Miracles Without God: The Naturalistic Origin of Life

Joel Kontinen

Even if man rejects the supernatural, he still has to believe in the miraculous. While he does not have a miracle-maker, he still needs miracles.

One of the biggest naturalistic dilemmas is the origin of life. Life simply does not come from non-life, so the evolutionist has to resort to a naturalistic miracle or blind luck, as some would say.

This brief video from CMI illustrates the problem:

Atheist Blogger: Hugh Ross is a Young Earth Creationist

In a book co-written with Dr. Fazale Rana, Hugh Ross argues for an old earth.




Joel Kontinen

At times, one might encounter interesting claims in blogs. Recently, Austin Cline of About.com had this to say about Dr. Hugh Ross:

“Mel Andrews appears to be a creationist -- and a Young Earth Creationist too, since he cites Hugh Ross as an authority. He certainly denies any sort of theistic evolution.”

Interesting claim. At first glance, it would seem that astrophysicist Huge Ross has repented of his old-Earth views. However, his organisation Reasons to Believe still teaches that biblical genealogies contain gaps and that Earth is 4.6 billion years old, so About.com’s claim is a bit off the mark.

Mr. Cline has previously for instance claimed that Darwinian evolution is "as well attested in science as gravity or plate tectonics" and dismissed the historical reality of Jesus' miracles.

I hadn’t heard of Mel Andrews before but he seems to be a Christian artist living in California. Cline quoted his Twitter feed. Mr. Andrews was discussing whether miraculous healings (like I have done here and here) are possible.

Austin Cline denies everything that has to do with the supernatural so he has to believe that the universe made itself from nothing and that miracles cannot possibly happen.

But judging from his views of Hugh Ross’ apologetics, I would still be a bit sceptical of this kind of denialism.

Source:

Cline, Austin. 2011. Mel Andrews: God Does Heal Amputees! About.com.

Alanna – Prayer Brought Healing And Hope for a Handicapped Girl

Joel Kontinen

Can a sick person really be healed, if he or she is prayed for? Sceptics will claim that the supernatural dimension does not exist so they will deny this possibility.

However, last August Delia Knox, a well-known gospel singer, rose from her wheelchair after being bound to it for over 22 years.

This spring a girl named Alanna came to a revival meeting with her mother. Alanna was hopeless and frustrated because her schoolmates made fun of her inability to walk and move like other people.

This brief video clip shows what faith in Jesus can do even in our days:

The Power of Unbelief

Joel Kontinen


Unbelief is a major element in the worldview of many people. Although news of the dramatic healing of Delia Knox has spread throughout the world, thanks to the Internet, some atheists still deny that a miracle has taken place.



In evangelical circles, Delia Knox was known as a gospel singer who always sang, sitting in her wheelchair. She performed in several countries and co-hosted a weekly television programme.

Atheists and other skeptics have offered a number of explanations for why the miraculous rising from a wheelchair in late August 2010 could not have been genuine –but none of the explanations is convincing.

It is true that some so-called miracles have not stood up to scrutiny. However, the case of Delia Knox is not one of them.

Mrs. Knox was paralysed for over 22 years after an automobile accident. Her church knew it. The neighbours knew it. The local press knew it.

Now they know that she walks.

On a video shot in November she is seen walking, singing and praising God for four minutes without assistance. Not a single paralytic could have done that, unless, of course, she was really healed.

Now, Delia Knox proclaims that Jesus is the Healer. She also clearly says that God created us in His image.

After 22 Years in a Wheelchair, Delia Knox Walks

Joel Kontinen

Recently, the British press reported on an intriguing case. A paralysed American woman leaves her wheelchair and begins to walk in a revival meeting. The comments in Daily Mail suggest that readers were very much interested in what happened. Some thought it was a hoax but others regarded it as a real miracle.

A paralytic cannot just use her willpower to leave her wheelchair and start walking. Something much more is needed.

On Christmas Day 1987 Delia Knox and her sister and brother-in-law and their children were in a bad automobile accident in Toronto, Canada. A drunken driver crashed into their car. The others escaped with slight injuries but Delia Knox was paralysed from the waist down. She had to use a wheelchair for over 22 long years.



Mrs Knox, who is internationally known as a gospel singer, lost all feeling in both legs. After the accident she always sat in a wheelchair when she sang. Church members and neighbours in Alabama knew her as a woman who was bound to a wheelchair.

However, in August 2010 Delia Knox and her husband, bishop Levy Knox, went to a Charismatic revival meeting in Mobile, Alabama, and she was prayed for. As evangelist Nathan Morris from the UK and church members prayed for her, she suddenly felt something in her legs.

Slowly, Mrs Knox rose to her feet, and supported by her husband and some others, began to walk around the floor. Her first steps were wobbly but they were nonetheless steps.

A TV crew was present when she saw her parents after her healing:



Later, Delia Fox returned to the place where she was healed.



In a video recorded in early November she stands for half an hour, recounting how she was healed:




It seems that the healing of Delia Knox was a genuine miracle. Some, who believe that the time of supernatural manifestations is over, have criticised it. Others say that God would have healed her immediately. It is probably good to keep in mind that when Jesus healed a blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), the man first saw men like trees walking and only later saw everything clearly.

Some others have said that the healing is not a work of God. However, we should approach the issue like the Bereans in Acts 17:10-11 and examine whether the healing was biblical. Who received the glory for the healing?

Delia Knox gave all glory to God.

It is understandable that many of us take a critical approach to Charismatic phenomena because much of what happens is not genuine. There was Kenneth Hagin with his "Jesus died spiritually” doctrine, the Copelands and Benny Hinn with their private jets and Todd Bentley of Lakeland notoriety with his bizarre angel manifestations. There have been too many empty promises of healings and much more.

Nathan Morris, the evangelist who prayed for Delia Knox, obviously preaches Jesus Christ as crucified and gives Him all the glory.

As I’ve said before, seeing a fake 10-euro banknote does not mean that there are no genuine ones.

Source:

It's a miracle! After 23 years in a wheelchair, woman walks again and says it is all down to spiritual healing. Mail Online 22 December 2010.