What You’ve Been Taught
We often take for granted some of the most amazing creations in this world. The human eye, the brain, our ears, our sense of taste, short-term and long-term memory, music, love, the list goes on and on. We’ve been so bombarded with the idea that these are just inventions created by mother nature through necessity that we get numb to the beauty of it all. I dare you to watch this video and not be impressed by God’s creativity and showmanship.
Is it truly possible that this fish figured out how to do this over millions of years through random chance and then passed it down to its offspring through its DNA? Not only that, but the female has to actually develop an appreciation for fine art and respond to it! Maybe it is possible – maybe it is not. We should let the evidence drive our conclusion. In today’s world, this is what the scientific community is teaching. This has now become the status quo. But believing something just because everyone else does is a flawed approach to learning. Although supporters of evolution will often present the beliefs of the masses as evidence for their case, it doesn’t hold water since Darwin and his colleagues were fighting majority opinion in the same way. We must always challenge the status quo by looking at the evidence.
Challenging the “Status Quo”
Most of what you will learn on this site will challenge many things you have learned in the past. Therefore, before you dive into the information, you must decide if you are open to the possibility that beliefs contradicting your current beliefs could be valid. Let’s first discuss where you acquired your current set of beliefs and why you hold them to be true.
As small children, our education comes primarily from our parents and is expanded by what we absorb from various media (such as books and television). As you grow older, you learn at school from your teachers. Most of the time, your teachers are told what to teach you from their governing body. In most instances, that’s the public school system. The public school system obtains its guidance from state and federal bodies which has been heavily influenced by anti-Biblical politics over the last century (read more about this in our resources section). For example, prior to 2006, the Ohio State school board had a guideline which allowed science teachers to give a “critical analysis” of evolution. Due to the pro-evolutionist activists, this was removed as an option. Dr. Georgia Purdom from Answers in Genesis wrote the following:
“I am disappointed but not surprised by the decision made by the OBE [Ohio Board of Education] concerning the lesson plan on the critical analysis of evolution. As a college biology professor, I cannot fathom asking my students not to critically analyze what I am teaching them. It is a crucial part of the learning process. Unfortunately for Ohio’s public school students, they are being told evolution is fact and so there is no point in questioning it.” (Ref #102)
This type of irrational policymaking has been horrifically common in the last 50 years. Everything from state law to textbooks has fallen victim to the agenda of groups like the ACLU who go to great lengths to prevent their preferred worldview from being critiqued. Sadly, not only does this lead to bad policy it also leads to bad science. It seems clear that there is a coordinated effort to convince impressionable minds not to ever question evolution.
Defending the Faith
Here is another question – if science and education are about learning and challenging what we know in order to improve our knowledge, then why is it that anyone who challenges evolution ends up being attacked by the scientific community and the media? A supporter of evolution might say it is to protect “good science” from “bad science” – to keep religion out of public education. But should “good science” need to be protected? Does the law of gravity need defending? Who can challenge it? Does mathematics need to be shielded from those who would oppose it? Any good theory based on solid science will let the evidence speak for itself. However, if you are fearful that your theory is a house of cards that could come tumbling down under the right argument, then you will be very protective and attack those who challenge it. That is exactly what we see today in the scientific community when evolution is challenged.
Ben Stein, who is well known for being incredibly intelligent (watch his show “Win Ben Stein’s Money”) and whom you may recognize from his role in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, released a documentary called “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” to shed light on this concerning reality. He interviewed just a handful of the many very well-respected professors who faced consequences for opening a door to the idea of a Creator.
Ironically enough, there seem to be significant similarities between the current scientific and educational communities and the religious inquisitions of the past that sought to stamp out religious heresy. The supporters of evolution are acting very much like a religious body that does not want its followers to question their authority. This leads to irrational behavior and hateful attacks.
Unfortunately, this is a matter of humans not a matter of any particular philosophy. When sinful, fallen people are in power, they will do whatever it takes to keep it. My objective is not to demonize proponents of evolution, they are slaves to their fleshly desires doing what is expected without the Spirit to convict them. They are no worse and we Christians are no better on our own. However, just because we shouldn’t judge them for their actions doesn’t mean we should allow ourselves to suffer as a result. And since the teachings of evolution contradict God’s Word, the faith of a Christian struggling to reconcile these opposing worldviews may suffer and lose the blessings that come with having complete confidence in the Bible.
No Such Thing as Objective
When it comes to a topic like the origin of the universe and life, it is impossible to be completely objective. Everyone has an opinion on this topic and most people want you to believe what they believe. Belief is a very powerful thing.
Throughout history, wars have been fought over differences in belief. Hitler strongly believed in evolution and that the gene pool of Aryans should be pure and untainted. He stated:
“Nature is cruel; therefore we are also entitled to be cruel. When I send the flower of German youth into the steel hail of the next war without feeling the slightest regret over the precious German blood that is being spilled, should I not also have the right to eliminate millions of an inferior race that multiplies like vermin?” (Ref #107)
There are so many instances of horrible atrocities throughout history that were based on belief. Muhammad waged war in the name of Allah. The Pope waged war in the name of God. Faith or religion itself isn’t bad. Rather, the people using their faith or religion to harm other people are bad. The point is that the belief of origins is not some mundane science article that people can consider objectively. It is directly tied to the fiber of our belief system as human beings. It greatly impacts the way we behave and the decisions we make. It is so important to us, that millions have died to either defend their beliefs or force them on others.
This is important to understand because when you read an article in the New York Times or National Geographic stating that life has evolved on other planets, or you watch a documentary from the Discovery Channel discussing how apes turned into mankind or you read your children a story about dinosaurs living billions of years ago and evolving into birds, you are getting someone’s very biased opinion about the origin of the universe. All of these people have a belief that they want you to accept.
I would be deceiving you if I said I am more objective than them. I also have a belief I want you to accept. So what’s the difference? The difference is that I hope to make a logical argument with evidence and truth and allow you to reach the logical conclusion for yourself. And the difference is that the Christian belief leads to life! It leads to peace, truth and love. Jesus modeled servitude and respect for others. He fought for what was right. His promise was that He would be the ultimate sacrifice to save us and with that act He offers eternal life at no cost other than to believe and accept His gift. Atheism offers only eternal nothingness. So even if the evidence for both sides was equally convincing – which should you choose if you had a 50/50 chance of being correct? Evolution is a lose-lose! Even if you are right, you lose.
But don’t take my word for it. Let the evidence drive your conclusion. Because if you seek the truth, you will always find God.