Muddling Toward Maturity Blog

JOHN LENNOX SPEAKS ON NATURAL DISASTERS, PAIN AND SUFFERING

John Lennox, professor of mathematics and philosopher of science at Oxford University, spoke as a Christian layman to a congregation in Christchurch, New Zealand following the February 2011 destructive earthquake that killed 185 people.  

I found his talk extraordinarily instructive and helpful.  The audio can be accessed here or see the video below.  (Note:  See my previous post on Lennox's February, 2012 talk at Harvard University on  "Miracles: Is Belief in the Supernatural Irrational?") 

 

 Other Lennox talks from his 2011 New Zealand visit:

• Howick Baptist Sunday morning service (27 Feb) – Why? Considering the Goodness and Sovereignty of God in the Midst of Suffering (video here).  [The talk posted above]
• Greenlane Christian Center evening service (27 Feb) – A Conversation with John Lennox about the Christchurch earthquake (includes Q and A).
• Compass at St Pauls (28 Feb) – An evening with John Lennox: God, Suffering, and the Christchurch Earthquake. (right-click and “save as”)
• Interview on Radio Rhema (1 March) – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
• Interview on NewstalkZB with Leighton Smith (2 March) – Mathematics, Stephen Hawkings, God, faith, and Christchurch (with some caller interaction) (right-click and “save as”)
• Spreydon Baptist morning service (6 March) – A City in Pain
• Spreydon Baptist evening service (6 March) – A Living Hope

EXTRAORDINARY EARTHQUAKE ACTIVITY DRAWING ATTENTION AROUND THE GLOBE

From Croatian Times:

Quake Expert: Earth Cracking Up

A leading earthquake scientist has warned that the planet could be cracking up after a series of massive quakes in just 48 hours.

Expert Gheorghe Marmureanu - from Romania's National Institute of Earth Physics - says 39 quakes had hit the globe within two days.

The series started with two massive quakes in Indonesia measuring 8.6 and 8.2 on the Richter scale rapidly followed by three more only slightly smaller in Mexico within hours.

"There is no doubt that something is seriously wrong. There have been too many strong earthquakes," said Marmureanu.

He added: "The quakes are a surprise that cannot be easily explained by current scientific knowledge. With the Indonesian quake for example, statistically, there should be one big earthquake in this part of Asia every 500 years. However, since 2004, there were already three quakes with a magnitude of over 8, which is not normal.

Me: What is going on?  I don't know.  A friend passed along the above, plus I have learned of a couple of websites that track weather, earthquakes, and unusual occurrences: Dutchsinse and The Extinction Protocol.  Since I have not yet studied the particular theories each site embraces, I am not endorsing their viewpoints, but I do find the websites helpful in chronicling global events. 

THE MEXICO 7.4 EARTHQUAKE WAS PRE-PLANNED!

(Update - More details here).  "The fact that governments have access to seismic-triggering technology is not a conspiracy theory, it’s a scientific fact.

(Original Post) - How can that be???  You mean human beings could produce it. . .  bring it off?  That's impossible!  At least that's what I thought.  But the data tells a different, and certainly puzzling, story.  Make up your own mind.  There was an announcement in early March of a simulation of an earthquake in Mexico to take place March 20th -- and an actual earthquake took place exactly on that date--and at the time specified:  noon!  Watch the video below.  Then click through to Michael Janitch's (Dutchsinse's) major post which shows the data, including the poster announcing the simulation, and see also the transcript of President Bill Clinton's Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, who testified before Congress of nefarious schemes including "setting off earthquakes"!!  I know, I know, this sounds crazy.  But...

As Dutchsinse says, we need explanations!  Also from his post, note the following video on how to MAKE an earthquake:

                                                     I await further information.

THE SCARIEST TSUNAMI VIDEO YET?

Update 4/23/11 - A friend e-mailed me this video which is a new one to me.  It shows the huge tsunammi wave making it's way across farmland, plus a lot more.

 Gizmodo (HT: Allahpundit) describes the video below:

We've seen a lot of scary videos of this month's deadly Japanese earthquake and tsunami — but nothing like this. Watch as the waves ravage the port of Kesennuma, destroying everything in it's path.

First watch as the tsunami begins by tossing cars around like toys at the port parking lot — and then watch how terrifyingly fast the rest of the city becomes enveloped in water. In the end, only a couple of buildings survive.

 

WHAT'S IT LIKE LIVING IN CHILE AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE?

From a friend living in Chile, dated 3/6/10:

Thank you beyond words for the prayers.  We’re all exhausted, partly from the work but also from the continuing tremors and uncertainty of life here.  Much like the 9/11 tragedy, the quake has directly affected some, but has rocked the whole country…literally and figuratively.  You can feel the tension in the air, just waiting for another “big one.”  We keep getting large enough tremors – a 6.0 and a 6.6 within 3 hours of each other yesterday and another similar one today – that people are staying on edge.  Hurricanes, tornadoes and other similar stuff are much better in that they’re OVER.  This isn’t…by FAR.  And it’s wearing on all of us. . .