Evolution vs. Creation by Paul Kaseloo

This issue has profound implications for everyone. In our society we have, unfortunately, reached the point where secular evolution is O.K. to discuss anywhere including schools, but creation has to be hidden away. This concerns me greatly (as I know it does many) because all children (and adults for that matter) are exposed to it in the science classroom and won’t hear the other side (from a scientific viewpoint) unless it is brought to them. It is also distressing that many now equate secular evolution with intelligence and the Genesis account of creation as a “blind faith” or superstition. Even many Christians view it as an allegory not as a literate truth or historical account. I hope that this information will help to illustrate the point that evolution really is a “belief” of its own and also help further discussions with people who may be curious as to how we (Christians) respond to the “scientific” claims put forward.

The guiding principle for Christian apologetics is well summed up in 1 Peter 3:15-16:
“…always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and(Y) respect, 16(Z) having a good conscience, so that,(AA) when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

We can see evidence for extreme precision and design at many levels. The “anthropic principle” is a term used to describe a series of cosmological constants or parameters that must be very finely tuned and support the idea that the universe was designed to support life. For example:

• The ratio of electron mass to proton mass: if different inefficient chemical bonding.

• The ratio of the number of protons to electrons: if larger or smaller electromagnetism would dominate gravity and prevent galaxy, star and planet formation.

• The ratio of carbon (12) to oxygen (16): if larger insufficient oxygen; if smaller insufficient carbon.

• Structure of the water molecule: unlike every other substance known its solid form is less dense (ice) than the liquid form. If different the planet would be nearly frozen.

• (A personal favorite) The actual density of mass in the universe is about five millionths of a trillionth of a trillionth (5 x 10-30) of a gram of matter per cubic centimeter or about one hydrogen atom in a cubic meter (a few in a typical room) this is almost exactly the critical density required (called omega). If this were less there would be an open universe (the big chill – few regions would collapse) and more than one a closed universe (the big crunch – everything would collapse)

The Bible is full of passages that describe creation outside of Genesis. For example:

Job 38:1-18; Psalm 147:4; Psalm 148; Isaiah 40:12-26; Jeremiah 33:25
Evolution

The theory of Evolution as proposed by Darwin in “The Origin of Species” published in 1859:
• Individuals with certain heritable characteristics survive and reproduce at a higher rate than other individuals
• Natural selection (“survival of the fittest”) increases the adaptation of organisms to their environment over time
• If an environment changes over time, natural selection may result in adaptation to these new conditions and may give rise to new species

Macroevloution (unedited)

Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago along with the rest of the solar system. The early atmosphere likely contained water vapor and chemicals released by volcanic eruptions (e.g. nitrogen, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia, hydrogen etc.). Older hypotheses involved the synthesis of organic compounds in the atmosphere (lightning hypothesis), but now it is believed that these may have come from submerged volcanoes or deep sea vents. Alternatively, amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) have been found in meteorites. Small organic molecules may have formed on hot sand, clay or rock.

Protobionts are abiotically produced molecules that have a membrane like structure and have simple metabolism and reproduction (note: these are created experimentally). The first genetic material was probably RNA and not DNA (the genetic material used by all living organisms today). The theory is that this RNA somehow regulated these “pre-cells” that reproduced themselves.

The first cells were simple single-celled organisms (similar to today’s bacteria – termed prokaryotes) and these were the only living things from 3.5-2.1 billion years ago. Some of these organisms became photosynthetic (i.e. can use sunlight for energy and produce oxygen) which caused an accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere. The oldest of the more complicated cells (eukaryotes) date to 2.1 billion years ago. These cells are believed to have evolved when one simple cell entered another and took over a particular function (such as photosynthesis in plants). Over time, multiple such events took place which resulted in the much more complicated cells that all other groups of organisms have (animals, plants, fungi).

The second wave of diversification occurred when multicellular organisms evolved. These organisms began as some small algae dated to 1.2 billion years ago. Fungi, plants and animals colonized land about 500 million years ago. Tetrapods (four-limbed land animals) evolved from certain fishes about 365 million years ago.

Evolution is like “tinkering” in which new forms arise from slight modification of existing ones. Most novel biological structures evolve from previously existing structures. Natural selection on only improve a structure in the context of its current utility. There is no purpose or goal to evolution (it is simply an ongoing process).

Ages of fossils are determined by radiometric dating as one isotope decays to a “daughter” such as carbon-14 decaying to carbon-12. (Note carbon dating is only good up to about 75,000 years ago and then you have to use assays of other isotopes in the surrounding sedimentary rock).

