Catalyst isn’t a program I regularly tune into and probably won’t tune into much more of in the future.
Tonight they looked at the topic of ‘Intelligent Design’ and whether or not this theory could be called ‘science’. The report went for about 10 minutes, and after about 5 or so minutes I was quite impressed at how balanced the program was. That is until a couple of assertions were made and then the bias I was expecting finally reared its head.
There seems to be a general consensus that those who push the idea of Intelligent Design are ‘fundamentalist Christians’ – read ‘small-minded-Christians’. That essentially the ID debate is about science vs religion as opposed to science critiquing itself.
But then I wonder, isn’t the push for evolution really simply a push for the secular religious ideals of the Athiest? And doesn’t this bring with itself it’s own can of worms?
Let’s suppose for an instant that there is only evolution…that there is no intelligent design and hence no Designer. If there is only evolution than we can suppose very quickly that there is no fundamental meaning and purpose to life – since the very nature of evolution is random and meaningless. And if there is no meaning to life then the logical thing to do is simply to eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
I’ve heard this before…
If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Cor 15:32 ESV)
It is an incredibly sad lot to be left with when one takes the position of Evolution and meaninglessness. When I was younger and did reading into this issue I was struck at how candidly some authors spoke about the desire to have meaning apart from God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ…and how futile this desire was. And the more and more I reflect on this thought the more I realise how true it is – that to live a meaningful life apart from God is completely futile. That lifestyle may work for one person, but it can not be a sustainable philosophy to build a society upon.
For the Christian, though, there is meaning:
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecc 12:13-14 ESV)
How good and terrifying it is to know that in the end God will bring His righteous judgement upon the world for its actions. And how good it is to know that we are not merely ‘thinking atoms’ :)
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