Search This Blog

Friday, 14 March 2025

Conditional immortality :a recent history.

   During the Reformation, Luther, "Tyndale", and Wycliffe supported the view of conditional immortality. In 1520 in response to Bull of Pope Leo X Luther rejected the doctrine of natural immortality.

The British Evangelical Alliance ACUTE report states the doctrine is a "significant minority evangelical view" that has "grown within evangelicalism in recent years". In the 20th century, conditional immortality was considered by certain theologians in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Proponents of conditional immortality ("conditionalists") point to Genesis 2 and Revelation 22, where the Tree of Life is mentioned. It is argued that these passages, along with Genesis 3:22–24 teach that human beings will naturally die without continued access to God's life-giving power.


As a general rule, conditionalism goes hand in hand with annihilationism; that is, the belief that the souls of the wicked will be destroyed in Gehenna (often translated "hell", especially by non-conditionalists and non-universalists) fire rather than suffering eternal torment. The two ideas are not exactly equivalent, however, because in principle God may annihilate a soul which was previously created immortal. While annihilationism places emphasis on the active destruction of a person, conditionalism places emphasis on a person's dependence upon God for life; the extinction of the person is thus a passive consequence of separation from God, much like natural death is a consequence of prolonged separation from food, water, and air.


In secular historical analysis, the doctrine of conditional immortality reconciles the ancient Hebrew view that humans are mortal with the Christian view that the saved will live forever.


Belief in forms of conditionalism became a current in Protestantism beginning with the Reformation, but it was only adopted as a formal doctrinal tenet by denominations such as early Unitarians, the churches of the English Dissenting Academies, then Seventh-day Adventists, Christadelphians, the Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses.


Mortalist writers, such as Thomas Hobbes in Leviathan, have often argued that the doctrine of natural (or innate) immortality stems not from Hebrew thought as presented in the Bible, but rather from pagan influence, particularly Greek philosophy and the teachings of Plato, or Christian tradition. Bishop of Durham N.T. Wright noted that 1 Timothy 6:15–16 teaches "God… alone is immortal," while in 2 Timothy 1:10 it says that immortality only comes to human beings as a gift through the gospel. Immortality is something to be sought after (Romans 2:7) therefore it is not inherent to all humanity.


These groups may claim that the doctrine of conditional immortality reconciles two seemingly conflicting traditions in the Bible: the ancient Hebrew concept that the human being is mortal with no meaningful existence after death (see שאול, Sheol and the Book of Ecclesiastes), and the later Jewish and Christian belief in the resurrection of the dead and personal immortality after Judgment Day.

There are no simple beginnings anywhere in biology.

 Directed Evolution”: The Tiniest Brain Is Not Simple


The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans has the smallest brain in a free-living animal. There are two forms of C. elegans, male and hermaphrodite. The hermaphrodite brain contains only 302 neurons and the male 385 neurons. The physical characteristics and brain design are different, but there is much in common. The entire body contains approximately 900 cells and is only one millimeter long. Because of its small size, scientists have conducted a significant amount of research on the brain, in the hope of discovering how brains in general function. A few years ago, researchers were able to determine the entire map of the brain, called a connectome, and published the results in the journal Nature.1 C. elegans is the first animal where this was accomplished.

Even a cursory examination of the connectome shows the complexity of the brain, despite its tiny size. Additional complexity is exhibited by the diversity of the types of neurons and the variety of connections. There are three basic types of neurons — sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons. Sensory neurons respond to various stimuli (chemical, physical, etc.). Motor neurons connect to muscles to control movement. Interneurons are generally intermediate between sensory and motor neurons. 

C. elegans Behaviors

C.elegans exhibits a number of behaviors, some that are complex. That is surprising considering it is a simple organism with such a small brain. The basic behaviors include feeding, fasting, mating, egg laying, and several forms of movement. These include swimming when in liquid media and “crawling” on solid surfaces. They also exhibit a non-movement behavior called quiescence. Research has found that the behaviors are controlled by various neural networks as well as being regulated by neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine and neuropeptide signaling.2 These forms of neural signaling exist in all animal brains. The conclusion of the same research regarding these behaviors is that, “Episodic regulation of C. elegans behavior is complex because episode incidence and timing are regulated by the interplay between multiple circuit systems.”

