The Skeptic’s Guide to Intelligent Design

THE SKEPTIC’S GUIDE TO INTELLIGENT DESIGN

Kerby Rials

If you have lived long enough, you have probably been told by several people that only fools and children believe in God.
However, there is, in fact, far more scientific evidence for God’s existence than there is for atheism. You can prove God exists.   There are five objective proofs that are easily verified.

First proof: Design

Just as anyone knows that a watch is too complicated to be made by accident; we know that the complex life all around us is not accidental. They require a creator. It is impossible for them to have been designed so well without a designer.
For instance, the design of a simple cell is very good proof of God’s existence.  This first cell, while still dead, had to form its own DNA molecule, RNA, ribosomes, cell wall, etc., and then bring itself to life.  This is a miracle all by itself. No one has ever been able to make this happen in the laboratory — on purpose. It is even more impossible that it could have happened by accident.
If I gave you one tiny living cell, and told you that from that cell you had to make all the other living things on the earth – insects, trees, plants, fish, birds, mammals, germs, reptiles – you would not know where to begin. It would be an impossible task. Even if you had several such small cells, it would be impossible for you.
To believe then that this could have happened by accident is not logical. All by itself, this cell would have had to survive in a hostile non-organic world, multiply, undergo millions of good mutations one after the other, and form thousands of new species of plants and animals.
No scientist has ever been able to create a new species in the laboratory, nor has any scientist ever been able to create life.
Accordingly, the theory of evolution cannot be true, since it fails the essential test of science — empiricism (e.g, that it can be proven or repeated under controlled conditions).  This development of complexity from simplicity – which is what evolution is — also violates the second law of thermodynamics (entropy).

The Futility of Skepticism from raeorg on GodTube.

This well-established principle of science proves that complex things tend to degrade into their most simple state, like a body that will eventually decay into dust.  Hence the first living cell proves that evolution is wrong, and that God exists, all by itself.
There are other simple tests that show God’s intelligent design, far in advance of our own intelligence.
For instance, give a scientist a barn full of hay, and ask him to create a glass of milk from it.  He cannot do it.  It is too hard, and the organic chemistry required is too complex for the most advanced lab.  But a cow can eat a little of that hay and give you that glass of milk in a few hours.  Clearly an intelligence far superior to ours designed the lowly cow.
Similarly, we know houses do not build themselves.   We could wait millions of years, but the chance that all the elements of a house would just fall together correctly are ridiculous.  It is like trying to believe a Boeing 747 was assembled by a tornado running through a junkyard. Just so, when we see the far more complex design of the human body, we know it had a designer.
This is also shown in modern medicine. For example, who would want their own hand cut off so they could get an artificial one? No one I know wants that. The reason is because the natural hand is far superior to the best artificial hand. If we cannot even make a copy of a hand that is as good as the original, we are admitting that there is a superior designer that made that hand — his work is so advanced, we cannot even copy it.
DNA also proves that God exists, all by itself.  DNA is the genetic blueprint inside every living cell.  It is very complex. The laws of statistical probability prove that a DNA molecule could not form by itself.  For instance, simple math proves that your chances of drawing 300 numbered ping pong balls out of a sack in their proper order is 10 followed by 614 zeros. That is a very, very big number.
Now imagine instead of 300 ping pong balls, you have 220 million base pairs, which are what is needed to make just one human chromosome — and there are 46 of these chromosomes in each DNA molecule!    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA
Accordingly, DNA forming by itself is not a million to one chance, but billions and trillions to one. I would not gamble my money on odds like that. Your chances at winning big in Las Vegas are far better.
Further, a DNA molecule can’t be “almost right” — it has to be practically perfect, or disease and death can result. Down syndrome (mental retardation) is caused by an error in DNA.  Cystic fibrosis is caused by a tiny mutation inside the seventh DNA chromosome, causing death at the average age of 36.
All these things prove to us that there had to be a designer — one that is far more powerful and intelligent than we are.
The Bible supports this proof of God’s existence: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:20)

