Happy Pioneer Day. And before you jump to the conclusion that I’m gonna share some Funderful insight about Brigham Young and his connection to Utah, let me assure you. Nothing could be further from that nonsense.
Pioneer Day supposedly started out that way.
And apparently it’s still “celebrated,” on some level, in Utah and maybe some other Western states. Chances are probably pretty good that you hadn’t even thought about it before I mentioned it. Right? Unless you’re one of those crazy people who sends out greeting cards for all the wackadoo holidays.
Anyway…
I’d like to talk about other, more respectable and believable pioneers. And since I’m one of those right-brain leftbrainers, I’d like to start with a well-known artist. You’ve probably heard of Leonardo da Vinci (or Leonardo Da Vince, as one blogger spelled it). Sure, he was a famous artist. But he was also considered a scientific genius. And a pioneer in physiology and biology. Maybe you knew all that. But did you know he credited God for his abilities?
OK, moving forward. And that’s an appropriate segue because next is Johannes Kepler. According to research, he was a devout Christian. And his claim to fame was/were the three laws of planetary motion. Just in case you’re interested, those laws are:
- planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun as a focus
- a planet covers the same area of space in the same amount of time no matter where it is in its orbit
- a planet’s orbital period is proportional to the size of its orbit (its semi-major axis)
Now, sticking with pioneers who looked to the heavens, I gotta mention Galileo. He discovered the moon’s surface had valleys and mountains. And that moonlight is actually just a reflection of the light from the sun. Pretty cool.
But let’s get our feet back on terra firma.
And we have a much better idea of how our feet stay on the ground because of Isaac Newton’s discovery of the law of gravity. And he pioneered Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy which is still considered a monumental contribution to our understanding of science. Oh, by the way, Newton believed that God created Adam and Eve, as adults in the Garden of Eden. And Newton wrote a lot about the biblical chronology of our young earth.
Pow! Take that Pioneer Day smackdown, Brigham boy.
And here’s something you don’t hear in the news. A scientist once said, “We know God ONLY through Jesus Christ.” And that scientist, Blaise Pascal, had a law named after him, too. Pascal’s Law states that the pressure applied to any part of an enclosed liquid will be transmitted equally in all directions through the liquid. If you enjoy the benefits of hydraulic pressure (and if you drive, you DO), you can thank a scientist who had faith in Jesus.
I’ll share one more with you. A real renaissance man.
Nicolaus Copernicus fulfilled the Renaissance ideal. He was “a mathematician, an astronomer, a church jurist with a doctorate in law, a physician, a translator, an artist, a Catholic cleric, a governor, a diplomat, and an economist. And he spoke German, Polish, and Latin, and understood Greek and Italian.”
Smart guy. Right?
And his intelligence stood out in this quote attributed to him. “It is my loving duty to seek the truth in all things, in so far as God has granted that to human reason.”
And it’s MY loving duty to share this information with you on this Pioneer Day and every day I can put my hands in motion to write about our Creator. You most likely won’t ever hear about this Christianity and Science connection in schoolbooks or colleges. Because the popular view is that you can’t be a Christian AND a scientist.
But that kind of nonsense only comes from people who would never pioneer anything true and meaningful. The kind of people who personify the statement: Truth is hate to those who hate the truth. Can I get an Amen?
We need the Truth! The world doesn’t care.
They can’t see design; though it’s everywhere.
No absolutes, and they’re absolutely sure.
They worship time and bow down to chance.
They give themselves up to circumstance.
I have to say I don’t comprehend the allure.
(from my song, “How Long Till?”)
The the Amen Songbook Journal and get that song and a bunch more. Plus, a journal for your own thoughts.
Stay tuned,