In addition to basic behaviors, C. elegans is also capable of learning, including associative and non-associative learning. A paper published in the Journal of Neurochemistry documented the learning behaviors, including attraction and aversion to salt, temperature, and other substances.3 What might be surprising to many is that this learning involves both short-term and long-term memory mechanisms, which include regulation of neurotransmitters. The conclusion of the same paper was the expectation that the findings “Will provide critical insights in the context of learning and memory disorders in higher organisms, including humans.”

General Characteristics of the Brain
                    elegans exhibits a number of behaviors, some that are complex. That is surprising considering it is a simple organism with such a small brain. The basic behaviors include feeding, fasting, mating, egg laying, and several forms of movement. These include swimming when in liquid media and “crawling” on solid surfaces. They also exhibit a non-movement behavior called quiescence. Research has found that the behaviors are controlled by various neural networks as well as being regulated by neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine and neuropeptide signaling.2 These forms of neural signaling exist in all animal brains. The conclusion of the same research regarding these behaviors is that, “Episodic regulation of C. elegans behavior is complex because episode incidence and timing are regulated by the interplay between multiple circuit systems.”

In addition to basic behaviors, C. elegans is also capable of learning, including associative and non-associative learning. A paper published in the Journal of Neurochemistry documented the learning behaviors, including attraction and aversion to salt, temperature, and other substances.3 What might be surprising to many is that this learning involves both short-term and long-term memory mechanisms, which include regulation of neurotransmitters. The conclusion of the same paper was the expectation that the findings “Will provide critical insights in the context of learning and memory disorders in higher organisms, including humans.”

General Characteristics of the Brain
             Arecent study led by scientists at Hebrew University analyzed the structure of neural networks in C. elegans. One of the findings is that, “The positions of the chemical synapses along the neurites are not randomly distributed nor can they be explained by anatomical constraints. Instead, synapses tend to form clusters, an organization that supports local compartmentalized computations.”4 On the other hand the study shows that, “The vast majority of the 302 neurons in C. elegans nematodes lack elaborate tree-like structures. In fact, many of these neurons consist of a single (unipolar) neurite extension, on which input and output synaptic sites are intermittently positioned.” That contrasts with larger brains of advanced animals which do have complex neuron structures. There is a total of 83 sensory neurons and 108 motor neurons. There are approximately 100 classes of neurons that have been identified. There are approximately 5,000 chemical synapses and 1,500-1,700 electrical synapses (gap) junctions.

In the paper that describes the connectome, some of the complexity is summarized as follows, “The major motor neurons as well as their primary pre-motor interneurons are highly interconnected and receive some input from most of the remaining neurons, defying simple interpretation of motor output. The complex circuitry must underlie both the many known behaviours in C. elegans, and the underpinnings for less well understood or novel behaviours, such as learning and memory, inter-animal communication, social behaviour and the complexities of mating.”5 Another important finding concerning the connectome is, “The notable similarity in the placement of the nodes to the neuroanatomy of the worm reflects economical wiring, a property commonly found for nervous systems, including in C. elegans.” 

Examination of Neuron Triplets
                 One notable aspect of the neural networks is that there are a number of triplets, meaning a cluster of three neurons. The paper by the Hebrew University scientists observes, “The clustered organization of synapses is found predominantly in specific types of tri-neuron circuits, further underscoring the high prevalence for evolved, rather than for random, synaptic organization that may fulfill functional role.” One simple instance of a three-neuron cluster is a “feed forward” loop. For example, neuron A is a sensory neuron, neuron B is an interneuron, and neuron C is a motor neuron. Feed forward networks are common in both biological and artificial neural networks. The significance of this is likely that, “The ubiquitous appearance of these circuits in biological networks suggests that they may carry key computational roles, including noise filtering and coincidence detection.” Other research has found that the number of feed forward connections increases as the worm matures.6

