Unbelievable?
Are Christianity and science at odds?
Is there really evidence for God?

Rick Hadley

Some Terms...

• science - knowledge
• religion - a set of beliefs
• faith - belief in something
• morality - principles for telling right from wrong
• God of the Gaps - if origin unclear or explanation incomplete, then “God” explains it
• (a form of reasoning that attempts to explain phenomena that science hasn't yet explained by attributing them to divine intervention)

A Few Kinds of Arguments against the God of the Bible

• Biblical Errancy - the Bible disagrees with itself (or makes questionable claims)
• Bible vs. Science - the Bible disagrees with observable facts
• Morality - God contradicts His own moral code
• Christians’ Behavior - Like, eww…

Bible Errancy

• The Bible claims to be the inspired words of a flawless being.
• If the Bible can’t even agree with its own assertions, it’s a failed enterprise.
• Two examples of commonly-used errancy arguments coming right up!

Biblical Errancy

• Jesus restores a demon-possessed man
• Matthew 18:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39
• Two potential issues:
• How many demon-possessed men?
• Where’d it happen?

Bible Errancy

• How many demon-possessed men?
• Matthew = 2 demon-possessed men cured
• Mark and Luke = 1 demon-possessed man cured

Bible Errancy

• Where’d it happen?
• Matthew = Region of the Gadarenes
• Mark and Luke = Region of the Gerasenes

Bible Errancy

• Unicorns!
• No, seriously!
• And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. Isaiah 34:7 KJV
• A unicorn to King Jimmy was a wild ox.
• Languages change, duh…

Bible vs Science

• Are the God of the Bible and science incompatible?
• What are their definitions?
• Bible = God’s historical record and prophetic book
• science = knowledge
• What are their purposes?
• Bible = to share The Creator’s account of events from our creation to our eternal state
• science = for people to use to understand the universe

Bible vs Science

• Firstly, are God and science mutually exclusive?
• Consider this illustration:
• Albert Einstein created the Theory of Special Relativity.
• We don’t have to choose between believing in Einstein OR the Theory of Special Relativity. NO ONE in their right mind would say you do!
• If God created the scientific laws of the universe, we CAN believe in both God and science. No problem here.

Bible vs Science

• But does the Bible contradict our observable universe?
• Two oft-cited examples:
• Noah’s Flood
• Evolution

Bible vs Science

• The Flood
• In small-ish groups, discuss these hang-ups for many people:
• How could it rain for 40 days and 40 nights? (Right side of the sanctuary)
• Genesis 1:6 and 7:11-12
• How could every species of animal fit on the ark? Dinosaurs, too? (L side)
• Genesis 7:14
• Where’d the water go? (Everybody!)

Bible vs Science

• Evolution
• What kind of evolution? Micro- or macro-?
• “Macroevolution” is what atheistic evolutionists believe happened; that is, the origin of all species from a single, simple ancestor cell. (*Dr. James Tour)
• Necessary for this is new and useful information being added into DNA.
• Richard Dawkins was asked for an example of a genetic mutation that increases the information in the genome. Click here for the epic response.
• “Microevolution” is a real, observable process, and is how we get lots of species from one kind, as mentioned in the slides about Noah’s Flood.

Morality (or lack thereof?)

• Is God a moral monster? Some sure seem to think so…
• “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”
-Excerpt from The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

Morality (or lack thereof?)

• Our Moral Standard
• Everyone is ingrained with a sense of right and wrong; good and evil.
• Without an objective standard of meaning and morality, life is ultimately meaningless and right and wrong are simply a matter of opinion.
• It either comes from a higher power or it evolved…

Morality (or lack thereof?)

• An Evolved Moral Standard?
• Morals help us survive as a species.
• If individuals ultimately decide, then…
…no one is truly right or wrong.
• If societies ultimately decide, then…
…we’d be forced to accept whatever a society declares right or wrong as right or wrong for that society.

Morality (or lack thereof?)

• A Moral Standard from a Higher Power?
• Morals help us bear His image properly to all creation.
• If a moral standard giver ultimately decides, then…
…there is truly right and wrong.
…entire societies can be wrong.

Morality (or lack thereof?)

• Christians Are Often Incredibly Off-Putting
• Hypocritical
• Arrogant
• Sanctimonious
• Aggressive
• What a deterrent!

God of the Gaps

• “If I can’t find a rational explanation, then “God” must have done it.
• Implies that Christians (and others) are ignorant and have blind faith.
• Ignorant?
• Flood evidence, the Goldilocks Principle, the language of DNA coding, everything created from nothing…
• Faith?
• Atheists believe that Atheism is true. Atheists have faith in their religion.

My Next Steps with God this week:

1. Take a look at the program insert and do some exploring. Share with us next week if you feel so compelled!
2. Get ready for a conversation with someone you know about their doubts regarding The God of the Bible.
3. Reach out to someone for a conversation about their doubts regarding The God of the Bible.