Second proof that God exists: the Bible

The Bible is the second proof of God’s existence.  The Bible itself is a miracle. It contains clear signs that it is it is a supernatural book, one that is humanly impossible to create, one that only God could write.
The Bible says God exists, and it says that from a position of extreme reliability. It is the world’s number one best seller every year — tested and proven over the centuries as archaeologically, historically, scientifically and supernaturally true.
The Bible shows that whoever wrote it had an incredible knowledge of science centuries ahead of its time.  For instance, the Bible refers to the “paths of the sea” in Ps. 8:8. This spurred sea captain Matthew Maury to investigate it, and led to his discovery of ocean currents in the 19th century. The Bible was ahead of its time.
The Bible says when Jesus returns it will be both day and night (day when people are working in the fields — Matt. 24:40-41 — and at night — Luke 17:34).  This confirms a round earth, where it is night on one half and day on the other. This is not possible with a flat earth. Isaiah speaks of the “circle of the earth” 2,500 years ago (Isa. 40:22) — thousands of years before people discovered the world is round.
The Bible says all mankind descended from one man and one woman — Adam and Eve. This was ridiculed by some for the last 150 years, until it was proven 20 years ago by scientists using mitochondrial DNA research in women, and Y-chromosome research in men.
Three thousand years ago, when other religions said the world rested on Atlas’ shoulders (Greece), or on a giant turtle (Mexico) or on four elephants (India), the Bible said that the world is suspended on nothing (Job 26:7, “He suspends the earth over nothing.”)  The emptiness and weightlessness of space was only finally proven in the last 100 years.  But the Bible had it right 3,000 years ago.
The Bible is not only scientifically and historically true, but it is supernatural.  It predicts the future. In Hos. 3:4 the Bible correctly predicted that the Jewish people would exist for a very long time without their own nation or their temple. In Isaiah 11:11 it predicted 2,500 years ago that the Jewish people would be scattered over the world, but would return one day to their homeland. Just 60 years ago, this prophecy was fulfilled when Israel became a nation again.
The Bible (Isa. 66:7) prophesied 2,500 years ago that the new nation of Israel would be “born in a day” as it was when it declared its independence on May 14, 1948.   The Bible also predicted when Jesus would come — 500 years before it happened. Daniel 9:26 says the Messiah must come and be killed before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.  Jesus was crucified about 40 years before this happened, in 70 A.D.  — exactly as predicted.
Perhaps these are some of the reasons why Jesus said that the Bible alone is proof enough of God’s existence, so that no other evidence is needed:  “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets (e.g. the Bible), they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (Luke 16:31).

Third proof that God exists: our conscience

A third proof of God’s existence is that of our conscience — our inner voice.  For instance, consistent research, admitted by atheists/agnostics, shows that 95 percent of the world’s population believes in God (see adherents.com).   They may be Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist or animist, but they are not atheists or agnostics. They believe in God and they pray to Him when they are in trouble. Even the atheist Dawkins confirms the worldwide “ubiquity of belief in God” (p. 54, “The God Delusion”).
This is hard to explain. If the existence of God is doubtful, why does almost everyone believe, in every language and culture, even on extremely isolated islands and in the polar regions?  This consistency makes no sense. It seems that the human heart has a built-in conviction of God’s existence.
This, in fact, is what the Bible says: “what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them” (Rom. 1:19).  “The requirements of (God’s) law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness…” (Rom. 2:15).
The Bible says that everyone knows that God exists. God has made it clear to them in their hearts “so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20).  That is why almost everyone everywhere says they believe in God. On the judgment day, no one will be able to tell God, “but I didn’t know!”

Fourth proof that God exists: Christians

A fourth proof are Christians themselves. Logically, if God exists one would think he would make himself known to others in the world.  Indeed, Christians make up the world’s largest religion — 2 billion people, a third of the world’s population. They testify of a real God who has changed their lives, delivering them from drug addiction, depression, and hopelessness, and doing miracles in their lives.

