Joy Christian's Briele Sorensen is more than a team manager By SARAH MCLELLAN AZ Republic

Today I had a story run in the newspaper and online about Briele Sorensen. Briele is the team manager for the Glendale Joy Christian girls basketball team.  http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/SarahMcLellan/152866

If you haven't read the story yet, you can check it out here. Briele is a truly amazing and inspiring individual. For this piece, I shadowed Briele during one of the team's games and one of its practices. I uncovered so much information and details about Briele that I decided to share what I couldn't get into the story here.

Joy Girls Wickenberg Champions 2011

Briele is also the manager for the volleyball squad, and the school has asked if she'll be willing to help out with the track team. "If they need me, I'm there," Briele said.

The idea for Briele to become a team manager originated in the eighth grade. Briele's best friend, Amanda Mork, forgot her water bottle for basketball practice. So Briele went to the coffee shop on the Joy Christian campus and not only bought a water for Amanda, but also for the other nine girls on the team. The next year, the job was hers.

Arrowhead ICU August 20, 2011

When Briele was rushed to the hospital, her mother, Tonya, called Joy Christian School to give them a heads-up on Briele's status. "By the time practices were done, football games were done, the waiting room just starting filling up with people," Tonya said. Classmates, coaches, teachers, and friends had come to show their support for Briele, and it didn't stop there.

Briele continually had visitors, and her best friends stayed with her on the weekends. "Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday they come and see me, and they never give up on me," Briele said. "I think that's a true friend. Someone who's there for you, who holds your hand and prays with you."

Friends brought many gifts.  August 21, 2011

The student body even organized a pink day at school (pink is Briele's favorite color). Thanks to Facebook, that message spread, and the family heard of people wearing pink all around the world.

Briele's sickness touched many people, especially her friends. "For kids, they don't really sense their mortality in high school," Mark said. "Many, as they came to visit her in the hospital, you could just see that it was finally hitting them that maybe I'm not invincible as a teenager. So I think it was a very powerful experience for all of us."

Briele honored at Joy Christian Homecoming 2011

Not only is Briele supportive of her teammates, but her kindness spreads to the opponent as well. Before every game, she and Tonya assemble gift bags for the Joy Christian players to hand out to the other team. Inside is an assortment of M&Ms and Hershey bars and a bible verse.

Briele wants to share her story with others so that they can gain strength and believe anything is possible. She's already talked to the elementary classes at her school. Next up, the high schoolers. "I was in a hospital bed, and look where I am today," she says.

An inspiration, indeed.

Smiling in the Hospital August 2011 

Senior Picture January 2012

5 Best Practices for Digital Marketers in 2012

5 Best Practices for Digital Marketers in 2012

The Power of Gratitude by Arlin Sorensen

As we celebrate this Thanksgiving Holiday, and move quickly into Christmas mode, let’s be sure we take time to be grateful for all the good things that we experience every day. Far too often we go through life taking the important things for granted and focusing on the little things that aggravate us. We miss giving thanks for the 98% while we are consumed by the 2% of our patch that isn’t what we want. Here are some ways you might reverse that thought pattern.

Attitude is a choice. Gratitude is an attitude. We can quickly see that gratitude is a choice. So how do we make it the normal response in our day – the moment by moment way we can live a life of gratitude.

1. Stop worrying about the Joneses. We spend too much time comparing ourselves with others. The real question is ‘what have you done with what you have been given’? We should not be worried about someone else, but rather how we are using what God has entrusted to our care and the gifts He has given us.
2. Think about the 90% or more of the world who have a whole lot less. We are blessed well beyond what we deserve here in the USA. We could have been dealt a very different life – where over half the others who share this planet with us live on less than $2 a day. We have definitely not got anything to complain about.
3. Look forward and dream. Vision is the ability to see the future. Execution is what gets us there. Accountability is the key to making sure we execute to achieve our vision. As part of HTG you have the framework for success. The only limitation is the vision. Make sure you have defined yours.
4. Make it a practice. Say thank you for everything. Give freely to those in your patch. Not just stuff, but time, and most of all yourself.
5. Make a list of your blessings. Set aside plenty of time because there will be a long list. Think of the obvious things – family, friends, health – but then put your thinking cap on and think of the ones you walk over every day and don’t even see them. Clean water, a toothbrush, medicine you take, a car to drive to work, coffee – the list will go on for a few pages.
6. Get your perspective set on what matters – your legacy. You will leave three things in life. A record will list the facts regarding your life. History will capture your story. Legacy will be the result of how you live. Your record will eventually be erased after a period of time and it will be no more. History will be re-written to fit the time and outcome the writer desires. Only your legacy truly carries on your life forever.
7. Think about the small stuff. Don’t worry about it – we shouldn’t fret the little things. But we must not ignore them either. God’s blessings often come in the form of small things that make a huge difference.
8. Notice God’s creation. We drive to work every day and many other places through the week and totally ignore what we are surrounded with. Don’t miss it – take time to smell the roses and notice just how intricately God made them.
9. Stop to consider what you could not have right now. Think of those who lived in previous generations, or may live just across your city, and don’t have today. We have so much to be thankful for.
10. Take a read of God’s Word – the Bible – and check out the hundreds of promises He has given to us. Not only can we be grateful today, we have promises to be grateful for into eternity.

