The heavens declare the glory of God, the dome of the sky spreads the work of his hands. Every day it utters speech, every night it reveals knowledge. Psalm 19 v1

Science and Christian Belief

It is generally perceived that Science has solved the mysteries of the universe and the answers are not in agreement with the Bible.  This threatens the new believer or would-be believer.

Some Christians attempt to embrace popular "Science", by saying that Creation was carried out by Evolution and that the "days" in Genesis were actually periods of millions of years, as proposed by Evolutionists. This position is not credible - Evolution is a direct, Humanist challenge to the God of Creation and His word.

"Christianity has fought, still fights, and will fight science to the desperate end over evolution, because evolution destroys utterly and finally the very reason Jesus' earthly life was supposedly made necessary. Destroy Adam and Eve and the original sin, and in the rubble you will find the sorry remains of the son of god. Take away the meaning of his death. If Jesus was not the redeemer who died for our sins, and this is what evolution means, then Christianity is nothing!
(G. Richard Bozarth, "The Meaning of Evolution," American Atheist, Feb. 1978, pp.19,30

Happily, this gentleman is mistaken, except concerning our need to fight the doctrine of Evolution. The Christion must take heart and understand that the Genesis account is not only plausible, but also fits the observable facts far better than the opinions advanced by evolutionists. Charles Darwin was a theologian - not a scientist. He was a disciple of Charles Lyell who claimed it was his intention to "free the science (Geology) from Moses."

Also, it is not true to say that  scientists  do not believe in God, and neither is it true that Christians and Jews must be ignorant of Science.  (Look up the life of Sir Isaac Newton)   Popular Pseudo-science, as a vehicle for denying God can be seen as coming under condemnation in Romans 1 v 18-23, 

"What is revealed is God's anger against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who in their wickedness keep suppressing the truth; because what is known about God is plain to them, since God has made it plain to them  . . . . "

Read Curt Sewell's book, "God at Ground Zero" to get the testimony of a man of science who started out believing secular science to be the explanation of everything but came to realise that he had been sold a lie and that Creationism (if one must call it that) is the honest scientific approach to the quest for the truth.   Sewell points out that we accept the marvels of modern technology as being the benefits of science, but that science and technology are not synonymous.  The benefits of technology do not prove the speculations of evolutionary science and its quest to provide an explanation for the universe which does not involve a God.  

"And too many Christians have too easily accepted these scientists, "long age of the earth" usually without realising that these are based on purely materialistic assumptions that completely rule out any intervention by a creator God."

If you want a real scientific discussion of all the issues from fossils to radio-carbon dating to the big bang, read this book.

This page examines how science really works, as opposed to how the popular media chooses to present it.  We will  look at the major issues of -  the Theory of Evolution, the age of the Universe, Cosmology ( the Big Bang Theory) and Paleontology, Geology and the Genesis account.  We will also consider the nature and purpose of a scientific theory.

Popular presentation of  "historical" arguments against the Bible are also refutable.   People who have set out to disprove the Bible and the life and resurrection of Jesus have ended up convinced that it is true, and that it is better verified than many widely accepted facts of history.

Evolution

Evolution, or as it should properly be called, the Theory of Evolution, was  proposed by Charles Darwin as a possible explanation of the way all the diverse species came to be.  The purpose and nature of a scientific theory is that it is an idea that scientists will then explore and seek to prove or disprove.  To accept Evolution as fact, as we are taught in the media and in school is to overlook the fact that Evolution has not progressed beyond being a non-proven theory.   

As John Makay, Director of Creation Research, points out You have to choose to see the evidence of fossil records through one set of spectacles or another.  One is belief in Evolution and the other is belief in the Bible.

If you consider opting for Evolution, you need to remember its father was  CHARLES LYELL, who wrote in  June 14 1830  to fellow uniformitarian* and parliamentarian, George Poulett Scrope.

"I am sure you may get into QR (Quarterly Review) what will free the science from Moses, for if treated seriously the (church) party are ready for it......."

