Stress has been linked with a greater risk of depression, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, upper respiratory infections, poor wound healing and other physical maladies. A new study reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) may now reveal a biochemical mechanism through which stress affects the body.
A team led by Dr. Sheldon Cohen, Psychology Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, has found that the body loses its ability to regulate inflammatory response when undergoing chronic psychological stress. "Inflammation is partly regulated by the hormone cortisol and when cortisol is not allowed to serve this function, inflammation can get out of control," stated Cohen. Immune cells normally protect the body from disease. Cortisol regulates the inflammatory response. Prolonged stress alters the effectiveness of cortisol to perform this regulatory function, decreasing sensitivity to the hormone. Immune cells then become insensitive to cortisol’s regulatory effect. This in turn leads to increased and persistent inflammation, which promotes the development and progression of disease. The problem is not simply higher cortisone levels, but target tissue’s response to it. [1]
Cohen’s team conducted two studies with a total of 355 healthy adult subjects by exposing them to two rhinoviruses following an intensive measurement of stress in their lives. The team proposed a model in which chronic stress results in glucocorticoid receptor resistance (GCR) that leads to a failure in the inflammatory response, thus tending to make a person more susceptible to illness. After controlling variables, those with recent long-term threatening stressful experiences demonstrated GCR and were at a higher risk of developing a cold. (Leaving the house on a cold day without a jacket was not studied.) In the second study, greater GCR predicted production of more local proinflammatory cytokines (regulatory proteins that are produced by immune system cells and act as intercellular mediators in the modulation of immune response) among infected subjects. The researchers noted that “these data provide support for a model suggesting that prolonged stressors result in GCR, which, in turn, interferes with appropriate regulation of inflammation. Inflammation plays an important role in the onset and progression of a wide range of diseases.” [2]
So, how can we reduce stress, which is primarily a psychological and cognitive phenomenon? Aside from giving up the car to avoid driving stress and quitting the job, there are a number of practical and effective methods, some of which include:
• Exercise
• Laugh
• Listen to music
• Get enough sleep
• Eat healthy
• Count our blessings
• Take a walk
• Work in the garden
• Do some charitable work
• Learn to say no
• Don’t procrastinate
Then, there is a method for achieving long-term continual stress reduction. The answer to enduring peace is found in a book written nearly two millennia ago:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6)
Jesus promises: “My peace I give to you ... Do not let your heart be troubled” (John 14:27).
And, an old song provides some wise advice:
“What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”
(Text: Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886
Music: Charles C. Converse, 1832-1918)
[1] Carnegie Mellon University, “How stress influences disease: Study reveals inflammation as the culprit.” Science Daily, posted 2 Apr 2012, accessed 5 Apr 2012.
[2] “Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk”, Sheldon Cohen, Denise Janicki-Deverts, William J. Doyle, Gregory E. Miller, Ellen Frank, Bruce S. Rabin, and Ronald B. Turner, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 2, 2012, doi:10.1073/pnas.11183551.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Hunger games in ancient Rome
Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen-year old girl from District 12, was compelled against her wishes to compete in a game to the death with 23 other youths in post-apocalyptic North America (Panem) in the film adaptation of the book Hunger Games. The 2000 film Gladiator with Russell Crowe similarly portrayed matches to the death which were held in ancient Rome for the entertainment of spectators. The Roman Colosseum was dedicated in A.D. 80 and, on one day, 3,000 men fought. Ancient Rome was vicious with the populace thirsty for more and the emperors, to win political power, presented the most grandiose shows. For example, Trajan celebrated his conquest of Dacia by arranging for 9,138 pairs of gladiators to fight over 123 days. [1] After centuries of cruelty, the games finally came to a stop in A.D. 404 in an unexpected way.
An elderly monk by the name of Telemachus, who had lived an ascetic life, one day decided to travel from the East to Rome while Honorius was emperor. Upon seeing the abominable spectacle in the Colosseum, he took the fanatical step to enter the arena during a match. [2] John Foxe provides this record of Telemachus:
“Rome was celebrating its temporary victory over Alaric the Goth in its usual manner, by watching its gladiators fight to the death in the arena, when suddenly there was an interruption. A rudely clad robed figure boldly leaped down into the arena.” Telemachus, a hermit who had devoted himself to prayer and separation from the wicked life of Rome, had come to visit the churches and celebrate Christmas in Rome. “Without hesitating an instant, Telemachus advanced upon two gladiators who were engaged in their life-and-death struggle. Laying a hand on one of them, he sternly reproved him for shedding innocent blood, and the monk, turning toward the thousands of angry faces around him, called to them: ‘Do not repay God’s mercy in turning away the swords of your enemies by murdering each other!’
Angry shouts drowned out his voice. ‘This is no place for preaching! On with the combat!’ Pushing Telemachus aside, the two gladiators prepared to continue their combat, but Telemachus stepped between them. Enraged at the interference of an outsider with their chosen vocation, the gladiators turned on Telemachus and stabbed him to death.
