NATURE: Careless Code Recycling Causes Killer Kangaroos!

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."

Ephesians 5:1-2

It’s being reported that the reuse of old, object-oriented computer code has caused tactical stress for Australia's armed forces.

As virtual reality simulators assume larger roles in helicopter combat training, programmers have gone to great lengths to increase the realism of each scenario. This can include very real landscapes and wildlife (i.e., herds of kangaroos, since disturbed animals might reveal a helicopter's position), as in the case of the Northern Territory's “Operation Phoenix.”

The head of the Defense Science & Technology Organization's Land Operations/Simulation Division reportedly instructed program developers to model the local marsupials' movements and reactions to helicopters. To achieve certain efficiencies, programmers appropriated some code originally used to model infantry detachment reactions under attack conditions, changed the mapped icon from a soldier to a kangaroo, and increased the figures' speed of movement.

After release, some hotshot Aussie pilots, eager to demonstrate their flying skills for visiting American pilots, buzzed the virtual kangaroos in low-flight simulation. The kangaroos scattered as planned, and the visiting Yanks nodded appreciatively ... then did a double-take as the kangaroos reappeared from behind a virtual hill and launched a barrage of Stinger missiles at the hapless helicopter.

Apparently the capable programmers had forgotten to remove that part of the infantry detachment coding. Objects in computer code are defined with certain attributes, and any new object defined in terms of an old one inherits all of its attributes.

Humbled programmers learned to be more careful in reusing object-oriented code, the Americans gained new respect for Australian wildlife, and simulator supervisors report Australian pilots strictly avoid kangaroos now.

[From June 15, 1999 Defense Science and Technology Organization Lecture Series, Melbourne, Australia, and staff reports under the title “Mutant Marsupials Take Up Arms Against Australian Air Force”; via Good Clean Funnies List, online at http://www.gcfl.net; “This funny was received from Rodney Ford,” published December 1999. Edited for publication by SIEW.]

It’s critical we model the right people; as Christians it’s important we model Christ Jesus. When people imitate others, they inherit the attributes of the ones they imitate [1 Corinthians 15:33]; when we imitate the Lord, we inherit His attributes … faithfulness, goodness, kindness, gentleness, long-suffering, etc. I believe Paul called these the “fruits of the Spirit” [Galatians 5:22-23].

When we’re born-again, God appropriates the code originally intended for righteous lives, changes the mapped icon of our hearts from Satan to Christ, and increases our spiritual movement.

He does, however, allow some of the old, object-oriented code to remain … something we call free will. That’s why every once in a while, when we drop our shield of faith, there’s the devil, or one of his henchmen, slinging flaming missiles at the opening in our armor [Ephesians 6:16].

Christianity, Illustrations,
Nature, Religion

Prophecy

A BRUISED HEAD CRUSHES NO MORE! [Genesis 3:15; other topics - Good News; Protevangelium; Satan]

Recently a South African newspaper reported a man escaped the crushing grip of a python by biting it. He told reporters, “I decided the only way to save myself from this monster was to bite it just below the head.”

This man must have read Genesis 3:15, subconsciously imitating the Lord.

SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE (Abortion, etc) - How Precious It Is!

PERSPECTIVES

The death toll of the South Asian earthquake this past Christmas has focused out attention on life and death like nothing else can or will.

If, for the sake of discussion, we set the death toll in South Asia is about 250,000, would you be surprised to hear it will take the United States less than two months to kill that many unborn children? Now that's not including deaths from euthanasia or abuses such as drugs and pornography.

This issue is not just a Christian issue, though it is primarily Christians who are leading the way. The fact is this issue has ramifications which will affect civilization as we know it.

PRO-CHOICE DISQUALIFIES FOR OFFICE!

John Piper writes in the Kairos Journal (Member login required) ...

We were buying a dog a few years ago. At the humane society I picked up a brochure on the laws of Minnesota concerning animals. Statute 343.2, subdivision 1 says, “No person . . . shall unjustifiably injure, maim, mutilate or kill any animal.” Subdivision 7 says, “No person shall willfully instigate or in any way further any act of cruelty to any animal.” The penalty: “A person who fails to comply with any portion of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.”

This set me to pondering the rights of the unborn. An eight-week-old human fetus has a beating heart, an EKG, brain waves, thumb sucking, pain sensitivity, finger grasping, and genetic humanity, but under our present laws is not a human person with rights under the Fourteenth Amendment, which says that “no state shall deprive any person of life . . . without due process of law.”

I wondered, if the unborn do not qualify as persons, it seems that they could at least qualify as animals, say a dog, or at least a cat. Could we not at least charge abortion clinics with cruelty to animals under Statute 343.2, subdivision 7? Why is it legal to “maim, mutilate and kill” a pain-sensitive unborn human being but not an animal?

These reflections have confirmed my conviction never to vote for a person who endorses such an evil–even if he could balance the budget tomorrow and end all taxation.

VIABILITY IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT

I was listening to the Laura Ingraham talk show this morning (10 January 2006) and picked-up the following.

The pro-choice folks constantly remind us a fetus is not a viable human being; meaning - if you remove a fetus from its mother's womb and lay it on a table and it dies, it's not viable; if, on the other hand, it survives, it is viable.

A caller made the following point (my paraphrase): "A baby is viable in its environment. In the womb it is cared for and nourished. Let's strip the mother naked and chase her out onto polar ice cap and see if she's viable outside her environment!"

I love it! I absolutely love it!


