Dr. Michael Brown interviews Conservative Milo Yiannopoulos

Do you know some who is struggling with alternative lifestyle issues?  Milo went on Michael Brown's Line of Fire and had a very unique interview.  Milo is a professing Roman Catholic and has stated that he'd rather not be gay.  He is a harsh critic of mainstream news and said, "Our media in America is largely staffed by children."  

In 2016, Milo Yiannopoulos (tech editor at Breitbart) spoke to students at AmericanUniversity.

Milo has been on The Joe Rogan Experience (featured in Will Smith's Bright) which is one of the world’s most popular podcasts.

Dr. Brown pledged to give Milo his books Outlasting the Gay Revolution and A Queer Thing Happened to America.  The real question is does Milo know the Gospel?  Here is Dr. Brown's testimony.  Let us know what you think:  ned_oa_1657@yahoo.com

MILO is also a chocolate flavored nutritional drink popular in many countries.

500 Years of the Reformation (What Do You Know About Luther?)

Tomorrow we celebrate the beginning of the Reformation when Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg church door.  He was baptized when he was one day old on the feast day of St. Martin of Tours (d. 397 AD) and so was named Martin.

St. Martin actually met Caesar Julian (Julian the Apostate) while in the Roman army.   Martin refused to fight and told the emperor "I am the soldier of Christ: it is not lawful for me to fight."  He was charged with cowardice and jailed, but later was released.  Where did this happen?  In Worms, Germany‼  Truly, the Lord is in control of history (Is. 46:10).  Another Martin opposed authority boldly with gospel truth in Worms.

The Renaissance, printing and nationalism all helped make way for the Reformation.   The end of the Little Ice Age helped spread Luther's views to Northern Europe.

Luther's wife Katie had an interesting way of getting her point across:

She was solicitous of her husband and guarded his times of prayer and study, nursed his infirmities, mothered his students, cheered him in dejection, and worried about him when he travelled. They helped each other focus on God, despite life’s troubles. One day, when Luther was depressed, Katie put on a black dress. Luther asked her: “Are you going to a funeral?” “No,” she responded, “but since you act as though God is dead, I wanted to join you in the mourning!”

Erwin Lutzer wrote Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation and says this in the book (p. xiv):

Here is an audio piece by Max McLean where her describes the Diet of Worms and performs Luther's "Here I Stand" speech.  Truth for Life (Alistair Begg) has put out a great booklet on the 5 Solas of the Reformation:

1. Sola Scriptura: by Scripture alone

2. Solus Christus: by Christ alone

3. Sola Gratia: by grace alone

4. Sola Fide: by faith alone

5. Soli Deo Gloria: glory to God alone

What are some of the consequences of the Reformation?  The Pilgrims and Puritans came to America in search of freedom for their faith.  Methodists John Wesley and George Whitefield (d. 1770) had a tremendous impact on the spiritual health of our nation.  Thus, 1517 let to 1776 and the Constitution.  In 1904, the German sociologist Max Weber wrote The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism arguing that hard work and saving your money has a Reformed heritage.

A number of academics have made the argument that the Reformation gave impetus to modern science.  Reijer Hooykaas, who wrote Religion and the Rise of Modern Science, said this:

Modern science arose when the consequences of the biblical conceptionof reality were fully accepted.  In the 16th and 17th centuries science wasled out of the blind alley into which it had got through the philosophy ofAntiquity and the Middle Ages.  New horizons were opened.  The pictureof the world as an organism was replaced by that of the world as amechanism.  It is not generated but made; it is not self-supporting, but itneeds maintenance.

Speaking of science, what did the reformers think of the age of the earth?  Luther held that this planet was around six millennia old.  Hugh Latimer (d. 1555) was martyred by fire for his Reformed faith along with Nicholas Ridley.  Latimer famously told Ridley “we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England as I trust shall never be put out.”  Latimer said that "all learned men" accepted a young earth of around 6,000 years. [1]  John Calvin said that "... the duration of the world, now declining to its ultimate end, has not yet attained six thousand years." [2]

Be sure to get your copy of YES - Young EarthScience today.  It protests against Old Earth Fallacies (OEF) and contends for a youthful world from history, philosophy and science.

