In the Beginning: Science and Genesis 1-11

In the Beginning: Science In the Beginning: Science and Genesis 1-11and Genesis 1-11

““If the foundations are destroyed, If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?“ Psalm what can the righteous do?“ Psalm

11:311:3

Do Stars That Are Billions of Do Stars That Are Billions of Light Years AwayLight Years Away

Prove That The Universe Is Prove That The Universe Is Billions Of Years Old?Billions Of Years Old?

““The mathematics of this new theory The mathematics of this new theory

shows that while God makes the shows that while God makes the

universe in six days universe in six days in the earth’s in the earth’s

reference framereference frame, the light has ample , the light has ample

time time in the extra-terrestrial reference in the extra-terrestrial reference

frameframe to travel the required to travel the required

distances.”distances.”

Gravity Affects TimeGravity Affects Time

Genesis 1:20-25Genesis 1:20-25

““Then God said, “Let the waters teem with Then God said, “Let the waters teem with

swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above

the earth and the open expanse of the heavens.” the earth and the open expanse of the heavens.”

And God created the great sea monsters, and And God created the great sea monsters, and

every living creature that moves, with which the every living creature that moves, with which the

waters swarmed after their kind, and every waters swarmed after their kind, and every

winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it

was good. was good.

And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and

multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let

birds multiply on the earth.” And there was birds multiply on the earth.” And there was

evening and there was morning, a fifth day. evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living

creatures after their kind:creatures after their kind:

cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth

after their kind”; and it was so.after their kind”; and it was so. And God made And God made

the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the

cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps

on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it

was good.”was good.”

Genesis 1:12Genesis 1:12

““And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants

yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing

fruit, with seed in them, after their kind; and fruit, with seed in them, after their kind; and

God saw that it was good." God saw that it was good."

Genesis 1: 21Genesis 1: 21

““And God created the great sea monsters, and And God created the great sea monsters, and

every living creature that moves, with which the every living creature that moves, with which the

waters swarmed after their kind, and every waters swarmed after their kind, and every

winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it

was good.” was good.”

Genesis 1: 21Genesis 1: 21

““And God created the great sea monsters, and And God created the great sea monsters, and

every every livingliving creature that moves, with which the creature that moves, with which the

waters swarmed after their kind, and every waters swarmed after their kind, and every

winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it

was good.” was good.”

NepheshNephesh

Hebrew for “life” or “living” Hebrew for “life” or “living”

or “soul” or “breathes”or “soul” or “breathes”

Genesis 1: 21Genesis 1: 21

““And God And God createdcreated the great sea monsters, and the great sea monsters, and

every every livingliving creature that moves, with which the creature that moves, with which the

waters swarmed after their kind, and every waters swarmed after their kind, and every

winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it

was good.” was good.”

Pierre-Paul Grasse, Pierre-Paul Grasse,

Chair of Evolution at the SorbonneChair of Evolution at the Sorbonne

““Naturalists must remember that the process of Naturalists must remember that the process of

evolution is revealed only through fossil forms. A evolution is revealed only through fossil forms. A

knowledge of paleontology is, therefore, a knowledge of paleontology is, therefore, a

prerequisite; only paleontology can provide them prerequisite; only paleontology can provide them

with the evidence and reveal its course or with the evidence and reveal its course or

mechanisms.”mechanisms.”

““Darwin’s Break-down”Darwin’s Break-down” ““If it could be demonstrated that any complex If it could be demonstrated that any complex

organ existed which could not possibly have been organ existed which could not possibly have been

formed by numerous, successive, slight formed by numerous, successive, slight

modifications, my theory would absolutely break modifications, my theory would absolutely break

down.”(154)down.”(154)

Have scientists found anything in biology like Have scientists found anything in biology like this? Yes—molecular machines that have this? Yes—molecular machines that have irreducible complexity.irreducible complexity.

Bacterial Flagellum

Irreducible ComplexityIrreducible Complexity

Bacterial Flagellum

The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for

Life

Behe’s DiscoveryBehe’s Discovery

The number of published proposals, over the past The number of published proposals, over the past 45 years, showing how these irreducibly complex 45 years, showing how these irreducibly complex systems might have evolved:systems might have evolved:

Question: Why not consider the possibility of the intelligent design of these systems?

0

Co-option?

Type Three Secretory System

The CellThe Cell

Much more complex than a modern automated factoryMuch more complex than a modern automated factory

“ “The entire cell can be viewed as a factory that contains The entire cell can be viewed as a factory that contains

an elaborate network of interlocking assembly lines, each an elaborate network of interlocking assembly lines, each

of which is composed of large protein machines.”of which is composed of large protein machines.”

Evolutionist Bruce Alberts, then president of the National Academy of Sciences, said in 1988 :

The Information Problem:The Information Problem:

There is no scientific There is no scientific evidence for any process evidence for any process in nature that can arrange in nature that can arrange letters in a precise letters in a precise sequence, yet ...sequence, yet ...

Human agents do this Human agents do this easily!easily!

Protein’s 3-D StructureProtein’s 3-D Structure •Proteins are like sentences. They are made up of dozens of precisely ordered letters–“chemical letters” called “amino acids.”

•Antidisestablishmentarianism

•Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Proteins are much longer than these!Proteins are much longer than these!

The DNA Library DiscoveryThe DNA Library Discovery

DNA is an information-packed library.DNA is an information-packed library.

DNA is also a “macromolecule.”DNA is also a “macromolecule.”

As an “informational macromolecule,” As an “informational macromolecule,” it carries the blueprints for proteins.it carries the blueprints for proteins.

And So ...And So ... Our message in the sandOur message in the sand

15 letters: intelligent agent is obvious15 letters: intelligent agent is obvious

Bacterial DNA - 2,000,000 lettersBacterial DNA - 2,000,000 letters

Human DNA - 3,000,000,000 lettersHuman DNA - 3,000,000,000 letters

Darwin’s paradigm springs a huge leak: Darwin’s paradigm springs a huge leak: it can’t explain the origin of it can’t explain the origin of information.information.

Human DNA is like a computer program Human DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any but far, far more advanced than any we’ve ever created.we’ve ever created.

Bill Gates

Francis Crick (the co-Francis Crick (the co-discoverer of DNA) in a letter discoverer of DNA) in a letter

to his son:to his son:

““Now we believe that the DNA is a Now we believe that the DNA is a

code.”code.”