The Debate About Origins
By Rob Hood (06/16/06)
I never doubted where my origins when I was growing up. Come to think of it, I really never thought about it that much either. As I grew out of my childhood years and into my teenage years, I became aware that something other than Creation was being taught. I entered high school Biology class and did very well in the course. I never really had a problem with science and still don't. I myself am a type of scientist I guess you might call it. I studied Electronics in college and learned about the characteristics of electricity and magnetism as well as taking Physical Science in college as an elective. I did well in both and earned my Associates Degree in Electronics, so I am a bit familiar with modern science try to keep up with things of today in magazines like Popular Science and Popular Mechanics.
As I went through my year in high school Biology, I never really paid much attention to the chapter about evolution. I had glanced over it from time to time but never really read it in depth. When it came time for the class to enter this now very controversial chapter, our teacher simply stated that she was not going to teach that chapter because it raised too many questions regarding religion and often sparked trouble with parents. So, we did skip the chapter on evolution.
The debate rages today over evolution versus Intelligent Design, but I really can't see what all the fuss is about. Intelligent Design theory only gives an alternative to the unproven theory of evolution. In no way does it endorse a particular religion. In no way does it say that Jesus, or Buddha, or Muhammad created the universe. It simply recognizes that a higher authority or supreme being created the universe. It is not specific as to religion or denomination and therefore cannot be associated with mixing religion or Christianity with science.
Some of the greatest scientists in history did believe in a God that created the Universe. Sir Isaac Newton and Galileo were among those. Intelligent Design in itself is not the same as creationism as some has misunderstood. While it does recognize that a higher authority created the universe, it stops right there while Creationism endorses the account of Genesis where God, the Father of Jesus Christ, spoke the universe and all we see today into existence in a literal six day time period, so there is a difference between Creationism and Intelligent Design.
While no one really knows the actual age of the earth itself or the universe itself, scientists on both side of the political spectrum have their own views and theories. Secular scientists who dismiss the Bible as book of errors say that the earth is millions of years old. Dinosaurs existed and died out millions of years before man "appeared" on the scene. Christian scientists who do believe in creation say that the earth is between 4,000 and 6,000 years old and that mankind lived at the same time dinosaurs did and that the larger animals like dinosaurs died by drowning in the flood of Noah.
Of course you might be laughing at this idea, but if you study it carefully and start to see the progress being made in Creation research, you might change your mind. The most asked question about this theory is "If man and dinosaurs existed at the exact same time, them why are human bones and dinosaur bones not found close together"? This is a very good question, but it also has a very good answer according to a top creation researcher Bodie Hodge, a staff member, and educated speaker/researcher for Ken Ham's Answers In Genesis group. He claims that during the flood of Noah, humans would have fled to higher ground like mountains. Perhaps huge dinosaurs couldn't climb mountains? Once the flood waters came, it buried plant life and animal life on the lower elevations and fossilized them first. Human bones would be the last to be buried by the flood waters since they were at a higher elevation. If you look at fossil records, there may very well be much truth in this theory.
According to Mr. Hodge, the fossil records show that
95% of all fossils are marine organisms
95% of the remaining 5% are algae, plants, and trees
95% of the remaining 0.25% are invertebrates including insects
the remaining 0.0125% are vertebrates, mostly fish
This does tell us that humans fossils are not found that often but is a great possibility when searching in lower sediments of flood levels.
Some say that the Grand Canyon was formed at the time of Noah's great flood and there appears to be much more evidence for that now than ever before. A ministry called Canyon Ministries (www.canyonministries.com) places books in tourist centers for tourists visiting the Grand Canyon in which the book discusses evidence found that the canyon was formed from a great flood, not a river.
Whatever the case may be, it still seems to be highly controversial in the area of politics and school. Some private schools and Christian colleges do endorse Creationism and Intelligent Design Theory over evolution and the trend is getting more popular by the day. I know what I was taught as a child and it's hard for me to comprehend that the whole universe and everything in it just one day accidentally invented itself. I am one to still believe in creationism where God spoke the world into existence. I suppose everyone is entitled to his or her opinion since we live in a free country, but evolution still makes no sense if all of the evidence against it is considered. Even Darwin himself had some doubts about his own theory and yet we see some teaching it today like it is a proven infallible fact, and that makes for bad science indeed.
I saw a picture of a billboard that is growing ever more popular in key Intelligent Design battleground states that simply says "Evolution is a fairy tale for grown-ups" which somehow has some truth to it. Ken Ham of Answers In Genesis (www.answersingenesis.org), a ministry in which I financially and prayerfully support, sure thinks that the message about creation is important. As a matter of fact to show just how important it is to the ministry, they are building a Creation Museum (www.creationmuseum.org) in Kentucky that will be a 50,000 square foot facility. It will feature a 17 foot waterfall, theater that will seat 176 people, a fantastically beautiful main lobby, over 2 miles or nature trails, and some dinosaur models as well as a store and other great features. It is slated to open in the spring of 2007. I can't wait to go!
As for those of us who do believe in Biblical creation as it is recorded in genesis, we have a long hard battle ahead, but surely the God who created the universe can help us to cope with the issue indeed!
REFERENCES:
Answers Magazine, Vol. 1 No.1, July-Sept. 2006, page 52
www.answersmagazine.com
Answers in Genesis
www.answersingenesis.org
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