the dead. It’s as Professor Skeptic said, 'All Jesus’ miracles are incredible and have some other explanation.' "Those preachers who say otherwise are wrong. They’re just what ignorant Bible-thumping Christians claim."  Are You Sure?

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“Hey, David! David Hume!”

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David looked up to see his friend, Norman Evangelical, with a big smile. Norman is a nice guy, smart, sensible, fun loving. He and Norman go together with their girlfriends to school football games at Spinoza Stadium and cheer loudly for our team. But something about Norman made David feel a bit uncomfortable. He’s different somehow in his talk and actions.

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“David, my friend, what’s happening? You want to take the girls to see the game this weekend?” Norman asked.

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“Oh, I guess so. I’ve just been thinking about Professor Skeptic’s class. He says the modern scientific worldview has shown supernatural religion of God and miracles outmoded. It’s a form of escapism and illusion like Freud said. I think he’s right, don’t you Norman?”

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“No, David, I don’t,” looking rather serious. “We now know Freud’s psychoanalysis is unscientific fraud and his atheism may be his escapism from facing God and Hell. Science puts itself in the place of the all-knowing God to pass judgment on immaterial things. Science is limited to experiment with things known through our physical senses such as sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Science exceeds its limit to say God, angels, revelations and human souls don’t exist.”

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“But Norman, we have nature’s laws that make miracles impossible.”

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“Yes, we have patterns in nature that normally would exclude miracles. Christians knew nature’s laws so well that it always astonished them to see Jesus’ miracles. The Virgin Mary, Jesus’ mother, was astonished to be pregnant. She asked how it could be since she knew not a man. The universe’s Creator can overpower the natural order he upholds when his purpose is to get people’s attention. What better way could there be to make his presence and power known? Philosopher David Hume erred to say a majority testimony against miracles makes them incredible. That would rule out any new discovery and precludes the possibility of God. Man can't legislate that the Creator can't use miracles. That's the way a loving God can show His presence and redemptive purpose for our lives.

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“But Norman, wouldn’t a miracle disrupt all nature and make science impossible?”

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“No. When Jesus turned water into wine, he just accelerated the process. When Jesus walked on water everything else remained the same. Jesus miracles were not like the wild, bizarre imaginings of the Arabian and Greek myths. When he ascended into heaven, he simply exerted more power than gravity as do modern rocket ships taking off. His miracles occurred in one place, didn’t disrupt all nature, and scientists could be there conducting experiments all over the world.”

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“Oh, but Norman, it’s superstitious to believe in supernatural ghosts, spirits, magic and the like that makes science impossible.”

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“David, my friend, this time I agree with you. But it was those who believed the world illusion, or spirits were in every tree, and nature was too mysterious and sacred to tamper with that inhibited the development of science. No! Christians, unlike the superstitious pagans, believed in a good and rational God who told us to develop, care for, and enjoy the good world he created. Christians believed the world to be real, rational, orderly and useful for experimentation. In fact, the first experimental scientists were believers in the Christian God and many were Christians.

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“Norman, what scientists were Christians and why do we never read about this in the science textbooks.”

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“Well, to start, the greatest scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, believed in God and wrote commentaries on the Bible. Francis Bacon, father of the scientific method, believed the Bible saves us from error and reveals the will of God. Robert Boyle, the great chemist was another devout Christian who wrote books on Christian apologetics. Lord Kelvin, who formulated the laws of thermodynamics and held twenty-one honorary degrees, was a man of deep faith. The brilliant mathematician and astronomer, Johannes Kepler, was a devout Christian whose faith sustained his life and motivated his research. Sir Michael Faraday, Charles Babbage, Blaise Pascal even Galileo Galilei and many others were devout believers.”

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“Then Norman, why don’t we hear about this today from people in science. We get the opposite impression from the universities.”

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“David, I think three reasons. We have a build in reluctance to think of God and his rule over our life. Also, since Darwin’s day, many use evolution as an excuse to do whatever suits their animal desires. And third, writers of science textbooks think religion or any mention of God is out of place.”     

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“You make it all sound so reasonable Norman, but can’t Jesus miracles have natural explanations. Professor Skeptic showed this clearly in class. So we don’t have to believe in Jesus’ miracles, or that he is God.”

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With a curious grin--“Just what did the good professor say, David?”