Additional detailed examination of three neuron clusters found that, “For three different layouts, where each of the three neurons can be either sensory, inter, or motor neuron, there are 63 possible circuit combinations. Of these 63 combinations, few circuits emerged as forming clustered synaptic connections, significantly more than randomly expected.”7 The two combinations that are the most common are: (1) two sensory neurons form a postsynaptic contact with an interneuron; and, (2) an interneuron that is presynaptic with two motor neurons. The researchers theorize that combination (1) may function as a signal integrator, and combination (2) may function by synchronizing activation. It seems logical that these would be common circuits as these two functions are likely common in controlling animal behavior.

The Touch Response Neural Network
                   An interesting example of one neural network in C. elegans that has been elucidated is the “tap withdrawal circuit,” also called the touch response, which controls how the worm responds to being physically touched. The behavior is interesting for a number of reasons, one being that the response exhibits habituation. The neural network is illustrated in Figure 2 here. The network consists of four sensory neurons (red triangles), five interneurons (circles), and two motor neurons (blue triangles). There is a total of seven excitatory chemical synapses (green lines with arrows) and 15 inhibitory chemical synapses (red lines with circles). There are also six electrical (gap junction) synapses (blue lines with squares). The response is activated when the sensory neurons detect a tap. The stimulus is then transferred via the interneurons (PVC and AVD), which then pass it to the command neurons (AVA and AVB). The two output states are either “move forward” (FWD motor neuron) or “move in reverse” (REV motor neuron). The response is modulated through competition between the two command neurons. The competition between commands for moving forward or reverse is evident based on the number of inhibitory synapses. It is obvious that even for such a simple behavior the neural circuit is relatively complex.

Tiny But Not Simple

There are several observations that can be drawn from research into the brain of C. elegans. One is that even though the brain is tiny, it does not have a simple structure. One might expect the smallest known brain to have a structure that is either relatively uniform or random. An example of a uniform structure is that found in crystals, which form a symmetrical lattice. A random structure would be expected if the positions of the neurons were not specified, but rather develop through a random process. Contrary to being either uniform or random, the brain does have a complex structure that is specified and repeatable.

A second observation is that the brain contains a large number (approximately 100) of different types of neurons, both in terms of design and function. They are not all identical. That also would not be expected for the smallest brain. A third observation is that small neural networks within the brain control various behaviors, such as the touch response network. It is possible that some of these neural networks are irreducibly complex.

The fourth observation concerns the origin of the C. elegans brain. The usual Darwinian evolution explanation is given in the paper that documented the organization of the synapses, “The mere existence of such structures may actually further underscore the directed evolution to form such clusters, which presumably carry fine functional roles along the neurites. Taken together, local compartmentalized activities, facilitated by the clustered synaptic organizations revealed herein, can enhance computational and memory capacities of a neural network. Such enhancement may be particularly relevant for animals with a compact neural network and with limited computational powers, thereby explaining the evolutionary forces for the emergence of these synaptic organizations.”8 The key phrases are “evolutionary forces” and “directed evolution.” Such terms have never been generally accepted as valid scientific explanations, particularly regarding the origin of novel biological structures. 

In contrast, the design of the brain of C. elegans exhibits a number of characteristics associated with intelligent design. They include the specified complexity of the overall design and small neural networks. It also includes engineering design, including the efficient wiring. Also apparent is that a significant amount of information is needed to specify the design and function of the brain.

