CCHEA Creation Seminar 01/17/08 CCHEA Creation Seminar 01/17/08 Presented by David A. Prentice, M.Ed., M.A.S.T. Background graphic courtesy of Mike Riddle, Answers in Genesis Contains photos taken by the author at various locations, and other pictures as noted Presented by David A. Prentice, M.Ed., M.A.S.T. Background graphic courtesy of Mike Riddle, Answers in Genesis Contains photos taken by the author at various locations, and other pictures as noted

Nationwide reports indicate that a high percentage of Christian students – some say over 70% -- abandon the Christian faith within their first year of college. The most common reason: they cannot respond to evolutionary claims that contradict their faith, so they conclude Christianity is all a lie! How many Christian youths are “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15)? DOES EVOLUTION MATTER?

HOW DO YOU K NOW WHAT YOU K NOW? HOW DO YOU K NOW WHAT YOU K NOW? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? PART 1: Or at least what you think you know? Or at least what you think you know?

WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK: Evolution is science... Creation is religion.

TIMETIME Evolutionary “Tree” All life came from one simple cell EVOLUTION: Initial Disorganization with later increase in complexity and unlimited diversification. Not just change, but change in the direction of increasing complexity. (From simple to complex.)

2 GENERAL MODELS OF EVOLUTION: Materialistic (Atheistic) Evolution: Everything evolved by purely natural processes. Theistic Evolution: God used evolution as His method of creating (a form of intelligent design). 2 Specific Models About Evolution of Living Things Neo-Darwinism: Evolution occurred slowly and gradually. Many have abandoned this belief because of the fossil evidence. Punctuated Equilibria: Evolution occurred in sudden jumps. The biological evidence against this belief is overwhelming.

CREATION: Initial Complexity with later deterioration and diversification within limits. Not just change, but change in the direction of decreasing complexity. (From complex to simple.) TIMETIME Creationist “Forest” All life came from multiple complex ancestors

VARIATIONS OF CREATION: Recent Rapid Creation (perhaps within the last 10,000 years) Old-Earth Creation (also known as “Progressive Creation” or the “Day-Age” Theory (creation spread out over billions of years -- really a theistic version of Punctuated Equilibria evolution) All are forms of Intelligent Design.

WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK: Evolution is science... Creation is religion.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “KNOW” SOMETHING? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “KNOW” SOMETHING? 1. Personal Experience through the five senses. I know a bee sting hurts; I know how to ride a bike. 1. Personal Experience through the five senses. I know a bee sting hurts; I know how to ride a bike. 2. Reliance on Authority. I know the sun is 93 million miles away; Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. 2. Reliance on Authority. I know the sun is 93 million miles away; Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. 3. Logic. I know 2 million + 2 million = 4 million, even though I’ve never counted that high. I know I have a brain, even though I’ve never seen it. 3. Logic. I know 2 million + 2 = 4 million, even though I’ve never counted that high. I know I have a brain, even though I’ve never seen it. 4. Feeling or Intuition. I know she’s the one for me; I know God has called me to the ministry. 4. Feeling or Intuition. I know she’s the one for me; I know God has called me to the ministry. 5. Wishful Thinking (you really want it to be true) I just know I’m going to win the lottery! 5. Wishful Thinking (you really want it to be true) I just know I’m going to win the lottery! 6. Bluffing (lying) - you try to persuade others for an ulterior motive. You should buy these tickets from me because I know this team is going to the Super Bowl this year; I know evolution is a fact! 6. Bluffing (lying) - you try to persuade others for an ulterior motive. You should buy these tickets from me because I know this team is going to the Super Bowl this year; I know evolution is a fact!

WHAT CAN YOU BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN OF? WHAT CAN YOU BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN OF? If someone tells you “There is no such thing as absolute truth,” ask them: Are you absolutely sure? If someone tells you “There is no such thing as absolute truth,” ask them: Are you absolutely sure? The concept that each observer creates his own reality is not scientific, but religious! It is a fundamental part of Eastern philosophy (e.g., Hinduism), which assumes without proof that there is no personal God who determines truth. The concept that each observer creates his own reality is not scientific, but religious! It is a fundamental part of Eastern philosophy (e.g., Hinduism), which assumes without proof that there is no personal God who determines truth.