Lyell's teachings formed the basis of  Charles Darwin's views.   Darwin, incidentally, was not a scientist but a theologian; although he never showed signs of a faith relationship with God.   Evolution is not a concept born out of Christianity, but a concept invented to exclude Bible belief from Science - hardly a scientific motive or method!    

*  uniformitarian belief is that the rate at which things happen now is the rate at which they have always happened.   This is why Lyell believed that "the present is the key to the past".   However, any catastrophic event, like the eruption of Mount St Helen, will disrupt uniformity of deposition etc profoundly.

If you doubt this or think you know the scientific proof of evolution, check out Dr Hovind's offer of  $250,000 which is still unclaimed since first being offered in 1990.   Click on the picture if you are interested.

The big appeal of a belief in Evolution, now as when it was first proposed, is that it avoids the need for belief in a God who created us and has moral requirements of us.

One recent Teletext News report  stated that,

"Each human carries about 300 gene mutations, affecting their health for the worst, like wonky teeth.  Each baby inherits mutations from its parents, plus 3 new abnormalities its mother and father do not have."

This suggests that, given the timescales suggested by evolutionists, the human species must have deteriorated rather than evolving upwards.

Paleontology

The ages of the layers of the earth are determined by the species of fossils found in them.  This assumes a steady rate of deposition of plant, animal and mineral matter.  Fossils are dated by reference to the layers in which they are found.  (This may be a simplification but it indicates the use of a circular argument.)  These layers are supposed to indicate or substantiate the sequence of evolution.

There are some problems with this steady deposition model.   If this rate has always been slow and steady, large animals or standing trees, such as some found in France, would have rotted away towards the top long before they got covered up and fossilised by the pressure.   The location of large groupings of complete fossils in certain strata suggests instant burial in a catastrophe like the flood in Genesis.   The Genesis model also provides the cause of this catastrophic flood, in the time of Noah.   Genesis 1 v6-10 says,

And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning--the second day. And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.

The water above the expanse (sky) suggests that the earth was originally created enveloped in a canopy of water vapour.  This would have been a greenhouse with temperatures pretty constant all over the globe, explaining warm climate species fossils found towards the poles.   If God caused this canopy to collapse in the time of Noah, plants and animals would have been swept away and buried in mud and silt by the same process that can be observed today, but on a much greater scale.   The climate after this would be similar to what we know today, in which large cold blooded animals could not survive.

Geology

Geology looks at observable rates of erosion, tectonic plate movement etc and, assuming steady uninterrupted rates, calculates a probable age for the earth.

Cosmology and "The Big Bang"

The distance from Earth to galaxies is measured by what is sometimes called the "headlamp method";  the further away they are the dimmer they will be.  Of course, not all galaxies will give out the same amount of light to start with.

By looking at the light spectra of galaxies and observing the Doppler Shift scientists calculate the velocity at which galaxies are moving away from us.  The galaxies appear to be diverging like the fragments of an exploding firework; those farthest away are moving fastest.   Hubble's Law  (Edwin Hubble  1889-1953)  suggests a similar model for the universe, in that it is all diverging from one point.  Assuming that to be true Hubble's Law can be used to calculate when all the galaxies started out from one point, in a "big bang".   That event is calculated to have happened between 10,000,000,000 and 20,000,000,000 years ago.

Bible Time and Science's estimates of the Age of the Universe.

Genesis tells us that God created the universe in six days, and rested on the seventh.  The Jewish calendar is calculated from all the available time information in the Bible records to produce a date for creation of less than 6000 years ago.  ( see also The Jewish Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar ).   There seems little point in trying to reconcile six days or even six thousand years with ten thousand million years.   Most believers in God's word are no match for scientists to be able to pick away at the fabric of their scientific arguments and beat them at their own game.  The important thing to remember is that the two sides are starting from totally different assumptions.

Scientists have assumed that observable trends have always continued at the same rate with no intervention from God.

The believer makes the assumption of the existence of God and his creation of the universe.

