Christian chemist’s assumptions lead to accusations
11 July 2005; reposted and updated 18–19 November 2006
The supposedly primitive trilobite had eyes that look like they were designed by a master physicist
This feedback comes from a self-described Christian who took issue with our site on a number of issues. First, he accused us of claiming that a Christian can’t be an evolutionist, although we have repeatedly said otherwise. Second, he accused us of not understanding science, which would be news to the Ph.D. scientists on our staff with earned Ph.D.s from secular universities. Third, he presented evidence that allegedly supported evolution, but this ignored several indisputable facts. Fourth, he argued about what Christianity is allegedly all about, but he cited only parts of what it’s all about, ignoring others. Fifth, he accused us of taking the whole Bible literally, then raised counterexamples to our supposed method in areas such as the Lord’s Supper, Baptism and morality.
I stumbled upon your site while doing a search for scientific information. I was very surprised and disturbed and slightly angered.
I am a Christian. I am a Chemist, more specifically I am a Biochemist. In the area on ‘creation where is the proof’ there are many incorrect and insulting presumptions made and inferences offered and suppositions determined. Why do you speak as if someone that believes in evolution cannot be a Christian? This is insulting to me personally. You presume to determine who can be Christian and who can’t? Who do you suppose that you are to make such a ruling? And how do you think that you can go around talking about evolution and even, God forbid, teaching against evolution without even having the understanding of what the theory entails?
I have no doubt that you are one of the ignorant masses that uses the term theory in place of the word guess. That is not the meaning of the word. In light of the fact that many, many, many scientists like myself are devoted Christians, how dare you say that we look at the ‘evidence’ from a position in which we presuppose that there is no God. That is a lie and a defamation.
And for the whole facts, evidence, theory and records debate, there is this thing called science that you are wholly and unfortunately unfamiliar with. If there was time I would love to give you the benefit of my education in science, but I know there is not time and I fear that you lack the aptitude and willingness. The scientific process is not altogether difficult for even laymen such as yourself to understand. I will try to explain it in terms that you can comprehend.
When an observation is made, like the FACT that simple organisms appear in the strata before more complex organisms and that there is a definite trend to the fossil record showing that the further down you go the simpler life forms become and the higher up one goes the more complex life forms are, then there is a causal question asked. In this case it would be something like “Why does the fossil record clearly show that earlier in time (due to the level in the strata) life forms are simple and that later in time life forms are more complex?” To which a hypothesis or several hypotheses are formed. Perhaps one might think the simpler life forms dig deeper into the soil or maybe that more complex organisms dig up other complex organisms and move them to higher in the fossil record. Or perhaps just maybe one might think that it might be possible that simpler organisms develop into more complex organisms. Then one can test these hypotheses with either experimentation or observation. In this case all observation and experimentation (and there is truly a boat load) has unequivocally pointed to the idea that simpler organisms developed into more complex organisms. This is not only supported by fossil evidence but also tons of biochemical evidence in the form of genetics and proteomics as well as the energy pathways of all living things.
While I am sure that there are many scientists that believe that there is no God, I would bet money there are more religious scientists than not. I want to state this as clearly as possible: ALL that the theory of evolution states is that the more complex organisms that are present today developed from earlier simpler organisms. There is no how, there is no why. Any talk about how, why, or any beginning of life is mere speculation.
Does this prove or even suggest God? Of course not. Science is not here to talk of God. Science is a study of the physical universe. God is not something that can be explained by science. God is not something that can be explained by anything. As soon as you presume to explain God or understand God, you have limited Him in your mind and you are guilty of the most heinous form of blasphemy that we face today. There is no limit to God. Science is about categorizing and numbering and computing and estimating and predicting and calculating. Once you do any one of those things to God you have blasphemed.
But you are definitely correct in stating that you and your group of ignorant, uneducated and obviously suggestible followers are looking at the FACTS and evidence through tainted goggles, but I would never even suggest that those goggles have anything to do with Christianity. In order to be related to Christianity they would have to be associated with Christ and they absolutely have nothing in common with Him. Christ was about love and acceptance and forgiveness and salvation, not exclusion and propagation of ignorance and spewing of lies and half-truths and bending and warping the realities of the surrounding universe to fit some bizarre ideal that one has about the beginning of anything or everything.
