In last Wednesday’s Truth for Life message entitled The Worst Sinner of Them All, Alistair Begg makes the following comment based on the verse 1 Timothy 1:13 (“…though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief…”).

My ignorance, my unbelief is culpable. But it’s not unpardonable.

Sin is still sin, even when we act in ignorance. We are still culpable for our sins done in ignorance. We can not claim that we are not guilty, just because we didn’t know better. We learn that even from our modern culture. “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”

But the good news of the gospel is that though we are culpable for our sins, they are not unpardonable.

Romans 10:5-13

⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. ⁶ But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ or “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹ because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Headline Web India 123: Soon, robots will be able to change their shape!

Scientists at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, have developed a new algorithm which would make is feasible for the robots to change their shape and even split into smaller parts to explore unfamiliar terrain.

According to New Scientist, Zack Butler and colleagues have developed algorithms to control robots made from identical components, each capable of moving on their own but also able to attach to one another.

These algorithms are the first step toward using the power of modularity to work in parallel.They could allow the use of modular robots to perform parallel exploration, dividing up and recombining to cover ground faster while still having the capability of the original system,” Butler was quoted by New Scientist,as saying.

We might someday have robots that break into pieces to do separate tasks, and then reassemble itself again. I wonder what is the purpose of the conglomerate robot since it disassembles itself to perform tasks. What do you gain from having them attaching themselves together? Is it simply for shipping and delivery? I don’t understand the purpose.

However, the real reason for this post is that the article on machine servants that break into pieces reminded me of a rather disturbing poem by Harry Graham.

“There’s been an accident!” they said,

“Your servant’s cut in half; he’s dead!”

“Indeed!” said Mr. Jones, “and please

Send me the half that’s got my keys.”

I find the idea of the poem much more palatable when I think of the servant as one of these robots rather than a human.

If you have had serious flood damage, what should be your first concern, before everything else?

I received the answer to that question in an e-mail from my company today. (Emphasis added.)

If you suffered property damage, the American Red Cross offers the following tips for cleaning flooded areas:

• wear sturdy shoes;
• use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights, not candles;
• look for fire hazards;
• check for gas leaks;
• look for electrical system damage;
• check for sewage and waterline damage;
• watch for animals, especially poisonous snakes;
• take pictures of the damage, both the building and contents, for insurance claims;
• throw away food that has come into contact with floodwaters;
• boil, bleach or distill well water before using;
• pump out flooded basements to avoid structural damage; and
• service damaged septic tanks, cesspools, pits and leaching systems as soon as possible.

Sturdy shoes come before watching out for gas leaks, poisonous snakes, structural damage to the house, and making sure your water is potable. You can never underestimate the importance of sturdy shoes.

Next week, we will start again through the Westminster Shorter Catechism. So for this week, we will use the Heidelberg Catechism.

Q.1. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own,

but belong–

body and soul,

in life and in death–

to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,

and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.

He also watches over me in such a way

that not a hair can fall from my head

without the will of my Father in heaven:

in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him,

Christ, by his Holy Spirit

assures me of eternal life

and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready

from now on to live for him.

I remember when I first ran across the Heidelberg Catechism. I was familiar with the Westminster Shorter Catechism first question that begins with God’s glory. I thought that a much better way to begin a Catechism. The Heidelberg begins with our comfort, rather than God’s glory. But over the years, I have come to love this beginning to the Heidelberg. If you can get your mind around this concept, there is much comfort in times of suffering.

Jonah Goldberg in National Review speaking of Dan Rather’s pressure “from these partisan political ideological forces.” :

As a conservative, I’m open to the suggestion that the aforementioned critics [Washington Post, ABC News, the New York Times and NPR] are “partisan political ideological forces.” But I doubt any reasonable person would put them in the camp of George W. Bush. Rather would sound more sane if he said Hobbits are conspiring against him.

Ivan visits Pittsburgh.

AP Photo:

Caption: “The Pittsburgh skyline is seen above the Allegheny River which overflowed its banks due to the heavy rains from the remnants of Hurricane Ivan, on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2004. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)”

AP Photo:

Caption: “A historical marker along a walkway near PNC Park, where the Pittsburgh Pirates play, in Pittsburgh, is nearly covered by the waters of the Allegheny river due to the heavy rains from the remnants of Hurricane Ivan, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2004. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)”

You are driving down the road, and a motorcycle with its throttle wide open passes you, going the other way. The noise is so loud that even with your windows closed in your car, you can feel the sound waves in your stomach. “That can’t be good for the rider,” you think. Well, you’ll be glad to know that scientists have finally figured what you already intuitively knew.

Headline Washington Times: Motorcycle noise called hearing threat

The noise from a motorcycle is as intense as that from a loud rock concert and can permanently damage hearing, new scientific research has found….

In a test of 33 motorcycles, Ms. Colle and other audiologists at Florida’s College of Public Health and Health Professions determined that nearly half produced sounds above 100 decibels when throttled up. That’s equal to a chainsaw or loud music, they said.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health warns that exposure to noise at 100 decibels is safe for only 15 minutes. The federal agency cautions that permanent hearing loss can result from eight hours of exposure to any noise measuring 85 decibels or above.

“Almost all of the motorcycles we tested reached action-level noise, which in the workplace would require ear protection,” Ms. Colle said.

Who said there isn’t anything left to discover. Perhaps soon science will discover that motorcycle crashes very often result in serious injury to the motorcycle riders.

If it is Friday, it must be fish. Or Thursday.

AP Photo:

Caption: “A sea lion is fed at Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2004. Although Panama City Beach oficials have called for a mandatory evacuation, several trainers and employees at the park will remain with the sea lions and other residents of the park through Hurricane Ivan, expected to hit the coast Wednesday or Thursday. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)”

Known in the Pittsburgh area as “Yinz also, n’at”, U2 has come up with the name for their newest album. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

Somehow it doesn’t come tripping of your tongue like The White Album, or Joshua Tree, or Hello, I Must Be Going. But I guess it is as good as Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!, or 90125, or even Achtung Baby.

Slartibartfast’s talents are in demand

Headline Reuters: They’re Probably Pining for the Fjords