TAGS: Abortion; Anecdotes; Christian anecdotes; Christian Illustrations; Illustrations; Roe v Wade; Sanctity of life

Traditions (Church)

How It All Began! [2 Corinthians 5:18-6:10; other topics - Apathy; Apostasy; Power (in the Church)]

It all began in a cage containing five apes. In the cage a banana was hung on a string, stairs were placed under the banana. Before long, an ape went over to the stairs and started to climb. As soon as he touched the stairs, someone outside the cage sprayed all the apes with ice water.

In a few minutes, another ape began to make his way up the stairs toward the banana, again all the apes were sprayed with ice water. As the day wore on, several more attempted to reach the banana; each time the result was the same: the other [more experienced] apes physically stopped him.

At this time, one of the original apes was removed and replaced by a new one. The new ape roamed around for a minute; then he spied the banana. Immediately, he made his way to the stairs. To his horror, all the other apes attacked him. After another attempt and attack, he realized if he tried to climb the stairs, he’d be assaulted again.

Soon another of the original apes was removed; like the other, he was replaced by a new ape. This newcomer saw the banana and the stairs right away; he wasted no time going for the prize. But, lo, he was attacked savagely. Interestingly, the previous newcomer took part in the punishment of this upstart, doing it with enthusiasm.

Still a third member of the original group was replaced by a new one. The new ape made a turn toward the stairs but was attacked before getting there. Strangely, two of the four apes that beat him had no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they were participating in the beating of each newcomer.

After replacing the fourth and final apes, all of those who had been sprayed with ice water were gone. None of the current occupants of the cage ever again approached the stairs they only looked longingly at the banana.

Why not? Because that’s the way it had always been around there and that’s how their group traditions were formed.

Paul told us we should fight the good fight, but he intended that our fight be against the enemies of the cross. Little did he know how many wolves would infiltrate the church, or what effect it would have on the children of God.

God hung a banana over the work of every church;. He knew it would not be easy to reach, what with the opposition guaranteed to come, but He desires we persist in spite of hardships and headaches, ice water, and beatings. Many churches earnestly recruit new apes ... but, more often than not, the minute he turns toward the prize that’s before him, he’s beaten back by his fellow apes.

PRIDE: First sin in the Garden!

THE PARABLE OF THE WHALE! [Proverbs 16:18]

Remember, it's when a whale surfaces that it gets harpooned. Whales blow to clear their air passage of water in order to replenish their air supply.

Man doesn’t blow to get air; he blows to get attention. So, beware, if you plan to rise to the top in order to blow your horn, keep the parable of the whale in mind … that’s when you’re most likely to get harpooned.

[Neil Anderson (Practical Theology class notes); edited for publication]

Modern Man - Same Old Problem [Genesis 2:7 (11:6)]

Edie Lau, Science Writer at the Sacramento Bee, writes, “The cute and healthy-looking ones get names such as Dolly, Amy, Betty and Daisy. They get their pictures taken. But for every good-looking lamb and calf conceived in a laboratory dish, a confounding number of animals come out oversized or malformed or aren’t born at all.”

What is Lau talking about? He's talking about cloned animals. The problem is so tenacious in “artificially reproduced and genetically engineered animals that some scientists are devoting their full attention to what they call Large Offspring Syndrome.”

Lorraine Young, a research scientist at the Roslin Institute, said, “I think at the moment, (the syndrome) is the norm.”

Nowadays, animal cloning is not as impressive as it once was; chances of producing healthy young from cloning and other reproductive techniques involving genetic orchestration is quite low, ten percent at best. Scientists want to know: Why doesn’t it work more often?

Lau quotes Dr. Torben Greve, a veterinary researcher in reproduction at the Royal Veterinary Agricultural University in Denmark, “The prospect of hidden health problems troubles [me].”

Greve says, “The main problem ... is the subtle differences that nobody wants to admit to. What if life expectancy is changed?”

In discussing in vitro fertilization, the scientists note that the same technique has been used for 21 years to assist humans to conceive, with no obvious ill effects in their babies. They ask, “What is the difference?”

“It’s extremely curious,” remarked Young, noting that mice also seem not to experience the syndrome. “We don’t understand that yet. .... [But] just because it hasn’t happened in people doesn’t mean it won’t,” Young lamented. ”I would feel happier knowing (the cause),” she said.

Young said scientists believe “imprint genes” from the male promote growth because it’s in the father’s best interest to have the biggest and strongest babies. The mother’s interest, on the other hand, is best served by limiting womb damage so she can bear several babies, so her genes limit growth.

Somehow, so the theory goes, manipulations external to the body topples the balancing act. If true, Young says, the challenge will be to identify the factors controlling these genes. “I don’t think (the problem of abnormal offspring) has to be the norm,” she said. “We think we can improve it.”

Man always thinks he can improve on it: he continues to build his Towers of Babel, when what he really needs is the Ark of the Lord. Man, it seems, will go on and on trying to elevate himself to the same level of God; if that doesn’t work he will try to pull God down to his level.

As they said, “It is in the Father’s best interest.” [Adapted from “Dark side of cloning perplexes scientists,” The Sacramento Bee; Aug. 18, 1999]

Christianity, Illustration,
Pride, Religion

CLEANSING: Flesh eating turtles vs. the Lamb of God!

"If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."

1 Peter 1:17-19

A few rears ago, Time magazine reported that India had plans to release "carnivorous soft-shell turtles" into the Ganges, to clean up pollution created by the dumping of human carcasses into their sacred river. [10/27/87 p.46]

Sin leaves the refuge of death everywhere on the road of life; it pollutes everything it touches.

We don't have any carnivorous turtles to release into the sacred rivers of life because we don't need any ... not that they would do any good anyway. God has an environmental protection policy that works just fine: He is able to cleanse all that is in the world with the precious blood of the Lamb.

Christianity, Cleansing,
Illustrations, Religion