The crowd fell silent, shocked by the death of this holy man, but his death had not been in vain, for from that day on, no more gladiators ever went into combat in the Colosseum.” [3] Emperor Honorius numbered Telemachus as one of the victorious martyrs and at that time ended the vicious games.
This old story provides us with a reminder that one person can make a difference. Unfortunately, significant societal changes are often derived from the greatest tragedies. We can think of Martin Luther King Jr. and others. Not long ago in the USA, legislation was enacted following horrific events – The Adam Walsh Act and Megan’s Law. Like Telemachus, and others throughout history, may we as well boldly stand for what is right.
[1] Keith Hopkins, “Murderous Games: Gladiatorial Contests in Ancient Rome”, History Today, Volume 33, Issue 6.
[2] Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 3, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1885), 346.
[3] John Foxe, Foxe’s Christian Martyrs of the World, (Westwood, NJ: Barbour Books, 1989), 26-27.
An elderly monk by the name of Telemachus, who had lived an ascetic life, one day decided to travel from the East to Rome while Honorius was emperor. Upon seeing the abominable spectacle in the Colosseum, he took the fanatical step to enter the arena during a match. [2] John Foxe provides this record of Telemachus:
“Rome was celebrating its temporary victory over Alaric the Goth in its usual manner, by watching its gladiators fight to the death in the arena, when suddenly there was an interruption. A rudely clad robed figure boldly leaped down into the arena.” Telemachus, a hermit who had devoted himself to prayer and separation from the wicked life of Rome, had come to visit the churches and celebrate Christmas in Rome. “Without hesitating an instant, Telemachus advanced upon two gladiators who were engaged in their life-and-death struggle. Laying a hand on one of them, he sternly reproved him for shedding innocent blood, and the monk, turning toward the thousands of angry faces around him, called to them: ‘Do not repay God’s mercy in turning away the swords of your enemies by murdering each other!’
Angry shouts drowned out his voice. ‘This is no place for preaching! On with the combat!’ Pushing Telemachus aside, the two gladiators prepared to continue their combat, but Telemachus stepped between them. Enraged at the interference of an outsider with their chosen vocation, the gladiators turned on Telemachus and stabbed him to death.
The crowd fell silent, shocked by the death of this holy man, but his death had not been in vain, for from that day on, no more gladiators ever went into combat in the Colosseum.” [3] Emperor Honorius numbered Telemachus as one of the victorious martyrs and at that time ended the vicious games.
This old story provides us with a reminder that one person can make a difference. Unfortunately, significant societal changes are often derived from the greatest tragedies. We can think of Martin Luther King Jr. and others. Not long ago in the USA, legislation was enacted following horrific events – The Adam Walsh Act and Megan’s Law. Like Telemachus, and others throughout history, may we as well boldly stand for what is right.
[1] Keith Hopkins, “Murderous Games: Gladiatorial Contests in Ancient Rome”, History Today, Volume 33, Issue 6.
[2] Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 3, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1885), 346.
[3] John Foxe, Foxe’s Christian Martyrs of the World, (Westwood, NJ: Barbour Books, 1989), 26-27.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Can humans live two or three times longer?
On January 3, 2012, University of Pittsburgh researchers announced they had increased the normal life spans of mice two to three times by injecting stem cell-like progenitor cells that had been derived from the muscle of young, healthy mice. Associate Professor Laura Niedemhofer and Johnny Huard, Director of Pitt’s stem cell research center, reported this study in the journal Nature Communications [1]. New blood vessel growth was found in the brain and muscle of mice that received the injections. "If we can purify that protein, we may have found an anti-aging protein and that will be huge," Huard said. If this technique can be used with humans, he said, "When you turn 30, 35, 40, instead of having all this cosmetic surgery, we can take your cells and then reinject them into you … You're going to age, but you're going to age slower than the normal person who doesn't have stem cell transplantation." [2] It is foreseeable that people will begin to store stem cells from an early age – even from the umbilical cord – to be used later to heal from disease and injury and maybe to increase life spans dramatically.
On July 5, 1997, Dolly the sheep in Scotland was the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. Because such a small percentage of viable offspring resulted from these experiments, physicians with the American Medical Association and scientists with the American Association for the Advancement of Science issued formal public statements advising against attempts to clone humans [3]. Since then, techniques have improved. On April 8, 2009, scientists in Dubai announced they had cloned the first one-humped camel [4]. With continual medical advancement, human cloning is a real possibility within our lifetime, perhaps involving generation of new organs for transplantation.
