The following passage is taken from Evolution Exposed: Biology (Chapter 5: The Origin of Life) by Roger Patterson
What would happen if a scientist could develop a living organism by combining chemicals in a lab? It would only prove that intelligent actions could produce life - not that life arose spontaneously billions of years ago. There has never been an instance where information has been shown to arise from matter. Matter can form complex patterns, such as crystals, but there is no information contained in such patterns. In order for life to continue and organisms to replicate, information must be present to pass on to offspring. The ultimate question that evolution must be able to answer is, “How did the information seen in living things arise from matter alone?” When we think of information in biology, we are mainly talking about DNA and RNA. DNA and RNA use information that is present in a code to send and receive messages that are intended to produce proteins and continue the existence of the species. We can define information as follows:
Information: an encoded, symbolically represented message conveying expected action and intended purpose.
One of the pioneering ideas in organic evolution was the “primordial soup.” According to this model, at some point in earth history, the molten earth cooled and oceans formed. As rain fell, chemicals in a hypothetical pool, warmed by the volcanic activity and energized by lightning, organized into amino acids, lipids and carbohydrates. These molecules then organized into cellular structures like proteins, DNA and cell membranes. The problem with this scenario is that chemistry prohibits it. Proteins do not form from piles of amino acids and DNA contains a specific code that must be copied from another strand of DNA. Proteins cannot form in water because the water breaks the bonds that hold the amino acids together - a process called hydrolysis.
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Patterson demonstrates an excellent point. The failure of science to demonstrate how, where, when, or why life was naturally formed makes the acceptance of chemical evolution a matter of faith. Other attempts to explain how life formed are riddled with “maybe” and “possibly.” It requires more faith to believe that the universe and all of the living things on earth came from a big bang than it does to accept that the design we see must have had an Intelligent Designer.
Creationists accept that life appeared on earth as a direct creative act of God. The design and information that we see in all living things is a result of intelligence - not random occurrences. Think about a book...it has information. It has encoded messages that convey an intended purpose. The book doesn't originate from an explosion in the typewriter; it doesn't come about by a random process or generate by itself. It was intentionally written by an intelligent source. When we look at the complexity of our world, I believe we can also reasonably infer that there was an Intelligent Designer responsible for what surrounds us.
Even the most committed evolutionist has to acknowledge and admire the wisdom and ingenuity displayed in such incredible design.
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Even so, intelligent design is not in reference to God necessarily. It could still make sense that the 'Intelligent Designer' of life/existence, has no effect on the afterlife of people or organisms, and as such the bible could still just be the greatest fictional writing of all time.
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree with the idea that something intelligent and powerful out there may have been/was the reason that life/the universe exists today, though motives and understanding of the being could be completely off base.
In general I just prefer to live life as it is given to me, and put my beliefs into the events and direct influences on me, rather than trying to find a higher being.
In a sense, you are right. Intelligent Designer could reference something else besides God. Like aliens. Personally, I think it's a far-fetched theory with no absolute basis to be even considered in the scientific realm. I think the more popular theory is that the Intelligent Designer is God, but there is no definitive term for who God is. Therefore, people give their own interpretations on who they think God is.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I would challenge your statement as the Bible being the greatest fictional writing of all time. If you have time, keep tuning into my posts...I eventually plan on writing about the Bible. Personally, I believe that God does define his character through the Bible and that it is the basis for who God really is (which is why I also believe that there is an afterlife).
PS: I haven't talked to you in a long time...you still playing Starcraft?
Wouldn't Occam's Razor point toward God being the more likely answer? I mean, in my mind, it's much easier and simpler to say an all-powerful God created and designed life rather than aliens or some other theory.
ReplyDeleteThen again, I also think God isn't limited by logic, but that's a whole 'nother ballgame.
Thanks for the post, sir!