Reformation Resources (Books):

The Anatomy of a Hybrid by Leonard Verduin (Church-State issues)

The Torch of the Testimony by John W. Kennedy (Bible-believers through history)

The Anabaptist Story by William Roscoe Estep

Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World by Eric Metaxas 

Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther - Roland Baintan

Reformation Resources (Videos):

Martin Luther - Heretic (BBC)

Martin Luther (1953)

A Man Named Luther

Luther - the Life and Legacy of the GermanReformer

Notes:

1)  quoted in “A Brief Overview of the Exegesis of Genesis 1-11: Luther to Lyell” by David Hall in Coming to Grips with Genesis ed. by Terry Mortenson and Thane Ury (Master Books, Green Forest, AR, 2008), p. 55.

2)  quoted in "Luther, Calvin and Wesley on the Genesis of Natural Evil" by Thane Ury in Coming to Grips with Genesis ed. by Terry Mortenson and Thane Ury (Master Books, Green Forest, AR, 2008), p. 406.

Evolution 2.0 & Perry Mason

Perry Marshall is an expert in web advertizing (e.g. Google AdWords) and has written Evolution2.0 on the creation/evolution topic.  Justin Brierley (Unbelievable) has written an endorsement.  Perry is the man behind the Technology Prize for the Origin of Information, that is, prove that DNA could arise naturally - he is offering $5M if the process can be patented.

Perry has a friend who favors the young earth view, but could not defend his view from a science standpoint.  He should have read YES - Young Earth Science.

In the book we find this mantra "God could make the universe in a billion years, or he could make it in an instant.  I don't think it matters" (Appendix 2).  Truly the Lord is omnipotent, but this misses the point.  Our Creator is sovereign over events and things happen for a reason.  Prophecy and God's timeline are not arbitrary - Time Matters.

Perry seems to have done little research on the creation side.  Here are a few suggested resources:

• Creation Research Society Quarterly (CRS)

• Answers Research Journal (AiG)

• Journal of Creation (CMI)

• Creation-Evolution Headlines

• Creation Moments

• Acts & Facts (icr)

He brings up the speed of light (the distant starlight challenge), but seems to be unaware of a number of possible solutions.  The Horizon Problem is an issue for the Big Bang advocates as well.

Perry claims that "science does not testify to a young Earth" yet that are a number of scientists and scholars that support or are sympathetic to Young Earth Science (YES):

      David Hume (Philosopher)

      Lucretius (Epicurean and poet)

      James Hogan (former engineer and scifi author)

      Vine Deloria (Native American scholar)

      William Corliss (compiler of scientific anomalies)

      Richard Milton (Mensan and science journalist)

      Melvin Cook (Chemist, Nitro Nobel winner)

In the section "Putting Faith on the Science Chopping Block" Perry makes an amazing statement on solving apparent Bible-science conflicts, "I'm going to let science and engineering answer the question for me."  A better approach is to realize that the Bible is a message from the Creator and gives true info on history, science as well as the way to heaven:

When I think on my ways,    I turn my feet to your testimonies;The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;    teach me your statutes! (Ps. 119:59, 64)

Regarding evolutionary schemes for the origin of life Perry rightly states,

None of this is empirical.  We are bullied to believe it simply because it get  repeated many times ... along with the dubious claims like "virtually all scientists accept this."  Consensus is not science.

Unfortunately, Perry fails to apply this same critical thinking to Old Earth Fallacies (OEF).  He also tries to stretch the meaning of day in Genesis chapter one.  However, the pattern evening/morning 1st Day, evening/morning 2nd Day etc.  clearly indicates normal days.  Basil of Caesarea in his Hexameron defended the real days of Creation Week.  The censuses in Numbers 1 and 26 of the fighting men of Israel reaches over 600K.  If the deep time theory was true, Scripture could have used large numbers to describe the vast ages of the past.

Perry claims the "vestigial legs" of a whale point to evolution (pp. 13-15).  Jerry Bergman in his book Fossil Forensics has a whole chapter refuting the supposed evidence for whale evolution (38 pages, 6 pages of references).  He shows that the "floating" bones near the end of whales does have a function.  In 1955, E.H. Colbert (Evolution of the Vertebrates - Wiley) revealed that "no intermediate forms are apparent in the fossil record between the whales and the ancestral Cretaceous placentals" (Fossil Forensics, p. 337).  The current evidence backs this up.  