HOW CAN YOU BE SURE YOU REALLY EXIST? HOW CAN YOU BE SURE YOU REALLY EXIST? (Could you be living in “The Matrix”?) (Could you be living in “The Matrix”?) Descartes: “I think, therefore I am.” Descartes: “I think, therefore I am.” If you didn’t exist, there would be no one to ask the question! Did you make yourself? Did you make yourself? Either (1) you have always existed, or (2) you made yourself and forgot about it, or (3) something out- side yourself -- your concept of God -- made you. Do you think God would take the trouble to make you and then completely deceive you about reality? Do you think God would take the trouble to make you and then completely deceive you about reality? If not, maybe your senses are at least partially reliable. There really is a universe out there!

Though Hinduism says the universe is not really real, Hindus still look both ways before they cross the street. They know that bus is really real! Though Hinduism says the universe is not really real, Hindus still look both ways before they cross the street. They know that bus is really real!

WHERE DID SCIENCE COME FROM? WHERE DID SCIENCE COME FROM? Eastern Religions Eastern Religions 1. The physical universe is a deception. 1. The physical universe is a deception. RESULT: There is no point in studying nature. RESULT: There is no point in studying nature. 2. There is no such thing as objective reality. 2. There is no such thing as objective reality. 3. Because of this, it is not possible to accu- rately measure the uni- verse or know things about it with certainty. 3. Because of this, it is not possible to accu- rately measure the uni- verse or know things about it with certainty. Western Religions Western Religions RESULT: The Scientific Method. RESULT: The Scientific Method. 1. The physical universe is real. 1. The physical universe is real. 2. There is such a thing as objective reality. 2. There is such a thing as objective reality. 3. It is possible to accu- rately measure the uni- verse and know things about it with varying degrees of certainty. 3. It is possible to accu- rately measure the uni- verse and know things about it with varying degrees of certainty. Science owes its very existence to Western religious belief. Science owes its very existence to Western religious belief.

1. Personal Experience through the five senses. I know a bee sting hurts; I know how to ride a bike. 1. Personal Experience through the five senses. I know a bee sting hurts; I know how to ride a bike. 2. Reliance on Authority. I know the sun is 93 million miles away; Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. 2. Reliance on Authority. I know the sun is 93 million miles away; Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. 3. Logic. I know 2 million + 2 million = 4 million, even though I’ve never counted that high. I know I have a brain, even though I’ve never seen it. 3. Logic. I know 2 million + 2 million = 4 million, even though I’ve never counted that high. I know I have a brain, even though I’ve never seen it. 4. Feeling or Intuition. I know she’s the one for me; I know God has called me to the ministry. 4. Feeling or Intuition. I know she’s the one for me; I know God has called me to the ministry. 5. Wishful Thinking (you really want it to be true) I just know I’m going to win the lottery! 5. Wishful Thinking (you really want it to be true) I just know I’m going to win the lottery! 6. Bluffing (lying) - you try to persuade others for an ulterior motive. You should buy these tickets from me because I know this team is going to the Super Bowl this year; I know evolution is a fact! 6. Bluffing (lying) - you try to persuade others for an ulterior motive. You should buy these tickets from me because I know this team is going to the Super Bowl this year; I know evolution is a fact! WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “KNOW” SOMETHING?

REASONS TO BELIEVE OTHERS WHO TRY TO PERSUADE US OF WHAT THEY “KNOW” REASONS TO BELIEVE OTHERS WHO TRY TO PERSUADE US OF WHAT THEY “KNOW” IS IT BECAUSE: IS IT BECAUSE: (1) They claim to have personal experience, OR (2) They appeal to an authority we trust, OR (3) We have checked out their logic and found it trustworthy? OR are we willing to trust their (4) intuition, (5) wishful thinking, or (6) bluffing? OR are we willing to trust their (4) intuition, (5) wishful thinking, or (6) bluffing?