I am grateful for each and every one of you. And I am pretty confident none of us woke up hungry, slept in the street, didn’t have a bed or any heat, and don’t have to worry about where our next dollar will come from. We are blessed indeed. The response to blessing needs to be gratitude. Is your gratitude showing? If you haven’t told the people in your patch thanks today – take some time to make that investment. Gratitude is a big deal that we often give little attention to. I encourage you to change that today!

Last modified on Friday, 25 November 2011 14:58

Tagged under 

• Vision
 
• thankfulness
 
• gratitude
 
• htg peer groups
 
• HTG
 
• Arlin Sorensen

Arlin Sorensen

I am just a plain old Iowa farm boy who loves technology. Fortunately I have been blessed with a job of putting the two together, living here on the farm and leading our company - Heartland Technology Solutions. The real fun is the learning shared with peers through HTG Peer Groups. It is the relationships that make life worth living, and this industry is full of really awesome people. I am blessed every day!

E-mail: asorensen@heartlandtechnologies.com

40 Epic Marketing Insights From Google [Data]

Internet Usage

1) In the last 4 years, the web has gone from 100 million websites to 250 million. (Source: Netcraft, Dec 2010) Tweet This!

2) 75.5% of the US population uses the internet. (Source: eMarketer, January 2011) Tweet This!

3) Millennials engage in over 14 different internet activities, while those ages 65+ engage in mainly 7. (Source: Generations Online, Pew Internet 2010) Tweet This!

4) 67% of consumers researched online prior to purchase during the holiday season. (Source: Post Holiday Learnings for 2011 Google/OTX, Jan 2011) Tweet This!

5) In 2011, the average shopper consults 10.4 sources prior to purchase, twice as many as a year ago. (Source: Google/Shopper Sciences, Zero Moment of Truth Macro Study, U.S., Apr 2011) Tweet This!

6) Nearly 50% of US internet users will redeem an online coupon this year. (Source: eMarketer, May 2011) Tweet This!

7) Online advertising spending is shooting upward, passing the $30 billion mark in 2011 and approaching $50 billion in 2015. (Source: eMarketer, June 2011) Tweet This!

8) By 2015, we expect that 50% of all display ads will be rich media ads. (Source: Google, Watch This Space, 2011) Tweet This!

Mobile Use

9) 31% of Americans own a smartphone. (Source: ourmobileplanet.com) Tweet This!

10) 75.7% of the population uses mobile phones. (Source: eMarketer, August 2011) Tweet This!

11) There are 90.1 million smartphone users, 29% of the population. (Source: eMarketer, August 2011) Tweet This!

12) Only 33% of advertisers have a mobile optimized website. (Source: Google/Ipsos/TNS, Global Perspectives: The Smartphone User & The Mobile Marketer, Jun 2011) Tweet This!

13) 53% of searchers purchase as a result of a smartphone search. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

14) 70% of smartphone users use their device while shopping in-store. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

15) 71% of smartphone users have searched after seeing an ad. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

16) There will be 81.3 million tablets sold worldwide in 2012, up from 15.7 million in 2010. (Source: eMarketer, December 2010) Tweet This!

17) 43% of US adults say they’d be willing to give up beer for a month if it meant they could keep accessing the internet on their smartphones. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

18) 36% of US adults say they’d be willing to give up chocolate for a month if it meant they could keep accessing the internet on their smartphones. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

19) Mobile advertising spending will top $1 billion for the first time in 2011, before reaching $4.39 billion in 2015. (Source: eMarketer, September 2011) Tweet This!

