The creation versus evolution debate was thrust to the forefront this week with the well-advertised showdown between creationist Ken Ham and the Science Guy, Bill Nye.
Watch the debate here:
I do have few comments:
First, Bill Nye was dressed sharply. He had on an expensive suit and was even writing with an expensive pen. In contrast, Ken Ham’s suit looked ill-fitted and cheap. Some might argue that Christians are not to focus on such things. This is true, but in such a public setting, I think Ham should have bumped it up a notch.
Second, Nye’s primary thesis was that creationism is not science, and those that believe in it cannot be reasonable scientists. The long term effect of creationism, he argued, is the degradation of medicine, technology, and engineering. Creationism, then, will halt any scientific progression.
This is untrue and misleading. There are a great number of prominent, educated scientists who take a Biblical view of the universe. As Ham pointed out, the guy who invented the MRI is a creationist. There are even more proponents of intelligent design.
The difficulty is that those who hold such beliefs are often marginalized and ostracized by the mainstream scientific community. Ben Stein’s Expelled film brought this issue to light.
Third, everything in this debate rises and falls on cosmology. There are only three options:
1. The universe created itself
2. The universe was created
3. The universe has always existed
Most scientists, including Einstein, abandoned the theory of a static universe years ago. The Red Shift proves that the universe is not static. That leaves only two options:
1. The universe created itself
2. The universe was created
Both options are fantastical.
It is strange that those who hold option 2 are seen as anti-intellectual and unscientific, while those who take option 1 are touted as truly objective. Both options appear rather fictional.
Enjoy the debate!
Check out Ben Stein’s brilliant commentary on the marginalization of those who lean toward intelligent design. See affiliate link below: