The Lies of the Land

I saw this new book advertised in Private Eye and after reading a sample on ebook I bought the rest of it and enjoyed being reminded of the various lies, mainly in British politics, told by politicians. I was familiar with most of the examples given although there were things I'd missed and things I had failed to get completely clear on in the past. Macqueen's final word argue against the cynicism that this sort of book is likely to fuel and makes some suggestions for reform. I'm not so sure they would make that much difference. It is important to remember that most people are willing to lie in a tight corner and sometimes do. It is a reminder to pray for pur ploitical leaders. it is not easy to keep it straight. Nicely written, although the earlier chapters read better than later ones, probably due to the subject matter.

Scientific Fraud Today

This article in the THS is disturbing if unsurprising

 

Secret dossier on research fraud suggests government concern over science

Senior figures in UK science fear that culture leading to research misconduct has not been changed David Matthews
A secret dossier that warns that fraud in biomedical research is even more prolific than feared is being considered by Jo Johnson, the universities and sciences minister, documents passed to Times Higher Education appear to show.

Senior figures in UK science have warned that despite decades of awareness of the cultural problems driving misconduct in science, little progress has been made.

The draft "Confidential dossier on fraud in UK biomedical research" concludes that some research institutes, university administrators, funders, journals and science leaders have been covering up malpractice.

The past three decades have seen an “alarming” increase in paper retractions, mainly due to misconduct, it warns.

It catalogues a series of high-profile misconduct scandals involving senior scientists in the UK and abroad.

The dossier points out that although the number of retracted papers is tiny compared with the huge number published, only a small proportion of articles are genuinely scrutinised.

It calculates that of papers that are actually closely checked, as many as one in 20 contain errors or falsifications.

Another reason that the problem may be larger than thought is that “scientists and journals are extremely reluctant to retract their papers, even in the face of damning evidence”, meaning that misconduct may go unreported.

It warns that the peer review process “is clearly not fit for purpose”, with journal referees failing to spot “blatant errors and inconsistencies”.

A letter commenting on the dossier bearing the crest of the Royal Society, with the author’s name blanked out, was also passed to THE. It appears to be a response to Mr Johnson, suggesting that the anonymous author had been sent the dossier by the minister.

It explains that the dossier was commissioned by Mr Johnson’s predecessor, Greg Clark, as “part of a more extensive review” but was to remain confidential. ...

 

continued here

Lord's Day September 14 2014

Bit slow with this but we had a good Sunday last. In the morning numbers were down slightly but there was a new lady there, who looked keen to come again. We were also saying goodbye to Andrew and Jill. Andrew Lolley has been our assistant over the last year and is now headed for Craigie Reformed Baptist Church in Perth. We were able to give them gifts and pray for them during the service and then later at the fellowship lunch that followed. I preached in the morning on 1 Corinthians 13:4 on love being patient, kind and not envious, boastful or proud. In the evening we looked at the devastating but ultimately encouraging topic of Total Depravity, the first of the five points of Calvin. Getting back into it slowly then.

Dawkins at a loss to explain

Atheist Richard Dawkins' autobiography is out Part 1. See here. An extract from it contains observations on prep school and these interesting lines.

 

"I cannot even begin to imagine how human beings could be so cruel, but to a greater or lesser extent we were, if only through failing to stop it. How could we be so devoid of empathy? I didn’t lift a finger to stop the grotesque bullying. ... I don’t recall feeling even secret pity for the victim of the bullying at Chafyn Grove. How is that possible?

These contradictions trouble me to this day, together with a strong feeling of retrospective guilt. I am struggling to reconcile the child with the adult that he became; and the same struggle, I suspect, arises with most people. This is no place for a philosophical disquisition, so I will content myself with the observation that continuity of memory makes me feel as though my identity has remained continuous during my whole life, while I simultaneously feel incredulous that I am the same person as the young empathy-failure."

 

A right understanding of total depravity would no doubt help but Dawkins has rejected such thinking.

52 JC No 27

Depravity (Institutes Book 2)

Did not arrogance stand in the way, we could not overlook the clear testimony which Christ has borne to the efficacy of his grace. "I," said he, "am the true vine, and my Father is the husband man." "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me," (John 15: 1, 4) If we can no more bear fruit of ourselves than a vine can bud when rooted up and deprived of moisture, there is no longer any room to ask what the aptitude of our nature is for good. There is no ambiguity in the conclusion, "For without me ye can do nothing." He says not that we are too weak to suffice for ourselves; but, by reducing us to nothing, he excludes the idea of our possessing any, even the least ability. If, when engrafted into Christ, we bear fruit like the vine, which draws its vegetative power from the moisture of the ground, and the dew of heaven, and the fostering warmth of the sun, I see nothing in a good work, which we can call our own, without trenching upon what is due to God. It is vain to have recourse to the frivolous cavil, that the sap and the power of producing are already contained in the vine, and that, therefore, instead of deriving everything from the earth or the original root, it contributes something of its own. Our Saviour's words simply mean, that when separated from him, we are nothing but dry, useless wood, because, when so separated, we have no power to do good, as he elsewhere says, "Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up," (Mat 15: 13)

Scientists catching up

See here for news that will surprise no-one with good theology.

Worm Theology?

At the recent Carey Conference there was some discussion of what is sometimes called worm theology. The subject was raised in part by Bob Letham who, in passing, mentioned a hymn he found objectionable that says we are nothing and God is all. Then at some point we sang Hymn 411 from Praise! Isaac Watts' Alas and did my Saviour bleed, where they have altered the striking line Would he devote that sacred head for such a worm as I? to the innocuous Would he devote that sacred head for such a one as I? I asked Dr Letham about this and he said he simply wanted to underline that as Calvinists we are not saying man is worthless.If you Google the phrase 'worm theology' you get several references. An interesting wikipedia article suggests Watts' hymn is the source of the phrase but also cites the 3 relevant Scripture references Mentioned below and mentions Calvin, Wesley, etc. It comes out against worm theology. A more positive presentation can be found here. One blogger last year noted that the phrase is often just a derogatory term for Calvinism in general and total depravity in particular. She also points out that those who are into self-esteem are its fiercest opponents. She found a Lutheran Missouri Synod article bemoaning the removal of statements referencing 'the 'corrupted-nature' language of Luther and the Formula of Concord' from new Lutheran liturgy.
As she says

'Whatever you think of worm theology, you can't get around the fact that the Bible itself uses the image of a worm in reference to human beings in several places, for instance Job 25:4-6, Isa 41:14 and Ps 22:6. The image isn't used to deny our value as beings made in God's image, but rather to show that in comparison to God, who is righteous, perfect, eternal, and all-powerful, etc, we are like insignificant worms.'
I know the compilers of Praise! are good Calvinists and would defend their omission of the word worm but it is a shame as Watts surely drew the word straight from the Bible. May be this is one more instance where biblical ignorance is letting people down.