Search

20) There are 191.4 million search users. (Source: eMarketer, July 2011) Tweet This!

21) 82.6% of internet users use search. (Source: eMarketer, July 2011) Tweet This!

22) 16% of the daily queries on Google have never been seen before. (Source: Google Internal Data 2011) Tweet This!

23) Search directly drove 25% of all online device purchases. (Source: Value of Search for Wireless Product Launches Study Google/Compete, March 2010) Tweet This!

24) Advertisers achieve a 7:1 ROI on investments in search-based marketing. (Source: McKinsey & Co., The Impact of Internet Technologies: Search, Global, Jul 2011) Tweet This!

25) US advertisers will spend $14.38 billion on paid search in 2011, compared with $12.33 billion on display. (Source: eMarketer, June 2011) Tweet This!

26) Including location or phone information in a search ad increases click-through rate 6-8%. (Source: Google Internal Data, Q4 2010) Tweet This!

27) Adding seller ratings to a search ad can boost click-through rate by over 10%. (Source: Google Internal Data, Q3 2010) Tweet This!

28) Two-line sitelinks increase click-through rates by more than 30%*. (Source: Google Internal Data 2011, *Compared to standard AdWords ads) Tweet This!

Social Media

29) There will be 79.1 million US mobile social network users in 2015, up from 49.4 million in 2011. (Source: eMarketer, December 2010) Tweet This!

30) 88% of US companies over 100 employees will use social media for marketing by 2012. (Source: eMarketer, November 2010) Tweet This!

31) 57% of people talk more online than they do in real life. (Source: Alex Trimpe via Ogilvy — February 21, 2011, ThinkQuarterly, Google) Tweet This!

Video

32) Over 100 million people make a social action on YouTube (likes, shares, comments, etc.) every week. (Source: Google Internal Data, Q3 2011) Tweet This!

33) Recommendations from other people account for 60% of all video clicks from the YouTube homepage. (Source: The YouTube Recommendation System, Sept 2011) Tweet This!

34) Consumers exposed to a YouTube homepage ad are 437% more likely to engage in a key brand activity on the same day than those unexposed. (Source: Google, Impact of YouTube Homepages On Brand Engagement, U.S., Dec 2010) Tweet This!

35) By 2012, internet video will account for over 50% of consumer internet traffic. (Source: Cisco, Jun 2011) Tweet This!

36) YouTube Mobile gets 400 million views a day. (Source: YouTube Press Statistics, 2011) Tweet This!

37) More than 13 million hours of video were uploaded to YouTube in 2010. (Source: YouTube Press Statistics, 2011) Tweet This!

38) There are 48 hours of video uploaded every minute to YouTube. (Source: YouTube Press Statistics, 2011) Tweet This!

39) Over 3 billion videos are viewed each day on YouTube. (Source: YouTube Press Statistics, 2011) Tweet This!

40) Online video advertising spending will grow 52.1% to $2.16 billion in 2011, before reaching $7.11 billion in 2015. (Source: eMarketer, June 2011) Tweet This!

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/28767/40-Epic-Marketing-Insights-From-Google-Data.aspx#ixzz1diaX7pci

40 Epic Marketing Insights From Google [Data]

40 Epic Marketing Insights From Google [Data]

Internet Usage

1) In the last 4 years, the web has gone from 100 million websites to 250 million. (Source: Netcraft, Dec 2010) Tweet This!

2) 75.5% of the US population uses the internet. (Source: eMarketer, January 2011) Tweet This!

3) Millennials engage in over 14 different internet activities, while those ages 65+ engage in mainly 7. (Source: Generations Online, Pew Internet 2010) Tweet This!

4) 67% of consumers researched online prior to purchase during the holiday season. (Source: Post Holiday Learnings for 2011 Google/OTX, Jan 2011) Tweet This!

5) In 2011, the average shopper consults 10.4 sources prior to purchase, twice as many as a year ago. (Source: Google/Shopper Sciences, Zero Moment of Truth Macro Study, U.S., Apr 2011) Tweet This!

6) Nearly 50% of US internet users will redeem an online coupon this year. (Source: eMarketer, May 2011) Tweet This!

7) Online advertising spending is shooting upward, passing the $30 billion mark in 2011 and approaching $50 billion in 2015. (Source: eMarketer, June 2011) Tweet This!

