-
Yes, I admit that I was one of the apparently millions who went to see Jurassic World this weekend. So without giving too much away (no spoilers here), I was happy to see that the story finally returned to the theme park that started the entire franchise. It was interesting to see how much technology is used in those types of operations (assuming what they showed was true to life). What I really want to focus on is the main issue of the movie; namely that the scientists decided they need to not just revive dinosaurs from the past but to genetically create a new one. That is where the plot gets ramped up and that is also where the religion theme begins to emerge. It seems that humans always create problems when they try to be God. It happens here and it happens in our daily lives. Deciding who lives and who dies through abortion or capital punishment. The entire field of genetic engineering really causes me to pause. I understand that God provides the miracle of modern medicine to help us. He endows us with curiosity and cognitive skills to learn how things work. God wants us to discover how to cure diseases and provide a better quality of life but think about why we need to do a lot of this tinkering with science. Many of the maladies that continue to cause us problems are situations we have created ourselves. Many of the modern wonders of the world are humankind's attempts at being God-like. We want to demonstrate that we can do things but frequently don't consider the consequences. It happens in Jurassic World. Just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean you should. Joshua 24:15 says "If you don't want to serve the Lord, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve." When we choose to serve ourselves instead of the Lord, we create plots for movies like Jurassic World or worse.

Popular posts from this blog

-
Kurt Hilgefort, is a Catholic father of six who publishes his thoughts on his blog Shadows of Augustine . He responded to my seven question survey with the following answers. Kurt is the first layperson to respond to the seven question survey and I think that his experience is extremely relevant to me personally and I hope that you are inspired by his thoughts as well. If you would like to respond, please send an email to fellmananthony@gmail.com with your thoughts and I will be happy to publish them as well. 1. What is the biggest challenge to your faith that you have faced so far? The biggest challenge for me has been the whole dying to self thing. On an intellectual level, there are no barriers. It comes down to a matter of accepting the authority of the Church that Christ founded upon Peter. My challenge is not in the intellect, but rather in the will. The challenge for me has always been to continually seek conversion. I want to be transformed, but I want it to be over all ...
Read more

Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items

-
Image
Saint Anthony of Padua, though often associated with finding lost articles, was primarily known in his lifetime as a powerful and eloquent preacher. Originally a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, he was inspired to join the newly formed Franciscan order after witnessing the martyrdom of the first Franciscan missionaries in Morocco. His conversion to the mendicant life under St. Francis of Assisi transformed him, deepening his commitment to poverty, humility, and evangelical preaching. Gifted with profound theological knowledge and a captivating speaking style, he traveled across Italy and France, drawing immense crowds with his clear and passionate sermons, converting many and combating heresy with his unwavering faith and intellectual rigor. Beyond his public ministry, St. Anthony was a mystic who enjoyed profound spiritual experiences, most notably a vision of the Infant Jesus. This intimate connection with the Christ Child is a hallmark of his iconography, often depicting him c...
Read more

Jesus Came to End Death and to Build a Church

-
Image
The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...
Read more