IS BELIEF IN THE CREATOR REASONABLE?

WHICH APPROACH IS MORE REASONABLE?

NO HUMAN witnessed the beginning of life on earth. Nor has anyone seen one kind of life evolve into another kind-a reptile into a mammal, for example.  Therefore, we must rely on the available evidence to draw conclusions about the origin of life.  And we need to let the evidence speak for itself rather than force it to say what we want it to say. 

Many atheists, however, view science through the lens of materialism-a philosophy that assumes purely material causes for the origin of life.  "We have a prior commitment . . .to materialism,"wrote evolutionist Richard C. Lewontin.  "That materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow  a Divine Foot in the door."  Hence, materialism embrace the only alternative they have-evolution.   

Religious people too may have preconceptions that distort their attitude toward science.  For instance, as mentioned earlier, some creationists cling to the erroneous  notion that God formed the world in six literal days a few thousand years ago. Having made that prior commitment, they try to force  the evidence to fit their extremely literal interpretation of the Bible.  People who have  such extreme interpretations of both the Bible and science are left without satisfying answers when they try to seek evidence for their faith. 

Next time: WHICH APPROACH IS MORE REASONABLE? - Which View Fits All the Facts? 

From the AWAKE! magazine, 2011