Perry Marshall should take a few clues from Perry Mason, the classic TV lawyer played by Raymond Burr.  In a screen test Raymond Burr admits "I'm not infallible" (he trades places and plays the DA).  He also deals with the problem of convicting the innocent (2:30 mark).  Has creationism been convicted without a fair trial?  Hopefully, Perry Marshall is also willing to take the tag "fallible" and realize that a young earth is possible.  

Leonard Nimoy (who later became Spock) is confronted with his crime in one exciting episode of Perry Mason.  Marshall should apply some good Vulcan logic to the origins conflict.  He rightly critiques the Origin Of Life (OOL) theories of mainstream science, but fails to see the fatal errors in Darwin's Tree of Life.  In one episode of Perry Mason we encounter this exchange:

Hamilton Burger:  Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Mr. Mason has indeed surpassed himself.  He has created for you a story which is pure poppycock! Absolute and complete nonsense.  The defendant in this case is a shrewd, scheming woman.  She seduced her employer, she stole from him, and finally she murdered him.  And as for Mr. Mason's ridiculous theory about a hose, this is an "abandoned" real estate office we're talking about.  The water's been shut off there for over a year. How could anyone possibly...
 Perry Mason:  Your honor, the District Attorney is stating facts not in evidence.   Since he lost the opportunity to get these matters in legitimately, in rebuttal, he is now trying to do it through prejudicial misconduct.  I ask the court to declare a mistrial.

Have Darwinists depended on "facts not in evidence" and should the origins controversy be declared a mistrial?  For a great book on the Scopes Trial, check out Monkey Business by Marvin Olasky (World) and John Perry. 

For another spot-on book review, check out our response to Science Left Behind by Alex Berezow of Real Clear Science and Hank Campbell of Science 2.0 which came out in 2012.

Dear Jon from Malta (WL Craig)

Jon from Malta wrote a letter to William Lane Craig and it was given the title  "Should OT Difficulties Be an Obstacle to Christian Belief?"  Jon says that his trouble with the early chapters of Genesis is, "... the principal reason why I cannot bring myself to accept Christianity, to which I have yet to receive a satisfying response."

Jon confesses that, "when I read the Book of Genesis through (as I have done many times), based on the various exegetical analyses I have reviewed of the Genesis accounts I find it very difficult to avoid the necessity of a literal  interpretation."  Very good.  I would recommend Jon read chapter 6 in Coming to Grips with Genesis where Steven Boyd demonstrates that Gen. 1:1 to 2:3 is historical narrative and that the Scripture teaches a young earth.

Jon specifies a number of his puzzles:

...the whole wild account of Noah's ark and the Deluge, the inordinate life expectancy of the first men which for some reason decreased with each generation, not to mention references to the existence of giants and accounts of women copulating with evil spirits (Genesis 6:4), among many other things which I've no doubt you are aware.  These accounts incorporate very specific language and do not seem to lend themselves to figurative interpretation.

For an excellent account of how Noah and his family could have taken care of the animals and survive and thrive themselves, be sure to check out Noah's Ark: A Feasibility Study by John Woodmorappe.  Also, read more on this challenge here.  There is, in fact, a great deal of evidence for the Deluge.

Approximately one fourth of the factors affecting life span are genetic.  Adam and Eve were made perfect and could have lived indefinitely (Gen. 3:22).  Mutations accumulated over time increasing the difficulties of aging.  A genetic bottleneck occurred at the time of the Flood limiting the healthy advantage of a large gene pool.  The Sumerian King List documents long ages before the Global Flood and a drastic reduction in life spans afterward.  It shows eight kings before the flood and if we don’t include Adam and Noah, this matches the historical chronology from Genesis.  If we convert the life spans of the line of Seth from decimal to base 60 (using my method) we can see that the Sumerian King List is somewhat close to the actual values from Genesis.  Chuck Missler has some intriguing thoughts on the nephilim.     

I would argue that the whole Bible supports a young earth.  YES - Young Earth Science defends a youthful world from history, philosophy and science.  If the world is young, then evolution is wrong.

