How to defend creation vs. evolution  

I believe in creation, but I am not sure how to best defend this belief against evolution.  Can you explain where to start?

The first thing to understand is that the debate is not between science and religion; rather it is between which belief system (evolution or creation) best fits the facts.

Assumptions and presuppositions are the starting points of this debate over origins.  It is not "my evidence" versus "your evidence" by "my interpretations based on my assumptions" versus "your interpretations based on your assumptions."

The facts are the same for both evolution and creation.  Both views clearly share the same fossil record, the same carbon 14 dating results and the same universe to observe.

Evolution explains the facts based on the assumption of natural, continual processes.  Creation explains the facts based on the assumption of a supernatural, completed process.  There are three components to both rationales-assumptions, facts, and conclusions.  Since the facts are the same, the reason we draw different conclusions is because our assumptions are different.

Some evolutionists claim that creation is illogical, unscientific.  Creation is not illogical, it just has a different starting point.  Both views use the tool of logic to produce their conclusions.  Both views produce logical conclusions based on their starting assumptions.  Thus, logic is an imperfect tool-that is, it can be used to justify an incorrect assumption. 

This conflict between the natural and supernatural is an old one.  Consider John  12:28-29, " 'Father, glorify thy name.'  Then came a voice from heaven, saying, 'I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.'  The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said an angel spoke to him." 

The two groups in the crowd had the same facts.  One group concluded that a Creator can communicate in this supernatural way.  The other group based its conclusion on the assumption of a natural event, i.e., a thunder-causing the noise. 

The Grand Canyon supports an explanation of a huge catastrophe (like Noah's Flood).  Most evolutionists assume the Colorado River carved it out over millions of years.  However, on Mars there are also large canyons.  One scientific explanation for them is that the canyons were caused by large floods at some point in the past.  In other words, they deny the flood theory on a planet full of water, but accept it on a planet devoid of water.  Their preconceptions prohibit them from accepting the biblical account of a catastrophic flood.

Ian Taylor describes "intellectual blind spots brought about by philosophical presuppositions."  Evolutionists start with preconceptions they cannot support.  Their prejudice unconsciously influences their interpretation of the data, with the result that untrue conclusions masquerade under the impartial banner of science.

Some say there is no such thing as a value-free fact.  Evolution is presented as fact.  Most students are taught remember and repeat, end of discussion.  They should instead be taught how to think, not what to think. 

Creation more accurately predicts what the evidence will show.  For example, in Jonah 2:5-6 Jonah mentions mountains under water.  It has not been until recent history that we have known about mountains under the sea.

For the yet unanswered questions, we can expect the Bible to predict what science shows.  Consider John 16:13 where we are told we are given the Holy Spirit to guide us to all understanding.   Christians, at least, have a greater opportunity to arrive at the truth.

As Christians, we must appeal to scriptural authority as proof.  This is clearly where our presuppositions start.  We must always realize that the conclusions that are presented as facts are just interpretations of facts based on a set of assumptions.  We must always remember the difference between scientific data and biased interpretation of those data.

1/22/2000
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ŠTom Carpenter
Originally published in the Rockdale/Newton Citizen