Notes

1.Cook, et al., “Whole-animal connectomes of both Caenorhabditis elegans sexes,” Nature, Vol. 571, 4 July 2019.
2.McCloskey, et al., “Food responsiveness regulates episodic behavioral states in Caenorhabditis elegans,” J Neurophysiol117: 1911-1934, 2017.
3.Aelon Rahmani and Yee Lian Chew, “Investigating the molecular mechanisms of learning and memory using Caenorhabditis elegans,” Journal of Neurochemistry, 2021; 159.
3.Ruach, et al., “The synaptic organization in the Caenorhabditis elegans neural network suggests significant local compartmentalized computations,” PNAS, 2023, Vol. 120, No. 3.
4.Cook, et al.
Witvliet, et al., “Connectomes across development reveal principles of brain maturation,” Nature, Vol. 596, 12 August 2021.
5.Ruach, et al.
6.Ruach, et 


The line between vice and crime is now thinner than ever.

 

The gold standard(not my say so) II

 Bloodless surgeries show cost and care advantages over traditional surgeries


By Diane Anderson, RN 
Clinical Consulting Specialist
HCC Life Insurance Company

During my 20-year career as a nurse and clinical consultant, I have witnessed numerous cutting-edge medical techniques that help plans receive improved patient results while saving money.  Bloodless surgery and medicine, however, has been around for almost five decades, yet it is just now receiving the recognition it warrants. New studies and research have shown that bloodless surgery and medicine is not only cost-effective, but quickly becoming a standard of care because it typically results in fewer complications and post-surgery procedures.

In my current position as a clinical consultant with HCC Life Solutions, HCC Life's Healthcare Risk Management (HCRM) medical management program, I often receive inquiries from our clients about bloodless surgery and how it can lead to both clinical and financial outcomes. To help our clients better understand this proven medical practice, I have developed a set of frequently asked questions and their answers.

Bloodless Surgery and Medicine � What is it? 
The Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut defines bloodless surgery as, �� surgical and/or medical treatment without the administration of blood or blood related products.�

Bloodless surgery has been called the "Gold Standard" because of its known advantages over traditional surgery.

When is it done? 
The practice has been incorporated into many areas of care including surgeries for general, cancer, neuro, oral/maxillofacial, orthopedic, pediatric, trauma, organ transplants and vascular. It is also being utilized for services in the areas of HIV/AIDs, cardiology, hematology and neonatology, to name a few.

For example, an Allegheny General Hospital gynecologic surgeon developed a bloodless surgical technique for removing large uterine fibroids, which spares the uterus. This surgical approach even allows for the possibility of future child bearing. Typically the removal of the tumors (myomectomy) results in large amounts of blood loss requiring multiple transfusions, often leading to removal of the uterus (hysterectomy). The bloodless surgical technique involves isolating and clamping off all blood vessels to the reproductive organs to temporarily shut off blood flow to that area. The fibroids are removed and the uterus is then reconstructed using tissue from the abdominal wall to reduce the formation of adhesions that could later cause infection and/or bleeding. Lastly the clamps are removed and the incision is closed.

Why is it done? 
Bloodless medicine and surgery is an approach to health care that began in the 1960�s as a simple avoidance of the use of transfused blood or blood-related products. A variety of infectious agents have been found in the nation�s blood supply including; hepatitis A, B and C, malaria, syphilis, cytomegalovirus, Epstien-Barr virus, Creutzfeldt-Jacob virus (which causes the human form of �mad cow� disease), West Nile Virus, HIV/AIDS and other viral infections. The practice reduces the risk of blood product diseases. Of equal importance, bloodless medical and surgery reduce the potential risk for negative outcomes due to administration errors and adverse reactions.

New research is constantly proving the complexity of blood. Because it is a liquid organ, it does not transplant well. A 2007 news release from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine stated that one expert in the area, �likens the weeks-old blood often used for transfusions to �water like a dirty fish tank�. Depleted of most of its oxygen carrying capacity, the stored blood is not maximally beneficial to any patient.�

Donated blood for transfusions is stored and administered on a first-in, first-out basis so the oldest blood is always administered. Current blood bank policies allow blood stored up to 42 days to be used for transfusions. As donor blood ages, it looses critical amounts of the nitric oxide that helps deliver oxygen to the body, therefore potentially causing major harm to the patient. Beginning in the second week of storage, serious hemorrhagic disorders develop, including the decrease of blood cell deformability secondary to shape abnormalities, acidosis and the decrease in blood clotting. Most blood substitutes are experimental and are rarely used, although they can be approved under the compassionate use protocol.

