Hong Kong Noah’s Ark Fever
One doesn’t have to have any special qualification or education to have critical thinking, and able to observe that which is wrong. You do not have to be a scientist, anthropologist, archeologist to see what is fishy about the “Noah’s Ark” mess/blunder/stupidity.
This “Noah’s Ark Is Not A Myth Evangelistic Crusade” is an example of how low Christians could go in fooling people to Christ. It is putting shame on all Christians. No matter how sincere the people responsible in putting this farce together are, and how religious those who sponsored, spoke, sang in this crusade are, there are a lot of eye-sore, objectionable, obvious problems in what they are doing.
1. To link the unscientifically proven discovery of Noah’s Ark with faith in Christ is ludicrous. To say the least, it is selling Christianity really dishonestly. As a matter of fact, it is possible to actually fool people to Christ. That doesn’t make the converts less Christian, if they have sincerely and truly trusted in Christ and accepted Him as their personal savior. However, if they believe in Christ because of the finding of the Noah’s Ark, (in this case they may not have found it. They guessed it. It was 90% sure by process of elimination) then, if they ever found out any problem about the Bible, they might have a major struggle of their faith. Or, if they ever found out that they are cheated into believing by this hoax, they would feel betrayed and angry with the evangelists or believe that it is ok to be dishonest as a Christian just like these guys who brought them to Christ. God have and can use anything or person, believer or not, to lead people to Christ and that is ok. In this case, they will need a lot of counseling to know that God judges sins of dishonesty and will judge the dishonest evangelists. God can be really mad with his anointed ones and cast them out.
Psalm 89:38 “But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed
I Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
He also mandates that we
Proverbs 4:24 “Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.“
The fact of Noah’s Ark does not have to be proven in order for anyone to have faith in Christ.
2. The retrieved artifacts should be subjected to independent scientific verification. Without independent objective, authentic C-14 dating process in which the original environment is preserved 100% (contaminated artifacts out of its own environment as discovered would invalidate the data about the artifact.) In addition, authoritative site report of the discovery and also the detailed C-14 carbon dating process must be published, which is what real and serious scientists do. It is preferred that more than one independent dating process should have been done on the same object. At the same time it must go through historical, anthropological verification such as what tools Noah could have used to build the Ark and how does the surface of that piece of wood (or fossilized wood) from the Ark appears to have the evidence of such tools used, etc. Anyone who has undergone a research project for any degree/dissertation would have understood this process. Many conferences are held just to hear and critique these reports.
It is necessary that this process is done with integrity that could verify the object is scientifically proven as part of Noah’s Ark. Unfortunately there is none so far, not that it is entirely possible to do so, and It would take years, if not decades to do this scientific verification/proof. Even if it is proven 100%, it would still require faith to become a Christian. Their jumping to conclusions by faith at this stage is not scientific, nor is it Christian. May be the hosts want to raise the money quickly NOW. This could explain the rush to conclusions. It raises a lot of suspicions.
In fact, the discovery of the Ark should not be needed for anyone to come to faith in Christ because if anyone needs to prove everything in the Bible before they believe in Christ, which is impossible, then there is no need for faith which is the basis for salvation. Even if everything in the Bible is proven, people may still find reasons not to believe in Christ. However, in this day and age, people could be fooled to believe in anything anyways. This Noah’s Ark found, if genuine, ought to be a separate, scientific report without being tied in, riding on sensationalism, with a theme park entertainment business (public concept) and worse, with evangelism. Since when is Disney World used to convince anybody any truth? They are designed for wild imagination and brainless fun, and that is their genuine purpose which is called amusement park, a form of entertainment. For example, the recent archeological discovery in Yun Nan Province, (600 million years of all creatures of the animal kingdom, except three long-extinct phyla, in one very large area and in one layer) that supported the “New Evolutionary Pasture Theory” instead of the “Old Evolutionary Tree Theory” which has been “believed” to be scientifically true and taught as truth religiously and vigorously. This particular fantastic found can only be treated as a scientific discovery, not as a proof of creation, as religious people might eagerly jump to conclude in the interest of preaching the gospel. Scientists are very careful not to jump to conclusions, because they are they are dealing with science, not faith.
3. To treat this “found” as scientific fact without disclosing, publishing its scientific reports is improper. Their claim of 90% certainty is not sure, not science, no matter how you spin it because you are talking about material things. For example, when you take a pill, you better know that it is 100% what you want to take. You do not use faith to take the pill, saying, “I believe this is my cancer pill.” You only need to read the label on the pill to know that fact. But in the area of faith, you need to trust the pharmacy and the medicine manufacturer. You also need to have faith in the doctor who prescribed that pill to you which is supposed to be helpful for your cancer. Otherwise you could kill yourself or make your condition worse. Even at this level, you (or the government, after you died!) can still trace all the way to the source to verify the pill’s integrity, this is detective work. In this case, the negative-credibility of the entertainers and the pseudo-scientist, and unthinking evangelists may have played a role in leading people to Christ in an emotionally manipulative way. But this does not justify what they do before God.
