Many atheists claim that they would gladly believe in God if
the evidence pointed in His direction. Evolutionary Biologist Jerry Coyne makes
this very claim in "Faith vs Fact."
However, there's good reason to question his claim. For one thing, the evidence
is already available, abundantly. Paul A. Nelson, PH.D asks rhetorically:
·
"So why isn't the mystery of life a
reasonable candidate for challenging the validity of naturalism or atheism? In
the words of Francis Bacon (1561-1626), philosopher of the Scientific
Revolution, God's 'ordinary works' (such as organisms) are more than enough 'to
convince [refute] atheism.' That bacterial cell under the microscope, loaded
with molecular machinery of astounding complexity, represents a world of
evidence for design-- all the evidence anyone should ever need." https://www.equip.org
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What does Coyne make of this evidence? His answer betrays an
unwavering faith and commitment to naturalism:
·
"Given the remarkable ability of science to
solve problems once considered intractable, the number of scientific phenomena
that weren't even known a hundred years ago, it's probably more judicious to
admit ignorance than to tout divinity." (157)
Coyne erroneously assumes that science is in opposition to
divinity and that a scientific explanation rules out ID in favor of naturalism.
Instead, scientific findings are built upon evidences of design from beginning
to end. For one thing, the objects of science – atoms, molecules, DNA,
organisms – all proclaim design.
The causal laws that govern them also give every indication
of design in terms of their elegance, universality, and immutability. Besides,
these qualities strongly suggest that the laws of science transcend the
universe of molecules-in-motion (continuous change). They are other! Their
universality and uniform impact throughout the universe suggest that they are
not situated locally within the universe, as are radio waves that fade as we
move further from their source. Instead, it seems that the laws of science are
derived and maintained from a Transcendent realm.
Consequently, scientific findings fail to support a
naturalistic worldview as opposed to ID. However, as Nelson and many others
observe, it is these very findings that point restlessly to their Author.
Even the Bible affirms that God governs His creation by His
laws (Jeremiah 33:25; Job 38:33). By what reason or evidence, then, can Coyne
claim that these objects and laws, which make science possible, are natural and
un-designed? There is none! What then numbs the atheist to the evidence? His
faith and commitment to naturalism!
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