8) By 2015, we expect that 50% of all display ads will be rich media ads. (Source: Google, Watch This Space, 2011) Tweet This!

Mobile Use

9) 31% of Americans own a smartphone. (Source: ourmobileplanet.com) Tweet This!

10) 75.7% of the population uses mobile phones. (Source: eMarketer, August 2011) Tweet This!

11) There are 90.1 million smartphone users, 29% of the population. (Source: eMarketer, August 2011) Tweet This!

12) Only 33% of advertisers have a mobile optimized website. (Source: Google/Ipsos/TNS, Global Perspectives: The Smartphone User & The Mobile Marketer, Jun 2011) Tweet This!

13) 53% of searchers purchase as a result of a smartphone search. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

14) 70% of smartphone users use their device while shopping in-store. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

15) 71% of smartphone users have searched after seeing an ad. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

16) There will be 81.3 million tablets sold worldwide in 2012, up from 15.7 million in 2010. (Source: eMarketer, December 2010) Tweet This!

17) 43% of US adults say they’d be willing to give up beer for a month if it meant they could keep accessing the internet on their smartphones. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

18) 36% of US adults say they’d be willing to give up chocolate for a month if it meant they could keep accessing the internet on their smartphones. (Source: Google/OTX, The Mobile Movement, U.S, Apr 2011) Tweet This!

19) Mobile advertising spending will top $1 billion for the first time in 2011, before reaching $4.39 billion in 2015. (Source: eMarketer, September 2011) Tweet This!

Search

20) There are 191.4 million search users. (Source: eMarketer, July 2011) Tweet This!

21) 82.6% of internet users use search. (Source: eMarketer, July 2011) Tweet This!

22) 16% of the daily queries on Google have never been seen before. (Source: Google Internal Data 2011) Tweet This!

23) Search directly drove 25% of all online device purchases. (Source: Value of Search for Wireless Product Launches Study Google/Compete, March 2010) Tweet This!

24) Advertisers achieve a 7:1 ROI on investments in search-based marketing. (Source: McKinsey & Co., The Impact of Internet Technologies: Search, Global, Jul 2011) Tweet This!

25) US advertisers will spend $14.38 billion on paid search in 2011, compared with $12.33 billion on display. (Source: eMarketer, June 2011) Tweet This!

26) Including location or phone information in a search ad increases click-through rate 6-8%. (Source: Google Internal Data, Q4 2010) Tweet This!

27) Adding seller ratings to a search ad can boost click-through rate by over 10%. (Source: Google Internal Data, Q3 2010) Tweet This!

28) Two-line sitelinks increase click-through rates by more than 30%*. (Source: Google Internal Data 2011, *Compared to standard AdWords ads) Tweet This!

Social Media

29) There will be 79.1 million US mobile social network users in 2015, up from 49.4 million in 2011. (Source: eMarketer, December 2010) Tweet This!

30) 88% of US companies over 100 employees will use social media for marketing by 2012. (Source: eMarketer, November 2010) Tweet This!

31) 57% of people talk more online than they do in real life. (Source: Alex Trimpe via Ogilvy — February 21, 2011, ThinkQuarterly, Google) Tweet This!

Video

32) Over 100 million people make a social action on YouTube (likes, shares, comments, etc.) every week. (Source: Google Internal Data, Q3 2011) Tweet This!

33) Recommendations from other people account for 60% of all video clicks from the YouTube homepage. (Source: The YouTube Recommendation System, Sept 2011) Tweet This!

34) Consumers exposed to a YouTube homepage ad are 437% more likely to engage in a key brand activity on the same day than those unexposed. (Source: Google, Impact of YouTube Homepages On Brand Engagement, U.S., Dec 2010) Tweet This!

35) By 2012, internet video will account for over 50% of consumer internet traffic. (Source: Cisco, Jun 2011) Tweet This!

36) YouTube Mobile gets 400 million views a day. (Source: YouTube Press Statistics, 2011) Tweet This!

37) More than 13 million hours of video were uploaded to YouTube in 2010. (Source: YouTube Press Statistics, 2011) Tweet This!

38) There are 48 hours of video uploaded every minute to YouTube. (Source: YouTube Press Statistics, 2011) Tweet This!

39) Over 3 billion videos are viewed each day on YouTube. (Source: YouTube Press Statistics, 2011) Tweet This!