 

Physics shows us that the universe consists of ...	Genesis 1 v1 says,
Time	"In the beginning God created
Space	the heavens
Matter	and the earth."

To rephrase Genesis 1 v1, " God created Time (the beginning), Space ( the heavens) and Matter ( the earth ) "

Since Time did not exist before God created it, why should it be a problem that the universe appears to be older than it actually is.   If we can believe in the miracles of Jesus what is difficult about believing that God created a fully formed universe rather than waiting millions of years for it to mature.   Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee.   Plenty of people accept this miracle, but wine can only be produced by fermenting the fruit over a period of time, and since the wine was pronounced to be the best wine it must have been a well matured vintage.   Jesus was able to produce wine with the appearance of age!   The same could also be said for miracles of healing, where body tissue is restored as if it had grown naturally, at normal rates of growth.

Ken Ham broadcasts for Answers in Genesis and his series can often be found on the God channels on Sky Digital satellite TV broadcasts.  He pointed out some fascinating facts to counter the popular pseudo-science assertions about timescales.

It takes thousands of years to deposit layers of earth	The Mount St Helens eruption deposited 30 feet in a matter of hours
The Great Barrier Reef took millions of years to grow from tiny coral creatures	Regrowth after the Crown of Thorns starfish predation indicates the entire reef could have grown in 3,700 years.
Stalagtites are built up over many thousands of years by slow dripping of water through limestone	Mid 20th century man-made structures like lighting fittings in caves with a high rate of water dripping have accumulated stalagtites which should (in popular theory) have taken thousands of years to grow
Oil and diamonds are formed by pressure and heat deep in the earth over millions of years	Oil and diamonds can be produced in the laboratory quite quickly
Likewise opals	It is possible to grow your own opal
The Colorado River must have taken many thousands of years to carve the Grand Canyon more than a mile deep	We are told that a much deeper canyon on Mars was formed by a flood of "Biblical" proportions.  Why is it OK to believe in a biblical flood on Mars but not on Earth?

There is no need to fear that non-believers can confound our faith with science as long as we do not accept their assumptions along with their "facts".

The following web sites are strongly recommended. 

	Answers in Genesis uses scientific reasoning to refute the popularly communicated views that science has disproved the Bible.  Proving that the believer can trust his Bible.  The Genesis account will stand up for itself.   www.answersingenesis.org
	Creation Research exists to seek evidence for the Biblical account of Creation, Noah's Flood, Tower of Babel and related subjects.   They investigate and promote such evidence in order to glorify Christ and build His church.     www.creationresearch.net
	Evidence Web is an offshoot from Creation Research and provides many resources in defence of the word of God against "scientific" arguments. www.evidenceweb.net

If you get the chance to hear John Mackay, of Creation Research, speak, make every effort to be there. He makes the arguments so clear that even children can see the truth of the Bible and the deviousness of popular science.

Global Warming

One Video about Global Warming is very well known and widely believed, whilst another by more credible scientists is rejected out of hand and hardly known about.

"An Inconvenient Truth", fronted by Al Gore is considered to be essential viewing for school and college students, but is fronted by a politician, not a scientist! It should not be shown as education unless a balancing viewpoint is also shown.

"The Great Global Warming Swindle" produced by Channel 4 TV in UK is fronted by ex-green activists and environmental scientists, but you have probably never heard of it. One scientist showed that Al Gore's graphs proving that the graphs of CO2 and Temperature are the same shape, neglected to mention that the temperature graph leads the CO2 graph and not vice versa! Another scientist pointed out the immoral way in which research sponsorship is channeled to scientists following the current political bandwagon. If you can get hold of a copy, view it alongside the "Inconvenient Truth" video, and make up your own mind.

"A Really Inconvenient Truth" by John Mackay is an excellent DVD that neatly sorts out the truth from the politics and spin. This is essential viewing alongside Al Gore's movie. Show this to your children, young people and anyone else who is willing! - - www.creationresearch.net

Global warming is a stablemate of Evolutionary theory and Humanism.

Updated 21/11/07

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