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“He gave reasonable alternatives. Jesus’ superstitious disciples believed in ghosts. They thought Jesus walked on the sea. But he really walked around the sea to greet them standing on a sand bar on the other ashore. When a hungry boy took out his lunch, the 5,000 took out theirs. During the storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus bade his disciples row the boat to a calm area. And the alleged dead girl revived from a coma. It’s all so natural, no miracles required. Don’t you agree?” David crossed his arms, looked up and felt rather self-assured. 
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“No, I don’t David for several reasons. First, Professor Skeptic didn’t do his homework. It’s easy to sit behind a desk, ignore the facts and imagine you know more than the persons involved. Second, alternative natural explanations don’t disprove miracles and may not be true explanations. Third, explaining away a few miracles when Jesus probably performed hundreds (Jn. 20:30-31; 21:24-25) doesn’t make the case. Fourth, to extract miracles from the accounts renders them ludicrous nonsense. It makes Jesus’ disciples incredible idiots to affirm known lies, endure ridicule, and martyr’s deaths. Finally, hostile eyewitness three decades later reading the published Gospels would discredit fake miracles and would destroy the Christian movement. Now let’s take the good professor’s explanations one at a time.”

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“Jesus walked on the Sea of Galilee (Mt. 14:24-36; Mk. 6:45-52; Jn. 6:4-21). The texts say the disciples saw Jesus in the early morning darkness (3-6 a.m.) walking in the middle of the lake that is 80-160 feet deep. Knowing natures laws, His terrified disciples thought him a ghost. Who wouldn’t in such circumstances? Peter walked to Jesus on the water, but doubted and sank. Jesus rebuked his unbelief. Both got into the boat, returned to the other shore where the astonished disciples worshipped Jesus as the Son of God. But their worship took such a stupendous event to impress it on the disciples minds. Did Professor Skeptic mention these facts? You mean he just forgot!”

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“Jesus fed the 5,000 (Matt. 14:13-21; Mk. 6:35-44; Luke. 9:11-17; Jn. 6:1-14). The texts say near Passover time hundreds saw Jesus’ healing miracles and hurriedly left the cities to follow him to a deserted place for healing. They became hungry as the day wore on and were without food. A desperate search turned up only a boy’s lunch of two fish and five loaves of bread that couldn’t feed five thousand men plus women and children (Maybe 20,000). Jesus prayed, divided the boy's food and disciples distributed it so everyone had plenty and eleven baskets were salvaged. That's no great feat if Jesus be our loving Creator?"And it's so unlikely to be a made-up story.

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“Jesus stilled Galilee’s raging storm (Matt. 8:23-27; Mk. 4:35-41; Luke. 8:22-25). Cold winds pour down surrounding hills to stir up the whole sea with fierce winds and waves. Water filled the boat while Jesus slept on a pillow at the stern. Panicky disciples cried Lord save us  or we’ll drown. Jesus first rebuked the storm that ceased immediately, and then rebuked the disciples for unbelief. Astonished, they acknowledged that even the winds and waves obey him. Now, how can we explain this immediate calm of the sea at Jesus’ command without a miracle? David, I ate fish in a restaurant beside Israel's Sea of Galilee during such a storm. That raging sea is terrifying, and there's no calm place one can go as some critics imagine.”

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“Jesus raised three dead persons: the widow of Nain’s son (Luke. 7:11-15), Jairus’s daughter (Mark. 5:35-43; and Lazarus (John.11). A dead corpse is easily distinguished from a comatose person by being pale, cold and stiff. Do the critics think ancient people were too dumb to know that?”

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“I wonder how our noble professor would explain the temple tax in the fish’s mouth, Malcolm’s severed ear restored, Jesus’ transfiguration, His resurrection being seen by five hundred people many of them still alive when  Paul spoke of it (1 Cor. 15:3-8), unless Jesus be our God and Savior. Did the professor know these details in the Gospels are exactly what we find them to be today? Could Professor Skeptic be a closed-minded naturalist?”

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 “At Peter's request, the Romans crucified him upside down because he felt unworthy to die the same way as his Lord. Peter’s statement rings true rather than Professor Skeptic’s claims.

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Peter said, “We did not follow cunningly devised fables when w made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 2 Peter 1:16

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Despite the evidence, to deny miracles one must make the unwarranted assumption that no Creator God exists who can act in his world. Unless we know everything, we simply can’t say that. Honest evaluation of the evidence points to Jesus being our God and Savior of sinners. And Jesus will save anyone who admits to their sin and trusts in Him for his gift of eternal life.
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My friend, we're all sinners needing the Lord as our Savior. Jesus died upon the cross to pay for our sins and make us God's people who live for Him. In trusting Him, one day we will live in a perfect Heaven where there will be no more evil, no more pain. Won't you pray, Lord, I'm a needy sinner. I trust You now and forever as paying for my sin in Your death on the cross. I don't understand it all, but I trust  Your promise anyway.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).
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If you trusted the Savior, you want to share this most wonderful news with others. You can do this simply by linking to these articles & sending them www. Walking Heaven's streets, we will rejoice with persons we invited to the Savior. Praise God! Being a good news messenger is most precious and will be rewarded at the judgement seat of Christ when other so-called important things--computer games, showing pictures, saying negative things won't count for anything. God bless.