Fifth proof that God exists: Jesus Christ

Finally, Jesus Christ is also evidence — God himself who came and lived with us and was crucified for us. Even cynics say that there has never been anyone like Jesus; they admit he was an honest and good man.   Jesus said, “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?” (John 8:46).
Jesus is the fifth witness, along with our conscience, creation, the Bible, and the church. Five witnesses are enough to convict in any court.
There is another proof that many people have used, and that is simply to ask God to show you that He exists.  It is very simple. I encourage you to try it.

Problems with believing in God

Nonetheless, even with these five witnesses, many do not understand why, if God does exist, that he doesn’t also show himself in the sky, thus eliminating all doubt. Then everybody would believe.  For instance, the late atheist Bertrand Russell, when asked what he will say to God when he sees him on the Day of Judgment, replied: “Sir, why did you take such pains to hide yourself?”(3)  Russell should not have been surprised, because the Bible says God is indeed deliberately hiding himself.
Isa. 45:15 says: “Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God and Savior of Israel.” (See also Isaiah 8:17, 57:17, and Psalms 44:24.)
I believe this is because God is testing our faith. Deut. 13:3 says, “The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.” James 1:3  refers to “the testing of your faith…”
He has put us in a situation in which we can choose to believe he exists, or not.   God wants to know what we want to believe, as that reveals what we really are.
Another reason many don’t sense God’s voice is because he does not shout — he whispers. (1 Kings 19:12: “After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”)  Whispering is easy to ignore.  Perhaps God, as part of his test, has given us the option of ignoring him.
If someone wants to believe God does not exist, they can. No one will be able to prove to them differently. For example, there are still some who believe the moon landings were faked (4) and the Holocaust never happened (5). They refuse the evidence offered.

Why is there evil?

Another very difficult question is why God permits evil in the world, such as the suffering of innocent people in war, crime and sickness.
To answer this, it is helpful to remember that when God first made the world it was perfect and without evil and suffering (Gen. 1-3). This shows God’s intention. He did not want evil.  It was after we rebelled against God that sin and suffering came into the world.   When Jesus was on the earth, he healed the sick and helped those who suffered. This is what God is like.  We live for the moment in a world that is not submitted to God’s authority.  Jesus even said Satan is the prince of this world right now (Luke 12:31, Eph. 2:2). This is why we are suffering as we are. This is not God’s will — it was our choice. Nonetheless, God has promised he will make the world right again, when he returns. God did not make an evil world, and he will not allow it to stay the way it is.

Why would God send people to hell?

Another common question is how could God send people to hell for eternity, if he is kind and merciful?
The Bible says that God does not want anyone to go to hell (2 Peter 3:9), but nonetheless it says most people will end up there (Matt. 7:13-14). This is accordingly not God’s choice, but our own. God shows us his mercy and “demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8).
We know that hell is eternal, and there is no way out (Luke 16:26).  This is because people in hell are punished for what they are just as much as what they did on earth.  For instance, the rich man in hell (Luke 16) did not show any sorrow for what he had done to Lazarus, and was the same person in hell that he was on earth. People in hell will not change, and so their punishment does not change either.
The Bible also says that each person’s punishment in hell will vary by what they did and what they knew, and that God will use people to judge other people (1 Cor. 6:2). It will be fair.  (Luke 12:47-48)
The ultimate sin is rejecting the salvation that God has provided for us at such great cost. By rejecting his mercy, we leave ourselves no other option but punishment.    God is a just judge, and a just judge must uphold the law, even though he may care for those he sentences.

What to do

I hope you will check out the facts above and make a decision, since making no decision is the same as making a “no” decision. Otherwise, time will go by, and you may get busy with other things.  This brochure will get stuck in a drawer somewhere and will gather dust.  Then one day you will close your eyes for one last time, and enter eternity, having never made a decision for Christ, who loves you. Then it will be too late.
He died and rose again so that you can live forever. There will be no other way to heaven, for he says, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). — By Kerby Rials