Dr. James White and Muslim Dialog

Dr. James White has taken the time to learn Arabic and study the Hadith.  He has participated in numerous debates with Muslim apologists throughout the world and has also written What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an (Bethany House).  He has proclaimed the Gospel inside mosques - how many preachers can make that claim?

Recently, American Thinker published an article that severely criticized Dr. White for his dialog with Yasir Qadhi.  Dr. Qadhi is an American Muslim scholar of Pakistani descent.  He is the Dean of Academic Affairs at the Al-Maghrib Institute and has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the  University of Houston and Ph.D. from Yale.  Listen to the dialog yourself and make up your own mind.  One factual error that American Thinker makes is the claim that Qadhi is Salafi, the strictly orthodox Sunni Muslim sect advocating a return to the early form of Islam.

In this video White deals with the Eugene Peterson (The Message) controversy and then deals with the Yasir Qadhi dialog (@ 19:30 mark).  Here is another video where Dr. White defends his actions.  James was also on Janet Mefferd Today and you can hear the podcast here (warning: very explosive! & may increase your bpm's).

Dialog Matters:

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.  So he reasoned [dialog] in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. (Acts 17:16,17, NIV)

Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing [dialog] persuasively about the kingdom of God.  But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them.  He took the disciples with him and had discussions [dialog] daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. (Acts 19:8,9, NIV)

After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.  And as he reasoned [dialog] about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment ... (Acts 24:24,25, ESV)

Let's all share the gospel with the Muslims we know.

p.s.:

In the 1990's, there was a debate at the University of Oklahoma (my alma mater) between an engineering prof who was a seminary grad (how many of those do you know?) and a Muslim apologist from Canada.  OU at one time had the highest percentage of Pakistanis among US universities.  The mood in the air was intense, but there was no riot.  "Pakistani Night" @ OU was one of the most fun and entertaining events I've ever attended while going to school!

Who Really Killed Seth Rich?

Seth Rich (Voter Expansion Data Dir. - DNC) was murdered in July of 2016 in DC.  According to the DNC he was "killed in [an] apparent robbery" yet no one took his wallet or watch.  Soon after his death, WikiLeaks revealed emails documenting that the Democratic Party's leadership stole the primary election from Bernie Sanders.

If only Charlie Chan* was on the case!  Chan is a fictional character created by Earl Derr Biggers and loosely based on Hawaiian detective Chang Apanaa.  Two of the most famous actors who played the role were Warner Oland (left) and Sidney Toler (right).

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said that multiple parties had access to DNC emails and that there was no proof that Russia was behind the attack.

Assange offered a $20K reward for info on Seth's killer and seemed to imply in an interview that Seth was the source of the DNC emails.  There is also a $130K reward to help find the killer.

Rod Wheeler, a former DC police homicide detective, said,

The [DC] police department nor the FBI have been forthcoming.  They haven't been cooperating at all.  I believe that the answer to solving his death lies on that computer, which I believe is either at the police department or either at the FBI.  I have been told both.

Furthermore, Wheeler gave this shocking info:

I have a source inside the police department that has looked at me straight in the eye and said, "Rod, we were told to stand down on this case and I can’t share any information with you."  Now, that is highly unusual for a murder investigation, especially from a police department.  Again, I don’t think it comes from the chief’s office, but I do believe there is a correlation between the mayor's office and the DNC ...

And now it gets really weird ...

A person claiming to be a surgeon with firsthand knowledge of what happened at the hospital makes some astonishing revelations.  Their display of medical knowledge and use of medical shorthand seems to add credibility to the story:

• Seth was expected to make a full recovery.
• He went to the ICU, got a blood transfusion and was stable.
• 8 hours after Rich arrived, law enforcement swarmed in.
• Only the physician and a few nurses were allowed in Seth's room.
• Seth was referred to as “the VIP that came in last night.”
• When Rich died, no one other than the attending physician saw him. 
• There was no code alert or call for a resuscitation

Is there political intrigue in the Bible?  David's long-haired son Absalom rebelled, so David had to flee for safety.  David said the following to Hushai the Arkite: 

If you go with me, you will be a burden to me.  But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, "Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant," then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice. (2 Sam. 15:33, 34)

What was Ahithophel’s advice to Absalom?  “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.  I would attack him while he is weary and weak ..." (2 Sam. 17:1,2).  Hushai suggested that Absalom should build up his army first and then attack.  Ahithophel lost the argument and had a tragic demise:  "When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown.  He put his house in order and then hanged himself ..." (2 Sam. 17:23).    

