In the last post, I went through a couple of different scientific proofs that God really does exists. As Christians, we have to understand that we have scientific proof for our belief. We actually do have a scientific foundation to back us up and we don't need to back down or shrink away once someone starts talking about science. Instead, we should equip ourselves with the knowledge that is out there in order to engage in these discussions. Most of these scientific proofs are new to me and I am so excited about them. If you didn't read Part 4, you might want to read that one first because this is a continuation....
SECOND SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAT GOD EXISTS: DEVINE DESIGN
The Bible says:
"The heavens are telling of all the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." Psalms 19:1
"For You formed my inwards parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret" Psalms 139:13-15
"For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens. He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited, 'I am the Lord, and there is none else.'" Isaiah 45:18
But what does science say?
Teleological Argument
This term comes from the Greek word, "telos", which means, "design."
This argument goes like this:
All design has a designer.
The Universe has highly complex design.
Therefore, there must be a Great Designer of the Universe.
Isaac Newton said, "This most beautiful system of sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being."
This is the common sense approach. William Paley once said, "Every watch requires a watchmaker." If you were walking down the beach and find a Rolex lying in the sand, what would you think was its cause? Years of wind, rain, erosion, and waves caused it? Natural forces? How much more complex and intricate is the design of this universe, our planet, the human body? The more complex the design, the greater the intelligence required to produce it.
If you look at all of the intertwined, interdependent, and fine-tuned systems
- Universe, planets, sloar system
- Our atmosphere and the Earth
- Biological systems, plants, animals, human body
Maybe it's all perfectly tuned because there is a perfect fine-tuner!
There has never been observed any natural law that can explain this perfect order. Remember the Law of Entropy? Nature causes things to disorder, not to gain order.
Our universe is extremely hostile towards life, yet it is perfectly tweaked to enable us to live on this one little planet. This is called the Anthropic Principle, the universe is fine-tuned (desgned) to support life on earth.
The slightest change in condtitions and we couldn't survive. There are so many examples, here are just a few:
Anthropic Constant 1: Oxygen Level
On earth, oxygen comprises 21 percent of the atmosphere. That precise figure is an Anthropic Constant that makes life on earth possible. If oxygen were 25% fires would erupt sponaneously, if it were 15%, human beings would suffocate.
Anthropic Constant 2: Atmospheric Transparency
If the atmosphere were less tranparent, not enough solar radiation would reach the earth's surface. If it were transparent we would bombarded with far too much solar radiation down here.
Anthropic Constant 3: Moon-Earth Gravitational Interaction
If the interaction were greater than it currently is, tidal effects on the oceans, atmosphere, and rotational period would be too severe. If it were less, orbital changes would cause climatic instabilities. In either event, life on earth would be impossible.
Anthropic Constant 4: Carbon Dioxide Level
If the CO2 level were higher than it is now, a runaway greenhouse effect would develop (we'd all burn up). If the level were lower than it is now, plants would not be able to maintain efficient photosynthesis (we'd all suffocate).
Anthropic Constant 5: Gravity
If the gravitional force were altered by 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000001 percent, our sun would not exist, and therefore neither would we. Talk about precision!
Anthropic Constant 6: Centrifugal Force
If the centrifugal of planetary movements did not precisely balance the gravitational forces, nothing could be around the sun.
Anthropic Constant 10: Jupiter
If Jupiter were not in it's current orbit, the earth would be bombarded with space material. Jupiter's gravitational field acts as a cosmic vacuum cleaner, attracting asteroids and comets that might otherwise strike earth.
Anthropic Constant 11: The Earth's Crust
If the thickness of the earth's crust were greater, too much oxygen would be transferred to the crust to support life. If it were thinner, volcanic and tetonic activity would make life impossible.
The Bible already told us that "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things and in Him all things hold together" Col 1:16-17
So, there is no plausible explanation for the perfect design of our universe other than a perfect designer. Astronaut John Glenn, looking out of the Space Shuttle Discovery said, "To look out at this kind of creation and not believe in God is to me impossible."
