THE Final Word on Evolution and the Big Bang
That's it, I've had it. It's time for the arguments to end. I know the truth, so now everybody listen to me and put this petty bickering aside for once and for all.Just in case you missed it earlier, I was just explaining how I had no intention what-so-ever of putting this debate to rest. In fact, I haven't reached a conclusion on the topic myself. I did, however, come to an interesting realization last night as I was reading about stellar evolution in my Astronomy textbook. I realized that if I get to heaven and God tells me that that, in fact, He did create the universe instantaneously and evolution never happened, I'm going to be quite disappointed. (...and let's not get into the theological issues of disappointment in heaven. That's not the point!) At this stage in my life and learning, I am much more impressed with God's 'creative abilities' if He designed the universe in such a way that it all started off with a 'big bang' and worked it's way from there.
I have to admit, I'm a bit of a technology junky. The more complex my most recently acquired gadget is, the happier I am (so long as it works and I'm not stuck trying to figure out how to use it :) ). So, perhaps I am a bit biased towards the evolution side (OK, I am decidedly biased, that's what this whole post is about) because I like the idea of the universe being this incredibly huge, incredibly intricate, complicated machine that works like a charm and is so slick, people have one heck of a time figuring out whether it's a machine or not.
Face it people, the universe is the best thing since sliced bread.
I think both Christians and people are drawing one great big, giant, steaming false conclusion in this whole debate. They somehow seem to conclude that evolution excludes God. (I would have pointed out here that evolution is statistically impossible and therefore requires God's supernatural intervention. However, I reached the conclusion just a few moments earlier that evolution is only statistically impossible because we don't know enough to conclude otherwise.) You may have guessed it, I disagree.
Here I am right now, marveling at God as the creator of evolution, this amazing machine that "shouldn't" work, but has been designed so well, that it does. I share the creationist's awe at God's handiwork, but this awe just doubled because now I'm also in awe at this incredible gadget He designed to make it. He didn't just build the kitchen table, He built the tools He used to craft it with. He didn't just build the tools, He gathered the raw materials to make them out of. He didn't just gather the raw materials, He constructed each one from it's smallest components... which He, Himself brought into being.
God generally works through the natural, not the supernatural (just think about how He works in the day to day activities of your life). It is only congruent behaviour for God to have brought this world and (to make it ever so much more personal) you into being through natural activity. When pondering the apparent age of the earth and universe, I also don't think it is congruent with God's nature to create something that appears to be something that it is not. This universe looks 13.6 billion years old. Yes, it is definitely well within God's power to make it look that old without it actually being that old, but the question isn't could He, but would He!?
K... so what triggered this rant? I was reading about stellar nurseries and a star's life cycle. Did you know, that the universe is composed of approximately 74% hydrogen, 25% helium, and 1% "metals"? ("metals" is an astronomy term for "everything other than hydrogen and helium") What do stars do? Throughout their entire life, they are converting hydrogen into helium and metals. The star shines through the process of hydrogen to helium nuclear fusion. Through different processes in different parts of the stars, other heavier materials are combined into being. Then, when a star cools and dies, and say, goes supernova, it seeds space with these heavier materials which are the building blocks of (NO, don't look in the mirror now!).... OK, you guessed it! If you follow evolutionary thinking, I really am one stellar guy (and I'm going to go to my grave believing it!).
posted by Lauren @ Tuesday, November 08, 2005
1 Comments:
LOL... very good to have you back, man.
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