This is a question that Larry King asked philosopher Jay Richards of The Discovery Institute and John MacArthur, pastor of Grace Community Church and host of radio program Grace To You recently. It was an interesting debate to watch as Larry King interviewed a panel of people who were both for and against the idea that the universe must have been created by an intelligent force as opposed to random chance. The most interesting part of the debate for me was how the participants managed to avoid the whole subject at hand altogether by side-stepping the issue with non-relevant questions. Even Larry King with his question was avoiding the issue by asking, “Who created the creator?” This is the usual practice of those who want to cloud an issue. It’s called ‘changing the subject.’ Dr. Jay Richards had the most to contribute to this discussion but was typically given the least time to contribute. Unfortunately most of his comments were ones that tried to get the focus of the discussion back to the topic at hand.

This is a debate that seems to be picking up steam especially in the U.S. where President George Bush has recently been quoted as supporting the idea of intelligent design being taught in public schools! Well, as Christians, I don’t think we have a choice as to what side of the issue we can stand on. Without getting into issues like ‘Who created the creator?’ or ‘How old is the earth?’ or ‘Don’t you think God used evolution as part of His creative work?’ author and journalist Lee Strobel did his own investigation into the question of whether or not there is scientific evidence that points to an intelligent designer behind the existence of the universe. The following is from Lee Strobel as he offers us his reasons for writing his book The Case For A Creator.

Building The Case For A Creator

Hi, Im Lee Strobel, author of The Case for a Creator.

As you know, evolution and naturalism are taught in public schools as scientific truth. But, in my book, The Case for a Creator, I reveal the evidence from science that clearly indicates that God is the author of life, the architect of the universe.

I’ve explored six different scientific disciplines and asked some of the worlds top scientists for the latest data. Wherever I looked the latest data points straight toward God as our creator.

Consider the evidence from astronomy …

The Evidence from Astronomy

Everything about the Earth, from its position in the universe to its complex geological and chemical processes work together with perfect efficiency to create a safe place for humans to live.

Astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez and science philosopher Jay Wesley Richards said it would take a star with the highly unusual properties of our sun to nurture living organisms on a circling planet. Numerous factors such as the right mass, the right light, the right distance, the right orbit, and the right galaxy make our solar system and our location in the universe ideal for a habitable environment.

Whats more, the exceptional conditions that make life possible also happen to make our planet ideally-suited for viewing and analyzing the universe. All of this suggests our planet may be rare, if not unique. And that the Creator wanted us to be able to explore the cosmos.

Harvard-educated astrophysicist John OKeefe of NASA, said if the universe had not been made with the most exacting precision, we could never have come into existence. It is his view that these circumstances indicate the universe was created for man to live in.

If you think this evidence from astronomy was compelling, you should hear the proof from biochemistry

The Evidence from Biochemistry

As you know, evolution and naturalism are taught in public schools as scientific truth. But in my book, The Case for a Creator, I reveal the evidence from science that clearly indicates that God is the author of life, the architect of the universe.

I’ve explored six different scientific disciplines and asked some of the worlds top scientists for the latest data. Wherever I looked the latest data points straight toward God as our creator.

Consider the evidence from Biochemistry. Charles Darwin said if it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, his theory would absolutely break down.

Biochemist Michael Behe found just that. Behe has successfully dismantled Darwins theory through his description of irreducibly complex molecular machines.

These complicated, microscopic contraptions, such as cilia and bacterial flagella, are very unlikely to have been built piece-by-piece through Darwinian processes. These contraptions had to be fully present in order to function. Other examples include the incredible system of transporting proteins within cells and the intricate process of blood-clotting.

More than just a devastating challenge to Darwinism, these amazing biological systemswhich far exceed the capacity of human technologypoint toward a transcendent Creator. Behe said his conclusion can be summed up in a single word design. He believes that irreducibly complex systems are strong evidence of a purposeful, intentional design by an intelligent agent.

Behes argument has proven impervious to challenges by skeptics. He has pointed out that they cannot negate the complexity that has already been discovered. Its best explained by a Creator.

If you think this evidence from biochemistry was compelling, you should hear the proof from biology

The Evidence from Biology

Consider the evidence from Biology. The six-feet of DNA coiled inside every one of our bodys one hundred trillion cells contains a four-letter chemical alphabet. This alphabet spells out the precise assembly instructions for all the proteins from which our bodies are made.