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Three Challenging Ideas

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Chris Theon sought to share the good news of God’s forgiveness, love and promise of eternal life in Christ everywhere he went. After all, wasn’t that exactly what the Lord Jesus told Christians to do? And isn’t that the greatest thing one human being can do for another? Even greater than buying them a winning lottery ticket?

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 Some persons showed understanding, appreciation and acceptance for what Chris said. Others frowned, turned away, or even ridiculed his efforts calling him a narrow-minded religious fool. Chris prayed these persons would come to know the joy and love he came to know in Christ. Why can’t they understand and accept Christ’s claims?

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Thinking about his encounters with these persons, Chris realized it’s because many have one-legged Gods. They try so hard to avoid the ditch on one side of the road that they fall into the ditch on the other side. It’s like a cake burnt on one side but raw on the other. Some persons believe exaggerated half-truths about God. It affects their personality, attitudes, and responses to life and people in negative ways. No wonder some persons say, “I can’t believe in a God like that” and become atheists. Chris pondered these persons with their attitudes and actions.

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He recalled Diana Deist. She learned in physics’ class that the universe was running down like a wound up clock. So it must have had a Winder to begin. And if we could count back unending moments of time, we could never have reached today, so the universe had a beginning. Her biology teacher taught that Louis Pasteur and other scientists showed life doesn’t spontaneous appear from non-living matter.

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Furthermore, the DNA molecule even in simple organisms contains more information than an encyclopedia and its genes limit what it can become. Mind then preceded and produced matter. So it’s absurd to think unconscious, mindless molecules magically arranged themselves into man with multiple interdependent organs and systems no matter how much time. She concluded there must be an immensely great, eternal, intelligent power source worthy of being called God our Creator.

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But Diana couldn’t bring herself to believe God has much to do with our world and everyday lives. Her father left home when she was just six, never returned and her mother wasn’t always attentive to her needs. She had prayed earnestly for a boyfriend. But for whatever reason she couldn’t attract guys’ interest though she felt she was intelligent and attractive. Chris’s heart and prayers went out to all such persons.

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Chris remembered Pan Everything believed God is nature, impersonal energy, always changing forms as animals, trees, flowers, waterfalls, springs, the wind, rain, snow. God is everything, the whole universe and there’s no need for a Creator beyond nature. Things just move along the way they always have. She felt it odd of Christians to say Jesus is our Creator who dwelt among us. Jesus may never have existed, and if he did, he certainly wasn’t God come to us from the sky. Pan just laughed it off when Chris tried to tell her she needed the Savior.

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Chris knew Justin Trueman understood. Justin warned that God judges indifferent wayward people. Persons who say God is just love should read the Bible. He pointed out that God destroyed the violent wicked world of Noah’s day and burned the wicked city of Sodom. Many persons today aren’t concerned about idolatry, drunkenness, abortion, fornication, adultery, incest, homosexuality, same-sex marriage. They give these destructive practices less offensive misleading names to excuse and justify them. They reason anything is okay as long as it doesn’t hurt others, but overlook that such practices pervert persons, fracture families, demoralize governments and shame nations. The Bible proverb explains that those who hate God love death.         

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Deny God’s revealed truth and there’s no place to draw the line. Final steps of moral collapse are homosexuality, arbitrary murder, human sacrifice, sex with animals and with corps. Our merciful God warned the Canaanites to repent 400 years before sending Israel to destroy them. Later corrupt Israel too was devastated and exiled. History confirms nations began on a moral plane become corrupt and easy prey for invaders. Charity Lovemore strongly affirmed God‘s love. The Bible says God so loved the world and God is love. Jesus is God and showed compassion for all persons. He’s our example as a kind loving man who went about doing good. And didn’t he tell us not to judge others and persons without sin to cast the first stone? Persons who talk of judgment, punishment and Hell annoyed her. Yes, we make mistakes but we’re not bad. So to her an eternal Hell is a horrible torture chamber unthinkable of a loving God.

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Chris reflected on the persons who had one side of the truth but often denied the other, which was just as true and crucial. Diana Deist had good reasons to believe in a Creator but not his providence. Her upbringing seemed to hinder such faith. She needs to work out her feelings with a Christian pastor or counselor encouraging her self-esteem, to listen to testimonies of how God works in Christian’s lives and to read apologetics books showing evidences of fulfilled prophecies, miracles and Christ’s claims. 

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Pan Everything believed only in God’s immanence. She needs to exchange views with Diana Deist who believed only in God’s transcendence. Both should read Bible events showing how God works providentially in people’s lives. In our sinful fallen world, not everything can be pleasant. But God works evils out for good. Christ’s cross was the worst evil that worked the most good—eternal life for believers.

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Chris agreed Justin Trueman’s warning need serious thoughtful consideration.

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Charity Lovemore is right that God is love. Nevertheless, she needs to understand that justice and love go hand in hand. Since God doesn’t annihilate persons in His image, they will abide eternally either in Heaven or Hell. So love without justice excuses every evil; justice without love is torture and tyranny. It’s impossible to have one without the other: Hell allows Heaven; Heaven necessitates Hell. God’s displays grace in both in that it all depends upon each persons choice.