What if it would be possible to clone humans or more than double the average life span? Is scientific research on the verge of going too far and playing God? Genetic engineering and even cloning has been used for years with plants and animals, many times to the significant benefit of humans. For example, banana plants that are more resistant to disease and parasites are cloned. Obviously, genetically engineering a new form of bacterium for which there are no natural defenses may be potentially disastrous. Human cloning presents an ethical problem if embryos are destroyed in the process. That was the case with Dolly the sheep, a process which employed a process of somatic cell nuclear transfer, using 277 eggs and created 29 embryos. A human embryo contains DNA, the beginning of a new, separate human being. No one knows when the soul enters a human and it may be at the point of conception, when the genetic code is finalized in the cell. The age of viability of a human fetus continues to regress and a human heart begins to beat around the 21st day after conception, so destruction of a human embryo would be unethical and immoral.
Destroying a human life would constitute “playing God”. However, if medical science advances to the point in which no embryos are destroyed, the new organism would be a separate person, even though he or she has the same DNA as an existing person. This new, cloned human would essentially be an identical twin, with his or her own soul. This does not seem to be a violation of any ethical or moral code. On the other hand, creating a separate, cloned, human for the purpose of organ harvesting would be monstrous. If one’s own cells can be used to regenerate a damaged or diseased organ - without creating a new embryo - there should be no ethical problem.
There is one final important point to consider. Each of us may live a century, perhaps even two, in this life and it is commendable to work to prolong that time for all people. It is also logical to afford these efforts the appropriate amount of consideration that is due. Every one of us will leave this life sometime. We will spend eternity in the next life [5]. Each of us needs to ask the question: Will I be the one whom Jesus called a fool, working only to make his own life more comfortable? [6] Or, will I be the one who is wise, planning also for life after death, and storing treasure in heaven? [7]
[1] University of Pittsburgh, Dept. of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, “Dr. Laura Niedernhofer and Dr. Johnny Huard's Stem Cell Research Slows Aging”, accessed 20 Jan 2012.
[2] Luis Fabregas, “Pitt stem-cell research slows aging”, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 4 Jan 2012.
[3] U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, “Cloning Fact Sheet”, updated 11 May 2009, accessed 18 Jan 2012.
[4] BBC News, “First camel clone born in Dubai”, posted 14 Apr 2009, accessed 22 Jan 2012.
[5] Matthew 25:46 – The unrighteous will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
[6] Luke 12:19-21 – “I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
[7] Matthew 6:19-20 – “Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth … store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.”
On July 5, 1997, Dolly the sheep in Scotland was the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. Because such a small percentage of viable offspring resulted from these experiments, physicians with the American Medical Association and scientists with the American Association for the Advancement of Science issued formal public statements advising against attempts to clone humans [3]. Since then, techniques have improved. On April 8, 2009, scientists in Dubai announced they had cloned the first one-humped camel [4]. With continual medical advancement, human cloning is a real possibility within our lifetime, perhaps involving generation of new organs for transplantation.
What if it would be possible to clone humans or more than double the average life span? Is scientific research on the verge of going too far and playing God? Genetic engineering and even cloning has been used for years with plants and animals, many times to the significant benefit of humans. For example, banana plants that are more resistant to disease and parasites are cloned. Obviously, genetically engineering a new form of bacterium for which there are no natural defenses may be potentially disastrous. Human cloning presents an ethical problem if embryos are destroyed in the process. That was the case with Dolly the sheep, a process which employed a process of somatic cell nuclear transfer, using 277 eggs and created 29 embryos. A human embryo contains DNA, the beginning of a new, separate human being. No one knows when the soul enters a human and it may be at the point of conception, when the genetic code is finalized in the cell. The age of viability of a human fetus continues to regress and a human heart begins to beat around the 21st day after conception, so destruction of a human embryo would be unethical and immoral.
Destroying a human life would constitute “playing God”. However, if medical science advances to the point in which no embryos are destroyed, the new organism would be a separate person, even though he or she has the same DNA as an existing person. This new, cloned human would essentially be an identical twin, with his or her own soul. This does not seem to be a violation of any ethical or moral code. On the other hand, creating a separate, cloned, human for the purpose of organ harvesting would be monstrous. If one’s own cells can be used to regenerate a damaged or diseased organ - without creating a new embryo - there should be no ethical problem.
There is one final important point to consider. Each of us may live a century, perhaps even two, in this life and it is commendable to work to prolong that time for all people. It is also logical to afford these efforts the appropriate amount of consideration that is due. Every one of us will leave this life sometime. We will spend eternity in the next life [5]. Each of us needs to ask the question: Will I be the one whom Jesus called a fool, working only to make his own life more comfortable? [6] Or, will I be the one who is wise, planning also for life after death, and storing treasure in heaven? [7]
[1] University of Pittsburgh, Dept. of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, “Dr. Laura Niedernhofer and Dr. Johnny Huard's Stem Cell Research Slows Aging”, accessed 20 Jan 2012.
[2] Luis Fabregas, “Pitt stem-cell research slows aging”, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 4 Jan 2012.
[3] U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, “Cloning Fact Sheet”, updated 11 May 2009, accessed 18 Jan 2012.
[4] BBC News, “First camel clone born in Dubai”, posted 14 Apr 2009, accessed 22 Jan 2012.
