As we discussed the Reason-Giving Style of Faith Sharing today, Susan shared the two questions unbelievers often have below.
Is the universe highly complex?
Absolutely! Take a look around. Since our universe has amazing
precision, could it have resulted from an explosion? William
Paley gave a great example when he said that every watch requires a
watchmaker. Imagine you're taking a walk through a forest near your
home. Halfway through your walk you look down and you see a
beautiful gold watch lying near a tree stump. Immediately you wonder
how it got there. Do you think, "did the wind and rain come
together to form such a beautiful piece of art?"
No, you would never think such
ridiculous thing! You would think something like, I wonder if someone
dropped this beautiful watch. You know that the watch was designed by
a very talented watchmaker. It didn't result from the wind, rain,
erosion, or an explosion. It has clear marks of design. It has a
purpose, it conveys information, and it is specifically complex.
The universe is much more precise and
awe-inspiring than that watch. The same characteristics we use to
recognize design and something like a watch are the characteristics
we use to recognize design in nature. When Isaac Newton studied our
solar system he said, "this most beautiful system of the Sun,
planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion
of an intelligent and powerful being."
One of the most powerful arguments that
the universe has an Intelligent Designer is the anthropic principle,
which states that the earth is perfectly designed for life. For
instance if the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere was only
slightly higher, materials would too easily catch fire. If the carbon
dioxide levels were slightly higher, Earth would have a super-hot
environment like Venus. If they were lower, plants would not be able
to survive.
There are also more than 100 precisely
defined constants describing the structure of our universe. One is
gravity. If the strength of gravitational force were altered by the
tiniest fraction (1 x 1036 or
0.0000000000000000000000000000000000001%), our sun would not exist,
and we wouldn't either! Other constants, such as the strong nuclear
force, weak nuclear force, and electromagnetism have to be exactly
balance, otherwise life anywhere would be impossible.
If God created the world, why does
evil exist? Did God create evil?
This is a question that has plagued
many people through the history of mankind. It is important to
realize that evil was not created in the sense that a rock or a tree
was created. Rather, evil is something that occurs and exists. Evil
is the absence of good. For example, consider a plot of dirt that is
ready to be planted with vegetables. The gardener digs holes in
preparation for planting the seeds. What are those holes? In reality
the holes are just the absence of dirt. In the same way, darkness is
the absence of light and cold is the absence of heat. Evil is the
absence of good. When God created the universe, all that existed was
good. God gave humans the freedom to choose good. In order for them
to choose good, He allowed another choice - evil.
Why does God allow bad things to
happen to good people?
Natural disasters kill thousands of
people, a father hurts his children, cancer plagues a child. We often
ask, "why do these things happen?" When God created the
first humans, He allowed Adam and Eve the freedom to choose right or
wrong. They chose wrong and evil entered the world. Often, bad things
happen as a result of evil in the world. Sometimes bad things happen
as a result of someone's bad decision. For example, someone driving
drunk kills an innocent person. God's creation of that person did not
cause him or her to drive drunk. It was a wrong choice that the
driver made. In our circumstances, remember that God has a greater
good, a good bigger than ourselves. The best person who ever lived,
Jesus, suffered greatly for God's greater good.
No matter what situations we face, we
can be certain that God is in control of the ultimate outcome whether
we are there to witness it or not. God will bring about a greater
good from a desperate situation.
Why Believe by Investigate
Evidence for Faith By: Melissa Houdmann