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Chris put these friends on his prayer list. He prayed that God would open their hearts and minds to full spiritual understanding and that they would come to trust the Lord and Savior of sinners.

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John’s Faith Tested and Confirmed

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John Jones, a state university student, sat at his dorm room desk head bowed thinking how Professor Brown’s class laughed at him and raised objections against his new faith. Embarrassed and ashamed, he wondered if he could ever face them again.

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Since becoming a Christian, John felt life had purpose, excitement in the things we do, things we say; they make a difference now and eternally. God exists. He knows everything about us, cares about us, and is with us good times and bad. Someday, He will reward our service. John sought to share this good news with classmates and friends. But when he mentioned Jesus, they stared wide-eyed, open-mouthed, crossed arms, with horrified expressions it seemed forever.

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“That’s arrogant and offensive, narrow-minded, absolutist and intolerant,” they said. “How can you be that way?”

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Startled and perplexed, John determined to master world religions. He spent hours of intense study in the library. He knew he too once looked at it that way but rejoiced now in knowing and loving the Savior.

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The Beliefs of Non-Christian Religions

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John learned that China’s Confucians and Japan’s Shinto worshiped nature and honored ancestors. Buddha denied a personal God. Pantheistic religions--Taoism, New Age, Unity and Christian Science--claim the universe is God and a force, not a person. Zoroaster affirmed two conflicting Gods, but only one can be Absolute or God.

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Alone in a cave six centuries after Christ, Muhammad claimed the angel Gabriel revealed the Qur’an which corrected the scripture of Jews and Christians making him God’s final prophet. Similarly, centuries later, Joseph Smith Jr. said the angel Moroni led him to the Book of Mormon that made him God’s final prophet. Now nobody else saw the angels these men claimed to see. So what does such a claim prove? Nothing! Anybody could say the same thing.

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What is the truth—nature and ancestor worship, no god, two gods, the universe is god, millions of gods, or one god? They can’t all be right. John realized that world religions radically conflict. So, if one is true, the others must be false. He concluded from his study that non-Christian religions are human imaginings, mere speculations. These mystics and alleged prophets furnish no visible objective evidence of God--only teachings from inside their heads.

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Besides being contradictory, besides having no visible evidence of a real God, John realized they have no empirical basis to believe people exist after death. Pantheists base reincarnation upon karmic justice meaning you reap what you’ve sown in your last life. Nature moves in cycles of death and rebirth. Human defects as blindness and blemishes, dreams and déjà vu affirm reincarnation. We explain this today as due to the earths tilt circling the sun, human imagination,A and genetic defects. Even supposing one achieved nirvana (personal extinction) or absorption into Brahma (World Soul), it is unknowable since no one returns to tell us.

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Non-Christian religions, however, usually do claim some moral precepts. People everywhere have a conscience and human compassion. And people who lie, steal, cheat, rape, whatever, scream unfair when others abuse them. This seems to be the basis for ethical precepts in non-Christian religions. This too explains why people universally believe that if their good deeds outweigh their bad maybe they will make it to paradise, Heaven, the Elysian Fields, happy hunting grounds, nirvana, or whatever. But when we deny a personal and moral God who sets standards and holds us accountable--anything goes. No absolute Lawgiver spells relativism of truth and morals. Anything becomes all right that seems to work for the moment.

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The Beliefs of Biblical Christianity

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Unlike those religions, biblical Christianity furnishes objective, eyewitness accounts that God exists. He lived among us as the person Jesus Christ (Lk. 1:1-4; Jn. 1:1-3, 14; 19:35; Acts 1:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:1-8; Heb. 1:1-4; 2 Pet. 1:16). Persons walked, talked, touched and observed Jesus for over three years. Three accounts of Jesus’ life and a dozen letters about the faith concerning him appeared within four decades for friend and foe to verify. Ten secular writers mentioned Jesus including details about his life. Jesus’ life is no fable; it is history.

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Two lines of evidence show Jesus is our God. First, centuries earlier prophets predicted Messiah would be Mighty God (Ps.2:6-8; Isa.9:6-7), Immanuel and virgin born (Isa. 7:14) in Bethlehem but from eternity (Mal. 5:2), and would die for our iniquities (Isa.52; 53:5-7). What claimant but Jesus, qualifies? Angry Jews shouted this man Jesus blasphemed to claim deity (Mk. 14:60-64; Jn. 5:16-18; 10:31-33). Second, Jesus’ miracles verified his deity. Open-minded persons shouldn’t assume nature, science or anything else precludes miracles; only honest investigation can decide that.

