Page 84 - Quick Grasp of Faith 3

are separated from one another in a system similar to the
valvular muscular system of human heart. When the beetle
senses danger, it contracts the muscles in the storage chamber
and simultaneously relaxes the connection muscles separating
this chamber from the explosion chamber. This causes the
valve in between to open, which allows the secreted chemical
mixture to enter the explosion chamber and mix with the cata-
lyst enzymes that will trigger the explosion. At that very mo-
ment, the valve of the explosion chamber shuts off. Hydrogen
peroxide decomposes into water and oxygen and, interacting
with hydroquinone, the oxygen produces more water and
quinone, an irritating chemical. This interaction engenders a
blistering heat and, when the chemical substance reaches the
boiling point, the mixture is squirted with pressure through a
special channel in the beetle’s hind section. Thus the beetle
scalds its enemy with quinone, a poisonous chemical sub-
stance.
This chain reaction, which takes place within the beetle’s
body, occurs in the blink of an eye. It has to operate perfectly,
for any fault in the system would cause the beetle to die, either
by its enemy or by exploding. Briefly, in order for this defense
system to operate, all parts of the system must exist simultane-
ously and be complete. To put it in another way, it must have
been created.

86. Is a living thing’s ability to treat its own
diseases, as the evolutionists argue, a trait

developed by chance?
Let’s consider the following example. When a bezoar
goat is bitten by a snake, it eats a plant of the genus euphor-
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