40) Online video advertising spending will grow 52.1% to $2.16 billion in 2011, before reaching $7.11 billion in 2015. (Source: eMarketer, June 2011) Tweet This!

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/28767/40-Epic-Marketing-Insights-From-Google-Data.aspx#ixzz1diaX7pci

40 Epic Marketing Insights From Google [Data]

My God Moment - September 10th 2001

by Mark Sorensen on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 11:33am

I was in Chicago that weekend working with an ELCA Outdoor Ministry committee. Our task was to help develop and deploy a new software management solution for Bible Camps. AAL, now Thrivent, had provided a $750,000 grant and the need among Camps was significant.

We wrapped up early so I decided to catch a TWA flight back to Sioux City. Remember this was the day before 9/11 so it was an easy task to board the first flight to Dallas. I then boarded a turbo prop in Dallas heading to Sioux City with the attendant suggesting I take the first seat on the left side of the plane.

The drone of the plane soon had me thinking a nap would be a good idea.  Mentally I had envisioned the plane’s flight path cutting across Iowa but not really thinking about the sight I was about to see.

The flight was about 15,000 feet up and I had just dozed off when a slight jump by the plane woke me.  I rubbed my eyes and looked down at the beautiful Iowa countryside.  From that height the landscape is neatly divided into squares which mark each mile. Growing up in the country we always referred to the farm where we lived as being 9 miles east, 3 miles north and 1/4 mile east of Harlan Iowa. No street or road signs or names then just miles and landmarks. Those from the Shelby County area would know we lived 3 miles north and 1/4 mile north of the small town (50 people) of Jacksonville Iowa.

My mind refocused after waking up from the snooze and I notice some familiar landmarks.  I realized our planes path cut diagonally across Iowa and had crossed Highway 44.  There below me Highway 44 curved near a group of grain bins.  There to my amazement was Jacksonville Iowa. I strained closer to the window to confirm my discovery. And then I counted 1 mile... 2 miles... 3 miles north and 1/4 mile east and there was our farm place. Wow!

This was a beloved place where Paul and I led many adventures and learned many lessons.  Learning to work and play hard and accepting most all assignments as part of our family responsibilities.  There I remembered the East Barn, South Barn, Corn Crib, Horse Barn, the Creek and the Silo.  It was days before I left for Dana College I was up on top of that Silo surveying the farm below me and weeping knowing life was about to change forever.

Emotions swept through me on the plane that day thanking God for waking me for this glimpse of the Farm place and restored memories of a blessed childhood.  I exited the plane in Sioux City greeted by my father picking me up for the trip back to the Camp. I went on and on about the God moment not knowing what the next day, 9/11, would bring.  From tranquility and peace to fearful days ahead for the country questioning what the future might hold.

I believe that God moment helped prepare me for the days ahead.  Thank you Jesus!

God vs Science - Albert Einstein

God v/s Science

  

'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.'The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. 'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?' 'Yes sir, 'the student says. 'So you believe in God?' 'Absolutely.'  Is God good?'  'Sure! God's good.'  'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'  'Yes'  'Are you good or evil?'  'The Bible says I'm evil.' The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible! He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?' 'Yes sir, I would.' 'So you're good...!' 'I wouldn't say that.' 'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.' The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?' The student remains silent. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?' 'Er..yes,' the student says. 'Is Satan good? The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.' 'Then where does Satan come from?' The student falters. 'From God' 'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?' 'Yes, sir..' 'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct? 'Yes' 'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.' Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?' The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'  'So who created them?' The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?' The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.' The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?' 'No sir. I've never seen Him.'  'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?' 'No, sir, I have not..' 'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?' 'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.' 'Yet you still believe in him?' 'Yes' 'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist... What do you say to that, son?' 'Nothing,' the student replies.. 'I only have my faith.' 'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.' The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat?' 'Yes. 'And is there such a thing as cold?' 'Yes, son, there's cold too.' 'No sir, there isn't.' The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit down to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.' Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer. 'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?' 'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation.. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?' 'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?' The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?' 'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.' The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?' 'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains... 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.' 'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor.. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?' 'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.' 'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?' The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed. 'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?' The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. 'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean..' The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.' 'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?' Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I Guess you'll have to take them on faith.' 'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?' Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it Everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in The multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.' To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.' The professor sat down. If you read it all the way through and had a smile on your face when you finished, mail to your friends and family with the title 'God vs. Science' PS: the student was Albert Einstein. Albert Einstein wrote a book titled God vs. Science in 1921...