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Crowds jeered Jesus while naked, bleeding, and dying for us upon the cross. Critics try in vain to disprove eyewitness accounts of his cross, empty tomb, and resurrection appearances published within three decades. It established Christ’s deity, authority, the Bible, the church, Sunday worship, and the western calendar.                

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So empty claims and speculative opinions are nothing. Only the authority of the risen Lord Jesus Christ is the basis for human dignity and rights, absolute truth, ethics and assurance of an afterlife of justice or reward. He alone makes sense of the universe, conscience, life and self-giving love. He’s the God-man who promises whoever trusts in him eternal life (John 3:36, 8:24).

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The Objections John Jones Can Now Answer

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The Bible tells Christians not to be arrogant or offensive but kindhearted and seek everyone’s good (1 Cor. 10:32; 1 Pet. 3:15). Christian missions bring God’s love, salvation and uplifting benefits to everybody. Truth is exclusive since it opposes falsehood. Christian faith excludes no one as untouchable, sectarian, or clannish; it welcomes everybody—God so loved the world. Objective, empirical evidence shows Jesus is Messiah, Savior and Lord. Non-Christian religions’ claims are subjective imaginings, speculative guesses. So the real obstacle is not Christian narrow-mindedness; it’s non-Christian closed-mindedness. And yes, Christianity is absolutist since only Christians have a solid empirical basis for their faith. Intolerant, yes; not of people but of ideas and practices known to hurt and destroy people.
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Unbelievers might call biblical Christianity human treason for exposing human inadequacy and dependence; Christians worshipfully call it the grace of God shown us prideful rebellious sinners.
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 But to us who believe Jesus is the hope and light of the world. The giver of eternal life, human dignity, ethics, rationality, truth, science, justice, love and makes sense of it all.  Non Christian  religions have no basis for any of these things. We who have objective evidence of God's love and hope of eternal life can help others to know the Savior. Ask the Lord to help you have courage to share Him and His offer of eternal life.

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The Jeffrey Dahmer Murders

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Jeffrey Dahmer, 34-year-old son of fundamentalist Christian parent’s, brutally murdered seventeen homosexual, mostly black young men, raped their corps, and ate their body parts. Was what he did wrong? Matter Atheos, Pan Unitheos, and Chris Theon met to discuss this appalling matter.

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Matter, the distinguished white-headed professor, spoke first. “Gentlemen, I’m terrified of serial killers who roam our streets, invade our homes, rob, rape, murder our children. They frighten and force us to become an armed camp. Shaking his head, eating people and human heads in the refrigerator, it’s loathsome. Maybe we’re tasty and nutritious, but it’s utterly repulsive. We make laws to protect citizens from such lunatics. I know we’re only evolving animals who return to dirt. But we want peaceful, fear-free lives. So we should respect fellow human beings--practical expediency and the golden rule should be our goals. What do you say, Pan?”

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Pan, a handsome bearded philosopher from India with hand on chin, nodded affirmatively. “Hum, I agree Dahmer was wrong to murder those men. It prevented their working off bad karma from a former life. It prolonged sufferings in their next life. And eating meat is wrong too. My parents taught me not to eat meat since it may be a person or animal from a former life. Everything and everyone are parts of this universe of spiritual energy—I call it the World Soul or god. Things return to the ground and are reborn in different forms a thousand times to achieve justice. Then these temporary illusions cease to exist.”

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“Pan, have I got wax in my ears or what,” protested Matter? “Are you claiming karma means we shouldn’t help suffering people? Would you outlaw fire rescue, police aid, hospitals--things that alleviate human suffering? What happened to human compassion? The world’s Jeffrey Dohmers’ shouldn’t be allowed to run wild terrorizing us! And how can karma—an impersonal energy—know anything about our behavior? How can you say everything’s illusion? Don’t you wear clothes, look in the mirror, look when crossing streets and a thousand things you couldn’t do if all is just illusion? If the universe is one unity, how can it take separate forms, separate appearances, separate actions? Pan, is it your physical senses, or your common sense, that’s the illusion? I can’t see how your way of thinking has any ethical basis.”                      

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“Matter, if I understand you correctly, you’re also without any ethical basis. You believe we’re just sophisticated animals, a chance arrangement of atoms, who at death return to dirt. So, you’ve no authoritative source of goodness, you’re not accountable; you’ve only your subjective biases and opinions without authority and that will one day cease to exist.

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“Further, you despair that some catastrophe could end life on earth--an atomic war, an asteroid smashing earth, volcanic eruptions. Yes, practical expediency would make life more comfortable and secure. But! But! Human nature is sensual, passionate, craving--it’s seldom sensitive and compassionate. Why not fulfill our own pleasures? Why not satisfy our own desires--be they robbery, rape, murder, drug suicide, shooting persons at random? Since life has no ultimate purpose, since chances are great we’ll get by with it. Why not go out in a blaze of glory?”

