Tag: darwin

Categories
World History

Evolution or Intelligent Design? Which is Correct? Part 5

balanced scales

What Does Genesis Say?

Genesis and the Geological Ages Model

RATE Findings about the Age of the Earth

What Do You Think?

Should Genesis be Taught in Public School?

Evolution or Intelligent Design? Which is Correct? Part 5

What Does Genesis Say (about the beginning of life, and especially humans)?

  1. God existed alone until creation.
  2. He created all things as an expression of art.
  3. He created all things except humans by speaking them into existence.
  4. He created living things by “kinds.” We don’t know how that fits into our nomenclature.
  5. He created humans for a relationship, not servanthood as many cultural legends say.
  6. He created humans with a personal touch: man from dirt, woman from man’s rib.
  7. He completed the initial creation in 6 days. That’s 6 days of 24 hours each.

Genesis and the Geological Ages Model

The Geological Ages Theory states that the earth was laid down in various strata over time, with the oldest layer at the bottom. A model was constructed to illustrate this.

In general, everyone agrees with the theory and the model. It has been observed in nature.

But questions remain:

  1. Absolute proof of a geological layer’s age is only obtained when objects it contains are inscribed with a date, name, or event that can be verified independently.

How accurate is the model on deeper strata?

  • The model is an amalgamation of findings. It actually does not exist. In reality, strata are missing, flipped, and sometimes shuffled. Darwin noted this but did not pursue it.
  • Modern humans are theorized to have evolved 300,000 years ago. How does this mesh with the following facts?

Fact: Only 6000 remains of Homo sapiens have been found.

Fact: The oldest Homo sapien with the DNA of both the ancient paternal line and the ancient maternal line is dated only 5000 years ago.

  • Since we now know that DNA changes are neutral, but usually degenerative, how does that change thinking about other humanoid species?

RATE Findings about the Age of the Earth

In 1997, seven scientists questioned the accuracy of radioisotope dating. They called themselves RATE for Radioisotopes and the Age of The Earth.

The seven RATE scientists all held earned doctorates. They included 2 geologists, 1 geophysicist, 3 physicists, and 1 meteorologist. Their research took 8 years.

Here are their findings:

  1. Carbon-14 was found in small but measurable amounts in both coal and diamonds. There should be no Carbon-14 present since its half-life is 5,730 years. (RATE published the first literature on diamonds.)
  2. High concentrations of helium were found in zircon crystals that are radiodated at 1.5 billion years. At that age, all helium atoms should have escaped long ago.
  3. There is large-scale nuclear decay, as shown by the abundance of radiohalos (tiny spherical defects) in granite dated during the year-long event popularly known as Noah’s Flood, as dated by Genesis. Accelerated decay occurs several times during recent history, including during the Genesis Creation Week. These are significant, but not nearly as drastic as during the Flood. Is this what is throwing off older dating?
  4. Different radioisotope dating is sometimes found within the same sample. (The study included a large number of samples from around the world.)

Altogether, RATE’s research calls basic assumptions of radioisotope dating into question.

What Do You Think?

I know these blogs have been a lot to digest.

Think it over.

Remember the Rule is that the simplest answer is usually the right one.

Decide for yourself.

What is the origin and descent of Man?

Should Genesis be Taught in Public School?

It used to be taught, you know. Then it was thrown out because of the separation of church and state.

But that was never the original intent of the constitution. The separation was in political governance, not education.

Genesis is at least a strong alternative theory to evolution. And what if it’s fact?

Genesis is not the oldest factual historical document, but it is the oldest history book. It is certainly the oldest history book not written to aggrandize the author.

Besides, if we ban every book and scientific advance that references religion, we are left only with Enlightenment documents. And we can’t even use Enlightenment research based on books that reverence religion. Can we even use the research of religious persons who do not refer to their religion in print?

So why pick on Genesis?

Suggested readings:

Genesis chapter 1 verse 1 through chapter 2 verse 3

Behe, Michael. Darwin Devolves.

