February 12 marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin. Articles singing his praises have already been published in most major papers this week. I could cite the articles in the Financial Times, NY Times, or Sun Sentinel as examples. All of them say essentially the same thing, "Darwin was right, and when will the uneducated masses accept it as fact?"
I'm not going to spend my time refuting Darwin's theory of evolution. Frankly, people smarter than me have devoted their lives to searching for truth, and they have done great jobs of pointing to the holes in Darwin's theory (Google people like Michael Behe and Dembenski or watch "Expelled" by Ben Stein to learn more.) What I want to do is remind us of what is at stake.
Evolution, as it is taught and defended in today's media and educational institutions, is not a scientific theory. It is a philosophical theory hiding behind a scientific veil. If it were truly a scientific theory, then dissenting viewpoints would be allowed. Evidence that refutes major points of the theory would be examined and questions would be allowed that question the validity of the theory. Instead, flimsy "evidence" from science is held up and all dissenters are thought of as "ignorant, stupid, or insane (or wicked)" according to Dawkins.
We need to understand that many people hold on to evolution as a "point of faith." In other words, they have accepted the "evidence" they have been presented, and they have filled in the gaps with faith in a theory. Most Christians have filled in those gaps with faith in the Creator. Both are residing in faith.
Why would people want to place their faith in a theory that is tenuous at best? Because this theory allows them to live without giving thought to a judgment for their actions. Faith in a theory allows them to be like Adam and Eve, and to become like God.
As Christians, we must realize that we will not change a person's heart by overwhelming them facts, figures, and logic, though these are important. Knowing the facts, figures, and having the ability to reason with others allows us to demonstrate that we have given thought to our beliefs. Also, it demonstrates that we are paying attention to what is happening in science. Engaging in the science gives us a "seat at the discussion table."
How does change take place? A person encountering the truth of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. I once had a sales training class that said that people change deeply held beliefs through one of two experiences: a near-death experience or a religious conversion. Since I wouldn't recommend the first experience, we must put people in the position to experience God.
We must be about the business of learning what the scientific world is discovering. We must encourage our children to engage in science and math, while at the same time we are pouring Christ into their lives. Our faith should be able to stand up to a hearty examination. Our God is faithful and true, so don't be afraid to depend upon Him to vindicate what is true.
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