4. The personal testimony, performance of celebrities is a form of emotional manipulation. Most thinking people will not buy-in to it. It was, and will be treated as a show, because they are show people! Being an actor or singer doesn’t make their testimony more credible. Celebrities only work to show off themselves for money and popularity, actors are experts in impersonating another person and fooling everyone into believing that the characters were real. Many spend a fortune to do cosmetic surgery to become what they would like to be in order to improve their marketability. If they formed their own identify by their type casted characters/roles in acting and their artificial looks, which they often subconsciously do, they become negative-humans. (unreal) They all have ulterior motives in promoting themselves for fame and fortune. That is how they came to be and are perceived to be. They need to publicize themselves to draw more business. If they are sincere and wise about what they said, or do in leading people to Christ, they would have taken down their extravagant make up and meet with their prospect in a personal way, just as they are, naturally, away from their pretentious celebrity looks, behavior, talk and become real persons in a totally real environment away from their media created appearance, and sincerely tell their real story. Even at that point, not too many people in their right mind would dare to believe them. Naive, unthinking people may idolize them and treat them like gods. I wonder how many mature, thinking, sincerely seeking unbeliever in the crowd were turned off by these entertainers and fast talking pseudo-scientists because of what they really are, unreal. They are paid to do what they do best, not being true to themselves.
5. The problems of a Scientist/evangelist: The sermon/exaltation from a “scientist” may also be an underhanded way of leading people to Christ. Being a scientist doesn’t mean that the message is more credible. Scientists are not always right. As a matter of fact, they are wrong a lot more than they are right. (It takes a lot of wrongs in experiments to come to the one right scientific conclusion for their hypothesis.) Most scientists do not know how to deal with people, their true emotions and their problems. They tend to treat people like things because they work with things, not people. However most true scientist are humble, objective and sincerely skeptical. In this case, the “scientist” was not a scientist, but a circus ring leader, evangelist, using pseudo-science to fool people to Christ. Moreover, science can never find God. Because God is a spirit. Scientists deal with the lowest form of knowledge, about things that can be seen and touched. Their endeavor does not require faith. As a matter of fact, they stay away from faith as much as possible. To ask a scientist to talk about faith is like asking a man born blind about how you look like. They can only approach God in their spirit through faith, not through their scientific mind.
About Christian Chinese cultural characteristics: I am a college professor for 38 years, I have known quite a few Chinese professors who were elected as “most popular professors,” but the problem is that they were elected by a board of a few Chinese professors in a Chinese faculty organization, who were petting each other’s shoulder by electing each other as most popular professors, and made up certificates to show that too, for them to boast about themselves, though appearing very humble. (part of Confucius honor code) It is borderline legitimate within the small circle, but nobody in the huge institute (1,600 faculty and 110,000 students) knows who they were. This means that, you better not believe it until you are able to hear the rest of the story to really know their true identity. In the same way, many Chinese professors claimed to be professor of renowned universities while they only guest-lectured one of two hours of workshop or in a penal of some kind in that university. I know for a fact that a “scientist” whose math degree was earned in the 60’s, never worked in NASA or JPL, claimed to be responsible in developing the personal computer (it was a simple calculator) and sending our astronauts into space. A thinking person, though not having any degrees can figure out from the way of his speech (likened to a circus show ring leader) whether the scientist is truly a scientist or not because real scientists are never very arrogant, never slippery-tongued, they are usually humble and precise. Many handymen are great household “technicians” but that doesn’t make them scientists!! I have known many ministers who have a D. Min. degree, (which is a degree about how to be humble as a servant-leader, a foot-washer-guide) but proudly demanded to be called Rev. Dr. Somebody. One time a minister was about to be awarded his D. Min. degree in a few weeks, but because we did not address him as a Rev. Dr. Somebody, on the program, he chewed us up and we ended up having to redo the 500 programs overnight!! What has become of our Christian Chinese culture!!! People who become Christians by the sermon of a pseudo-scientist are most likely science worshippers. The problem of their faith may be the conflict between science and their lack of real faith.
Social sciences are not true sciences because they are not absolute truths, they are educated guesses. A higher form of knowledge above science is philosophy. And above philosophy is religion which requires faith in God or a god/spirit. It is the highest form of experiential knowledge. If it could not be proven by scientific means doesn’t mean it does not exist. Evolutionists are like religionists, because, without a lot of evidence, and links between evolutionary finds, they are asking you to believe in them just because they are scientists. But in this world, there are a lot, lot more truths which are beyond the physical!