[5] Matthew 25:46 – The unrighteous will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
[6] Luke 12:19-21 – “I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
[7] Matthew 6:19-20 – “Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth … store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.”
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Forgive to live longer
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” (Lewis B. Smedes)
Unforgiveness harms not the offender, but ourselves. It gives control of our lives to the person who has wronged us. Resentment builds a wall that hinders future progress and unforgiveness even negatively affects our physical health.
In a study published on 6/25/11, researchers at Harvard, Duke and Luther College reported analysis of multiple types of forgiveness as predictors of mortality and health mechanisms on longevity. A representative sample of 1,232 adults in the United States ages 66 and older were used to assess forgiveness and health. Statistically significant predictors of mortality risk were found to be unconditional forgiveness by God and conditional forgiveness for others. After controlling for other variables, only conditional forgiveness of others remained a significant predictor of mortality. Association between these conditions led to finding of a statistically significant indirect effect involving physical health. The results of these findings are that conditional forgiveness is associated with mortality risk across the board and this has a significant influence on one’s physical health. [1]
In this study, forgiveness was defined as a “freely made choice to give up revenge, resentment, or harsh judgments toward a person who caused a hurt, and to strive to respond with generosity, compassion, and kindness toward that person.” It is important to note that forgiveness is not seen as condoning, excusing, denying, minimizing, or forgetting the wrong. It can occur without reconciliation with the other party.
Researcher Loren Toussaint has been studying forgiveness for a number of years and, combining his own research with that of others, is convinced that mental and physical health are negatively affected by unforgiveness. When mentally rehearsing a past injustice committed against us, stress hormones are released, raising the heart rate and leading toward possible development of a variety of disorders from major depression to cardiovascular disease. Toussaint has determined that one’s conclusions regarding the perceived wrongs can become chronic stressors. [2]
Other studies have found similar conclusions. Researchers in New York studied data collected from a national survey of 1,629 participants that supported a hypothesized model connecting religiosity, forgiveness and health. Religiosity was found to be related to greater forgiveness, which, in turn, was associated with reduced hostility. Better subjective health was the result of reduced hostility. [3] Australian Psychology Professors Alfred Allan and Dianne McKillop have noted there is extensive evidence that traumatic events can lead to a prolonged hyperarousal and state of negative affect that are deleterious to health. Those who continue to feel aggrieved and refuse to forgive those they blame for the harm suffer the harmful health effects. However, the authors state there is evidence to show forgiveness, with expressions of responsibility and regret can improve recovery and health of patients following an adverse event. [4]
Justifiable resentment is a “cancer on the soul. The bitterness is within you, not in the person who hurt you. Your anger may give you the illusion of power, but it actually robs you of power, drains off your potential, and poisons all your relationships” notes Steven Arterburn. By carrying unforgiveness we “risk remaining behind a wall that will hold you in a bitter and wasted life focused on the past, rather than enjoying the present and moving into a brighter future”. [5]
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)
[1] Loren L. Toussaint, Amy D. Owen and Alyssa Cheadle, “Forgive to live: Forgiveness, Health and Longevity“, Journal of Behavioral Medicine, DOI: 10.1007/s10865-011-9362-4.
[2] Ryan Blitstein, “Forgive and Get Healty”, Miller-McCune.com, posted 5 Oct 2009, accessed 11 Dec 2011,
[3] Laura J. Lutjen, Nava R. Silton and Kevin J. Flannelly, “Religion, Forgiveness, Hostility and Health: A Structural Equation Analysis”, Journal of Religion and Health, DOI: 10.1007/s10943-011-9511-7.
[4] Alfred Allan and Dianne McKillop, “The health implications of apologizing after an adverse event”, Int. Journal for Quality in Health Care, Volume 22, Issue 2, pp. 126-131.
[5] Steven Arterburn, Walking into Walls, (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2011), 54-55.
Unforgiveness harms not the offender, but ourselves. It gives control of our lives to the person who has wronged us. Resentment builds a wall that hinders future progress and unforgiveness even negatively affects our physical health.
In a study published on 6/25/11, researchers at Harvard, Duke and Luther College reported analysis of multiple types of forgiveness as predictors of mortality and health mechanisms on longevity. A representative sample of 1,232 adults in the United States ages 66 and older were used to assess forgiveness and health. Statistically significant predictors of mortality risk were found to be unconditional forgiveness by God and conditional forgiveness for others. After controlling for other variables, only conditional forgiveness of others remained a significant predictor of mortality. Association between these conditions led to finding of a statistically significant indirect effect involving physical health. The results of these findings are that conditional forgiveness is associated with mortality risk across the board and this has a significant influence on one’s physical health. [1]
In this study, forgiveness was defined as a “freely made choice to give up revenge, resentment, or harsh judgments toward a person who caused a hurt, and to strive to respond with generosity, compassion, and kindness toward that person.” It is important to note that forgiveness is not seen as condoning, excusing, denying, minimizing, or forgetting the wrong. It can occur without reconciliation with the other party.