DeYoung, Don. Thousands…not Billions (a RATE report)

Photo Credit: lSerg through Unsplash

Categories
World History

Evolution or Intelligent Design: Which Is Correct? Part 4

Evolution vs Intelligent design part 4 (scroll manuscript)

Intelligent Design Has Answers

Who Done It?

Written Proofs

Who Wrote Genesis?

Moses’s Claim

But was Moses Writing History or Recording Cultural Legends?

The Final Choice: Evolution or Genesis

Evolution or Intelligent Design: Which Is Correct? Part 4

We come at last to our discussion of Intelligent Design. Will it fare better than evolution?

Intelligent Design Has Answers

If you admit that the amazing variety of species with complex and purposeful characteristics must point to a creator, most of these theoretical problems disappear.

  1. The origin of all life is from a consciousness, that is, a mind.
  2. Man did not ascend from apes. There are varieties within species, but no evolution between species. Humans have always been humans.
  3. Complex features were created purposefully for each plant or animal.
  4. Without the concept of evolution, why wouldn’t simpler life forms continue to exist?
  5. Since humans have not ascended from animals, Intelligent Design is in harmony with other sciences.
  6. A detailed description of man is not needed. He is little different today from at first.

Who Done It?

That’s all very well, but who is the creator? How and when did he create, and why?

Are we NPCs in a computer game or some Matrix-like situation? Dr. Behe explains that

these are radical positions from mathematical algorithms and other procedures. There is no proof.

These hypotheses fail the Rule: The simplest answer is usually true.

Also, logic says that a supernatural world (from our point of view) cannot be measured, described, or hypothesized by those within the “natural” world. In other words, if there is a “supernatural” world, someone from that world would have to tell us about it.

 One or more god from a pantheon as the creator is supported by cultural legends. We have already discussed those.

Written Proofs

We haven’t looked at these. Written proofs are valued because we know when the thoughts were expressed and that these reports have not changed over time. Four religions have written texts about the creation of man.

  • First century B.C.Tripitaka Buddhism: a variety of writers
  • 610 A.D.Koran Islam: received by Muhammed
  • 1500-1200 B.C.Vedras Hinduism: a variety of writers
  • Debated Genesis Christianity: Moses, Joshua, or scribes

Do you remember this? Rule: The reporter who lived closest in time to the event is

Probably the most accurate.

That rules out the Tripitaka and the Koran. It also rules out Genesis if it was written by scribes during the fifth or sixth century B.C. I cannot find which Vedra contains the creation story, and therefore when it was written.

Who Wrote Genesis?

The contestants are (drum roll, please!)…

  • Moses probably wrote it sometime after 1531 B.C.
  • Joshua wrote it while leading the people, sometime after the Moses’s death: 1451
  • Jewish priestly scribes in the fifth or sixth century B.C.

Moses’s Claim

  • The Holy Bible is a library with books arranged by genre. The 39 books of the Old Testament is believed by Jews and Christians to be authoritative. Many other books were written during the Old Testament period and the Intertestamental Period that are not authoritative, including the books of the scribes.
  • Within the Holy Bible, there are many references to the Books of Moses or the Books of the Law (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
  • This authority has never been questioned by Jews or Christians.
  • While written in ancient Hebrew, there are many touches of a top-level Egyptian education. Moses was adopted by “Pharaoh’s daughter” and would have had the premier education available. Here are some examples:
    • Knowledge of the geography, military strength/tactics, and products of the whole civilized world.
    • The repeated use of the number ten, as in the ten plagues and the Ten Commandments. Egypt was the only civilization that used Base Ten like we do. All other civilizations, including the homeland of the Hebrews, used Base Sixty.
    • It is written in an ultra-minimalist style unique to Moses, which is similar to the writing a military report. Just the facts, Ma’am!

Was Moses Writing History or Recording Cultural Legends?

Dr. Stephen Boyd, a specialist in Ancient Hebrew, determined that there is a clear delineation between narrative literature (fact) and poetic literature.

This determination is made by analyzing the verb form overwhelmingly used in the passage.

The creation story including the creation of man was written as historical fact.

The Final Choice: Evolution or Genesis?

You can’t choose both. We’ll see why next time.

Suggested readings:

DeYoung, Don. Thousands…not Billions (a RATE report) This book contains Dr. Boyd’s study.

