I understand the many little changes principle, I can visualise that. The problem is what directs the little changes. Why did the little bump for a cog form in the first place? How was the cog then also by chance formed in the right position on the opposite side of the body? Then multiple, evenly spaced, precise cogs formed. And how were the initial stages of cogs encoded and replicated through reproduction to be passed on? In this case, the specific problem is how could it still function by chance before the cogs were fully formed? (Especially if we understand that the cogs may have taken millions of generations of planthoppers until it was completely formed as we see today.) We know what happens when a cog is missing in a mechanical gear. How could the insect propel itself in the meanwhile? And survive, and then pass on her semi-formed, then fully-formed cogs to future generations? The problem I see with the illustration and your comment is that we do have many living things that function in a complete way today. In fact, wouldn't everything we see surviving today be in its complete form? By definition the word 'evolution' can mean advancement and progress. So are things still just becoming randomly better (and not worse) today within the living world? Why didn't the planthopper develop a characteristic that would hinder it instead? And if it did and died out, then why couldn't it survive and retain some insignificant hinderances that weren't life threatening? Are there many examples of hinderances in the living world being maintained in creatures today?

Doesn't this illustrate the opposite result to what evolution claims? Things getting more and more chaotic through chance. Start with a perfect line, end up with chaos.

Also, I will be looking at links. I open them all up and read them. So that will slow me down as well :)

That's why I used the word 'process'. I'm not trying to think about the purpose here, as from an evolutionists perspective I have to assume 'no purpose.' I'm trying to get a mental picture of how the gear developed through natural selection and random chances over millions of years (or hundreds of thousands of years, or tens of thousands of years, or thousands of years etc.) Thankyou everyone for the input so far. As I said, I'm trying to get a mental step-by-step picture of this, so all input helps me to see the possible stages that may have taken place in the evolutionists scenario. This will take a while for me to dwell on and and analyse in my own mind, so I won't be rushing replies. I need time to take it in and question it. It's helpful for me to think about one thing at a time, which is why I like just looking at this one example of the gear. I do appreciate the example of the wings though, but as for the gears, that's specifically where my focus is right now.

Thankyou, this is the kind of answer that I am looking for.

What made the gear? I'm not expecting you to have to give the exact answer of course, but if we join heads on this, how do we imagine the process of it being made over millions of years and why.

Why don't you help me out by saying what the thing is that I don't understand is. It should only take you a sentence. Then I can specifically look into it and think about it. I did assume a problem would be had with my last sentence in the quote above where I mentioned thinking ahead. I purposely wanted to express it that way as from my perspective I can't see how chance could develop a gear that would have a future purpose thousands or millions of years in the making during the transitional phase with it not serving any purpose.

I'd be happy to be able to understand this from an evolutionist's perspective. The articles that I read gave no insight into the stages before the gear existed, and that's where my thoughts are stuck.

I think it's very cool actually, my husband is a mechanic so I excitedly showed him :) My question is, how could a planthopper get the gear in the first place? How could it develop a gear system that would not work during the developing stages? It is a sophisticated and precise gear, and if it wasn't fully functional how could it be of any advantage, it would have disadvantaged the planthopper. How did the planthopper think long term to evolve something that would not function in the middle stages?

I was going to suggest The Bigsby Show one. We came upon it by chance, and by chance learned the books of the bible from it :) Very catchy song, with a clear distinction made when transitioning from the OT to NT books.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gears-insect-plant-hopper-burrows/ http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/functioning-mechanical-gears-seen-in-nature-for-the-first-time A piece on the planthopper 'Issus Coleoptratus' came through my newsfeed today. I hadn't heard of this discovery before and found it very interesting that machine working gears already existed in an animal, long before humans invented them. What I am wondering is how could evolution explain these precise working gears being brought about through evolution? How could there possibly be an inbetween step in the process between the planthopper having no gears, to having gears?

We have just begun Fix-It (on week 5) and loving it. Short and effective, and my daughter enjoys doing it. She has learned grammar previously using Rod and Staff, and the CLE LA programs. With Fix-It she is putting into practice what she knows. It is a nice simple way to retain the information that she has learned, and apply it. I had the old Fix-It, but purchased the new version. It is very well laid out and easy to pick up and use. My daughter, 11, is working with it quite independantly at the moment. There is a webinar on the IEW site if you need a closer look at it. I watched that and then made the purchase. Sorry I cant compare it to Easy Grammar.

Thanks for answering. So if someone told you today that a miracle had occurred would you think that they had been deceived? Would you say as much to them?

I don't understand your perspective. Do you believe that opposing beliefs can all be truth and in agreeance? Do you believe that miracles still take place today?

Many Christians today lack spiritual discernment, and then easily get carried away with false doctrine and practices. This is why we have so much confusion in the church of today. This accounts for all the variations of beliefs. A Christian is not immune to deception. If something goes against the word of God, then it is not of God. The bible warns us that false prophets would come into the church and that there would be a great apostasy/falling away. Many Christians haven't even been taught how to test the spirits, and aren't even aware that they are being led down wrong paths. My comment may sound judgmental from your perspective, but from my perspective I am to make judgements. What I have said may also sound like sweeping statements, but If I were to back them up with specific examples it would become so off-topic to this thread. To add to this, I freely admit that I am not above been deceived or enticed away from truth myself. However I feel fortunate that I have my eyes open and I am aware of it. And I am aware to prove all things and to not get swept up by the latest fads in the modern churches.