Why do you lie about your belief that everything in the bible be taken literally? You accept what you want an throw away what you don’t like. I will prove it to you. Christ said that whoever doesn’t eat His flesh and drink His blood has no part with Him. Do you believe that you partake of His flesh and blood, and that without doing so you will have no part in His salvation? I didn’t think so. You see it as a symbol, a metaphor for something else because you don’t like the sound of it and you refuse to accept it.
And the fact that both Christ and St Paul state that you must be baptized to be saved, I would be surprised if you had everyone in your family baptized in order to save them. Once again you see it as a symbol, a metaphor. Paul quite clearly states that it is through baptism that we take part in Christ’s death and resurrection and that is how we are saved from death, by taking part in Christ’s defeat of death.
Perhaps then you believe, as the bible clearly states that people should be put to death. Of course you do. How about children who disobey their parents, that’s in there too? And of course there is the whole eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Never mind that Christ Himself refuted that in stating that ‘you have heard eye for eye and tooth for tooth but I say do good to those who hate you, pray for those who abuse you.’ How about turn the other cheek, ever done or even considered it?
I pray for God’s blessings on you. I realize that you are trying to do what you believe is right in your deluded way. I pray most of all that you will begin to understand how wrong you are. God bless.
J.S.
USA
Dear J.S.:
I stumbled upon your site while doing a search for scientific information. I was very surprised and disturbed and slightly angered.
Thomas Chandler Haliburton’s comment may be applicable here. He said, ‘When a man is wrong and won’t admit it, he always gets angry.’ ;)
I am a Christian. I am a Chemist, more specifically I am a Biochemist. In the area on ‘creation where is the proof’ there are many incorrect and insulting presumptions made and inferences offered and suppositions determined.
One of the main points of CMI’s presuppositional approach is that the Bible should be the magisterial authority. As a Christian, I would have thought that you would have agreed with Christ who said ‘Scripture cannot be broken’ (John 10:35; see also Jesus Christ on the infallibility of Scripture). And one would have thought that you would concur with His chosen Apostle Paul that ‘all Scripture [which must logically include Genesis] is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness’ (see The Authority of Scripture). Therefore, as the article outlined, it would be improper for a Christian to allow the Bible to be relegated to the backburner, as it were, in a discussion about creation.
Why do you speak as if someone that believes in evolution cannot be a Christian? This is insulting to me personally. You presume to determine who can be Christian and who can’t? Who do you suppose that you are to make such a ruling?
Actually, as if you had examined our site more fully (as our feedback rules request) you would have found:
As you can see, we state that one can be an evolutionist and still be a Christian, but that the two are logically incompatible. I.e. that theistic evolution is both scientifically and biblically untenable. But many people are saved due to ‘blessed inconsistency’—there is no hint in the Bible that the ability to hold mutually contrary thoughts in the same skull is an unforgivable sin.
Comments are automatically closed 14 days after publication.
Feedback Guidelines
Be constructive & courteous. Don't attack individuals, denominations, or other organizations.
Stay on-topic. We're not here to debate matters like eschatology, baptism, or Bible translation.
Links to external sites and articles will be removed from your submission.
Privacy & Content Ownership
Comments become the property of Creation Ministries International upon submission and may be edited for brevity and clarity.
CMI may choose not to publish your comment depending on how well it fits the guidelines outlined above.
By submitting your comment you are agreeing to receive email updates from Creation Ministries International. You may unsubscribe at any time.
CMI records your real name, email address, and country as a sign of good faith. Privacy Policy
If your comment is published, your name will be displayed as ""
Cancel
Accept & Continue
Close
You are leaving CREATION.com
We have supplied this link to an article on an external website in good faith. But we cannot assume responsibility for, nor be taken as endorsing in any way, any other content or links on any such site. Even the article we are directing you to could, in principle, change without notice on sites we do not control.
Readers’ comments
Comments are automatically closed 14 days after publication.