HOW CAN YOU BE ABSOLUTELY SURE ABOUT ANYTHING? HOW CAN YOU BE ABSOLUTELY SURE ABOUT ANYTHING? 1. While your senses may be somewhat re- liable, there is always some uncertainty. The only way to reach absolute certainty would be if you had an absolutely reliable authority to tell you what’s really true. 2. Logic can lead to incorrect conclusions. 3. Your intuition can be wrong. If God hasn’t spoken, you can’t know ANYTHING for sure!

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD 1. Define the problem. What do you want to know? (E.g. “Does music affect how plants grow?”) 2. Gather information about the subject. (AUTHORITY) 3. Formulate a hypothesis. 4. Devise a way to test the hypothesis. 5. Observe the results of the test. (EXPERIENCE) 6. Draw a conclusion (INDUCTIVE LOGIC) and report your results so others can repeat the test.

Present + Repeatable + Observable = SCIENCE Past + Non-Repeatable + Eyewitness Account = HISTORY Past + Non-Repeatable + No Eyewitnesses = BELIEF

ARE THERE LIMITS TO SCIENCE? Imagine a scientist who decides to learn what’s in the ocean. He makes a net 100 feet in diameter, with holes 2 inches across. He attaches the net to a 1 mile long rope, then repeatedly drops it into the deep ocean from a ship. Imagine a scientist who decides to learn what’s in the ocean. He makes a net 100 feet in diameter, with holes 2 inches across. He attaches the net to a 1 mile long rope, then repeatedly drops it into the deep ocean from a ship. His conclusion: EVERYTHING IN THE OCEAN IS AT LAST 2 INCHES LONG AND HAS FINS. (If my net can’t catch it, it doesn’t exist.) His conclusion: EVERYTHING IN THE OCEAN IS AT LAST 2 INCHES LONG AND HAS FINS. (If my net can’t catch it, it doesn’t exist.) His critics say, “You may be fishing in the wrong place, with the wrong net. There may be things in the ocean you can’t catch that way.” His critics say, “You may be fishing in the wrong place, with the wrong net. There may be things in the ocean you can’t catch that way.” His reply: “You’re being unscientific. All the scientific observation shows that I’m right.” Their response: “You’re placing all your faith in your net and your choice of location.” His reply: “You’re being unscientific. All the scientific observation shows that I’m right.” Their response: “You’re placing all your faith in your net and your choice of location.” He cannot prove that he is right (a universal negative), but the ctritics only need to produce one specimen to show that he is wrong. He cannot prove that he is right (a universal negative), but the ctritics only need to produce one specimen to show that he is wrong.

WHO? W H O ? WHAT? W H A T ? WHAT NOT? W H A T N O T ? HOW? H O W ? GOD? G O D ? HOW TO TELL SCIENCE FROM STORYTELLING HOW TO TELL SCIENCE FROM STORYTELLING 1. WHO said they saw it? Can I trust them? 1. WHO said they saw it? Can I trust them? 2. WHAT did they actually see? 2. WHAT did they actually see? 3. WHAT are they NOT telling me? 3. WHAT are they NOT telling me? 4. HOW could I test this to see if it’s true? 4. HOW could I test this to see if it’s true? 5. What does GOD have to say about it? 5. What does GOD have to say about it? HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?

THE PREHISTORIC PAST: THE PREHISTORIC PAST: 1. No living person has personal experience. 2. There are no eyewitness accounts except the Bible, which is unacceptable to skeptics. SO HOW DO WE “KNOW” ABOUT THE BEGINNING? Through LOGIC ONLY. SO HOW DO WE “KNOW” ABOUT THE BEGINNING? Through LOGIC ONLY.

THE TWO TYPES OF LOGIC 1. INDUCTIVE. 1. INDUCTIVE. 2. DEDUCTIVE. 2. DEDUCTIVE. Look at many phenomena and try to discover a pattern that points to a general principle. Inductive logic tries to determine the most reasonable (most likely) conclusion. This is the heart of the scientific method. Start with general principles accepted as true and apply them to specific cases. Deductive logic tries to establish absolute truth, i.e., the conclusion MUST be true.

