Vision Forum on The Space Jump

[debrand]

I got this email in my inbox. The article is on the Vision Forum site.

Instead of analyzing anything I thought I'd just include some quotes. I'm not really certain why he has to take an event and try to turn it into propagada for his site. It isn't as if Doug is doing anything dangerous.

1. The Age of Discovery, Exploration, and Adventure is Not Over: Christians Must Reengage

The whole earth is watching now. . . . I’m going home now. —Felix Baumgartner

Through his breathtaking and historic jump from the edge of space this week, Felix Baumgartner reminded us that there are still important records to be broken, and boundaries to be tested. Part of Baumgartner’s lesson to the world is that the frontiers of exploration and discovery are seemingly boundless, and opportunity awaits those who are willing to think big and make great personal sacrifice in pursuit of a worthy cause. Twenty-first century Christians take note: Historically, significant Western advances in science and global exploration involved Christian men who believed that their work was for the glory of God and the advance of His kingdom. The late 18th century introduced a wave of rationalism which gave birth to the skepticism of the 19th and the full-blown evolutionary religious scientism of the 20th.

and

2. The Biblical Basis for Space Jumps

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. . . . When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. —Psalm 8:1, 3-6

The theological foundation for exploration, discovery, and human accomplishment is not the glory of man or even the “advance of science.†It is man’s calling to take dominion over the earth — which includes its atmosphere. This calling involves the “glory†of searching out matters which God has revealed (Proverbs 25:2) so that we can be better stewards and take every thought captive, recognizing that Christ is Lord over all of creation.

The mission of the Christian in space is not the search for E.T. or for answers to the fundamental questions of origins, since the former does not exist and the latter is given in the Bible

[debrand]

visionforum.com/news/blogs/doug/2012/10/10402/

7. The Future is Privatization

Felix Baumgartner and his sponsoring team with Red Bull have reminded us that great things can be accomplished when private individuals are willing to take enormous risks at their own expense by subsidizing their dreams in the hope of significant accomplishments. This is a welcome response to the statism of our present generation and a reminder of the principles that De Tocqueville spoke of when he described America as a nation of problem-solvers through private associations.

The historic basis of this came from our Founding Fathers who envisioned a highly-limited federal government and enshrined these limitations in our Constitution. This allowed the United States to more closely model the biblical ideal for the civil magistrate as revealed in Scripture which is that of a limited power with duties to enforce the moral law of God and keep the peace, rather then assuming responsibilities left for the family, the church, and the private sector. While an argument could be made that the federal government has a justifiable role in space on the grounds of national defense, the simple truth is that, over the last three decades, NASA’s vision as communicated to the public has sadly been driven more by presuppositions of evolutionary scientism then a legitimate state purpose.

[Librul]

Space Jump. Felix Baumgartner.

Doug Phillips is a tool. The tooliest Tool. He has tired of playing Hide the Anaconda and now wants a manly romp from the edges of the atmosphere--Stradle the Stratosphere, so to speak. By the Great Balls of Tamuz, Doug Phillips is a tool of epic proportions.

[contrary]

The mission of Christians in space?

HAHAHAHAHA. These guys are so much smarter than Doug Phillips is a Tool.

[debrand]

Perhaps Doug has a crush on the jumper, Felix Baumgartner. The man is nice looking-Felix not Doug.

[Funtimental]

My favorite bit is the Postscript:

"When I was a little boy, my father served as a ranking official in the Nixon Administration at the height of the NASA space program. One day I travelled with my father to Cape Canaveral to visit the Launch Control Center on behalf of the President. I remember the excitement of meeting scientists and directors who were overseeing the next manned mission to the moon. But nothing compared to the opportunity they gave me to actually look inside the Apollo space capsule prior to its launch into the heavens. I was hooked. I began to stare at the stars and dream.

Twenty-five years later, I started telling my own family about the dream of Christians going into space through privatized travel as a platform to experience and explain the glory of God in the cosmos. A hundred times my children have heard me say, “If the Lord opens the door for privatized space travel, I want to go and take some of you with me.â€

In 2012, I approached the staff of Vision Forum Ministries with a dream — a dream to produce the first feature-length documentary tracing the story of a business man, a space scientist, a young lady, and a team leader. All of the team members would be Christians and creationists who have dreamed of breaking the earth’s atmosphere in the hope of sharing an unforgettable adventure that challenges the evolutionary view of the earth, and communicates a story of the wisdom and majesty of the Creator in a way that audiences have never experienced before. That is my own vision, and we are presently working toward this goal.

