Follow the evidence
I try to apportion my beliefs on the nature of the claim and the evidence available. If a friend tells me they have a new dog, I'll believe it. If a friend tells me they have new pet giraffe, I probably will doubt them until I see the critter.
Science is the process for generating evidence about the world. You might disagree with the evidence, but science itself is not something you "believe in." Some people object to science because it does not employ supernatural explanations. Saying that God cured your cancer or helped you find your car keys is not evidence for God, and not much of an explanation at all, unless you can prove God exists in the first place.
I have looked at many arguments for the existence of God, and I cannot find evidence to convince me. True, I cannot point to evidence God does not exist, but neither can I point to evidence that Bigfoot does not exist. For me both fall into the same category: unproven. An earlier writer believes the world is too magnificent to have come into being on its own, therefore there must be a God. I share the writer's belief that this world is magnificent, but if a magnificent world requires an even more magnificent God, then who created God?
If you claim God has always existed, then why do you believe the universe has not always existed? No cosmologist believes the universe "exploded into being out of nothing." Science has generated evidence that fits a model called the Big Bang. I am no physicist and am in no position to defend that model, except to say it seems to work until a mere fraction of a second after the universe began expanding. What happened before the moment? No one knows. Science might generate new evidence and completely disprove the current model. If that is what that writer calls a new pair of shoes, then please lace them up. I want to work in a system that is not afraid of new evidence that challenges the old. I want to be correct. I want to change my shoes when they no longer fit.
KEVIN ELSKEN
Springdale
We suffer like anyone
Do we as a people understand that no matter who you are or how much money you have, you cannot run from sickness? There are some people that ask, "Why me," and I say, "Why not you?"
I do not care how much money you have or what your skin color may be; you will suffer like anyone else. If Jesus suffered on that cross, why not you? There will be a sickness no man can cure. Just remember, this too will pass. You cannot depend on the people you put in Washington.
When you work in the medical field, you will understand a lot more than the people that never did. Our daughter was a medic in the Air Force for 10 years. It is truly a blessing to have and know something about what this country is going through and thank the ones that put their lives on the line for all of us. I know. I have been there and was so glad I was able to help people in their time of need.
JULIA RANDLE
Jacksonville
Defining federalism
A 10-point primer on federalism: F--freedom from absolute authority; E--eliminate absolute authority; D--divide responsibilities; E--embrace multiple authorities; R--rule of law; A--allocate responsibilities; L--local control, whenever feasible; I--individual responsibility, if appropriate; S--separation of powers; M--meeting of minds to establish a path forward.
CHRIS SPATZ
Conway
Embrace new normal
We have all been moving way too fast. We are in a hurry to get done so we can go do something else in a hurry, and get mad if we don't get our stuff in a hurry.
I was also looking at the sky at the checkerboard contrails of people zipping back and forth across the country doing "business" that probably could be done over the phone or video chat. It bothered me the amount of effort and energy put into these quick deliveries of stuff I did not need that fast or was too lazy to drive to town or wait a few more days.
A novel virus has slowed all of us down.
One day in March, the last time in over a month we sat down in our favorite restaurant (or any restaurant), being served by our favorite waiter, who shook my hand and hugged my wife, taught this nearly 70-year-old man a great life lesson. We started to get up after having hurriedly finished eating but forgot he had not brought the check. He saw us as he quickly passed and kidded, "I'll get your check, just slow your roll." We smiled at each other and settled back down, realizing we were not in any hurry and the only thing we had to do was get back home to a dog that we felt sure was glad to be on the couch asleep and quite happy not having to follow us around for a while.
While we are retired and it's easier for us to "slow our roll," we all should reconsider how fast we go, why we must be doing something "productive" all the time, and learn to slow down a little.
In my neighborhood since the shutdown, I am seeing for the first time kids riding bicycles and even walking, couples walking the dog, and kids playing and hollering in the yards, families cooking and sitting outside.
Maybe our "new normal" should be spending more time at home, doing our own yardwork, hiking local trails, sitting on the porch, talking, having coffee in the afternoon, writing, reading, calling friends, starting home hobbies, traveling less and just in general "slowing our roll."
KIRK WASSON
Sherwood
The proof's all around
Steve Foster wanted proof that God exists. Here's the evidence from God's own mouth: "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen ..." Just look around you, Steve.
B.E. SPURGEON
North Little Rock
Editorial on 04/18/2020