Regular readers will know that I enjoy a good read of geeky magazines to keep my brain cells happy. So last night, I found myself “beaking” my way through copies of “Evolution” and the “Journal of Human Evolution.”
Of course, these journals only present one side of the argument about our origins and development over time. I haven’t been able to find a current journal which considers God’s involvement in creation. Or even better, one that combines papers on both creation and evolution. For some strange reason, humans often seem to be entrenched either in one viewpoint or the other. And this is borne out by a little story which I’d like to share with you.
A little girl asked her mum: “How did the human race appear?” The mum answered, “God made Adam and Eve and they had children, and so all mankind was made by God.”
Two days later, the little girl asked her dad the same question. The dad answered: “Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved.” The confused girl returned to her mum and asked: “Mum, how is it possible that you told me that the human race was created by God, and dad said it originated from monkeys?” To which the mother answered, “Well dear, it’s very simple. I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his!”
Now, I may be a small insignificant bird, but I wonder why so many humans struggle to believe in both a God of Creation and a process of evolution. Because for me, the two go hand in hand. They don’t have to be opposing theories. And I once read how Charles Darwin, after publicising his theory of evolution, felt compelled to sit outside his local church on Sundays, rather than attending the regular Sunday services with his family. Because he suddenly felt like an outcast.
Even as recently as 2009, that human newspaper called “The Guardian” reported on a survey conducted by the “Rescuing Darwin Society.” Out of a poll of 2060 humans, only 25% believed that the theory of evolution was “definitely true.” Another 25% answered “probably true” while the remaining 50% were either “strongly opposed” to the theory or “confused” by it.
Humans are a very mixed-up bunch, and sometimes they really can’t see the wood for the trees. Yes, we are all busily evolving over time, but we are also too miraculous to be here by chance. And that even applies to humans without feathers!
“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….” (Romans 1:20a)
“What is man? Man is a noisome bacillus whom our Heavenly Father created because he was disappointed in the monkey.” (Mark Twain)
“It is absurd for the Evolutionist to complain that it is unthinkable for an admittedly unthinkable God to make everything out of nothing, and then pretend that it is more thinkable that nothing should turn itself into everything.” (G.K. Chesterton)
