Christian Apologetics is a consummation of empirical evidence which includes the realms of; science, Biblical manuscripts, philosophy, logic, moral arguments, biology, astronomy, mathematics, paleontology, prophecy, archeology, and history. It is Christian Apologetic which answers to the theory of evolution and scientific hypothesis of the origin of life and of the universe. Apologetics examine the hard evidence of what we do have, as opposed to what is assumed.
Apologetics is not an apology for a belief in God, but rather, as the original Greek says, (apologētikos) it is suitable for defense. It is the branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines and this means evidence for Creation, for Jesus Christ and His resurrection. Importantly, it also includes empirical, quantifiable evidence that the Bible is true, as written.
For example, not only is there missing fossil evidence for man, but we have no transitional fossils for animals, mammals, insects, other organic life forms, and plant life. Three hundred million species and 100 million fossils have been collected and categorized today. The amazing thing is that with these millions upon millions of species and fossils, there is not one single set of transitional fossils that has ever been discovered. Most of the “missing links” turn out to be either hoaxes or extinct species.
Any claims for a lone, single missing link seems ridiculous with the entire chain missing. It may be because you can not find what has never existed. What we do find are plants, already at the flowering stage, appearing suddenly, with no ancestral fossils above or below in the Cambrian period. The same is true with the majority of life forms. Geologically, they appear suddenly and already fully formed with complete body parts, already complete flora, fauna, appendages, etc. Not in a gradual, progressive, evolutionary pattern. Look at evolution’s so-called Tree of Life. Even I can see that a T-rex is not transitional specie that is interrelated to a chicken! Yet they appear on the same branch of evolution’s hypothetical Tree of Life.
I understand that Apologetics and the Biblical account of Creation swims upstream in this secular culture: one with the predisposition in classrooms, on cable, and on the Internet. If you’ve watched the History Channel, National Geographic, PBS, or the Learning Channel (TLC), evolution is presented as a given fact. You’ve seen the cavemen living in the hunting and gathering stage. However, the “facts” manage to do away with the need for conclusive proof, like that of fossil evidence.
The theory of evolution is unable to pass the Scientific Method: On being observable, repeatable, measurable, and falsifiable. If you look closely, the theory of evolution is built upon what has been observed, but not yet proven. It is an educated guess. It’s important to know that theories and scientific laws are quite different. A theory is a hypothesis and much more complex and ambiguous in explanation. It is based upon presuppositions and abstract reasoning.
A scientific law on the one hand can be verified by experimentation and observation and repeatability which can be falsified, whereas a theory explains an entire group of related phenomena. A theory can be proved wrong over time, but a law describes a single action that can be validated as true. [1.] In reality humans can only make a subjective “guess” about how life and the universe came into existence. For example some scientists believe that the universe has always existed (Steady State theory) but this is impossible to prove conclusively.
The Big Bang theory states that the universe began at a singular focal point. Did the universe have a beginning, or has it always existed (as described in the Steady State theory)? If it has always existed, then the law of Cause and Effect can not always be true. I would ask a scientist to name one thing in the entire universe that had no beginning or that was uncaused. And if all things physical logically had a beginning, so also must these same all things have an ending. Matter and life are finite. And cause precedes effect. An uncaused universe defies logic and a created universe demands a cause.
Humans have tried for over one hundred years by experiment to create life. It has never been done. Amino acids come in two forms called right and left-handed because one is a mirror image of the other. Proteins which contain all left-handed amino acids will connect correctly with the surrounding proteins. However, if a right-handed amino acid is included, the shape of the protein is changed and the protein will not work in a living cell. Scientists have not been able to cause amino acids dissolved in water to join together to form proteins. The energy-requiring chemical reactions that join amino acids are reversible and do not occur spontaneously in water.
The conclusion is that since scientists really have no conclusive ideas on how life originally formed, and human attempts at creating life by experiment have failed miserably, time and time again.
The same results have been found for evolutional experiments in trying to “boast” evolution along (see the fruit fly experimental failures) by genetic engineering. The fruit fly did change…but it was something out of a science fiction book. It mutated to where it couldn’t fly and ended up with a cumbersome number of wings, and eventually the fruit flies went sterile.
It is a blessing if we can be in God’s will. It is an even greater blessing if that is what your passion is. For me, it is to reveal Him as existing and as the Creator. Not in an argument or hotly debated issue. Jesus told Peter, and by application, all of us, that the revelation of God and Who Jesus is comes from the Father’s prerogative and that the knowledge of God is impart by God Himself. It is most certainly not by me or sheer argument. No one has ever been argued into heaven that I know of. The results of arguing are usually a steadfast defensive entrenchment of the one party and a prideful attitude from knowledge on the Christian‘s part (I know all too well).
It doesn’t hurt to inform people of the facts. For example, those facts that we do have and those that we do not have (i.e., in theories and hypothesis). About what is known and what is assumed. But doing this informing in a spirit of love, genuineness, and in sincere compassion for the other person. You can believe in evolution and still be saved, but it doesn’t hurt to build up the faith of those who do believe and inform those who don’t believe in an all powerful, loving Creator God who desires that any should perish without redemption through Jesus Christ. It’s not about brow-beating them into submission, but revealing the love that the Father has is so great, that He gave the life of His Son, so that we may live and enjoy Him forever (John 3:16).
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