I can give you personal examples, but I do not believe that they will be of any help or insight. Because they are of a personal nature and not of use to others as 'evidence.' The way that a Christian can tell if something is from God or not is that it has to line up with the word of God, the bible. Too many Christians today are trusting other spirits to guide and direct them. The bible clearly tells us that we have to test all things (1 Th 5:21). And in regards to spiritual things, we are to compare spiritual with spiritual (1 Cor 2:13).

Yes, that is correct. (That's in my opinion, based on my understanding.) No, not today. Today is not a time of 'signs' because it is of 'faith.' I don't believe that the 'supernatural things' (as per your earlier definition up-thread) are happening from God today. But I could speak saying that I believed that all of us being here is a miracle, that the universe existing is a miracle, that God intervening is a miracle etc. That is the type of miracle that I believe in today.

Firstly, I would define the 'voice of God' separately to 'miracles, signs, wonders.' Voice of God: I do believe that God still speaks, that he speaks personally to people, and reveals himself. Miracles: I am skeptical and on my guard when I hear of any miracle. (However, I do believe that God could do one if he willed it, such as in the case of a person being healed as a result of prayer. I do not believe in modern day faith healers though.) ETA: Sorry, I didn't quite answer you... Direct answer to question: Yes, could be a miracle or deception by Satan (not the AntiChrist as he isn't on the scene yet.)

My two cents again... Signs, wonders and miracles are not supposed to be happening today. This is because the bible prophecies that false miracles, and lying signs of wonders will happen soon. If God, or Christians, were performing miracles as well, then confusion would result. How could one tell if the miracle was from God or Satan? Again, as I've said, the bible does not support miracles and signs for the time that we live in. 'Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,..' (2 Thessalonians 2:9) (Speaking of the coming anti-Christ.) However the world is being prepped for this time, when false signs and wonders will happen again.

Two years ago I was in your position with similar aged children. I also had to streamline and we went with CLE LA, Reading, and Mathematics. I have no regrets! Just feel really blessed that I was put onto it. (I've also tried their Social Studies, Science and Bible. But we didn't keep up with those, I just add in bits of them when it works.) I've had to remain flexible with how much we get done, as it's pretty full on for some of mine. So I have learned to use the CLE curriculum, but not let it rule me with tight schedules etc. We work at about a grade level lower as we hadn't used the program from the beginning and they had missed too much. My new students are using it from the beginning and are closer to being on grade level. I really love how thorough the reading program is. I think it's brilliant 😄 We prefer to use SOTW for history as it's a good break from the CLE bookwork. And for science we tend to cover things as the children are interested. I'm still just getting to the point of adding regular science lessons in.

I was referring to Malachi's prophecies in the book by the same name as the last word before the NT. Enter 400 years of silence after this last word. (The apocrypha which was written in this gap of time is not accepted by the Jews as scripture, nor was it accepted by the Protestant church. Jesus never quoted any part of it, nor did anyone of the NT writers quote it, which is quite good evidence that they did not use or accept it either.)

There was a four hundred year period of silence between the Old Testament and New Testament.

Sorry to interrupt here, I've had trouble keeping up due to sickness... I was just wondering why Momof3's and sixpackoffun (I think) response to the OP as a biblical perspective of why we don't see miracles today was ignored. Or if there was a response to that, what was it in summary? (Besides the response that even Christians don't agree with each other.) The bible has laid out what happens at particular times in God's dealings with man. Usually a Christian will recognise the differences between the various covenants that were made, and what happens within those time periods. The bible supports what we see today. It would actually be contradictory to the bible if miracles, signs and wonders were happening for the church today. In answering a question that assumes God, (as momof3 already politely pointed out,) shouldn't the bible be the authority for the answer?

I was referring to a transition period from one part of God's plan to the next part of his plan. Previously God's dealings had been with Israel. Things were changing. Things had changed after the resurrection and a new gospel was now in place. The Jews religion had been replaced by something better. The miracles were signs to the Jews that this change had taken place and effect. Signs were for the Jews. So I wrote 'God confirmed it so that the people would know it was true.' I should have written 'God confirmed it so that the people there at that time would know it was true.' These were the eye-witnesses, and it begins with the Jewish people who require signs. (1 Corinthians 1:22) The reason that Christianity came to be was because of the signs and miracles, and testimonies of untold thousands of people. If the miracles didn't happen at this time, the Jewish people would never in a million years have become Christians. (I'm referring to miracles directly before and after the resurrection to that last statement.)

Just to add to this, the purpose of miracles after the resurrection was to confirm the word of God. The next part of God's plan was unfolding, and God confirmed it so that the people would know it was true. Once this purpose was achieved, the miracles fade out. Even Apostle Paul does not get healed, and neither does Timothy. It wasn't a case of how much faith they had either. The "Faith healers" today are pulling legs. (Sorry, not sure how to express that better.) 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. (Mark 16)