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Chris could contain himself no longer. “Fellows, if we’re only animals without souls who return to dirt, that’s no basis for ethics. And, if after a thousand lives, we’re absorbed into universal energy, that only delays incentive, destroys compassion to live ethically. Ultimately, it makes little difference if we give dying persons a drink of water or dice their throats.”

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“I believe we have eternal dignity because we’re not evolved but created in God’s likeness and created immortal. An infinite, eternal, personal, ethical and loving God created us, set standards for us to live by, and will one day judge our every thought, every word, and deed. That makes life meaningful, that gives us hope. It motivates us to live ethically.”

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“But Chris that sounds too good to be true. Why should we believe it?”

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“I’m glad you asked, Matter. Our Creator visibly entered our space-time world in human form and told us who He is. He gave abundant signs open-minded persons could recognize and believe. He fulfilled hundreds of detailed predictions written centuries earlier. He did things we know neither nature nor man can achieve such as walk on water, heal blindness, lameness, and skin diseases instantly, and even raise the dead. Check it all out in the Bible--a book proven true time and again despite all the critical assaults.”

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“And here’s the real ethical incentive: Jesus’ blood, soaked the cross in our stead, showed us his great love, and paid our penalty for trampling God’s laws. The guarded, sealed tomb could not hold Him, which confirmed His divine claims.”

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“We have forgiveness, become God’s redeemed children, and receive His gift of eternal life by trusting in Christ. That’s a foundation of authority, that’s ethical incentive when limited, conflicting, human guesses are not.”

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“But Chris how is God love when the Bible says sinners will be cast into a lake of fire forever?”

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“Thanks for asking, Pan. First, people mistakenly believe God would be unloving to punish sin or wrongdoing. They want a permissive God who will overlook their sin. That’s not the perfectly just, holy, righteous or loving God of the Bible. That’s not the love society really agrees with either. We put thieves, rapists, murders, any law-breakers in jail to protect society—that’s love. Breakers of God’s laws must receive His perfect justice, which is the very foundation of His love. Indeed, there can be no real love apart from justice.”

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“Second, the lake of fire is a metaphor to represent the wrath of God (John 3:36; Ps. 89:46; Ezek. 21:31; 2 Thess. 1:8-9). Jesus used metaphor or symbolic pictures to grab people’s attention and warn them of literal realities. Fire burning flesh certainly does that. Other pictures describing Hell are a bottomless pit (Rev. 203); outer darkness (Matt. 8:12), torment (Rev. 20:10); beating (Luke 12:47-48).”

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“Third, Jesus taught Hell is degrees of punishment for degrees of sin--a lake of fire suggests equal punishment. It’s terribly unjust to punish both a murderer of millions and a moral but unsaved person equally in a furnace or lake of fire. Indeed, God would be less just than human jurists would be not to punish sin to the degree it deserved.”

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“How much WORSE punishment, do you suppose will he be thought worthy who has  trampled the Son of God underfoot (Heb. 10:29).” See also "more tolerable" in Matt. 10:15; 11:22-24. Mark 6:11.

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“Forth, Hell is forever. God respects the free will He gave us. Some persons despise God to the death. They don’t have to be mean, nasty, brutal killers. They may be likable, moral, good intention persons who just prefer doing their thing to God’s will. But their sinful self-will prevents them entering and corrupting God’s perfect Heaven. God is the Lord and we must abide by His terms. He gives us one life and after that the judgment (Heb. 9:29). Every knee will one day bow to the Savior then our Judge, and admit He alone is right (Rom. 14:11; Phil. 2:10).”

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The utterly just God of the Bible who knows every thought, motive and act of every person will give us pure justice. His principles are mentioned in the Bible Book of Romans the second chapter. He cannot allow us to do things in His perfect Heaven that we do now on this earth. When we see God, we will have no excuse to justify our evil behavior. Now is our time for repentance and commitment to serve Him. Creation, conscience and God's Spirit witnesses to us and God will find a way to save all who want to know Him. Believe on the Lord Jesus the Messiah or Anointed (Acts 16:31). We may trust in His love now but will receive His justice later. Jesus is Creator, Lifegiver, Lawgiver, Savior, and Judge. Will you pray, Lord, I trust You to save me a sinner right now and forever.

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Interview with Professor Mater Atheos

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Chris Theon arrived for his two o’clock appointment at Professor Atheos’ office in the administrative building at secular university. Knock. Knock.

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“Come in, Mr. Theon.” Opening the door, the professor greeted Chris with a casual smile and invited him in to sit across from him at the little round table. Looking around the office Chris was much impressed. He said, “You sure have a lot of earned and honorary degrees and honors professor. You have filled your wall with them. You must be quite a knowledgeable man.”

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“Ha, ha. Oh, I’m just a humble person who worked hard and persevered. I understand you want to interview me about my beliefs.”

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“Yes, and thank you so much for giving me some of your time. I believe you’re called by many names.”

