Thile, Instrument Technician, Informational Topics

Do you have a relationship with God? When friends would ask me this question I used to cringe. Are you cringing? I don't mean to make you cringe.... I didn't face this question until 1988 when I realized that I really did want to know more about God if he existed. I did some reading and studying which convinced me that God does exist and people can have a real relationship with Him. This has had a very profound influence on my life and has completely changed my thinking. I'm interested in your thoughts on this. Where are you on the "cringe-o-meter"? Email me if you like. I would love to talk more with you about this. scott.thile@murraystate.edu.

Christian Topics and Apologetics

I have written several essays on topics relating to my Christian world view. For a complete outline of these please visit the following site:
http://campus.murraystate.edu/staff/scott.thile/Christian/index.html

The following is a brief synopsis of several topics:

The Authorship and Reliability of the Bible. Click here to read an essay I wrote defending my view of the Bible. "the biblical writings can be proven through both internal and external evidences. The historical narratives are accurate, the prophecies made are fulfilled, and the teachings given change lives. In short, the Bible holds up just as we would expect it to if God were the author."

Who is God? Click here to read a short essay I wrote comparing my God of the Bible to the god of the New Age worldview. "Because our understanding of God greatly influences how we think and feel about ourselves and those around us, we should strive to be very clear in our meaning when we use the word god."

The Origins of Life In Light of Contemporary Research THESIS: For generations now we have been taught to believe that general evolution is the only scientific explanation to the origins of life, with some teachers insisting that it is a proven fact. The way we think and teach about the origins of life should be reevaluated in light of the lack of evidence supporting the neo-Darwinian Evolution Model, and the increasing evidence in support of Intelligent Design.

"The Interpretations of the Genesis 1 - 2 Accounts of Creation" This essay is a spin off from my research paper on Creation Versus Evolution in Light of Contemporary Research, and addresses the Christian theology issues of a young Earth versus an old Earth view of creation.

Read one of my favorite books, "All of Grace" by Charles Spurgeon. This Christian classic is written in a charming, Old English style. Spurgeon writes, "Often when we are anxious to win attention, our listener thinks, "Oh! Now I am going to be told what to do. It is the man calling for what is due God, and I have nothing to pay it with. I will not be at home." No, this book does not come to make a demand of you, but to bring you something. We are not going to talk about law and duty and punishment, but about love and goodness and forgiveness and mercy and eternal life. Do not, therefore, act as if you are not home. Do not turn a deaf ear or a careless heart. I am asking nothing of you in the name of man and God. It is not my intent to make any requirement at your hands. I come in God's name to bring you a free gift which will be your present and eternal joy to receive."

Stand to Reason, (Christian Apologetics) has been a big influence on my thinking over the last ten years. Stand to Reason trains Christians to think more clearly about their faith and to make an even-handed, incisive, yet gracious defense for classical Christianity and classical Christian values in the public square.

Two of the bible passages I try to live and work by:
Colossians 3:23 and 24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 and 12 And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

Through God's grace I live up to these scriptures sometimes. I try to apply myself to the work that is before me. God and Family first, my work at Murray State University, my music with Nickel Creek, and my love for amateur radio.