Just Call Me Satan's Little Helper

Yet another juicy letter to the editor of the Elizabethton Star about Evil-ution. This writer says that I am holding hands "with atheists and the devil."

Not true. I prefer to hold pasta with the Flying Spaghetti Monster:


Here is the letter:

Pastor challenged to publicly defend his stand on evolution

Editor:

I would like to comment concerning an article appearing in the Friday, Feb. 8 edition concerning the "First Presbyterian Church to Celebrate Evolution Weekend." Compromise! That is exactly what you call trying to harmonize the theory of evolution with the truth of God's Holy Word. You cannot have it both ways at the same time. It cannot be evolution and creation at the same time. The theory of evolution denies the existence of God. To try to hold to both is simply to compromise.

First of all, science cannot prove our origin. Mr. John Shuck, "pastor" of the First Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton, referred to the "fact of evolution." To say something is a fact is the same as saying it is a proven scientific law. What is the scientific process that is used to arrive at a law? Let us first set forth some basic definitions. The word science is defined as a "Systematized knowledge derived from observation, study, and experimentation carried on in order to determine the nature or principles of what is being studied" (Webster, emp. added). Mr. Henry Morris wrote, "science thus involves facts which are observed and laws which have been demonstrated" (Morris, Studies in the Bible & Science, 151). Mr. Morris also stated: "Science (the very meaning of which is knowledge) necessarily can deal only with those things which exist at present. The scientific method involves reproducibility, the study of present natural processes. When men attempt to interpret the events of the prehistoric past...they must necessarily leave the domain of true science (whose measurements can be made only in the present) and enter the realm of faith (Morris, 99-100).

Based on these definitions, science cannot explain our origin! True science, however, can and does harmonize with the scientific principles in the Bible. Has any scientist ever "observed," "studied" or "demonstrated" any one thing evolving into another (from one species to another, eg., a fish into another animal)? If we have evolved from some other, lower life form into what we are today, then into what are we evolving? Why have we not yet evolved into that form?

To say this world evolved is to say God does not exist. God has revealed in his inerrant, infallible Word that he created all things that exist in six literal days (not long periods of time). Consider the logical argument of design (also known as the teleological argument), which states: If there is such a design in man, the world or universe, which must ultimately be a result of any infinite designer, then God exists. There is such design in man, the world and the universe which must ultimately be the result of an infinite designer. Therefore, God exists! David said in Psalm 139:14, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..."

When we try to harmonize the truth of God's Word with man's theory (which no one has ever been able to prove scientifically) we engage in compromise to the highest degree! The theory of evolution has never been proven, period. In fact, it cannot be proven scientifically or any other way. Every single shred of evidence we have points to the fact that this world (and all things in it) was created exactly as it is recorded in Genesis chapter one. We must honor the law of rationality, which states: "We ought to justify our conclusions based on adequate evidences." It seems that Mr. Shuck wants to hold hands with atheists and the devil (cf. I Timothy 4: 1-1). I kindly challenge him to stand in public defense of his position, which he has stated publicly in the Feb. 8 edition of the paper. Let the citizens of Elizabethton see both sides and consider the evidence for themselves -- Evolution or Creation?

The readers are encouraged to read such books as "The Collapse of Evolution" by Scott M. Huse; "Evolution and Christian Faith" by Bolton Davidheiser, or "Rock Solid Faith -- Volumes 1 and 2" by Dr. Bert Thompson. Another book of great value in this area is "The Other Side of Evolution" by John Gary Williams. To obtain a free copy of this book, contact the Stoney Creek Church of Christ at 1162 Hwy 91, Elizabethton, TN 37643 or by calling 474-2622.

Tim Canup, minister

Centerview Church of Christ