Photo credit: eranyadeni at unsplash

Categories
World History

Evolution or Intelligent Design: Which Is Correct? Part 3

6 Weaknesses in the Theory of Evolution

The Origin of Life

The Descent of Man

The Explanation of Complex Features

The Continuation of Lower Life Forms

Evolution of Life opposes All Other Sciences

No Detailed Description of the Evolution of Man

Evolution or Intelligent Design: Which Is Correct? Part 3

Since Darwin, science has progressed on two tracks: Traditional (reason plus religion) and Enlightened (reason only). We still have two theories: Material (Evolution) and Mind (Intelligent Design).

The progress of knowledge and technology since Darwin’s time is hard to comprehend. Darwin’s knowledge and technology was much closer to the aborigines (whom he distained) than to us.

Evolutionary scientists have done much to develop and polish Darwin’s ideas into a true theory, so it is now correct to call it the Theory of Evolution.

Unfortunately, they seem have ignored holes in the theory that have existed since Darwin’s time.

  1. The Origin of Life

Whether the explanation is the Big Bang or a quiet random assembling of non-living chemicals in a pool of water, if you trace back with the question, “And where did that come from?” there is no answer.

What is the origin of the chemicals in the pool of water come from? For that matter, what is the origin of the pool water?

Fact: No one has ever observed or manipulated chemicals to form life.

This creates another problem because it breaks a rule of logic.

Rule: The simpler the problem, the easier the solution.

According to the Evolutionary Theory, the simplest life, and therefore the simplest problem, is the formation of First Life. Yet, while they have made massive gains in other, more complicated areas of natural history, they have not found a way to solve this simplest problem.

  • The Descent of Man

Dr. Behe, biochemist and proponent of Intelligent Design, tells us this:

Fact: There is no missing link between the Great Apes and Man.

Fact: Evolution is self-limiting. It is never seen between families or higher. It occurs at the species level and perhaps at the genus level but has only been observed with bacteria and viruses.

Fact: Genetic changes can be neutral but are usually damaging, although there can be a short-term positive effect on survival. Eventually, the continuing genetic changes no longer support life.

Dr. Behe notes that the polar bear’s white fur, which was held up by Darwin as an example of the survival of the fittest, is a degenerative genetic change.

Today, we know that the polar bear is actually related to the brown bear and the small black bear of temperate regions.

The genetic change that causes a polar bear’s white fur is like the one that causes the white crocodile’s coloration (which is different from an albino crocodile). White crocodiles don’t survive in the wild; this is because they have no camouflage.

From the genetic studies of the polar bear, we can hypothesize that there were white bears in temperate areas but the lines died out because they were all killed due to a lack of camouflage.

The genetic change temporarily aided the polar bears above the snow line to survive, but now they are dying off there, too.

Are polar bears disappearing because of climate change? Or has the bill for continued genetic change come due?

  • The Explanation of Complex Features

How can random evolution result in something as complex as the human eye? What exactly is this system? How does it work—in detail?

Each complex feature is clearly developed for a specific use by a specific species. The level of complexity, for example the eye, does not follow the evolutionary pattern. Evolution cannot explain this.

  • The Continuation of Lower Life Forms

If evolution occurs to increase the odds of survival, why do bacteria still exist?

And why do they comprise the most numerous genus of animal life on the planet?

  • Evolution of Life Opposes All Other Sciences

Everywhere we look scientifically, we see nature descending toward extinction. Even the stars are dying.

But evolution says all life is getting better. Why would evolution be the exception to the scientific rule?

  • No Detailed Description of the Evolution of Man

Evolutionists have not provided a detailed description of human evolution.

When I try to visualize the step by step evolution of a human, he always dies quickly.

What happens first?

Does he walk a little more erect? Why? Great apes do just fine swinging through trees.

Walking more erect throws off the balance of the body. Grasping feet are not prepared to be walked on. After a few steps, the ape defaults to using all four extremities.

Overall, a human is pretty puny next to a Great Ape. It seems several steps down the evolutionary scale.

Except for the human brain. How fast did that develop to enable man to survive?

We come now to an evaluation of the Intelligent Design theory.

Suggested Reading:

Behe, Michael. Darwin Devolves.

Photo credit: Tiziano Cremonini

Categories
World History

Evolution or Intelligent Design: Which is Correct? Part 1

Evolution or Intelligent Design

Two points of View

A Treasure Hunt for Facts

Facts “Everybody Knows” that have not been disproven

What can folk legends tell us?

The Split between Science and Religion

Evolution or Intelligent Design: Which is Correct? Part 1

I’m not going to tell you.

Instead, I’ll walk you through pros and cons of each position and let you make up your own mind.

Two Points of View

Throughout the years, Darwinian evolution has been polished and refined in a half-dozen directions, but they all agree that everything existing today was caused by natural means.

We could call these positions “Materialism Theory.”

Intelligent design also consists of a group of theories. The creator could be any of the following:

The Judeo-Christian God

A creator god or goddess within a pantheon of gods such as Gaia

Mother Nature

An unknown creator who devised a computer game in which we live or a situation similar to the movie Matrix.

The commonality among Intelligent Design theories is that everything that exists is the result of a consciousness. We could call these theories “Mind Theory.”

A Treasure Hunt for Facts

Of course, we want to base our decision on facts; but where do we find them?

As a reminder, a fact is something known or proved to be true. A “known” fact is sometimes unseated by a “proven” fact.

Where does this treasure hunt take us?

“Known facts” existed long before the scientific process was determined, so let’s start there. Are there any facts that “everybody knows” that have not been disproven?

Well, yes, there are.

Facts “Everybody Knows” that have not been disproven

  1. Living matter is not made from non-living matter.
  2. The proof of a mind is the work it produces. In other words, if you see a beautiful clock but don’t see anyone working on it, you still know that it was made by a human somewhere at some time.

What can folk legends tell us?

They don’t tell us much.

Each culture has legends of the first human. The stories are remarkable similar. A god or other supernatural being created the first human by intelligent design.

Rule: Many similar stories indicate some truth within.

Being the most ancient sources, a rule kicks in that highlights another strength.

Rule: The closer a witness is to the actual event, the more reliable the source.

The weakness is that we don’t know if these legends were meant to be believed literally or merely told as moral stories. It could be both, of course, but there is no way for us to know that.

Also, most of us have played telephone. We know that within a few minutes a message can be warped out of recognition. Even given that storytellers were highly esteemed and very capable of memorizing these legends, we don’t know if the version we have heard is the original.

Overall, it seems to be a wash. We lack important facts.

The Split between Science and Religion

The earliest cultural legends are bathed in religion in an attempt to explain the world. Early temples were centers of both learning and religion. This did not change until the works of scientist Francis Bacon.

During the Middle Ages, science was encouraged “to the glory of God” by the Catholic church. This continued with the Anglican church of Britain.

Scientists whose results differed from the standing science supported by the churches and their dogmas were harassed and excommunicated.

Dissenters, who claimed that each person could interpret the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit, often disagreed with official interpretations. For instance, some disagreed with the position that the world of their time was identical to the original creation.  

Dissenters could accept dinosaurs. Good Anglicans and Catholics could not.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, philosopher and politician Francis Bacon declared that scientific inquiry should be inductive. That means that precise observations should be gathered then considered logically before forming an explanation.

Inductive reasoning can be used to study philosophy, the natural world, and proofs of the existence of God, according to Bacon, but God’s specific attributes can only be learned from the Bible.

A century later, the Enlightenment demanded that the only authority for knowledge was reason. Its supporters taught “reason over superstition, and science over blind faith.” They reserved the right to define “superstition” and “blind faith.” They applied both to religion.

But they don’t allow “superstition” and “blind faith” to be applied to evolution, although I have met many people whose belief in evolution is really “blind faith.”

This, then, is the split between science and religion we see today. Only evolution is taught in public schools and some private schools. Christian schools teach intelligent design.

Why aren’t we studying both theories? The answer in both cases is bias.

Suggested reading:

Behe, Michael J. Darwin Devolves.

Photo credit: ©lubero-Fotolia.com