Researcher Loren Toussaint has been studying forgiveness for a number of years and, combining his own research with that of others, is convinced that mental and physical health are negatively affected by unforgiveness. When mentally rehearsing a past injustice committed against us, stress hormones are released, raising the heart rate and leading toward possible development of a variety of disorders from major depression to cardiovascular disease. Toussaint has determined that one’s conclusions regarding the perceived wrongs can become chronic stressors. [2]
Other studies have found similar conclusions. Researchers in New York studied data collected from a national survey of 1,629 participants that supported a hypothesized model connecting religiosity, forgiveness and health. Religiosity was found to be related to greater forgiveness, which, in turn, was associated with reduced hostility. Better subjective health was the result of reduced hostility. [3] Australian Psychology Professors Alfred Allan and Dianne McKillop have noted there is extensive evidence that traumatic events can lead to a prolonged hyperarousal and state of negative affect that are deleterious to health. Those who continue to feel aggrieved and refuse to forgive those they blame for the harm suffer the harmful health effects. However, the authors state there is evidence to show forgiveness, with expressions of responsibility and regret can improve recovery and health of patients following an adverse event. [4]
Justifiable resentment is a “cancer on the soul. The bitterness is within you, not in the person who hurt you. Your anger may give you the illusion of power, but it actually robs you of power, drains off your potential, and poisons all your relationships” notes Steven Arterburn. By carrying unforgiveness we “risk remaining behind a wall that will hold you in a bitter and wasted life focused on the past, rather than enjoying the present and moving into a brighter future”. [5]
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)
[1] Loren L. Toussaint, Amy D. Owen and Alyssa Cheadle, “Forgive to live: Forgiveness, Health and Longevity“, Journal of Behavioral Medicine, DOI: 10.1007/s10865-011-9362-4.
[2] Ryan Blitstein, “Forgive and Get Healty”, Miller-McCune.com, posted 5 Oct 2009, accessed 11 Dec 2011,
[3] Laura J. Lutjen, Nava R. Silton and Kevin J. Flannelly, “Religion, Forgiveness, Hostility and Health: A Structural Equation Analysis”, Journal of Religion and Health, DOI: 10.1007/s10943-011-9511-7.
[4] Alfred Allan and Dianne McKillop, “The health implications of apologizing after an adverse event”, Int. Journal for Quality in Health Care, Volume 22, Issue 2, pp. 126-131.
[5] Steven Arterburn, Walking into Walls, (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2011), 54-55.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
pigeon droppings and red shift
The Bible starts with, “In the beginning, God created the heavens”. But, what if there was no beginning? Today, we take the “big bang” theory of the universe for granted, but less than a century ago, the steady state theory, indicative of a static universe, was dominant in astrophysics.
An expanding universe is a problem because it leads logically backward to a beginning, which seems uncomfortably close to a creation event. To avoid the possibility of invoking a creator, some physicists have proposed the notion that a steady state theory can still incorporate an expanding universe if new matter is produced, keeping the density of the universe constant. How new matter is produced on a continual basis is unknown and, like the multiverse theory, an attempt to remove the creator with no empirical backing. Evidence is clearly on the side of an ex-nihilo creation event.
To explain very briefly, around 1915, Einstein’s calculations predicted an expanding universe, something which he could not accept and consequently added a cosmological constant to compensate. This renormalized the calculations to show a static universe. When Edwin Hubble discovered the red shift in 1929, indicating the universe is expanding, Einstein retracted the constant, calling it “the greatest blunder of my life.” This was the first major piece of evidence contrary to the steady state model.
In 1964, another highly significant discovery was made which also indicated the universe is expanding following an explosive beginning around 13.7 billion years ago. Two workers at Bell Labs, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, were experimenting with a sensitive radio antenna and detected persistent, faint microwave radiation. Following a thorough check of the equipment and removal of pigeons that had nested in the antenna (including concomitant “white dielectric material”), the noise remained. Furthermore, the faint radiation seemed to emanate evenly from all parts of the sky. [1]
Penzias and Wilson had discovered the remnants of a massive, ancient explosion. These leftovers are photons initially formed as gamma rays which cooled and expanded through the billions of years to what is now microwave length radiation, maintaining a temperature of about 2.7 degrees above absolute zero. [2] For this discovery, a powerful confirmation of the big bang theory, the Bell Lab researchers received a Physics Nobel Prize in 1978.
What does this mean? This discovery provides another pile on the mountain of evidence for the Creator and for the trustworthiness of the Bible. By combining this discovery with fine tuning of numerous astronomical and geological variables, archaeological discoveries, historical evidence, and other evidence (presented on this website as well as others), we can be thankful the Christian faith is not a blind hope, but is belief based on an abundance of evidence. Moses wrote the book of Genesis 3,400 years ago. Modern science is starting to catch up.
