GIVING INTELLIGENT DESIGN (ID) A SECOND LOOK

Many atheists have argued against the design hypothesis (ID) with this “logic” – since I don’t understand its purpose, it could not have a purpose. For example, the late atheist debater, Christopher Hitchens argued this way:

·       Since 98% of the species have disappeared, starvation, plagues, and tsunamis have taken the lives of so many others, there cannot be a benign Designer. Add to this the impossible idea that God waited for millions of years into human history before he sent his savior to one little isolated planet within the entire cosmos. No Designer would have designed something so nonsensical.

The atheist finds no purpose in all of this and concludes that there is no purpose. Admittedly, much of what God has revealed to us is beyond our ability to fully comprehend. However, this is just what we should expect in regards to the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Besides, this is exactly what the Bible tells us to expect:

·       For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)

In light of this, our amazing and sometimes overwhelming world validates the Biblical account.

And the suffering and loss of life and species? The Bible warns us to also expect these due to the Fall. However, the creation has a hope:

·       For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility [by God through the Fall], not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (Romans 8:18-22)

The Biblical account validates ID even in the midst of its corruption. However, the atheist lacks any hope in “the glory that is to be revealed to us.” They too must deal with the groaning and the loss but have nowhere to bring their anguish.

Meanwhile, the atheist believes that purposeless evolution has equipped us with the attributes we need. However, one of these attributes is a belief in a supreme purpose or ID. If this is a needed attribute, perhaps the atheist should give ID a second look.