The past couple days I was at the lovely Callaway Gardens, spending quality time with a distant cousin who is also one of my best friends. One of the sights there is the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Conservatory, which is celebrating its 30th year. (Mr. Day, who died relatively young at age 44, started the Days Inn motel chain.) I had not visited for the amazing conservatory for several years. One new feature is sort of a "butterfly nursery", where they have scores of chrysalides in a glass case, for our viewing. Over time, the butterflies emerge.
First of all, the difference in the appearances of the chrysalides is stunning. Then, to see butterflies emerging and drying their wings...well, I just can't even find the words. I'm posting both a pic of the nursery as well as a short vid of a gorgeous specimen inside the conservatory proper.
A few years ago my pastor made this statement from the pulpit. He said, "Whatever sin you dabble in, your children will wallow in." In other words, if we take a casual attitude toward any sin in our lives, our children will take that as permission to go further with it, and will be at peril for enslavement to it. At the time, I found that to be a startling thought. Since that time, I have often observed this to be true, though not always, of course. Sometimes, thankfully, parents are "a cautionary tale". More commonly, specific sins appear to be "inherited", that is, the predisposition toward those sins is either in the DNA of the children, or it is taught.
The same principle applies to taking a casual attitude toward the authority of the Bible.
Have you ever started a non-fiction book and discarded the reading of it because you discovered some major fallacy of reasoning or fact, some information that completely derailed or discredited the entire presentation? Secularists have realized that if they can discredit the Creation Story they can then cast doubt upon the remainder of the Bible. If the Bible can be discredited, then its gospel message can be ignored, allowing mankind to gleefully, permissively worship the god of Self.
So, the reality, the literalness, of Genesis 1-11 are vitally important, fantastical though they may appear. They are not "just a good story".
I ran across a great and easy-to-digest article this morning from (again) Answers in Genesis, about the importance of this point.
Here is the link, if you care to read it. Have a blessed day and weekend!
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