CONTRASTING LOGIC The conclusions of inductive logic result from examination of observable phenomena (a posteriori). They are testable. The premises of deductive logic may come from inductive conclusions, or they may just be statements accepted as self-evident (a priori). They are not necessarily the result of testing.

Both sides look at the same evi- dence… Both sides look at the same evi- dence… - We just start with different premises to interpret it. - We just start with different premises to interpret it.

EVEN WITH CORRECT LOGIC, FALSE PREMISES CAN LEAD TO FALSE CONCLUSIONS. All dogs bark. (Or, “If an animal is a dog, then it barks.”) Fido is a dog. Therefore, Fido barks. Not if Fido is a Basenji! Basenjis do not bark. If any one of our premises is wrong, then our conclusion is unreliable.

EXAMPLES OF INCORRECT CONCLUSIONS BASED ON FALSE PREMISES EXAMPLES OF INCORRECT CONCLUSIONS BASED ON FALSE PREMISES “Scientific” ideas of Aristotle TAUGHT AS FACT in European Universities for 2000 YEARS: “Scientific” ideas of Aristotle TAUGHT AS FACT in European Universities for 2000 YEARS: 1. The earth is the center of the solar system. Falsified by Copernicus. 2. Heavier objects fall faster. Falsified by Galileo. 3. All objects possess an innate tendency to come to rest. Falsified by Newton. 4. Fixity of species. Falsified first by Darwin. (Let’s give credit where it’s due!)

BASIC PREMISES OF EVOLUTION AND CREATION 1. Everything must be explainable by purely natural processes. a. Atheistic evolution: There is no God. b. Theistic evolution: There is a God, but he does not intervene in nature. Known as either NATURALISM, MATERIALISM, OR ATHEISM. 1. A supernatural intelligence created the universe. Though most things are explainable by natural processes, some things may not be. This is as far as Intelligent Design goes; Creation specifies that the intelligence is God. LIKE THE POSTULATES OF GEOMETRY, NEITHER SET OF PREMISES CAN BE PROVEN. THEY MUST BE ACCEPTED BY FAITH AS SELF-EVIDENT. CREATION: EVOLUTION:

WHAT IF THERE IS EVEN ONE THING IN NATURE THAT REQUIRES GOD? “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.” Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.” Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species

BASIC PREMISES OF EVOLUTION AND CREATION 1. A supernatural intelligence created the universe. Though most things are explainable by natural processes, some things may not be. LIKE THE POSTULATES OF GEOMETRY, NEITHER SET OF PREMISES CAN BE PROVEN. THEY MUST BE ACCEPTED BY FAITH AS SELF-EVIDENT. 2. Since there could be no other natural processes besides evolution, evolution is the only possibility. 2. God is powerful enough to use any method he chooses, including instantaneous creation. 1. Everything must be explainable by purely natural processes. a. Atheistic evolution: There is no God. b. Theistic evolution: There is a God, but he does not intervene in nature. CREATION: EVOLUTION:

MATERIALISM: NO GOD ALLOWED! "We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism. “It is not that the methods and institutions of science some- how compel us to accept a material explanation of the phe- nomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counterintuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is an absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door.” Richard Lewontin, Billions and billions of demons, The New York Review, p. 31, 9 January 1997

NO POSSIBILITY BUT EVOLUTION! In other words, “Our minds are made up. Don’t try to confuse us with the facts.” In other words, “Our minds are made up. Don’t try to confuse us with the facts.” “Biologists must constantly keep in mind that what they see was not designed, but rather evolved.” "What Mad Pursuit: A Personal View of Scientific Discovery," by Francis Crick (Nobel Prize winner for co-discovery of the structure of DNA)

