I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

INTRODUCTION

            Today, the subject of evolution is taught in our public schools and colleges as a FACT. The teaching methods used leave little or no room for a student to doubt the validity of the material being studied. After all, so many renowned scientists have stated that we are the product of chance chemical reactions and chance physical events, how can they all be wrong? What’s wrong is that opposing or questioning viewpoints are rarely, if ever, entertained for examination. What is interesting about this, is that science typically invites questions or opposing concepts to further our understanding of the natural world, especially when a process is not proven. So why not on the issue of our origins?

            Many evolutionary scientists consider the concept that we were created by God as unscientific. This is due to the fact that creation by a higher being is not able to be tested scientifically, that is to say, we will never be able to study or repeat the creation process in the lab. However, how can it be unscientific to consider and examine evidence that points towards creation, or at least disproves the concepts of evolution?

            When a phenomenon is observed, the “Scientific Method” is brought into play to explain and describe it. The scientific method begins with possible explanations for the observed phenomenon. The possible explanations are tested with experimentally produced data or sometimes with observed, empirical data. An unproven concept is a theory and further data is needed to prove it the validity of the concept. If the theory is proven, it becomes scientific “fact”. A good example of this is the phenomenon of gravity. No one has ever been able to see gravity, yet its existence is not in question. We can measure it, we can determine how much gravity an object will have based on its mass, we see the effects of it every day – it has been proven.

            In contrast, no one has actually seen, reproduced, or measured the processes that have resulted in the higher life-forms we see today. All of the evidence is empirical and subject to the interpretation of the beholder. Make no mistake, the process of evolution is still a theory. It is an unproven concept that is facing more and more challenges as scientific data increases. If that’s the case, then why do we not hear reputable scientists coming forth about the difficulties in the theory that refute the possibility of evolution occurring? The following three reasons are the most reasonable explanation:

ØThe first is that ‘leaders’ in the evolutionary science community have a lot invested in the theory and to be a dissenting voice may bring ridicule, or indifference, from colleagues. In other words, those that oppose the theory get laughed at or are ignored. 

Ø  Secondly, evolution has been so ingrained as the truth, it is hard to overcome the concepts that have been implanted in a scientist’s mind since elementary school – it has become a core belief. In fact, the concepts of evolution permeate our popular culture – movies, books, television, and magazines all emphasize the subject.

Ø  Lastly, there are those that so strongly do not want to consider the possibility of God’s existence, that any other explanation for our origins must be believed. However, when evolutionary theories are truly examined, an argument can be made that it takes more faith to believe in evolution than it does to believe in a transcendent creator – GOD.

            If you believe in a transcendent creator, then evolutionists will say that you have pre-determined beliefs about our origins. Evolutionists do not seem to want admit that the same is also very true for a non-believer in God. A major problem being discussed in the scientific community today, is the issue of pre-determined beliefs affecting data gathering and interpretation processes. Due to the influence of personal beliefs, a researcher tends to “see” and “trust” the data that does the most to prove their expected outcome. This also means that the scientist will “overlook” or “ignore” data that disproves the expected results. You can imagine how this affects the study of evolution with respect to the collection and interpretation of data that does not support evolutionary theories.

            In this class we will primarily discuss two areas that are of concern when discussing evolution and creation with a non-believer.

            First: What is the theory of evolution and what are the inherent flaws of the theory. In particular, we will look at MACRO-evolution, which is “the rise of new and more complex organisms from the less complex”. We will be discussing some of the individual processes of the theory and how science itself shows us that they are impossible!

            Second: How did LIFE arise? Darwin’s and other’s theories of how life began in some little pool of organic goo will be discussed. We will discuss the famous “spark and soup” experiments, which are taught in our schools as being the source of the first building blocks of life – amino acids. Again, the assertions put forth by the scientific community will be examined scientifically. What you will discover is that the very scientific community that refuses to accept GOD as the Creator of life, also refuse to accept evidence that they have produced or observed that ultimately points away from chance as the inventor of life. If chance is removed, what does that leave……?

            This course will not use the scriptures as its primary focus. However, below are two scriptures that state clearly the underlying concepts that will be used throughout this course.

Rom 1:20        For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead, so that they are without excuse.

            Paul expressed this fundamental Biblical truth that the existence of God is obvious to all men. The evidence of God’s existence and power are in the things that He created. As stated in the verse, “clearly seen” refers to the empirical data all around us that is there to be observed.

            God’s ability to create is written throughout the Bible. David expressed his belief and understanding of God’s creative power in the Psalms:

Ps 139:13-16  13 For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. 16 Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

            David also expresses God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience in Psalm 139. God not only creates all things, but He also knows what He will create before the act of creation! (Note that God isn’t bound by the constraints of time). When we discuss the aspect of being “skillfully wrought”, it indicates that the skill of the one who created us can be clearly identified and described, again through the order evident in the empirical and mathematical data collected from the creation.

            Until the middle of the 19^th century, the belief that heaven, earth, and all life forms were made by God was virtually universal. Creation as an ACTIVE PROCESS - a process that requires an intelligent and able being to perform it.

            In the last 150 years a remarkable shift in thinking occurred – that we are now to be thought of as a product of chance. The idea of a transcendent God was thrown out as unscientific! In fact the teaching of God’s word has now been thrown out of our public schools (interesting to note that the Bible was the first textbook in American schools).

            What brought out this Shift? It started in 1859 with the publishing of Charles Darwin’s book, ‘The Origin of Species’. Darwin sought to explain the origin of all life forms without the benefit of intelligent guidance or a supernatural act of creation. All animals, and ultimately man, are the result of blind “descent with modification”.

INTELLIGENT DESIGN FORMULA
Matter + Energy + Information (from God) = LIFE (Active Process)

EVOLUTION FORMULA
Matter + Energy + Chance Chemistry = LIFE (Passive Process)

            In closing, the most damaging effect of teaching evolution as a fact, is that it displaces the need to search out our real origins. If we are the product of chance, then there is no need to find out if God is our Creator and Lord. Due to the constant and overwhelming barrage of “Evolution is the fact of Life” and “God is to be ignored as a possible explanation”, we as believers must be prepared to discuss what is wrong with the concept of evolution to those who have been overwhelmed by evolution theory.

            It is often difficult to discuss God with a non-believer who is convinced that God doesn't exist. With the “fact” of evolution in their minds, a non-believer “knows” that they are the product of cosmic accidents and that God was not a factor. This course is designed to give you some ammunition that you can use to point out flaws and inaccuracies in the theory of evolution from a predominantly scientific standpoint. This is an important avenue to use, as scripture teaches us that the world will view the words of God in scripture, as folly. With what you learn in this course, you will be able to approach a non-believer with something they are conditioned to respond to – scientific data. We may not always convince them that the teachings of evolution are wrong, but we may plant a seed of investigation into the truth.