In the last few decades, we have put scientists in the highest social positions and most of us worship them as gods. However, this trend is slowly going out of trend because many scientists are playing games with their lust for power and not the truth. Science has become a competition between who has more “authority” or who is most famous. It has become a political ball game. (Like the global warming/cooling idiotic ideologies that is at war recently) We need to learn from the Daoists, subscribe to the “Wu Wei” philosophy, to take a back seat to the truth. Let God rather than let us.
Look at our Chinese churches in the USA. Most leaders or influencial people of the churches are people who are either rich or educated in the sciences. This is because we worship these people too. These people are usually Ph. D.’s, scientists, medical doctors, or who are rich. We are led to believe that these people are more intelligent than others. Having more money and education is equivalent to being good, wise, moral and truthful. They got all the respect. And they often get “elected” as leaders. This is foolishness. Many times these people are given decision powers and powers of judgment in the churches. Many of these people take advantage of their positions of trust to abuse others, fool many to submit to their desires. I have counseled a young woman who was sexually harassed by such a “scientist” who has an unleashed tongue, who is most arrogant and who elevated himself as a evangelist superstar with his smooth tongue and who has used his powers to molest and with his over-confidence and slippery tongue, verbally offend many women. Not only that, he talked about women inappropriately in front of their husbands, from the pulpit, revealing confidential materials of his co-called marriage counseling contents, embarrassing the couple openly in a joking manner. I have also known, first hand, of a pastor who used his position of trust to molest women. He finally disqualified himself as an ordained minister. Yes, people can be led to Christ by these people. They are tempting God. However, I believe truly that they will be dealt with by the Lord either in this life or the next, at Jesus’ judgment seat. Lord, have mercy on all of us. I am glad that by the grace of God we are saved, not by our works and not through scientific means. Lord, help me to see my weaknesses, and with your abiding love and help, I will be strong to resist these temptations.
I Peter 4:17 “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” Romans 2:2 “But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things”
6. The Integrity Issue. When we gather to worship God, in response to God love and forgiveness, we voluntarily give our money as a worshipful gesture to God. We do not ask the unbeliever to worship by giving because they do not have reasons for giving. That is why our churches are supported by believers only. We do not ask the government or society for donations. By doing so the government or donors would control and own us and direct or influence our activities. Even when we are supported by genuine giving of believers, many times good pastors are invited out of the church they love because of power struggles. This “Noah’s Ark Is Not A Myth Evangelistic Event” is advertized as reaching the unbeliever, those believers who brought their friends and family should be asked to give towards the cost of the event voluntarily, behind the scene, but not in an open manner so that the prospects would not misunderstood the intention of the organizers. I wonder how many at the event are really unbelievers? Often times our evangelistic events are reaching in, instead of reaching out. Everybody loves to hear the evangelistic messages because they feel guilty not doing much personal evangelism and the messages often elevates the speaker, leading the audience to believe that they are reaching out while there are very few unbelievers in the audience. In this case the celebrities may draw some unbelievers. But they came because they admire their looks, on screen personality, fame and fortune, not because they know that they are real people, telling real stories.
I Corinthians 9:16-18 “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.”
7. Ulterior Motive: The whole “show” is linked with the Noah’s Ark Park. This fact shows that the motive of the event was to raise fund for the business of the Park. The word “amuse” means brainlessness. Amusement parks are for brainless fun. As a museum, it lacks historical, educational value. Just to look at the Noah’s Ark and the exotic animals is pretty dull. Now that the event is linked to the Park, organized like a Rock Concert, with celebrities, dance, songs, light, sight and sound and all multimedia, which impresses anyone that it is an entertainment to amuse the audience. Mixing business with evangelism is as unchristian as a church selling salvation tickets and insurance policies for eternal life. Calling for 5,000 to give/donate $1,000 is doing Christian work by asking prospects to support the mediocre “scientific” efforts and support the spin off evangelism efforts. The Noah’s Ark Park is not evangelism, it is designed impressed the general audience as an Amusement Park for money. Believers do not need to go more than once because it is meaningless after you believed and accepted Christ, there is no need for the Ark to confirm their faith. Unbelievers would not even consider going because there are a lot of parks much better than Noah’s Ark Park. The whole idea is ill conceived. It is obvious, that the people who, as sincerely as they may be, unwittingly mixed up evangelism and business, have found out that the business is not doing well and they are losing money. Since they cannot admit that they have made a serious blunder but are too arrogant and too proud to admit it and learn of their ignorance about evangelism, and the judgment of God, they had to continue this hoax, believing that they are doing God a favor, and asked for support of their ill conceived business/evangelism adventure. Even if this business went on successfully, without this so called Noah’s Ark farce, it could be nice, is it Biblical? Christian? Honest? Even at this level when people are led to Christ, I would have serious problems in supporting it just to see it judged by our Lord later.
Isaiah 56:10-12 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.