BASIC PREMISES OF EVOLUTION AND CREATION LIKE THE POSTULATES OF GEOMETRY, NEITHER SET OF PREMISES CAN BE PROVEN. THEY MUST BE ACCEPTED BY FAITH AS SELF-EVIDENT. 2. Since there could be no other natural processes besides evolution, evolution is the only possibility. 2. God is powerful enough to use any method he chooses, including instantaneous creation. 3. Since evolution has never been seen in human history, it must be very slow. The universe and earth have to be billions of years old. 3. Creation does not automatically require a specific age. a. Recent Creation: The earth is prob- ably less than 10,000 years old. b. Gap Theory & Progressive Creation: Because evolutionists must know what they are talking about, the earth has to be billions of years old. 1. Everything must be explainable by purely natural processes. a. Atheistic evolution: There is no God. b. Theistic evolution: There is a God, but he does not intervene in nature. 1. A supernatural intelligence created the universe. Though most things are explainable by natual processes, some things may not be. CREATION: EVOLUTION:

BASIC PREMISES OF EVOLUTION AND CREATION LIKE THE POSTULATES OF GEOMETRY, NEITHER SET OF PREMISES CAN BE PROVEN. THEY MUST BE ACCEPTED BY FAITH AS SELF-EVIDENT. 4. Because a worldwide flood would cut billions of years off the time needed to produce the fossil record, there can never have been a worldwide flood. 4. The Flood. a. Recent Creation: One worldwide flood. b. Gap Theory: Two worldwide floods. c. Progressive Creation: No worldwide flood. CREATION: EVOLUTION:

THE FOUNDATION OF EVOLUTION: Uniformitarianism. THE FOUNDATION OF EVOLUTION: Uniformitarianism. The Bible warns us: First of all you must understand this, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own passions and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation. They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago, and an earth formed out of water and by means of water, through which the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. (2 Peter 3:3-7 RSV) This is the UNPROVABLE geological statement of FAITH that everything happens by slow, gradual, uniform processes. (“The present is the key to the past.”) There can never have been a worldwide flood. This is the UNPROVABLE geological statement of FAITH that everything happens by slow, gradual, uniform processes. (“The present is the key to the past.”) There can never have been a worldwide flood.

BASIC PREMISES OF EVOLUTION AND CREATION LIKE THE POSTULATES OF GEOMETRY, NEITHER SET OF PREMISES CAN BE PROVEN. THEY MUST BE ACCEPTED BY FAITH AS SELF-EVIDENT. 4. Because a worldwide flood would cut billions of years off the time needed to produce the fossil record, there can never have been a worldwide flood. 4. The Flood. a. Recent Creation: One worldwide flood. b. Gap Theory: Two worldwide floods. c. Progressive Creation: No worldwide flood. CREATION: EVOLUTION: 5. Similarities between living things are due to common ancestry or chance. 5. Similarities between living things belonging to different kinds are due to common design.

DO SIMILARITIES SHOW COMMON ANCESTRY? DO SIMILARITIES SHOW COMMON ANCESTRY?

BASIC PREMISES OF EVOLUTION AND CREATION LIKE THE POSTULATES OF GEOMETRY, NEITHER SET OF PREMISES CAN BE PROVEN. THEY MUST BE ACCEPTED BY FAITH AS SELF-EVIDENT. 4. Because a worldwide flood would cut billions of years off the time needed to produce the fossil record, there can never have been a worldwide flood. 4. The Flood. a. Recent Creation: One worldwide flood. b. Gap Theory: Two worldwide floods. c. Progressive Creation: No worldwide flood. CREATION: EVOLUTION: 5. Similarities between living things are due to common ancestry or chance. 5. Similarities between living things belonging to different kinds are due to common design. 6. Scientists are the final authority in everything. Which scientists? The ones that agree with you! (At least until they change their minds next week.) 6. Authority. a. Recent Creation: The Bible is the final authority in everything. b. Gap Theory: The Bible is the final authority on most things, except the age of the earth and the origin of death. c. Progressive Creation: The Bible is the final authority only on some spiritual matters.

WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK: Evolution is science... Creation is religion.

CONCLUSION Despite what most people think, evolution and creation are both logical systems based on unprovable assumptions. Teaching made-up stories that depend on the absence of intelligent design is no more scientific, or less religious, than teaching alternatives that depend on the presence of intelligent design. Despite what most people think, evolution and creation are both logical systems based on unprovable assumptions. Teaching made-up stories that depend on the absence of intelligent design is no more scientific, or less religious, than teaching alternatives that depend on the presence of intelligent design.

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