Cost savings can be significant
According to noblood.org, the average cost of a bloodless heart surgery is only $16,345 while the average cost of a heart surgery using blood transfusions is $23,415.  Dr. Patricia A. Ford, medical director of The Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia said in a Feb. 22, 2007 Bottom Line's Daily Health News article, �many hospitals have a $2 million or $3 million budget for blood�even a 10% reduction in blood use can really have a significant impact.�

Where is it done? 
About one year ago, HCC Life Solutions, a department of the HCRM division of HCC Life, received a request for bloodless transplant accommodation. At that time, we could only locate two bloodless transplant facilities. That number has grown by leaps and bounds to more than 200 bloodless surgery centers worldwide, including 100 facilities in the US alone.  Even Australia began supporting bloodless surgeries, as �the Department of Health of the Government of Western Australia recently acknowledged patient blood management as an evidenced-based patient-focused medical and surgical concept, being in full compliance with the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards, and decided to implement it as a standard of care statewide between 2008 and 2012.� (Anesthesiology, 2008).

Who performs it? 
Bloodless surgery techniques involve meticulous study and skill. While  a cooperative surgeon, a surgeon who is agreeable to avoid the use of blood products, will practice blood-conserving techniques, that does not mean he/she is qualified to do a bloodless surgery. Even though more than 100,000 surgeons worldwide, including military surgeons, have been trained in this particular area, more bloodless surgery health practitioners are needed to meet the high demand. Training for surgeons, anesthesiologists, perfusionists and nurses are provided by bloodless surgery and medicine centers and some medical device companies.

How is the practice applied?

Preparation
To ensure optimal success of a bloodless surgery, care begins prior to the surgery. Recommendations given to patients before surgery could include:

Female hormone therapy, especially estrogen which protects cells from damage by allowing them to hold their healthy shape.

A diet high in iron or supplements with ferrous sulphate or ferrous gluconate, vitamin C or folic acid, which help boost oxygenation.

Medications

Medications that raise red or white blood cell counts and hemoglobin levels, such as Erythropoietin, which stimulates production of red blood cells, or oxygen carriers such as perflurocarbons or hemoglobin substitutes.

Aprotinin, amiocaproic acid, desmopressin, vasopressin or vitamin K.

Coconut water, the sterile liquid from young green coconuts/endosperm, can substitute for plasma because it has the same electrolyte balance of blood. Historically it was used during World War ll when the nation�s blood supply was low.

Anesthesia

Anesthesia techniques may include volume expanders such as crystalloids/colloids, hypotensive anesthesia, hypothermia or normovolemic hemodilution and hyperoxic ventilation.

Surgical Methods

A surgical method often used in bloodless surgeries is intraoperative autotransfusion, where the patient's own blood is suctioned directly from the operative site, then washed and replaced directly back into the patient.

A variety of surgical devices, such as ultrasonic scalpels, microwave coagulating scalpels, argon beam coagulators, laser surgery, selective embolization and the new harmonic scalpel, a vibrating laser that cauterizes as it cuts, are common with bloodless surgeries.

Techniques such as platelet gel, fibrin glue, and use of pediatric tubes for limited micro blood sampling are also popular blood conservation techniques.

In Conclusion
The cries about blood shortages are real. The nation's donated blood supply is 100% dependant upon a steady core of altruistic donors, whose numbers are fast declining. Studies show that patients have fewer infections and shorter hospital stays, therefore making bloodless surgery and medicine an excellent approach to address blood shortages. Additionally, there are no barriers to the bloodless medicine, as all of its techniques are FDA-approved and non-experimental. 

Bloodless surgery and medicine is not a fad. It’s healthcare of the future that's been around for decades.

If you have any additional questions about bloodless medicine, or would like to learn about how HCC Life Solutions can help plans maximize effective management of claim dollars and clinical opportunities, contact Diane Anderson at (877) 843-5743.

