Quotable

Indeed, Einstein pointed to the nature and origin of symbolic information as one of the profound questions about the world as we know it. He could identify no means by which matter could bestow meaning to symbols. The clear implication is that symbolic information, or language, represents a category of reality distinct from matter and energy....

If something as real as linguistic information has existence independent of matter and energy...it is not unreasonable to suspect that an entity capable of originating linguistic information is ultimately non-material in its essential nature. [Thus] materialism, which has long been the dominant philosophical perspective in scientific circles...is fundamentally wrong.

—John R. Baumgardner, Ph.D., in Ashton, ed., In Six Days: Why 50 Scientists Choose to Believe in Creation

How dreadful a thing it is to allow ourselves to get into a condition of soul in which we are unable to bear distinct testimony against the ministers of Satan. “We must,” it is said, “be liberal; we must not hurt people’s feelings.” But truth is truth, and we are not to put error for truth. Nothing but a secret desire to stand well with the world will ever lead to this careless method of dealing with evil.

It is urged, “We must present truth in such an aspect as will attract,” when what is really meant is that truth is to be made a kind of variable, elastic thing, which can be turned into any shape, or stretched to any length, to suit the taste and habits of those who would fain put it out of the world altogether.

Truth, however, cannot be thus treated; it can never be made to reduce itself to the level of this world. Those who profess to hold it may seek to use it thus, but it will ever be found the same pure, holy, faithful witness against the world and all its ways...

All this is deeply solemn. We know of few things more dangerous than intellectual familiarity with the letter of Scripture where the spirit of it does not govern the conscience, form the character, and shape the way. What we have now is a cool indifference on the part of Christians to the Scriptures....Christians may quote scripture after scripture, but it seems no more than the pattering of rain upon the window: human reason is at work, the will is dominant, self-interest is at stake, human opinions bear sway, and God’s truth practically is set aside. We want to tremble at the truth of God, to bow down in reverential submission to its holy authority in all things. A single line of Scripture ought to be sufficient for souls on any point....

All the need of the Church of God, its members, and its ministers, has been fully provided for [in God’s Word]. How could it be otherwise? Could the mind of God have devised, or His finger sketched, an imperfect guide? Impossible! We must either deny the divinity or admit the sufficiency of the Book. We are absolutely shut up to this alternative. We must set a higher value than ever upon the truth and warn, in most urgent terms, against every influence, whether of tradition, or nationalism....It is imperative that we keep the truth of God—treasure it in our hearts—and submit to its authority.

—C. H. Mackintosh,
 cited in Uplook, October 2000, pp. 18-19