[1] Discovery of the Cosmic Background Radiation, University of Illinois, posted 1995, accessed 24 Nov 2011,
[2] University of Oregon, “Cosmic Background Radiation”, accessed 24 Nov 2011, http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/ast123/lectures/lec23.html
An expanding universe is a problem because it leads logically backward to a beginning, which seems uncomfortably close to a creation event. To avoid the possibility of invoking a creator, some physicists have proposed the notion that a steady state theory can still incorporate an expanding universe if new matter is produced, keeping the density of the universe constant. How new matter is produced on a continual basis is unknown and, like the multiverse theory, an attempt to remove the creator with no empirical backing. Evidence is clearly on the side of an ex-nihilo creation event.
To explain very briefly, around 1915, Einstein’s calculations predicted an expanding universe, something which he could not accept and consequently added a cosmological constant to compensate. This renormalized the calculations to show a static universe. When Edwin Hubble discovered the red shift in 1929, indicating the universe is expanding, Einstein retracted the constant, calling it “the greatest blunder of my life.” This was the first major piece of evidence contrary to the steady state model.
In 1964, another highly significant discovery was made which also indicated the universe is expanding following an explosive beginning around 13.7 billion years ago. Two workers at Bell Labs, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, were experimenting with a sensitive radio antenna and detected persistent, faint microwave radiation. Following a thorough check of the equipment and removal of pigeons that had nested in the antenna (including concomitant “white dielectric material”), the noise remained. Furthermore, the faint radiation seemed to emanate evenly from all parts of the sky. [1]
Penzias and Wilson had discovered the remnants of a massive, ancient explosion. These leftovers are photons initially formed as gamma rays which cooled and expanded through the billions of years to what is now microwave length radiation, maintaining a temperature of about 2.7 degrees above absolute zero. [2] For this discovery, a powerful confirmation of the big bang theory, the Bell Lab researchers received a Physics Nobel Prize in 1978.
What does this mean? This discovery provides another pile on the mountain of evidence for the Creator and for the trustworthiness of the Bible. By combining this discovery with fine tuning of numerous astronomical and geological variables, archaeological discoveries, historical evidence, and other evidence (presented on this website as well as others), we can be thankful the Christian faith is not a blind hope, but is belief based on an abundance of evidence. Moses wrote the book of Genesis 3,400 years ago. Modern science is starting to catch up.
[1] Discovery of the Cosmic Background Radiation, University of Illinois, posted 1995, accessed 24 Nov 2011,
[2] University of Oregon, “Cosmic Background Radiation”, accessed 24 Nov 2011, http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/ast123/lectures/lec23.html
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Meditation improves brain function
Claims have been made for years that meditation leads to many positive benefits, from increased creativity to stress reduction. The Bible mentions meditation as early as the time of Isaac, around 3,800 years ago (Genesis 24:63), and many more times in the book of Psalms. But, is there any hard evidence showing physiological results? As recently as this year, at least three studies have demonstrated measurable changes in the brains of people who meditated.
A study by UCLA researchers found that “long-term meditators have white-matter fibers that are either more numerous, more dense or more insulated throughout the brain," according to Eileen Luders, a visiting assistant professor at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. Though human brains slowly atrophy with age, it may be possible to considerably reduce this natural process through meditation. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a form of MRI which measures the flow of water and tracks white matter (primarily myelinated axons) pathways, was used to examine structural connectivity in the brain. Researchers found, in the brains of meditators, enhancement of large-scale networks including the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, as well as the anterior corpus callosum and limbic structures. The mechanism causing this effect in meditator’s brains is not clear and the authors cautioned there may have been prior differences in brain anatomy between those who meditate and those who do not. [1] However, the results are significant and intriguing.
Other studies have shown that regular meditation by people suffering from chronic pain can reduce the symptoms, but the mechanism was not previously clear. In a study published April 21, 2011, researchers at MIT and Harvard split subjects into two groups – those who meditated daily and those who did not. One group was trained to focus on a certain part of the body, labeled mindfulness meditation (MM). When they did so, an increased amplitude was noticed in the brain’s alpha waves compared with pre-test data and the control group. (Other types of brain waves which can be recorded via EEG include beta, theta and delta.) Alpha waves are thought to be associated with a state of relaxation as opposed to beta waves, which are more evident during an active state. Alpha waves appeared to suppress distracting and irrelevant sensory information, thereby enabling MM subjects to more effectively regulate the flow of information. And, those subjects who meditated reported less stress. The paper’s author, MIT neuroscientist Christopher Moore, stated “These activity patterns are thought to minimize distractions, to diminish the likelihood stimuli will grab your attention. Our data indicate that meditation training makes you better at focusing.” [2]
A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers reported in the January 30, 2011 issue of Psychiatry Research: NeuroImaging that meditation produces measurable structural changes in the brain. Brain regions associated with stress and memory were found to be altered in subjects who participated in an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program. MR images were taken of subjects in the MBSR group as well as a control group of non-meditators before the test period and again afterward. After eight weeks, MR images revealed increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known for learning and memory, as well as structures associated with compassion, introspection and self-awareness. One brain structure showed a decrease in grey-matter density in subjects who reported decreased stress, the amygdala, a part of the limbic system which has been linked with emotions such as fear response and aggression. “It is fascinating to see the brain’s plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life” stated Britta Holzel, PhD, first author of the paper. [3]
These studies indicate the Designer’s instructions for life prove to be valuable, with brain scans showing physiological benefits. The Psalms mention meditation on God’s works, wonders, statutes and precepts (Psalm 119:15,23,27,48,78,148, and 143:5). God commanded Joshua to meditate on the book of the law day and night (Joshua 1:8) and David wrote that a man is blessed if he delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night (Psalm 1:1-2). But, who has time to meditate with the busy lives we lead? Perhaps 45 minutes a day (as some in the study performed) is too much to ask, but maybe a little every day is better than nothing. Even more important than the physical benefits, meditation leads to positive spiritual results that affect all aspects of our lives.