* What does evolution of life entail? – All of the following occurred without direction:

1) The creation of the large organic molecules (critical to living systems) from smaller inorganic ones.
2) The self-assembly of these organic molecules into a simple “pre-cell” that could carry out internal chemical reactions and reproduce.
3) The evolution of these into true cells with some kind of membrane and controlling molecule (now presumably RNA).
4) The combination of multiple simple single cells into more complex cells with the “internalized” cells taking on specialized functions.
5) The combination of multiple single cells into complex multicellular organisms such as plants and animals with as many as trillions of cells working in combination.
6) The evolution of DNA as the genetic material as the controlling molecule and the creation of the genetic code (more on this below).

* What do we have today?

1) All living organisms come from pre-existing living organisms (i.e. “life comes from life”). There are no examples of organic molecules or cells assembling from inorganic material, using mechanisms other than DNA as their genetic information, or examples of organisms forming or combining from simpler cells such as bacteria.

* What is the genetic code?

All living organisms use DNA as their genetic material (from bacteria to humans) and all of them use the same genetic code which is a sequence in the DNA to code for the information to assemble amino acids into proteins. Basically, DNA is a long string of building block molecules of four types (called nucleotides) symbolized by the letters A, T, G and C these are then turned into another molecule (RNA) - just substitute U for T. A combination of three of these letters codes for a particular amino acid (of which there are 20). The sequence of amino acids then determines the structure of the final protein produced and these can vary from a few dozen to thousands. Note that for a particular protein to be functional you must have the right amino acids in the right sequence. It’s like we use the alphabet to make words and sentences. If you put the letters in the wrong sequence it doesn’t make sense – in the same way DNA coordinates the sequence of amino acids in proteins.

Just a warning – evolutionary theory keeps evolving! When Darwin first proposed the theory of evolution the presumption was that evolution would be gradual with many transitional forms (bottom pattern). However, by the mid/late 1970’s it was becoming apparent that this wasn’t always the case (the fossil record didn’t support it in many cases) and this was pointed out by other evolutionists. So – we have “punctuated equilibria” that occurs when species pop-up very suddenly!

Some points that may help when discussing this issue with someone who is unsure or even antagonistic to these ideas:

• Christians don’t oppose all science
• Christians (at least no major group that I know of) argue that natural selection doesn’t occur or that natural genetic variation doesn’t occur within populations of living organisms – in fact the term “microevolution” refers to these patterns of changes in existing populations based on changes in the environment and would not be contradicted (I don’t think) by anyone
• We all know that new “species” can be created for example by human breeding – but this involves manipulating already existing variation, is limited to the same “kind” and doesn’t produce better adapted forms (e.g. domestic dogs vs. wolves)
• Creation science has an entire catalog of articles and papers dealing with the same “facts” as secular evolutionists and have an entirely different set of explanations that are also rational and based on scientific observations
• Creationists believe that all life was created by God as given in Genesis 1 however their view of findings such as fossils includes mass extinction of living organisms during Noah’s flood and enormous shifts in landforms taking place – there was also the following dispersal of humans following the tower of Babel
• Secular evolutionists begin with assumption that everything evolved from nothing and would not even consider such events (i.e. they don’t evaluate the creation account)
• How one interprets things is all based on your worldview and the presuppositions that one has before beginning this analysis

I would contend that secular evolution as the source of all life (and the atheistic “big bang”) are not simply based on irrefutable facts, but constitute a belief system based on a series of presuppositions to support them (i.e. natural processes alone can make everything).

Observational or experimental science, such as we would use to study a cell under a microscope, that can be repeated and verified is not the same as historical (or forensic) science where we have to make presuppositions to begin with and then interpret what we find based on those presuppositions.

The theory of evolution is based on the presupposition of no supernatural force (i.e. God) and is the best explanation available based on that starting point and is logical, even if it is incorrect. It will be very difficult to convince any person who believes strongly in secular evolution that they are wrong, because I don’t know of any event or piece of evidence that would be conclusive (until Jesus returns!). We all know that God has given us free will and some appearance that would interfere with that would not seem to be consistent with his character. We have to choose to believe, but it isn’t a blind faith either and it would appear that it actually takes more “faith” to believe in an atheistic explanation for life.

Is there a danger in the secular evolutionist philosophy? Specifically – there is no God and there is no purpose to evolution (by definition).

What about morality? Do right and wrong mean anything in an atheistic universe?

Does belief in creation in Genesis matter, so long as we believe in Jesus?

Warnings about false teachings and secular thought. Isaiah 29:15-16; Romans 1:18-23;
1Corinthians 2:14; Colossians 2:8