Take Heed Ministries
Our initial (mid-2006) information on Truth in Science came from the March 2004 newsletter of Take Heed Ministries, run by an itinerant minister in Northern Ireland, Cecil Andrews. The newsletter contained an article on Truth in Science which appears to have largely been based on a report in Evangelical Times, January 2004.
We took down the details in June 2006 and saved a copy of the html page to disk (and still retain it, if anyone needs to look at it).
Text of Take Heed Ministries Article
What seems to have become virtually an annual tradition was once more enacted on television screens as the early part of January saw the screening of quite a number of programmes that unashamedly promoted ‘evolution’ as being tantamount to ‘fact’. No such expenditure of course is ever given to promote the case for ‘divine creation’ so it is clear that the viewing public are not being told ‘the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth’. In view of this biased, one-sided attempt to brain-wash people as to their ‘origins’ I am reproducing here a notice that appeared in the January 2004 issue of EVANGELICAL TIMES and I would encourage as many of God’s people as possible to contact this group with a view to giving help and support.
It is a concern to many when science is wrongly taught in our schools, colleges and universities. In particular, macroevolution is taught as though it were a proven and unchallengeable fact. For our children and grandchildren, God is thus robbed of His glory. Young people are encouraged into a way of thinking that leads to atheism, hedonism, despair and moral bankruptcy. Belief in a Creator is often ridiculed and anyone advocating such a view is portrayed as either foolish or naïve.
In reality evolutionary claims often constitute speculative beliefs about the past and use explanations that are contrary to the spirit of empirical science. For example, human origins are typically presented with simplistic diagrams supposedly showing the progression from ape-like ancestors to modern man. We believe this amounts to deception. Problems with evolutionary theory are well documented but many scientists seldom acknowledge this, choosing rather to gloss over them. This matters because a false view robs us of our sense of value and purpose before a Sovereign Creator God.
“If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3
To respond to this, a group of professional and business people are meeting under the heading TRUTH IN SCIENCE [TIS]. As citizens with a concern for the family we seek to encourage Christians to be confident that God’s spoken command in space-time history resulted in supra-natural creation.
Non-believers must be challenged in such a way that they can no longer hide behind the delusion that science has disproved the existence of God. TIS seeks to encourage scientists to present the truth fairly and to expose as charlatans those who deliberately mislead. Our aim is to compliment the work of existing Creation groups by targeting education in particular.
Do you share this vision? We believe that as children of the Lord Jesus Christ, bought at the price of His own shed blood, we cannot sit back and allow this situation to continue unchallenged. Do you wish to see our children being taught the truth rather than having their moral and spiritual lives undermined? Although TIS have ways and means in mind, at this early stage we are flexible about the best approach. If finance is made available have you the time and ability and commitment to be the driving force, co-operating with us, in this venture to effect the education of young people in our land. If so, we wish to hear from you.
Steve Layfield, Professor Andy McIntosh, Willis B Metcalfe, John Perfect, Rev Maurice Roberts.
Our Council of Reference includes the following: Dr John Blanchard; Dr Stuart Burgess; Gerard A Crispin; Prof. Derek Linkens; Prof. Richard Porter; Dr Stephen Taylor;
Please reply to TIS by email at – applications@TruthinScience.org.uk
This email address was given for those wishing to apply but can be used by those wishing to consider supporting Truth In Science. If you need a postal address to write to I can supply that upon request.
(Updated details on Truth in Science are available here).
Astonishingly, when we checked again in September 2006, the article had been removed from the newsletter (which was still on Take Heed Ministries’ web site in cut back form). The size of the page had fallen from 122 Kb to 113 Kb. (You can see the doctored newsletter here and here and here.)
When we did the research in June 2006, we were unable to find the article in Evangelical Times from which Andrews appears to have drawn his information. It therefore looks as if Evangelical Times has also doctored its online copy to remove reference to Truth in Science.
However, the original March 2004 article in Andrew’s newsletter appeared to us to have involved more than a rehash of the Evangelical Times article as he offered his readers a private postal address for Truth in Science which could only be had on application to him personally.
It also seemed very strange to us that the only reference we could find at the time to Truth in Science was a seriously obscure newsletter of a one-man-band ministry in the backwaters of Northern Ireland. Andrews appears to have no connection with the main creationist groups in the UK. Our best guess is that the backers in Truth in Science had a specific reason for promoting the organisation in Andrews’ newsletter.
Naturally we have written to Cecil Andrews to ask him why he made the extraordinary decision to doctor a newsletter on his web site over two years after it was originally posted there. Our guess is that the people behind Truth in Science have become seriously concerned about the activities of members of the BCSE group detailing the creationist movement in the UK.
Andrews’ reply has done nothing to dispel us of our speculation.
Here is the letter sent to Andrews:
I have been looking with at your interesting web site for some time as I am concerned about the danger that some cults and sects pose to children and young people. I think it is a very good idea to advise them accordingly. Your web seems to have a lot to say about various cults and sects and the dangers they pose.
However, I noticed some time ago in your March 2004 newsletter that you made mention of an organisation called Truth in Science and offered to give contact details.
However, when I checked back recently, the article on Truth in Science appears to have been removed from the newsletter.
I was wondering why this is the case. Could you give me some advice on this? Do you now consider Truth in Science to be a dangerous sect and if so, is there any reason? Or is the organisation now defunct?
Yours Sincerely
Here is the prompt reply we received from Andrews:
Thank you for your email and your kind words about our website.
As a ministry we are pleased when prudent to endorse and encourage support for any faithful Christian ministry, including 'Truth in Science' that upholds the truth of creation as outlined in God's Word, the Bible. They are neither 'a dangerous sect' nor 'defunct'.
As to the article that was on our website the time-frame of its 'appearance' and 'disappearance' was mutually agreed between our 2 organisations.
I am your servant for the Lord Jesus Christ
Take Heed Ministries
Andrews thus confirmed that Truth in Science was not defunct as we thought it could have been at the time.
However, he also makes the astonishing claim that the appearance of the article was conditional on an agreement with Truth in Science that it should be displayed for somewhere between two years and three months and two years and five months. The author of this report has been a publisher of professional newsletters and has never ever heard of such a strange arrangement with an organisation reported on. It is a truly bizarre reply.
Take Heed Ministries’ web site is at http://www.takeheed.co.uk. It is duplicated at http://www.takeheed.net. It is clear than Andrews does not like Catholicism (and is pretty outspoken about other denominations and sects as well). Evangelical Times is closely associated with the names behind Truth in Science