[1] University of California – Los Angeles (2011, July 14). Is meditation the push-up for the brain? Study shows practice may have potential to change brain’s physical structure. ScienceDaily, Retrieved Sept. 25, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714091940.htm
[2] Anne Trafton, “The benefits of meditation”, MIT News, 5 May 2011, http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/meditation-0505.html.
[3] Massachusetts General Hospital (2011, January 21). Mindfulness meditation training changes brain structure in eight weeks. ScienceDaily. Retrieved 25 Sept 2011 from http://www.sciencedaily.com-/releases/2011/01/1121211144007.htm
A study by UCLA researchers found that “long-term meditators have white-matter fibers that are either more numerous, more dense or more insulated throughout the brain," according to Eileen Luders, a visiting assistant professor at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. Though human brains slowly atrophy with age, it may be possible to considerably reduce this natural process through meditation. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a form of MRI which measures the flow of water and tracks white matter (primarily myelinated axons) pathways, was used to examine structural connectivity in the brain. Researchers found, in the brains of meditators, enhancement of large-scale networks including the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, as well as the anterior corpus callosum and limbic structures. The mechanism causing this effect in meditator’s brains is not clear and the authors cautioned there may have been prior differences in brain anatomy between those who meditate and those who do not. [1] However, the results are significant and intriguing.
Other studies have shown that regular meditation by people suffering from chronic pain can reduce the symptoms, but the mechanism was not previously clear. In a study published April 21, 2011, researchers at MIT and Harvard split subjects into two groups – those who meditated daily and those who did not. One group was trained to focus on a certain part of the body, labeled mindfulness meditation (MM). When they did so, an increased amplitude was noticed in the brain’s alpha waves compared with pre-test data and the control group. (Other types of brain waves which can be recorded via EEG include beta, theta and delta.) Alpha waves are thought to be associated with a state of relaxation as opposed to beta waves, which are more evident during an active state. Alpha waves appeared to suppress distracting and irrelevant sensory information, thereby enabling MM subjects to more effectively regulate the flow of information. And, those subjects who meditated reported less stress. The paper’s author, MIT neuroscientist Christopher Moore, stated “These activity patterns are thought to minimize distractions, to diminish the likelihood stimuli will grab your attention. Our data indicate that meditation training makes you better at focusing.” [2]
A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers reported in the January 30, 2011 issue of Psychiatry Research: NeuroImaging that meditation produces measurable structural changes in the brain. Brain regions associated with stress and memory were found to be altered in subjects who participated in an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program. MR images were taken of subjects in the MBSR group as well as a control group of non-meditators before the test period and again afterward. After eight weeks, MR images revealed increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known for learning and memory, as well as structures associated with compassion, introspection and self-awareness. One brain structure showed a decrease in grey-matter density in subjects who reported decreased stress, the amygdala, a part of the limbic system which has been linked with emotions such as fear response and aggression. “It is fascinating to see the brain’s plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life” stated Britta Holzel, PhD, first author of the paper. [3]
These studies indicate the Designer’s instructions for life prove to be valuable, with brain scans showing physiological benefits. The Psalms mention meditation on God’s works, wonders, statutes and precepts (Psalm 119:15,23,27,48,78,148, and 143:5). God commanded Joshua to meditate on the book of the law day and night (Joshua 1:8) and David wrote that a man is blessed if he delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night (Psalm 1:1-2). But, who has time to meditate with the busy lives we lead? Perhaps 45 minutes a day (as some in the study performed) is too much to ask, but maybe a little every day is better than nothing. Even more important than the physical benefits, meditation leads to positive spiritual results that affect all aspects of our lives.