ANOTHER PROOF: The DNA Message
Every message has an author... all messages require intelligence. Back in school, we were taught that a "simple" single-cell amoeba came together, then came to life by spontaneous generation (without any intelligent intervention= rocks, gases, dust partials made this little form), in a primordial slime-pond billions of years ago. And that all biological life evolved from that first amoeba without any intelligent cause (Theory of Microevolution). Of course, they still can't explain where the rocks, gases, dust, or slime-pond came from.
But this "simple-cell" theory ran into a huge problem in 1953. James Watson and Francis Crick discovered DNA. To simplify it- DNA is a language that contains a message for building all living things.
So, if every language requires intelligence to design, and every meesage requires an author.... Then Who is the author of the DNA message in our cells? It could not have come from rocks, gases, dust, or a primordial slime pond.
Did you know that the message contained in just one single-cell contains as much information in it's DNA as 1000 complete sets of Encyclopedi Britannica. So if a simple message, "Jesus is Lord," in alphabet cookies requires someone to design it... why would we think a message that is equal to 1000 sets of encyclopedia could come from rocks. To believe that this one-cell creature came into existence by natural laws is like believing 1000 sets of encyclopedias came from an explosion in a print shop.
AND... there are TONS of other proofs. For example, DNA chicken and egg dilemma- what came first, the cell that contains the DNA or the DNA required to make that cell? And where did either one originally come from?
If everything can be explained as coming from matter (i.e. rocks and dust), how do they explain things that are non-material like thought reason, emotion? How much does love weigh? What is the chemical composition of a thought? How could unintelligent matter produce intelligent life?
TO SUM THESE LAST TWO POSTS UP:
Beginning- If the Universe had a beginning (which it had to have somewhere down the line), it HAD to have had an outside cause greater than itself (i.e. God).
Design- if the Universe has a design (check out all the fine balances up there in the Anthropic Constants section) it must have a Designer.
DNA- the message that told fish to have scales, trees to have leaves... didn't write itself. Where did that message come from?
Bottom line, when you look at all the real scientific evidence (not just the snippets people use), it takes WAY more faith to belive there isn't a God.
If you have read all this and you have never really thought about God before. Or you have and you've never really reached a conclusion. Or you believe there's a God, but don't know what you want to do about it, I'd like to share just a few words. These aren't Pastor's Tripp's words, these are mine. This post has the scientific proof that there is a God. And my question to you is what are you going to do with that information? I am going to link it to smoking. Once the world found out that smoking causes cancer, most people stopped. But some people still smoke and everyone thinks, "What the heck? That's going to kill you!" Knowing about God is the same thing (but without the scary, self-inducing cancer part). Once you know the truth, God asks you to make a decision. Unlike cigarettes, you cannot stay away from God and live happily ever after. God created us to worship Him, to love and TO BE LOVED by Him. There isn't a more perfect, faithful, forgiving love on this planet that can even compare to God's. If you have decided there is a God, I would encourage you to move to the next step and decide what you are going to do with that knowledge. What He wants is for you to come to Him... to acknowledge Him in this crazy world. He wants you to believe on His Son that died as a replacement for our sins... and He wants to shower you in His love. The Bible say if you seek Him, you will find Him.
One thing that makes people shy is they don't want to give up their 'life'. If you knew me from age ... oh... 16-22, you would know I was pretty wild. That was honestly my biggest fear when coming to the Lord. I didn't know what I would do with my time if I couldn't hang out and party with my friends. I didn't think I would ever have "fun" again. But I also knew that my life was a wreck. It was a wreck on the outside and I was miserable on the inside. I kept looking for new ways to "create" happiness, but I had a hole inside of me that no earthly thing could fill- I know because I tried most things... better job, better boyfriend :), better house, lost weight, got better clothes and hair... sound familiar to anyone? But the hole I was trying to fill can only be filled by our loving Savior. If this is you... if you are running, if you think the next job, the next guy or girl, the next new car will improve your life, it won't. That desire you have for happiness and PURE JOY can only be found in Jesus. Take the intellectual knowledge you now have and look to God for the fulfillment of your purpose. Your life has meaning beyond acquiring stuff and finding the perfect job, house, mate, car, etc. You were created by God for so much more and He is willing and able to show you a much more excellent way!
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