Month: January 2018

I was the pastor of a church in the small rural town of Emporium; a quaint little town nestled deep in the mountains of Northwest Pennsylvania.

 

During my tenure there, an old middle school, which had been the centerpiece of our community for nearly 80 years, was up for sale. Our church acquired the building and subsequently found multiple uses for it.

 

It was not uncommon for retired teachers, who taught in this building, to stop by and reminisce about the good old days, and to see what we were doing there!

 

One day, while I was headed to my office, I met one of the local school teachers walking in the main hall. As we talked, we both commented that we had attended school there; reminiscing about the teachers, classes, and activities we took part in.

 

In the course of the conversation, we discussed the future use of the old building and I divulged that we were considering the idea of running a Christian School there. I went on to share how I considered much of the teaching, in the public school setting, was not entirely accurate.

 

I could see that she was beginning to feel uneasy about the direction of the conversation, but I gently pressed the conversation.

 

Natural selection is inadequate in explaining evolutionary processes

 

I shared how I felt the whole idea of evolution and natural selection to be inadequate in its explanation of how humanity came into existence. She looked puzzled and said; “how so?”

 

I used a simple illustration to show the folly of evolution; here is what I shared with her.

 

I asked if she ever wondered why most living creatures, including humans, have eyes. Almost every creature that lives either on land or in the sea has them. I asked her; “In light of the theory of evolution, how can this be?” She looked confused, so I continued.

 

The theory of evolution espouses the idea of natural selection; or the “survival of the fittest.” The idea is that weaker and more vulnerable creatures, and those less able to adapt, would become extinct; the strong would survive. She agreed.

 

According to the evolutionary theory, it would have taken millions upon millions of years for the eye to evolve into the functional apparatuses that they are today.

 

The problem with soft spots

 

That means almost all the creatures on the planet would have to live with ever increasing “soft spots” right in front of the most sensitive part of their body; the brain; for millions of years!

 

It would seem to me, that those animals with this soft spot on their head would have been exploited by other, more aggressive animals, who would quickly take advantage of this weakness.

 

It would stand to reason, that from a purely evolutionary standpoint, the whole idea of an eyeball would have been a really, really bad idea! With that, she said; “Huh, I never looked at it quite like that.”

 

Indeed, when we use a little common sense, we can see the silliness of what so many take for, as fact!

 

Interestingly enough, as our technology increases and we unravel the mysteries of the human genome, scientists are discovering more and more evidence of complex intelligent design; at every level!

 

It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the theory of evolution

 

The intricacy of the creation that surrounds us is stunning, and with the advent of the electron microscope and other scientific tools, it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue with the whole idea of random chance, as the driving force, creating it all!

 

Many years ago, it was purported to be the solemn truth, that the world was flat. Anyone who denied this issue was criticized, mocked and called crazy!

 

As mankind bravely continued to explore the world, and study the cosmos, gaining knowledge and understanding, they began to realize the world was actually round! Who knew?

 

Unfortunately, there are still many who believe the earth is flat; disregarding the overwhelming evidence that it is not.

 

I wonder if someday soon, the evidence of an intelligent designer will become so overwhelming, that even the most ardent supporters of evolution will have to agree that this theory is no longer valid. One can only hope!

 

I am sure, just like the case with those who still believe in a flat earth, there will be those who refuse to see the folly of evolution and they will hang onto those myths as long as possible.

 

Finally, concerning the whole issue of creation, there is a rather old book; some would say an ancient one; that gave a great deal of insight concerning this topic. What book did you ask? Hold on. . . It’s the Bible, and here is a relevant excerpt:

 

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

 

This book, by the way, that has been mocked, burned, and made illegal in many countries; still has relevant truth today. Perhaps this current scientific generation, ought to consider the truths mentioned in its pages; doing so may just help illuminate the pathway to even more stunning discoveries; after all, the God of the Bible, is the One who created science in the first place!

 

God has placed an insatiable desire in the heart of mankind to learn, to seek, and to gain knowledge. It is as if God Himself has placed a trail of breadcrumbs for us to discover along the way, and that scientific trail will always point to Him!

 

So grab a microscope, a telescope and keep searching, keep looking; one Day, His face will fill your lens!