[1] University of California – Los Angeles (2011, July 14). Is meditation the push-up for the brain? Study shows practice may have potential to change brain’s physical structure. ScienceDaily, Retrieved Sept. 25, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714091940.htm
[2] Anne Trafton, “The benefits of meditation”, MIT News, 5 May 2011, http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/meditation-0505.html.
[3] Massachusetts General Hospital (2011, January 21). Mindfulness meditation training changes brain structure in eight weeks. ScienceDaily. Retrieved 25 Sept 2011 from http://www.sciencedaily.com-/releases/2011/01/1121211144007.htm
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Acts of random kindness and depression
“One act of random kindness at a time.” (Morgan Freeman to Steve Carell, Evan Almighty)
More than 16 million adults in the USA, approximately eight percent of the population, suffer from either major or chronic depression. The estimate is 100 million worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. For some, psychopharmacological treatment can be life-saving and the only way to get out of bed and make it through the day. For many others who are clinically depressed, as well as the millions who suffer from milder or more temporary symptoms, a drug-free, inexpensive, effective solution exists – practicing positive activities. This sounds overly-simplistic, but empirical data confirm the efficacy.
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside and Duke University Medical Center, as reported in ScienceDaily on July 28, 2011, studied randomized, controlled interventions with thousands of normal men and women as well as functional MRI scans in people with depressive symptoms. They found that Positive Activity Interventions (PAI) therapy is effective and useful, with the following advantages:
• Benefits those who do not respond to antidepressant medications
• No side effects
• Less expensive to administer
• More rapid improvement of mood symptoms
• Little or no stigma
According to researchers, beneficial positive activities include: performing acts of kindness, practicing optimism, and counting one’s blessings. Two studies specifically tested intentional PAIs in mildly depressed patients and, in one of these, lasting improvements continued to be noticed six months later. The researchers noted that even brief positive activities, which are easy to perform and often inexpensive, can have these lasting effects. Furthermore, short-term PAIs often lead to additional, similar actions, thus compounding the benefits. For example, counting one’s blessings may encourage someone to write a thank you note. Helping someone in need may lead to increased positive social interaction with others, further reducing depression.
Brain imaging studies seem to confirm the studies’ results, leading researchers to theorize that PAIs may boost the brain’s reward and pleasure centers, which have been dampened, thus reversing apathy. This would be a key benefit not usually realized with medication alone. Kristin Layous, the paper’s lead author, remarked “The positive activities themselves aren't really new. After all, humans have been counting their blessings, dreaming optimistically, writing thank you notes, and doing acts of kindness for thousands of years. What's new is the scientific rigor that researchers have applied to measuring benefits and understanding why they work."
“A joyful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22)
“Be kind to one another” (Ephesians 4:32)
“Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24)
[1] University of California - Riverside. "Restoring happiness in people with depression." ScienceDaily, 28 Jul. 2011. Web. 31 Jul. 2011.
More than 16 million adults in the USA, approximately eight percent of the population, suffer from either major or chronic depression. The estimate is 100 million worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. For some, psychopharmacological treatment can be life-saving and the only way to get out of bed and make it through the day. For many others who are clinically depressed, as well as the millions who suffer from milder or more temporary symptoms, a drug-free, inexpensive, effective solution exists – practicing positive activities. This sounds overly-simplistic, but empirical data confirm the efficacy.
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside and Duke University Medical Center, as reported in ScienceDaily on July 28, 2011, studied randomized, controlled interventions with thousands of normal men and women as well as functional MRI scans in people with depressive symptoms. They found that Positive Activity Interventions (PAI) therapy is effective and useful, with the following advantages:
• Benefits those who do not respond to antidepressant medications
• No side effects
• Less expensive to administer
• More rapid improvement of mood symptoms
• Little or no stigma
According to researchers, beneficial positive activities include: performing acts of kindness, practicing optimism, and counting one’s blessings. Two studies specifically tested intentional PAIs in mildly depressed patients and, in one of these, lasting improvements continued to be noticed six months later. The researchers noted that even brief positive activities, which are easy to perform and often inexpensive, can have these lasting effects. Furthermore, short-term PAIs often lead to additional, similar actions, thus compounding the benefits. For example, counting one’s blessings may encourage someone to write a thank you note. Helping someone in need may lead to increased positive social interaction with others, further reducing depression.
Brain imaging studies seem to confirm the studies’ results, leading researchers to theorize that PAIs may boost the brain’s reward and pleasure centers, which have been dampened, thus reversing apathy. This would be a key benefit not usually realized with medication alone. Kristin Layous, the paper’s lead author, remarked “The positive activities themselves aren't really new. After all, humans have been counting their blessings, dreaming optimistically, writing thank you notes, and doing acts of kindness for thousands of years. What's new is the scientific rigor that researchers have applied to measuring benefits and understanding why they work."
“A joyful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22)
“Be kind to one another” (Ephesians 4:32)
“Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24)
[1] University of California - Riverside. "Restoring happiness in people with depression." ScienceDaily, 28 Jul. 2011. Web. 31 Jul. 2011.
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