Today I am encouraged and blessed by the efforts of Felix Baumgartner, even as I am reminded that God has given us a world of opportunity if we will dream big and noble dreams for the Lord and then diligently work to see them become realities.

May God make it so."

[slickcat79]

There is not enough *headdesk* for all this :angry-banghead:

I don't know how Dougie manages to make EVERYTHING into Six Degrees from God, and it only counts if you pass through at least 2 other conservative talking points on the way.

Of course God meant for his people to attempt space jumps. That's why his holy book is full of scientific knowledge about space and the structure of the universe so that we would know for sure that it was the Real Truth...oh, wait. NVM :think:

[ILoveJellybeans]

I dont see why this is important to Doug The Tool. Science was the one that meant the space jump could happen, its not like anyones ever gone up into space and ended up in heaven.

And sure, if Tool wants to go and fly off into space with a bunch of other fundies, great, less stupidity on this planet.

[Deleted03]

Honestly I think the space jump is... useless. I don't know, I just do not get behind breaking records stuff, don't see the point of it. And I'm weary of space programs, I think the money would be much better spent on sustainable development, green energy and research. But that's just me.

[Mary C Doates]

What could be more manly and hazardous than Doug (Phillips, who is a tool) in space? Confined in a space capsule with other manly men (no women allowed, of course), then cavorting in the space station with more manly men and pompously rhapsodizing about creation and manliness the entire time? Think of the gazillion posts, photos, videos and lectures Doug (Phillips who is a tool) would generate from this hazardous journey! I'm sure VF can solicit the $$$$$$$ to make it happen.

Oh, and Doug Phillips is a tool.

[kpmom]

Yes Doug (Phillips is a tool), by all means, please go into space and take as many of your kids with you as you can. Buh bye.

[mirele]

Yes Doug (Phillips is a tool), by all means, please go into space and take as many of your kids with you as you can. Buh bye.

And don't come back. And don't infect any other pockets of humanity while you're at it.

ETA:

I had a Siamese cat who was unafraid of anything. This reminds me of Xena.

[Boltingmadonna]

Here's another Felix Baumgartner enthusiast. Perhaps Dougie would like to be introduced to him. They could form a fan club. Oh wait, Dougie is only a fan of himself. Warning: terrible German accent, terrible rapping, fanny pack.

[slickcat79]

In 2012, I approached the staff of Vision Forum Ministries with a dream — a dream to produce the first feature-length documentary tracing the story of a business man, a space scientist, a young lady, and a team leader. All of the team members would be Christians and creationists who have dreamed of breaking the earth’s atmosphere in the hope of sharing an unforgettable adventure that challenges the evolutionary view of the earth, and communicates a story of the wisdom and majesty of the Creator in a way that audiences have never experienced before. That is my own vision, and we are presently working toward this goal.

Today I am encouraged and blessed by the efforts of Felix Baumgartner, even as I am reminded that God has given us a world of opportunity if we will dream big and noble dreams for the Lord and then diligently work to see them become realities.

May God make it so.

1. Notice how the "young lady" has no particular role in this feature film except "young lady". The scientist and team leader will be men, I'm sure.

2. People have broken the earth's atmosphere on multiple occasions before. They have not found anything to challenge the theory of evolution or prove any god.

3. God is Patrick Stewart? And Doug Philips is a tool.

[Guest Anonymous]

Yes Doug (Phillips is a tool), by all means, please go into space and take as many of your kids with you as you can. Buh bye.

I propose that he leave the kids behind (their paternity is not their fault) and take Peter Bradrick instead.

Oh, and Doug Phillips is a TOOL.

[MamaJunebug]

And don't come back. And don't infect any other pockets of humanity while you're at it.

ETA:

I had a Siamese cat who was unafraid of anything. This reminds me of Xena.

I. Love. That. Gif. With. All. My. Love!!! Thank you!

I'm Christian. Not the type that follows Doug Phillips is a tool, but Christian nonethless.

The point of saying I am one is this:

1. When I heard there was gonna be a guy try to set a record by jumping from eleventyseven miles, I thought, "Huh, interesting mildly, hope he makes it." (My Star Trek days are behind me, can ya tell?)

