Foxnews.com recently posted an article titled, "Chicken-and-Egg Mystery Finally Cracked." In that article it says, "British scientists believe they have found the answer to an ages-old question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Scientists cracked the puzzle after discovering that the formation of eggs is possible only thanks to a protein found in chicken's ovaries. That means eggs have to be formed in chickens first."
The article then talks in specific about the protein they found (ovocledidin-17, or OC-17), and then continues, "They used a supercomputer to zoom in on the formation of an egg and realized the protein is vital in kick-starting the crystallization process. It works by converting calcium carbonate into the calcite crystals that make up the egg shell. Dr Colin Freeman, from Sheffield University's Department of Engineering Materials, said 'it had long been suspected that the egg came first—but now we have the scientific proof that shows that in fact the chicken came first.' "
Hmmm. Kind of sounds a little like Gen 1:24-25 in which God records Creation and says: And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. [boldface added by me]
If you read my blog with any regularity you know that I hound on the fact that we must be convinced of the truth of God's Word, cover to cover, word to word, idea to idea, promise to promise. I equate the devil's efforts to undermine our confidence in God's Word to splitting wood by hand. If you have a large round and you want to take it apart you don't put the wedge in the strongest, toughest part or the core of the round. You look for the cracks and weak points, put the wedge there, and then split toward the strongest points.
Likewise, the devil is like that. He doesn't care how he gets you to begin to doubt God's Word. Likely it won't be with John 3:16, but rather with Genesis chapters 1 and 2, or with the account of Noah's Ark and the flood, or with a promise of God you don't see manifested in your life. However he gets in ("Did God really say . . ."), it will probably be a weak spot in your faith, and from there he will gradually erode your confidence in God's Word back to God's love or the Gospel itself, and probably at a time you most need to know it is true in your heart.
Genesis 1 and 2 are one of the greatest entry points of doubt for our youth in America. From elementary school on they are taught faulty science in contradiction to it, and they are made to feel like fools for believing in it as they get in to higher education. Once they doubt it, they begin to doubt the rest, and soon they doubt the relevance of God at all in their life—causing an exodus from the church among young people. (For a fascinating and sad look at this read Already Gone by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer.)
One of the saddest parts of this is that there is no reason for it. If you have studied scientific defenses of Genesis, or read my posts about our visit by Dr. Rick Oliver from Confound the Wise Ministries (see links below), you will know that science is only further and further coming to find evidence for God's account of Creation—it's just that they aren't allowed to talk about it. I will never forget a kind man in our area, who is very sharp, once telling me that he found it hard to believe he could have an intelligent conversation with me since I believed in the literal Creation account of Genesis. I understand his comment because the word of the scientific evidence (in all fields of science) confirming Creation is having trouble getting to those not already convinced of Genesis.
But . . . then . . . we get articles about chickens and eggs . . . and for those of us willing to recognize it as such, we see, once again, how true God's Word is, has been, and always will be.
Links to Posts about visits with Dr. Rick Oliver:
A Blessed Time: Part I (May 12, 2010)
A Blessed Time: Part II (May 14, 2010)
Fossils, Fishing, and Faith (May 21, 2009)
Rick and Susan's Ministry: Confound the Wise
According to modern science, the universe spontaneously popped into and being from nothing, and now, based on this new evidence, science is being forced to conclude that chickens did too. ;o) Ugh. Can't we all just admit there's a Creator who loved us enough to send us his Son to offer us freedom from sin and eternal joy with him? Good post.
ReplyDeleteBrad
John8 has written a post on cosmology which proves he has no clue what he's speaking of...
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear someone explaining something that they clearly haven't studied, it makes me doubt everything else they have to say...
How he connects the creation of the universe to Jesus (or how any christian attempts it) just amazes me. It's a giant leap to get from a deity creating a universe from nothing to Jesus.. it makes everything someone says after saying those words suspect...
Hello Twin Daddy. Thanks for visiting. I’d love to know your name if we are going to correspond, but that is not necessary if you aren’t comfortable with it. In order to better understand your comment I need to know what basis or belief you are coming from, but for now I will share my background and direction below to maybe help you understand me a little better. (I'll do this in two comments since there is a size limit to comments.)
