The Journey from Despair to Hope
May 22, 2024
If God Exists Why Do We Suffer?
June 7, 2024In the book the Blind Watchmaker (p. 23), Richard Dawkins wrote, ‘The living results of natural selection overwhelmingly impress us with the . . . illusion of design.’ One question we can ask is: What are the criteria for the boundary between illusion and reality?
No one was around when eyes began to see, so is the boundary at the point where we witness the manufacture? Probably not.
For instance, I have a camera which is simpler than my eye. I did not see it made, but I believe it was manufactured. How did I conclude that? Because there is evidence for intelligent design. From this simple example, then, the boundary between illusion and reality is inferred by what I believe. Also, the evidence for evolution is the same as that for creation.
We choose our preference.
The eyes demonstrate irreducible complexity
The same Blind Watchmaker (p. 81), speaks of eye evolution in these terms: ‘An ancient animal with 5 per cent an eye might indeed have used it for 5 per cent vision.’
It goes on to say that human vision developed gradually. But what this ignores is that eyes demonstrate irreducible complexity. That is, you need all the parts in place and working together before vision can occur. Charles Darwin, who developed the theory of evolution, was aware of this. He stated that:
‘To suppose that the eye . . . could have been formed by natural selection seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree’
(On the Origin of the Species, p. 167).
Darwin required faith to believe that eyes evolved.
One of the latest theories of eye evolution proposed that brain cells migrated to form the eye. But that explanation is inadequate. For instance: how and why did the brain cells migrate, how did the skull form to house the eye, and how did the optic nerve materialise in order to transmit signals? Or even how did brain processing originally develop in order to produce an image?
In developing their theories, evolutionists depend upon reverse engineering and logical inference. That is, scientists draw conclusions from limited evidence before them. It is deterministic, because the present determines the past, and what adaptations were required in order to arrive at what we see today. It is circular reasoning, requiring a lot of faith.
Another challenge is that evolutionary theory ignores a number of scientific rules. One of these is biogenesis, which states that life can only come from life similar to itself (after its own kind). Some scientists also ignore the general law of probability: it says if a chance of something happening is tiny, then it is improbable. By this law, eyes, and even life, resulting from nothing but blind chance is an improbability. Eye complexity speaks of intelligent design.
Mendel's laws
Also, when Darwin published his book, he was unaware of Mendel’s laws of genetic inheritance. Mendel’s laws describe the predictable ways that genes are passed from parents to offspring. These laws differed deeply from Darwin’s inheritance ideas.
When scientists later realised the problem with Darwin’s theory, that should have ended it. But advocates could not let it go, as there was no alternative evolutionary model. So, due to the negative impact Mendel’s laws had upon Darwin’s theory, some scientists reworked it into Neo-Darwinism.
The part of Darwin’s theory dealing with inheritance was useless and had to be replaced with what has been termed ‘Modern Synthesis’. This focuses on natural selection. But natural selection cannot produce new DNA; it only works on existing genes previously created.
Yet, all the anomalies with evolutionary thinking disappear when we consider what the Bible says about the universe and life. The complexity of eyes points to a super-intelligent designer Who created them. According to the Bible, everything came into being by the actions of a super-intelligent Creator. Darwin proves faith is required to believe in evolution. And the Bible states that faith is required to believe in a Creator God, as there were no witnesses to observe creation.
Hebrews 11:3 tells us,
‘By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.’
God spoke everything into existence.
Genesis 2:7 reveals,
‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.’
As humans are composed of elements found in the earth’s crust, the difference is made by DNA and life.
Psalm 139:14 says,
‘I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.’
Human beings are recognised as the most complex hierarchical and anatomical system.
The Bible tells us about a loving Creator God. Sadly, things have since gone wrong as humans sinned, but God promised to make all things right again. Evolution is incapable of offering anything better than what we already see. We have the freedom to choose our destinies: evolution and death, or creation and a happy future.
Why not then start with the Bible’s first page?
Jeff Couzins holds a Doctor of Ministry degree, specialised in Multicultural Mission and Ministry. He has been engaged in pastoral ministry for over 25 years, and is currently serving as a pastor in the Merseyside district of churches, North-West England.
Jeff is married to Sandra, with daughter Racquel, and grandson Tyrell.
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