References:

About the Center for Bloodless Medicine & Surgery. Hartford Hospital. Web
default.aspx?cHT=bloodless surgery>.

Ford, Patricia A. "Bloodless Surgery: Safer, Smarter Surgery Goes Mainstream." Bottom Line's Daily Health News 22 Feb. 2007.

Landis, Lee-Ann. "New Choices for Patients: Transfusion-Free Medicine for Jehovah's Witnesses and Transfusion-Wary." December 5, 2007. Web .

NoBlood, Inc., www.noblood.org.

Society for the Advancement of Blood Management, www.sabm.org.

Spahn, Donat R., Holger Moch, Axel Hofmann, James P. Isbister. "Patient Blood Management: The Pragmatic Solution for the Problems with Blood Transfusions." Anesthesiology 109 (2008): 951-953.

On the patristic writings and conditionalism

 

Total structural collapse.

 Non-Adaptive Order: An Existential Challenge to Darwinian Evolution

Michael Denton February 15, 2016 12:07 AM 

Editor's note: In his new book Evolution: Still a Theory in Crisis, Michael Denton not only updates the argument from his groundbreaking Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1985) but also presents a powerful new critique of Darwinian evolution. This article is one in a series in which Dr. Denton summarizes some of the most important points of the new book. For the full story,get your copy of Evolution: Still a Theory in Crisis. For a limited time, you'll enjoy a 30 percent discount at  CreateSpace by using the discount code QBDHMYJH.

At London's famous Natural History Museum in South Kensington, a statue of Richard Owen had been prominently placed for many decades at the head of the main staircase. But in a curiously symbolic event on May 23, 2008, the statue was moved to one of the adjacent balconies to make room for a statue of Charles Darwin, which now sits in pride of place.


The reason for this gesture? The Natural History Museum is a grand temple to Darwinian evolution, and Owen was a staunch defender of the alternative structuralist conception of nature -- a conception that, if true, would relegate Darwinian selectionism to a very trivial role in the evolution of life.Owen founded the museum and served as its first curator and director. He made huge contributions to comparative anatomy and paleontology in the 19th century, including coining the term "dinosaur" and defining the term "homology." Owen believed that there was a substantial degree of order inherent in living systems, manifest in what he termed "primal patterns," the grand taxa-defining homologs or ground plans that underlie the adaptive diversity of life.

Because of his vigorous opposition to the functional conception of nature, Owen was vilified by Huxley and other supporters of Darwin. After the publication of the Origin, Owen's contribution to biology was increasingly downplayed by the Darwin camp, and his rejection of the conception that all biological order was to "serve some utilitarian end" was dismissed as archaic and treated as based on failed metaphysical assumptions. Little wonder they moved his statue!

While many of the taxa-defining homologs -- including, among others, the feather, the poison claw of the centipede, the retractable claw of cats, the mammalian diaphragm, and mammary glands -- are clearly adaptive, a great many others, such as the odd number of segments in centipedes, the concentric whorls of the flower, the insect body plan, and the pentadactyl limb, convey the powerful impression of being basically non-adaptive Bauplans. The fact that many exhibit curious geometric and numeric features reinforces the impression that they are indeed abstract non-adaptive patterns, quite beyond the explanatory reach of any adaptationist or selectionist narrative.

In all those cases Darwinian explanations are simply ruled out of court. The difficulty of accounting for arbitrary geometric and numerical patterns in terms of bit-by-bit selection was one of the basic thrusts of William Bateson's vigorous attack on Darwinian orthodoxy, where he argued that such stories descend into "endless absurdity."1

If indeed a significant proportion of the taxa-defining primal patterns serve no specific adaptive function and never did, as common sense dictates and as Owen thought to be true of the Bauplan of the tetrapod limb, then I think a fair assessment has to bethatDarwinism(more specifically, cumulative selection) cannot supply an explanation for the origin of a significant fraction of the defining homologs of the Types and hence for the natural system itself.

References:

(1) Bateson, Materials for the Study of Variation, 410.