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“Yes, ha, ha. Some people think I’m an antichrist in league with the devil because of my beliefs. They call me atheist, humanist, materialist, naturalist, secularist, antitheist and some other things I won’t mention. They all mean I don’t believe in any God, miracles, angels, divine revelations, human souls or any religions and superstitions. The universe is eternal and self-sustaining. There’s no God and we should justify our beliefs by science and reason. I believe the scientific method of laboratory controlled, repeated, observable experiments is the only way to gain knowledge.”

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“Yes professor that’s certainly true in physics and chemistry. But wouldn’t you say archaeology, paleontology, geology and forensics qualify as sciences and give us knowledge as well? All these depend upon data of intelligent design in nature. Moreover, we can’t subject past events to laboratory controlled, repeated, observable experiments. And suppose there’s a Creator God who’s an infinite Spirit. Do you think he would submit to our laboratory, controlled, repeated, observable experiments so we can know he’s real? And who was around to observe and report on what happened at Creation. But here again scientists now know the universe is not eternal and this points to a personal intelligence to account for the persons and things we observe in the world.”

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“Ha, ha, well Chris I think evolution answers this whole question of God and creation and shows we no longer need God to account for things. Who can deny that evolution is a proven fact?”

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“Of course Dr. Atheos, if by evolution you mean many varieties of dogs and monkeys exist (microevolution). But, that’s no evidence that dogs change into horses and monkeys evolve into men (macroevolution).Where’s the evidence in nature that molecules can come alive, develop intelligence and arrange themselves into men? If it happened, shouldn’t we see thousands of fossils or transitional steps that would decisively prove it true? Besides, life forms are genetically programmed. Mutations are detrimental defects and don’t accumulative over generations. Enormously complicated animals and plants would have to be alive and functional from the start. So is evolution proven fact or mere speculative theory?”

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“Hum! (Professor Atheos became tight-lipped and raised his voice). Young man if a God of infinite goodness exists, he would desire to purge evil and suffering from the earth. And a God of infinite power could fulfill his desire. But evil and suffering exists. I think that does away with any notion of such a God.”

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“Professor, Sir, you’re right that this is a serious problem and I don’t think we limited humans have answers in specific cases. But we have some general answers that show it’s reasonable that a good God and providence exists. First, to prevent evil and suffering, God would have to create us as robots without free choice to either accept or reject him. That’s no honor to us or glory to him. Also, if God is infinitely good and powerful, then he certainly can defeat evil and suffering. Do we know he doesn’t have a good reason for the delay? Further, we’re all sinners who brought evil and suffering into the world, destroying them would be destroying us. So shouldn’t we be grateful for God’s delay? The Bible says God is patient and it’s not his will that any should perish but all come to the truth. Finally, if there be no God, everything is a given or just is, how can we even define good or evil as anything more than just our individual preference?”

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“Ah haw! You’re a Christian believer in the Bible. Well, I don’t believe in that heinous book. It’s full of evils like warfare, murders, and lies even of its supposedly holy people. It’s not the so-called ‘good book.’ How can you accept such literature and say it’s inspired by God?”

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“I’m glad you asked professor, sir. You are right the Bible is full of these things. But God doesn’t approve the lies, adulteries, murders, human sacrifices, sex with animals and other evils committed by persons in the Bible. He had them recorded to show they bring death and just retribution. God’s servants provide Bible lists showing how God wants us to live for our best interests. Consider the Ten Commandments, Sermon on the Mount and others.”

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“If we reject God’s authority for chance and evolution, then limited, conflicting, human opinions, and guesses are the result--we have no absolute truth or authority to say what’s good or evil. We’re without human dignity, without ethical standards, without human rights, without ultimate purpose, and without hope for an afterlife. Isn’t that what atheist philosophy offers us professor Atheos—chaos and complete despair?”

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“In atheist countries, it starts with lying promises of hope and citizen reforms followed with indiscriminate merciless human slaughter. Atheist countries destroy prosperity, human rights and belief in a higher authority in order to establish control. They have to build walls to prevent brave citizens from escaping their tyranny to a land where God is honored and people prosper.”

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“I’ve had enough of your impudence, Christian! The interview is over. Leave! “.

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As Chris walked out the door, he heard it slam behind him and Professor Atheos scream--“Christians are arrogant, narrow-minded, ignorant, intolerant, bigoted and just plain evil. They don’t believe in science and reason. Christians are atheist-phobic. How dare that upstart make me look bad?” With head held high, “I’m the professor with all the degrees and awards. He’s nothing. He’s just a piece of soulless dirt and    .  .  !!”  

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Chris left sadden that Professor Atheos was closed-minded in naturalistic philosophy. He prayed the professor would be willing to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ who died to save us from our sins and give us a new understanding and help us make a better world here until we live with Him in the new Heaven on the new earth.
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A Theist Atheist Fun Discussion

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Professor Allan Atheist and Professor George Godtruth are friends at the university. Sitting in the faculty lounge one evening when classes and faculty were out and enjoying coffee together, they got into a deep discussion over religion.

