Page 137 - Advanced Apologetics and World Views Revised

attributed to mutations, gene flow and drift, and natural selection, which are examples of observational
science and can be shown to occur. However, the other aspect of evolution is the belief that all animals
descended from one original ancestor. Evolutionists sometimes claim this “fact” is established in the
fossil record, homology (similar structures), and genetic evidence. However, any evidence involving
historical science (one-time events that cannot be retested) is subject to interpretational bias on the
part of the scientist.

Mutations and genetic drift are often cited as the source of heritable traits from one generation to the
next. While mutations do cause changes in the genome and genetic drift changes the frequency of those
traits, neither process is capable of changing one kind of animal into another. More often, mutations
have either no noticeable impact or cause degeneration 99.9% of all mutations result in degradation of
systemic functions.
When evolutionary scientists claim that evolution is a fact, they are relying upon a fallacy known as “bait
and switch” (define a term one way but use it in a completely different way later). Often the claim is
that since one can observe natural selection, then descent from a common ancestor must also be true.
However, this presupposes that the current processes we observe could cause the origin of completely
novel structures (e.g., giving rise to lungs or complex brains). Such a claim is contrary to information
theory and the laws of nature.

The four basic tenets of Evolution are these:

1. Life spontaneously came into being by rote change. There is NO GOD who directed this process.

2. All life forms came from a common ancestor and therefore all life forms are related.

3. Changes within the genetic information have occurred over time by way of mutations or genetic drift
and these changes are passed to the progeny (offspring).

4. Through the process of natural selection, a change that gives a creature a differential advantage over
it competitors for food and survival will be advanced. That change will make that creature more fitted
for survival (survival of the fittest). Over billions of years, millions of changes are multiplied to produce
all life forms today.

A person who is a creationist believes the Genesis account regarding how the world came into being. A
creationist believes that God created the universe in six days and that all that exists today was created
potentially in every living creature. So basically, a Creationist believes in an alternate mechanism of the
beginning of life as an evolutionist. The evolutionist believes in constant CHANGE. The Creationist
believes in a Designer. Both require faith. Both are a religious viewpoint, and both are OUTSIDE the
realm of science.

Science is defined as “the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and
theoretical explanation of phenomena.” xciii Science is a method that mankind can use to gain a greater
understanding of the natural universe. It is a search for knowledge through observation. Advances in
science demonstrate the reach of human logic and imagination. However, a Christian’s belief in science
should never be like our belief in God. A Christian can have faith in God and respect for science, as long
as we remember which is perfect and which is not.

136