Cambridge-educated Stephen Meyer demonstrated that no hypothesis has come close to explaining how this information got into biological matter by naturalistic means.

On the contrary, whenever we find a sequential arrangement thats complex and corresponds to an independent pattern or function, Meyer said this kind of information is always the product of intelligence.

Meyer added that books, computer codes, and DNA all have these two properties. He said we know books and computer codes are designed by intelligence. The presence of this type of information in DNA also implies an intelligent source.

In addition, Meyer stated the Cambrian explosions dazzling array of new life forms would have required the infusion of massive amounts of new biological information. Instead, they appeared fully formed in the fossil record.

Meyer has concluded that, purely from the evidence of genetics and biology, we can infer the existence of a mind thats far greater than our owna conscious, purposeful, rational, intelligent designer whos amazingly creative.

If you think this evidence from biology was compelling, you should hear the evidence of consciousness ..

The Evidence from Consciousness

Consider the evidence of consciousness. Many scientists are concluding that the laws of chemistry and physics cannot explain our experience of consciousness. For example, one researcher showed that consciousness continues after a persons brain has stopped functioning. Therefore, current scientific findings support consciousness, or the soul, as being a separate entity from the brain.

Darwinist philosopher Michael Ruse candidly conceded that no one, certainly not Darwinians, seems to have any answer to the consciousness issue.

Professor J. P. Moreland defined consciousness as our introspection, our sensations, and our thoughts. Its also our emotions, desires, beliefs, and free choices that make us alive and aware.

Moreland added that you cant get something from nothing. Therefore, if the universe began with dead matter having no consciousness, how do you get something totally different from materials that dont have that? But if everything started with the mind of God, he added, we dont have a problem with explaining the origin of our mind.

Here is how Nobel Prize-winning neurophysiologist John Eccles described consciousness from his scientific evidence. He said it is what we might call a supernatural origin of my unique self-conscious mind or my unique selfhood or soul.

If you think the evidence of consciousness was compelling, you should hear the proof from cosmology..

The Evidence from Cosmology

Consider the evidence from cosmology. Thanks to scientific discoveries over the last 50 years, the ancient kalam cosmological argument has taken on a powerful and persuasive new force.

According to William Lane Craig, the argument is simple, yet elegant first, whatever begins to exist has a cause. Even renowned skeptic David Hume didnt deny this first premise. In fact, atheist Quentin Smiths contention that we came from nothing, by nothing, and for nothing seems intuitively absurd.

Second, the universe had a beginning. Based on the data, virtually all cosmologists now agree the universe began with the Big Bang. Craig stressed that even alternate theories for the origin of the universe require a beginning. For instance, Stephen Hawkings use of imaginary numbers merely conceals the beginning point in his own model which Hawking admits is not really a description of reality.

The conclusion inevitably follows that the universe has a cause.

Even once-agnostic astronomer Robert Jastrow conceded the essential elements of Christianity and modern cosmology are the same. He stated that the chain of events leading to man commenced suddenly and sharply, at a definite moment in time in a flash of light and energy.

If you think this evidence from cosmology was compelling, you should hear the proof from physics

The Evidence from Physics

Consider the evidence from physics. Modern science has shown that several laws of physics and physical constants must be set exactly as they are to make life possible. In fact, the cosmological constant, which represents the energy density of space, is as precise as throwing a dart from space and hitting a bulls-eye just a trillionth of a trillionth of an inch in diameter on Earth.

Additionally, physicist-philosopher Robin Collins explains that gravity, for example, is fine-tuned to one part in one hundred million billion billion billion billion billion. Another expert says that more than 30 of these parameters require this kind of exact calibration for life to exist.

Collins demonstrates that chance cannot reasonably explain this perfect alignment. He also dashes the most-discussed alternative that there must be multiple universes and ours is the lucky one pointing out there is zero scientific evidence for this.

This evidence was so powerful that it was instrumental in Patrick Glynn abandoning his atheism beliefs. Glynn stated that todays concrete data points strongly in the direction of the God hypothesis. It is the simplest and most obvious solution to the anthropic puzzle.

As you can see, theres plenty of new scientific evidence that proves the Universe was created by God. This alone is reason to celebrate, but we must continue to build and share this new knowledge! Read The Case for a Creator or visit caseforacreator.com, and prepare yourself and others for vigorous and meaningful discussions about intelligent design.

Posted by David_Upton at 06:28 PM