Wednesday, February 11, 2004

I read with sorrow an article in the newspaper recently which stated that the “mention of intelligent design [being taught in the classroom] sparked criticism by scientists who say it is religion masquerading as science.” Furthermore, an assistant professor at a prominent university was quoted as saying, “There is no science or evidence behind it,” and, “It is an attempt to take the creation story from Genesis and make it into science.”

On the contrary, it is because of the evidence that there are a significant number of scientists who have converted from evolutionism to creationism.

For example, Dr. Gary Parker (currently biology professor at ICR Grad School) shares in his book, “Creation Facts of Life,” “It took me three years of re-examining the evidence before I gave up my deep-seated belief in evolution and concluded, like thousands of other scientists in recent times, that the Biblical framework is the more logical inference from our scientific observations.”

Also, it was the famous astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle and his colleague (having no preference for creationist thinking) whose mathematical analysis showed that believing that life could result from time, chance, and the properties of matter was like believing that “a tornado sweeping through a junkyard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein.”

The two scientists finally concluded that “it becomes sensible to think that the favorable properties of physics on which life depends are in every respect deliberate.”

Plan, purpose, and special acts of creation are supported by overwhelming evidences found in biochemistry, embryology, genetics, adaptation, etc. It has even been agreed upon by evolutionists that the fossil record has failed the theory of evolution.

In 1980, leading evolutionists from around the world met for a major conference in Chicago. Parker reports, “As the summary in Newsweek put it: ‘Evidence from fossils now points overwhelmingly away from the classical Darwinism which most Americans learned in high school.’”

Religion masquerading as science? There is a faith that is required to believe in the theory of evolution that, time and again, must deny the scientific evidence.

I believe we should unveil all of the evidence in the classroom, teach both evolution and creation, and let the evidence speak for itself. Even then, only by God’s grace will blind eyes see. Therefore, we must pray for our governmental authorities, teachers, and children.

Between the two schools of thought, the Bible definitely has the happy ending. As Dr. Parker explains it, the evolutionary history of the universe consists of four B’s: 1) Big Bang, 2) Big Chance, 3) Big Struggle, and 4) Big Death.

The biblical history of the universe consists of four C’s: 1) Creation, 2) Corruption (Fall), 3) Catastrophe (Flood), and 4) Christ. “Evolution begins with dead things; living things, including us, are temporary intruders in the universe, and death wins at last. The Bible begins with the life of God; death is a temporary intruder, and eternal life wins at Christ’s return.”

The Bible offers a more lively hope! The same God who created us is the same God who did not turn away from us when we turned away from Him. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our rebellion, died to conquer death, and rose again to raise those who believe to new life in Him. Jesus asked, “How can you believe me when I tell you heavenly things if you don’t believe me when I tell you earthly things?”

Science shows us that we can trust the Bible. What we see in God’s world encourages us to trust the Bible as God’s Word. It’s a wonderful story, and it’s full of love and meaning for each person on earth. And Jesus Christ will come again, and restore this corrupted world to a new heavens and new earth, and “thus we shall always be with the Lord!” (I Thess. 4:17)

Suzanna Glorvigen

Sharpsburg, Ga.