In the News...

Compiled by James Capo, Amanda Stiver and David Treybig

More Britons Believe in Ghosts Than in God?
More Britons believe in ghosts than in God, according to an informal survey published on—yes—Oct. 31. The survey wasn't a true random sample, so the results can't be considered scientifically accurate, but of the 2,012 people who completed a questionnaire for the British home entertainment retailer ChoicesUK, 68 percent said they believed in the existence of ghosts and spirits, while 55 percent said they believed in the existence of a god (source: AP).

Of those who believed in ghosts, 76 percent said that films and TV reality shows about the supernatural helped convince them that ghosts exist. But what does the Bible say? It reveals that there really is an active spirit realm—not of ghosts, supposedly disembodied human beings, but of spirits, fallen angels called demons that seek to influence and deceive people against the truth of God. These may sometimes pose as the ghosts of dead people. The dead, however, are unconscious, awaiting a future resurrection (compare Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10). For this and other reasons, the Bible warns against any involvement with the spirit world apart from contact with the true God.

Our booklet Is There Really A Devil? reveals how this spirit realm is the real source behind so many of the world's problems and explains how God will overthrow this power and establish a kingdom of peace. Jesus Christ overcame Satan (Matthew 4; Luke 4), and through Christ we can too.

Exercise Boosts Your Brain Power
A 2005 study reported in the Journal of Exercise Physiology compared how nearly 900,000 fifth-, seventh- and ninth-graders scored on a state-mandated fitness test in California, with the reading and math performance of those students on a standardized achievement test. Guess what? The fittest students had the best test scores. For example, the average math score of students who met only three of six fitness goals was 48; kids who met all six fitness goals had an average math score of 60.

"Results indicate a consistent positive relationship between overall fitness and academic achievement," said the study ( The Wall Street Journal, Aug. 30, 2005). This study is one of many that have recently documented the benefits of exercise not just for your body but for your brain, with improvements in short-term memory and the ability to process data.

"Acute bouts of exercise" have also been found to reduce depression and anxiety. Now researchers are trying to determine how much and what type of exercise produces the best brain benefits. While they're trying to figure it out, how about going for a jog? Like the apostle Paul said, "Bodily exercise profits a little" (1 Timothy 4:8).

Moral Absolutes?
Most Americans consider themselves to be Christian, but surprisingly few base their moral decisions on the Bible or even believe that absolute moral truth exists, according to a survey conducted by the Barna Group (Barna.org, Aug. 9, 2005). According to the survey, just one out of every six adults (16 percent) claim they make moral choices based on the content of the Bible.

That means a lot of "Christians" are making decisions without regard to what Christ taught. Jesus once said to the people of His day, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).

When asked whether they believe moral truth is based on absolute standards or is relative to the circumstances, about one third (35 percent) said that moral truth is absolute—that is, it is not dependent on circumstances. Another third (32 percent) said that morality is always determined by the situation. The remaining third (33 percent) said they do not know if moral truth is absolute or relative.

You can know, though—absolutely! Pontius Pilate, struggling over the immorality of condemning an innocent man to death, asked Jesus Christ, "What is truth?" (John 18:38). Jesus, though, while praying to His Father, clearly stated that God's Word is truth and that we are sanctified by it (John 17:17).

Evolution Loses Ground; Evolutionists Angry
The Kansas Board of Education recently voted 6-4 to approve new science standards for the state's public schools that leave evolutionary principles in the curriculum but also include new phrasing that encourages students to question evolution's validity.

Rather than admitting the scientific flaws in the theory of evolution and welcoming the opportunity for critical thinking, many evolutionists have responded with anger and arrogance.

A news report at CNN.com intimates that all scientists are against the decision by the Kansas Board of Education and that people who support the board are just ignorant of science. But a growing number of scientists are now acknowledging that science itself disproves evolution, and an increasing number of people are learning that evolution is not true, factual or scientific. As much as they hate to admit it, evolutionists are starting to find themselves losing on scientific arguments.

Although Kansas has been stealing the headlines in the latest clash between proponents of creationism and intelligent design (ID) and those supporting evolution, other states, including Michigan, Kentucky and Georgia, are also experiencing efforts to challenge the weaknesses of this theory.

"'ID [which teaches that an intelligent higher power created life on earth] is making enormous progress,' said John Calvert, a Kansas City lawyer and ID proponent. 'Is it going to happen overnight? No. Is it going to happen? Yes.'

"Calvert said museum exhibits such as the one in Lawrence [Kansas, which says chimpanzees and humans are 'cousins in life's family tree'] are flawed because they ask visitors to believe humans evolved randomly, with no specific purpose or design by a higher power—a theory polls show a majority of Americans do not believe" ("Kansas Evolution Vote Nears, Scientists Fight Back," Nov. 7, 2005).

Calvert is right. Evolution is doomed. See our free booklet Creation or Evolution: Does It Really Matter What You Believe? for the details.

Dirty Dancing Disturbs Parents and Students
School dances have become a recipe for dirty dancing and degradation, according to parents from Columbus, Ohio, area schools. The kind of dancing that goes on disturbs and saddens the parent chaperones. The trend for pelvis thrusting and grinding between boy and girl and between girl and girl has developed out of the extremely sexualized environment American teenagers have grown up in—television, print advertisement, movies, Internet and music.

The problem is widespread throughout the United States, and school administrators are increasingly taking strong measures, including expulsion of students from dances, cancellation of offensive dances and addressing of the situation through school assemblies.

Music styles contribute to the problem. "We find if they don't play rap music, the kids don't dance in that style. If they play a lot of oldies music or what I might term Top 40's popular tunes, they dance in different styles we don't find offensive," said Grandview Heights High School principal Steve Andersson.

The core issue, however, was addressed by student Brian Carpenter speaking about his fellow students: "I don't think they think they're doing anything wrong. It's the only way they've grown up knowing because no one has taught them or shown them any other way to dance."

This is where young people following God's way of life have a duty and an advantage. The duty is to reject immorality in all forms from their lives, including wrongful dancing, by abstaining from those activities. The advantage is that the right way is clearly shown through God's word in the Bible. You simply need to ask to be taught properly. God's way trades degrading behavior for positive, energetic usefulness. Have you tried it lately? (Kristy Eckert, "Grinding Their Teeth," The Columbus Dispatch, Nov. 4, 2005).