"Evidence that the Pill causes abortions" OR "An abridged set of quotes from Randy Alcorn's book on the Pill"

(Download the whole book as a PDF for free here: http://www.epm.org/store/product/birth-control-pill-book/)

I wanted, and still want, the answer to this question to be “No.” I came to this issue as a skeptic. Though I heard people here and there make an occasional claim that the Pill caused abortions, I learned long ago not to trust everything said by sincere Christians, who are sometimes long on zeal but short on careful research. While I’m certainly fallible, I have taken pains to be as certain as possible that the information I am presenting here is accurate. I’ve examined medical journals and other scientifically oriented sources—everything from popular medical reference books to highly technical professional periodicals. I’ve checked and double-checked, submitted this research to physicians, and asked clarifying questions of pharmacists and other experts. Few of my citations are from prolife advocates. Most are physicians, scientists, researchers, pill-manufacturers and other secular sources.

圣诞节是什么？

我们多数可能是在1980 年代出生的，而我们关于圣诞节的认知深被西方性文化影响了。当我们听到“圣诞节”这个字的时候，我们立刻会想到圣诞树，圣诞老人 ， 礼物， 雪境， 等等。我们到底明白圣诞节真正的意义吗？我希望这一篇 文章 可以提供满意的答案。现在，我们来思考下面的一些思想：

What is Christmas?

Most of us were probably born in the 1980s and all we know about Christmas is so much influenced by the Western culture. When we hear the word ‘Christmas’, we will immediately think about Christmas tree, Santa Claus, presents, snowy environment, etc. Do we actually know what Christmas really means? I hope this short writing will answer this question. Let us think about the following points:

Reformation: Regaining Intimacy with God!

The past October 31, 2012 was again another commemoration of the action which is known to be called as the church reformation. As we all know, this 16^th century church reformation was, in fact, carried out in quite a long time by a number of people, who are now famous for their being called the reformers. On that October 31, exactly 495 years ago, i.e. 1517, Martin Luther, the well-known reformer that made a breakthrough at that time, nailed his 95, so-called theses, well-grounded doctrinal accusations on the door of the All Saints' Church, a.k.a Schloßkirche (it means “castle church”) in Wittenberg against the teaching of the Christendom government that was based in Rome.

Be Reformed and Keep Reforming

Eko Ong

Hebrews 4^:14Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. … 10^:35Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. ³⁶For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. ³⁷For,

        “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; ³⁸but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (ESV)

As we look back, how do we tend to remember ourselves? Do we treasure our accomplishments? Do we regret some missed opportunities or broken relationships? Yet here we are, living our lives as little soldiers of Christ. We are busy with our lives – be it our ministry, family, career, or study. In the midst of our hectic lives, we do not “have time” to pause and reflect upon our spiritual growth. I am not advocating an extra-critical evaluation. Nor am I suggesting a heart bleeding self-apology. It’s just an honest self-assessment before the Lord of our souls – rejoicing in where we grow and admitting what we lack.

5 Basic Assumptions of a Christian Art Teacher

Introduction:

Christian responses to Arts has been ranging from ambiguous, extreme rejection, wild acceptance, constrained and many more variations that are not well thought nor in some cases even remotely accountable to the Biblical Faith that we hold.In many cases, such inadequate responses were constructed with similar weaknesses, unwillingness to think of philosophical underlying currents of any responses to Arts today. By rejecting to any deeper examination and constructing responses and debates purely at pragmatic phenomenon many such responses only manage to create more ambiguity, contradiction, and detrimental to Faith. How would an examination of philosophical undercurrents look like? well this model below is one of those effort to examine what are the fundamental distinction in philosophical structure that a Christian Art Education must developed, in effort to be consistent and not contradicting the basic structure of Christian Faith. These 5 Basic Assumptions below were constructed as part of a research in Theological Aesthetics, taken primarily from  Protestant tradition.

God’s Dilemma: A Contemplation on Easter

Easter Day is one more time approaching this year. If you ask me about Easter, then I will simply say that, to me, it is the most precious time, among others, to contemplate upon God’s love. Quoting Karl Barth, who once said that the grace of God is the uniqueness of Christianity, I would like to offer this way of thought to you. What I mean by grace here refers to the flesh-and-blood demonstration of God’s love on the two crisscrossing bars, i.e. Jesus Christ died on the cross. Usually every religion offers good deeds and rewards, or sins and punishments. However, the case of Jesus Christ is totally unique. Not many people know and are aware of this thing as the culmination and perfection of that holy love is concealed from human’s sinful thought. So, why is it unique and worth thinking about? What is it all about after all?

The Clark–Van Til Controversy: The Text of a Complaint and The Answer to a Complaint

In order to help our understanding to the historic watershed that split the Reformed faith into two camps, one can read The Complaint (scanned document), The Text of a Complaint Against Actions of the Presbytery of Philadelphia In the Matter of the Licensure and Ordination of Dr. Gordon H. Clark. As a complaint to the Presbytery of Philadelphia of The Orthodox Presbyterian Church against the ordination of Dr. Clark, this was filed by Dr. Van Til and the WTS faculty on October 6, 1944.

As a respond to a complaint filed by Dr. Van Til and the WTS faculty, one can read The Answer (scanned document), The Answer to a Complaint Against Several Actions and Decisions of the Presbytery of Philadelphia Taken in a Special Meeting Held on July 7, 1944. As an answer from the Presbytery of Philadelphia of The Orthodox Presbyterian Church to denies the complaint and to sustain the ordination of Dr. Clark.

In conclusion, the Presbytery denies that the meeting of July 7, 1944, was illegal and that its actions are thus void. The Presbytery judges that the Complaint fails to prove that Dr. Clark's thinking “bears all the earmarks of rationalism, humanistic intellectualism . . . vicious independence from God” (P. 10, 2; O. 40). The Presbytery denies “that various views of Dr. Clark as set forth in that meeting, and with which this Complaint is concerned, are in error and in conflict with the constitutional requirements for licensure and ordination, and that, therefore, the decision to sustain his theological examination, the decision to waive two years of study in a theological seminary, the decision to proceed to license Dr. Clark and the action of licensing him, the decision to deem the examination for licensure sufficient for ordination, and the decision to ordain Dr. Clark, were in error and unconstitutional, and are, therefore, null and void” (P. 15, 3; O. 61). The Presbytery urges the complainants to study this answer to the Complaint; to acknowledge that they have misrepresented Dr. Clark's views, and that they have wronged him in charging that “Dr. Clark studiously avoided answering” (P. 8, 1; O. 30) a question asked him during his examination; and to desist from their Complaint.

The scanned document of original transcripts, The Complaint and The Answer taken with permission from God's Hammer blog by Sean Gerety. The typed text from original transcripts, The Complaint and The Answer taken with permission from Reasonable Christian blog by Charlie J. Ray.

I corrected some typo and compiled it in two texts. I hope these texts can be used for further study on The Clark–Van Til Controversy. Especially to clarify some misunderstanding and caricature from both side for future discussion on this issue.