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“I show my students a secular understanding of the world,” said Allan, “There’s no God and I resent those ignorant believers who dare to challenge my views in class. They’re just ignorant hypocrites and arrogant closed-minded proselytes of religion.”

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That really ruffled George’s feathers. He squirmed a bit in his chair, stuck his tongue to his lip, looked stern, but kept his cool.

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 “Are you saying Allan that it’s alright for you to try to change their faith but not alright for them to try to change yours? And that’s what makes them proselytes, arrogant, closed-minded and ignorant hypocrites? Do you not believe in free speech guaranteed by the American constitution? Isn’t diversity of viewpoints what constitutes a good well-rounded education? Do you deny your students human rights, the right to believe in God and even to think? You know belief in a higher power is the basis of all human rights.”

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“Hum”, Allan hesitated and took a long sip of coffee. “Well, I’m right and they’re wrong. I’m the Ph.D. professor and they’re just students--God believers at that. Nobody with good sense believes in God today. We don’t see God any more than we see the tooth fairy.”

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Leaning in toward Allan with wrinkled forehead “But Allan we know the tooth fairy exists only as a child’s parent. But people write doctrinal dissertations’ on whether Jesus Christ is God. There’s more historical evidence for Jesus than for Aristotle and Tiberius Caesar. If we can put aside our bias and check it out, we might discover good evidence Jesus is God. Besides, statistics consistently show over 90% of the population believes in God and many have Ph.D.s. Are you saying that all these God believers are stupid while you’re smart?” Ph.D.’s don’t necessarily have degrees concerned with proving or disproving God. And some Ph.D.’s I know don’t have the good sense to come out of the rain.”

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“I’m getting impatient with all this kind of talk. Don’t you know George that the scientists deny God and that evolution explains everything so that we don’t need God?”

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“No. Have you taken a survey that you can say that? I have scientist friends who believe in God. I know of organizations of hundreds of scientists all over the world who believe in God. Look up on the internet Answers in Genesis, CARM, Reasons to Believe and other apologetics blogs. You will find that just isn’t true. Besides creation believers sometimes aren’t vocal because they know evolutionists would cause them trouble and get them fired.”

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“Oh come on George, everybody knows science has proved human evolution true—the fruit fly experiments, the ape-man fossils, the arguments that show a common ancestor.”

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“The fruit fly experiments showed that fruit flies can be made to mutate long or short legs and wings or develop deformities preventing them from flying. These experiments proved only that mutations and acquired characteristics never produce anything but deformed fruit flies that die, shall I say fruitless. The thousands of missing links from molecules to man are still missing, and the arguments claimed to show a common ancestor can just as well show a common Designer.”

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“Oh but George, haven’t you seen the horse exhibit showing that dogs evolve into horses. And the pictures in science books of the monkey that takes steps to become a modern man.”

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“Yes Allan, I saw the horse exhibit that was removed from the museum because scientists finally realized it was a fake. And an artist will draw a picture to accommodate any bias we might have. Those things don’t show true scientific evidence. But they do prove a closed-minded naturalist philosophy that rejects consideration of God from the outset. I can name some scientific findings that point to God and away from atheism.”

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“Oh really, and what might they be?”

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“The scientific physical law called entropy. Like a wound clock, the universe is running down. Since something can’t come from nothing, something infinite, eternal, immaterial, immutable had to exist to account for all the things we know exist in the world. Only an uncaused cause or divine Mind can adequately explain the things we know exist—matter, life, mind, ethics and truth. So creation points specifically to a Creator like what Christians call God.”

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 “Well”, Allan took another long sip of coffee. “I haven’t turned over every stone, looked behind every star, that I can dogmatically say no God exists anywhere. But! Ha! Ha! I’ve seen some guys who looked like the missing link. And I don’t see such things as evidence of God. Besides, God hasn’t given me the things I want when I’ve prayed. That’s good enough proof for me.”

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“My friend Allan the whole time we’ve been talking here, I haven’t seen where you’ve given me any reason or evidence for not believing in God. In fact, you’ve dismissed the actual scientific evidence and only made wild accusations and criticisms which really seem to apply against your atheist position.”

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“Well George, it’s getting late. We’ll talk again another time. I guess my believing students are just blind and stubborn. I’ve got to go home to my fine loving Christian wife. If I’m late for dinner, she’ll wonder if something bad has happened to me. Ha! Ha! I guess I’m really blessed”

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George thought when Allan left,  Oh Allan, my friend if  you only knew the love and forgiveness of the Savior and the good you could do for your students. Maybe the find example of your wife will lead you to know Jesus in a wonderful transformed life.  The good life of wifes can do that. "Lord, I pray Allan will come to know you."

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