2. When I saw that Doug Phillips is a tool was trying to spin the jump as some kind of Biblical directive, I reflected that the pastors of my acquaintance would not have that thought at all.

Instead, their comments would be either/or/and:

2A: "Yes, yes, interesting but our main purpose here is to honor God, to know His word, let's get back to study and application!"

2B: "What? Oh, hey, that stinks - do you KNOW what all the money Felix spent could do, to help the poor?"

OK, so here's my point, and it isn't me: Doug Phillips is a tool is:

trying desperately to be relevant,

hawking his latest money-making creative idea (the flimsy film),

keeping his blog "current" and in front of his flock

missing the point of the faith and the Bible and Christians' purposes on earth.

All as usual.

[contrary]

In 2012, I approached the staff of Vision Forum Ministries with a dream — a dream to produce the first feature-length documentary tracing the story of a business man, a space scientist, a young lady, and a team leader. All of the team members would be Christians and creationists who have dreamed of breaking the earth’s atmosphere in the hope of sharing an unforgettable adventure that challenges the evolutionary view of the earth, and communicates a story of the wisdom and majesty of the Creator in a way that audiences have never experienced before. That is my own vision, and we are presently working toward this goal.

Today I am encouraged and blessed by the efforts of Felix Baumgartner, even as I am reminded that God has given us a world of opportunity if we will dream big and noble dreams for the Lord and then diligently work to see them become realities.

May God make it so.

Oh my. This is really a direct quote? I honestly thought it was FJ-satire.

[Sola]

OMG!! A few months ago Dougie asked, via his Hazardous Journeys facebook page, for suggestions for future jollies. Space was one of the options and I posted, "you should deep probe Uranus Mr Phillips, there's so much we don't know about it" (or words to that effect). It was up there on the facebook page for weeks before an intern noticed it and pulled it.

[snarkbillie]

Honestly I think the space jump is... useless. I don't know, I just do not get behind breaking records stuff, don't see the point of it. And I'm weary of space programs, I think the money would be much better spent on sustainable development, green energy and research. But that's just me.

It's not useless. Also, if you don't like the space program I'd ask you to hand over your cell phone, stop using the internet, never get a CT scan or an MRI, eschew Velcro and basically quit living with all the other modern luxuries that have arisen from it. /rant.

[Sola]

The space programme resulted in my memory foam mattress. That in itself is enough to validate it for me!

[Deleted03]

It's not useless. Also, if you don't like the space program I'd ask you to hand over your cell phone, stop using the internet, never get a CT scan or an MRI, eschew Velcro and basically quit living with all the other modern luxuries that have arisen from it. /rant.

I know that, thank you. I guess I'm addressing programs like Mars exploration and any further space programs. Who knows what we can find by focusing on this planet? Just saying.

[bbfreethinker]

Yes Doug (Phillips is a tool), by all means, please go into space and take as many of your kids with you as you can. Buh bye.

But do we really want any extra-terrestrial's first contact with humans to be Doug Phillips? (Why yes, I have been watching too much Star Trek lately)

[Arete]

What we will find is more knowledge about the universe. The tools we need to probe that usually have other utilities here on Earth. Green energy technologies are only helped by things we originally develop for space, they are never hurt.

Doug Phillips is a tool. He has no understanding of the fact that it takes "Godless" scientists (aka those that understand e-v-o-l-u-t-i-o-n) to make even the thought of private space ventures possible. God doesn't develop technologies, engineers and physicists do.

[Esther]

I know that, thank you. I guess I'm addressing programs like Mars exploration and any further space programs. Who knows what we can find by focusing on this planet? Just saying.

On the other hand, who knows what we may find by properly exploring Mars or other planets out there? Sure, our planet has a lot to offer - but there's plenty of universe out there to discover, too.

I find it a little hypocritical that many people want to completely de-fund NASA, but at the same time do support putting more and more money into the military. I'm not saying that's your view - I agree that humanitarian efforts should come first. But it is a view held by plenty of people.

I'd prefer a man/woman on Mars to a bunch of new nukes, myself.

[Esther]

That, and I just don't like the idea that hey, we have all these advances thanks to space exploration, so we've discovered enough and can just stop now. What if people in the 1950s had thought that? Oh well, we know a little, let's stop it now. Nothing useful's gonna come out of that stuff anymore. Oh wait.