“Science” Takes on Creationism

Perhaps you saw the headline popping up on various world news outlets this weekend about Leeds University’s plans to include mandatory anti-Creationism seminars for students reading biological sciences. Well, there’s of course a lot of noise about it from people. Very unhappy people. Only the fuss isn’t erupting from the Christian quarters as one might think: No, the people up in arms this time are those all-too-prevalent denizens of Academe who consider the idea of an intelligent designer to be so contrary to scientific principles that they won’t even stand for it to be discussed or even soundly trounced in a one-sided debate for the entertainment of impressionable young minds. To them, the mere suggestion that perhaps science is interpretting evidence the wrong way on a few issues is such a threat, that they can’t even afford to give it the time it would take them to laugh it down in a formal educational setting. Someone potty might misunderstand and actually pick up a book on it, perhaps?

So instead of a more accurate headline like: “U.K. University Reveals Blatant Intolerance for Discussion of Long-Held Religious Views,” or “NEWS FLASH GOD! 150 Years of Digging in the Dirt Says You Never Existed,” we are fed things like, “Scientists Worldwide Unify Against Creationism,” and “Survival of the Fittest Origin Theory Plays out at Uni.”

Aaaah, but it’s not just in the halls of higher learning that Creationism is being attacked with no option for Christian defense: it’s daily in our schools, and it appears to be on the way toward legislation worldwide. Read for yourself these opening lines from an article in the June 22nd edition of the U.K.’s Independent Online:

“The world’s scientific community united yesterday to launch one of the strongest attacks yet on creationism, warning that the origins of life were being
“concealed, denied or confused”.

The national science academies of 67 countries warned parents and teachers to ensure that they did not undermine the teaching of evolution or allow children
to be taught that the world was created in six days.”

Read that again, will you? Is that supposed to be a threat? Of course it is! They’re telling parents of all faiths what they can and cannot teach their children regarding the origin of the universe (an event which none of us were around to observe in the first place!!). Wow. And this is all of SCIENCE coming against us full-tilt?! Do you feel threatened yet?

“The aim of all investigations of the external world should be to discover the rational order and harmony which has been imposed upon it by God and which
He revealed to us in the language of mathematics.” – Morris Kline, Mathematics: The Loss of Certainty (New York: Oxford University Press, 1980), p. 31.

“This most beautiful system of sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being. This Being
governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all, and on account of His dominion He is wont to be called Lord God, Universal Ruler.” – Sir Isaac Newton (physicist and mathematician): Mathematica Principia, 1686.

“the phenomena of nature, whether mechanical, chemical, or vital, consist almost entirely in a continual conversion . . . into one another. Thus it is that
order is maintained in the universe- nothing is deranged, nothing ever lost, but the entire machinery, complicated as it is, works smoothly and harmoniously
. . . the whole being governed by the sovereign will of God.” – James Joule (physicist)

“Certainty! Joy! Peace!
I forget the world and everything but God! . . .
I submit myself absolutely to Jesus Christ my Redeemer” – Blaise Pascal (mathematician)

“The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator.” – Louis Pasteur (microbiologist)

“I believe, with the Westminster Divines and their predecessors ad Infinitum, that ‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him for ever’” – James Clerk Maxwell (physicist)

“When with bold telescopes I survey the old and newly discovered stars and planets Y when with excellent microscopes I discern Y the inimitable subtlety
of nature’s curious workmanship; and when, in a word, by the help of anatomical knives, and the light of chemical furnaces, I study the book of nature
Y I find myself oftentimes reduced to exclaim with the Psalmist, How manifold are Thy works, O Lord! in wisdom hast Thou made them all!” – Robert Boyle (Chemist, physicist, etc.)

“In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God’s existence.” – Sir Isaac Newton: (Quoted in Des MacHale, Wisdom [London, 2002].)

“Jesus Christ is end of all, and the centre to which all tends. Whoever knows Him knows the reason of everything.” – Blaise Pascal

“I give you thanks, Creator and God, that you have given me this joy in thy creation, and I rejoice in the works of your hands. See I have now completed
the work to which I was called. In it I have used all the talents you have lent to my spirit.” – Johannes Kepler (astronomer)

Humor on Doctrine

I had to laugh when Shanti wrote this, about Christians being on the same page doctrinally, because my friend, Bob (who has a smashing new doctrine blog>, had just told me a good doctrine joke over coffee.

Seems Wesley, Luther, and Calvin all made it to heaven’s waiting room. There’s St. Peter at his desk, shuffling papers and making sure everything is in order.

“Looks like you’re all cleared,” said Pete. “You’ve been expected of course, so there shouldn’t be any trouble. Just a minute now and Jesus will call you in one at a time just to ask you a few final questions.”

“Questions,” Luther said. He had the weary look of a man already asked enough questions during his lifetime.

“Nothing to worry about. Just a brief review of your systematic theology, and a brief doctrinal questionnaire. You could do it in your sleep. … Probably have been, come to think of it.”

The three men relaxed.

Wesley was called first. He returned 10 minutes later, but all was not well. He was shaking and mumbling, “I can’t believe it. So much. There’s so much … I just can’t believe it.”

Hey, wrong door, John. Those are the stairs down. Where are you going?”

“Down. I have to go back down for now. I didn’t study enough. There’s just so much doctrine … I can’t believe all the stuff I didn’t know … “

So Calvin and Luther were left to look at each other. How could that be? We know he’s a little off, but, how could he miss a few simple questions?

Luther was next. This one took a little longer.

“Martin! Brother! Not you too … “

Luther was headed for the door to the stairs. He was clearly in a haze. “Just a few questions. I only missed a few questions … How could I have missed any?”

By now, Calvin had begun to sweat. What was this about? Trying to appear calm, he closed his eyes and did a few systematic run-throughs. Theology. Anthropology. Hamartiology. Christology. Soteriology. He defended infant baptism. He did a few side-by-side translation comparisons with the original Greek.

He was just considering adding another pedal to TULIP (because he could and because he seemed to have all this spare time), when the door opened.

“Mr. John Calvin? … “

Calvin’s interview took a very, very long time.

Finally, the door opened.

Jesus stumbled out, and headed for the stairs.

“There’s just so much. I can’t believe how much I didn’t know … “

– Goodness. LOL!