ReplyDeleteI have re-read Brad’s post at John8 and I haven’t found anything in it I would disagree with. Of course, in all fairness to you, I am reading it from the perspective of someone who has already spent some years studying arguments for and against the faith. Then, as a new Christian, I embraced Theistic Evolution. Finally, I have come to a place of believing in Creation as described in Genesis 1 and 2, and a young earth. Probably specific disagreements with Brad, or criticisms, should be directed to him since he knows what was in his mind as he wrote, but I am happy and eager to talk with you if you desire sincere discussion about God, Creation, evolution, etc.
I do want to respond to your comment, “How he connects the creation of the universe to Jesus (or how any Christian attempts it) just amazes me. It's a giant leap to get from a deity creating a universe from nothing to Jesus.” Again, I can’t answer for Brad (whom I have only recently “met” over the blog network, but whom I respect and value), but for me I can explain how I get from, “a deity creating a universe from nothing to Jesus.”
I first believe that either evolution, or Creation, are both ultimately believed in faith. I also believe that there is not creditable scientific evidence for changes across species (although there is absolutely evidence for changes within species).
Believing that we approach either view ultimately from a place of faith (each embracing things that can’t be empirically proven), I have had a long journey through being a complete atheist (even mocking and swearing at the God I claimed I didn’t believe in); through concentrating in Philosophy at West Point and exploring a myriad of different ideas; to spending at least two years studying arguments for the Christian faith at scientific, archaeological, theological, etc. levels; to accepting Jesus was who He said He was at a historical level; to asking Him to be Lord of my life but still doubting His Word; to finding Him true and faithful and powerful in my life, and finding more and more and more internal and external evidence in and for the Bible as His true Word.
Subsequently, in addition to reading many books/articles, and viewing many documentaries, I have shared our home with a PhD scientist (Dr. Rick Oliver) who was once a staunch anti-Christian. He has a PhD in Evolutionary Biology with Masters in both Geology and Education. He has shared with me, personally, his journey from an avid anti-Christian atheist to a defender, as a scientist, of the literal Creation account of Genesis.
So, being at that point in my life and walk, it is not a “giant leap” for me to go from some deity who created it to that deity being Jesus Christ, but a small one—because God said how He created it all and I believe Him (remembering, I have already made the long journey of deciding if His Word is true, and He has already shown me that He is true and that His Word is true). Again, I recognize that faith plays a role in that, but after examining a wealth of facts and resources I am convinced that it requires more faith to believe that all this was some accident, or done by some mysterious “God-like” entity, than it does to believe God’s Word who says that all things were created by and for Christ, and that in Christ all things are held together.
Part II:
ReplyDeleteIn a nutshell, and at the risk of rambling, I believe that there is no way all of this was created by accident or without a diving hand. I believe that that “hand” has a name and a face, and it is Jesus. I believe this because, at my point in life, I have found God and His Word (which declares those things) to be true and faithful. I have experienced God first hand in my life, I have seen Him set people free from hopelessness, addiction, physical illness, and wandering. I have seen miracles in my life. I have seen His provision, His power, and His love. I was not an easy convert. I came as an intellectual, proud, high school valedictorian, five AP class, “brain” who went on to be an All-American pistol competitor and Dean’s list at West Point. I responded with anger and venom to the comments that I was a “sinner.” I thought Christianity was a crutch for weak people and people to naive and gullible to think for themselves. And He has changed all of that. It was a long road, and I was a reluctant student, but His love and His truth have changed my life forever. I have taken Him at His Word to taste and see that the Lord is good, and I have found Him faithful and true.
I recognize that in a short comment feature I can, in no way, fully answer your comment probably to your satisfaction, or even address all the possible rebuttals you could raise, but if you would like to talk more I would value it. Again, it would help me to know more about you, what you believe, and where you are at. Until then, may God bless you and thanks, again, for taking the time to send me a comment. I hope that you have, and are having, an absolutely wonderful day and that you are blessed in your home and life.