Seth questioned the legitimacy of the ballot process at a meeting of the Election Commission - here's the video.  What is your opinion on the Seth Rich murder?

Planet have your say:   ned_oa_1657@yahoo.com

*I had the privilege to see Anna May Wong's star in Hollywood who was the first Asian-American actor of international reputation.  She died in 1961.

The Real Truth about the Flat Earth

David Rives has produced an excellent video refuting the Flat Earth Myth.  Astronomer Danny Faulkner (fmr. Univ. of SC Prof) speaks at the end.

I have met NASA engineers - were they part of some great conspiracy to hide the "fact" of the flat earth?  I think not.  Former NASA Administrator Charles  Bolden was on the same stage as Donald Chittick (The Puzzle of Ancient Man) at a presentation in Houston in the early 1990's.  Bolden is a professing Christian and would not support some great effort to distort the true info about the shape of the Earth!  James Irwin walked on the moon and was a Christian, not a deceiver.  Irwin even went looking for Noah's Ark on Mt. Ararat! 

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth... (Is. 40:22)

God is everywhere and the only shape that looks like a circle from every perspective (front/side/top) is a globe!  The Hebrew word in Isaiah 40:22 is khûg (חוּג) and can mean sphere.   Dominic Statham points out that "Various sixteenth century Latin Bibles indicate that medieval scholars understood khûg in Isaiah 40:22 to refer to the sphericity of the earth."  Ben Hobrink in his profound book Modern Science in the Bible reveals that, "The Hebrew word translated "circle" can also mean clod or lump, that is,  something spherical.  Old Dutch and German translations of the Bible (Statenvertaling and Luther Bible) have translated it this way." [1]

Suppose I wanted to prove the Moon was a big ball of rock.  First, find a point on the equator and "Go West, young man."  I will eventually come back to my starting point.  In a similar way I could start at the Lunar North Pole and start walking South.  Eventually, I will get back to the North Pole!  President Donald Trump could to the same thing with Air Force One and refuel in the air to prove that the earth is a sphere and not flat.  

YES- Young Earth Science is supported by history and science, the flat earth concept is not.  Even Aristotle (d. 323 BC) figured out that the earth is round.  Washington Irving (Rip Van Winkle) is the culprit who started the Flat Earth Myth in 1828 in his book on Columbus.

Note:

1) Modern Science in the Bible by Ben Hobrink (Howard Books, NYC, 2011), p. 117.  Originally pub. in Dutch by Uitgeverj Gideon in 2005.  

Hank Hanegraaff embraces Eastern Orthodoxy

I have heard Hank Hanegraaff speak twice in person and think his Scripture memory is commendable.  My earnest and urgent concern is over the Christian Research Institute's (CRI) trend towards Eastern Orthodoxy.  Walter Martin (d. 1989) founded CRI in 1960.  In Orthodoxy, salvation is based on rituals and there is no assurance at the time of death.  In contrast, the simple gospel is faith in Jesus and repentance of sin.  Paul says we can be sure, "since we have been justified through faith, we  have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).

Athanasius in his 39th Festal Letter (367 AD) contradicted Orthodoxy and supported Sola Scriptura:

These [OT & NT] are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these. For concerning these the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, ‘Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.’ And He reproved the Jews, saying, ‘Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me.’

In 2004 Hank wrote The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction? with Paul Maier, a Lutheran!  Lutherans and the Orthodox do not agree on the gospel.  Hank worked for James Kennedy's Evangelism Explosion soon after his conversion.  James Kennedy (d. 2007) would not have supported Hank's becoming Greek Orthodox.  Furthermore, Ken Ham has some keen insights into Hank's biblical interpretation.

I have a great admiration for Walter Martin (Kingdom of the Cults) and used his work last year in my blog post on Roy Masters.  Dr. Martin would not endorse switching to Eastern Orthodoxy.    

In 1988 I went to Hollywood.  Just around the corner from the famous Chinese theater is an Orthodox church where I visited.  The church has a huge dome and who's pictured on that dome?  Mary.  We should not worship her (1 Jn. 5:21).

We named our son after Francis Schaeffer (d. 1984).  I've heard Frank Schaeffer when he was Eastern Orthodox a couple of times.  Frank went from Evangelical to Orthodox to Quasi-Atheist (Why I am an Atheist Who Believes in GOD).  Where will Hank go next?

Two attractions to become Orthodox is their apparent unity and long heritage. There are 16 Eastern Orthodox churches not in communion with others (Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian etc.).  Hank worked with James Kennedy in the 1980's.  The wide range of churches involved with Evangelism Explosion is clear testimony to the essential unity of evangelicals.  Born again believers who look to the Bible as their sole infallible authority have a long history.  I would recommend The Torch of the Testimony by John Kennedy.

In 2015, Robert Morey published Is Eastern Orthodoxy Christian?  Phil Johnson (Grace to You) has said, "This is a helpful and thought-provoking summary, showing how the beliefs and practices of Eastern Orthodoxy often depart from authentic biblical orthodoxy.  Dr. Morey explodes the fiction that true apostolic Christianity was preserved in the icons and mysticism of the Eastern Church."  According to one missionary to Russia, "This book is the most accurate and useful examination and refutation of Eastern Orthodoxy ever written."

Hard Questions for the Bible Answer Man by Jay Howard came out in 2009 and tackles a number of key topics:

• Was Hanegraaff really Walter Martin's handpicked-successor?

• Why does Hank make over $250,000 a year?

• Why did he fire so many key people after he took over in 1989?

• Why did CRI buy him a $66,000 Lexus sports car in 2004?

• Is his Personal Witness Training a plagiarism of Evangelism Explosion?

Who should replace Hank on the Bible Answer Man?  Let us know what you think =>  ned_oa_1657@yahoo.com

Evolution and Depression

In a prior post we dealt with the dark side of Darwin.

Evo Emo

evolution eliminates optimism

materialism killed mother-love

Darwin cheers when the black rabbit died

Evolution favors the power of “no”

Darwin shades the “tree of life” in darkness

Morbid self reflection is simply evolution inaction

Cosmic Evolution makes us all little people

Darwin-Love evolves into evil

Evolution brainwashing hurts the planet

my pet rock says “I believe in evolution”

Who's your Universal Common Ancestor?

Naturalism is not nice (no never)

Darwin has optimally extensive melancholy

extinction documentaries make my day

I just can’t go on ... Darwin is everywhere

Evolution is depressing, Earth is young

  - ice-j (3-20-17)

The characeter Rust Cohle, played by Matthew McConaughey, on the show True Detective really brings the miserable conclusion home: If evolution is true, then life has no purpose.

Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.    For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. (Eccl. 1:17, 18)

Marriage is Good

Why get married?  What is the purpose of marriage?

Part of the plan of marriage is having kids.  When the Lord confirmed his covenant with Noah we read the following:

Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. ... As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it" (Gen. 9:1,7). 

How did Rebekah's sisters bless her?

Our sister, may you increase    to thousands upon thousands;may your offspring possess    the cities of their enemies (Gen. 24:60).

When was the last time you read the book of Ruth, chapter four?  Have you considered the implications for marriage?  A wedding should have witnesses (Ruth 4:9. cf. Gen. 29:22).  It should be legal (Ruth 4:2, 11).  Marriage is between one man and one woman - in this case Ruth and Boaz.      

Sadly marriage is under attack from many corners in our world (music, TV, courts etc.).  The Lord called holy matrimony “very good” (Genesis 1:26-31).

Also, think about Paul's directive, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word" (Eph. 5:25, 26).  Is not being made holy a good thing?

How does spousal abuse arise?  "Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them" (Col. 3:19).  Contrast this with what it says in the Qur'an (4:34):

Men are in charge of women by what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient ... But those from whom you fear arrogance - advise them; forsake them in bed; and, strike them.

Peter would never say such a thing but instead gives us this command, "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers" (1 Pet. 3:7).