There are only two models to explain the existence of the universe: it happened by accident or it happened on purpose. The remarkable design of everything around us makes it hard on those who deny a Grand Designer.
Atheist biologist Richard Dawkins famously wrote: “Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose” (The Blind Watchmaker). Does our world just appear to be designed?
Sir Roger Penrose, Nobel laureate in physics, concerning the precision needed for the universe to mesh with the second law of thermodynamics, says it must be accurate to one part in 1,010,123. How remote is that chance? “Even if we were to write a ‘0’ on each separate proton and…neutron in the entire universe—and we could throw in all the other particles as well for good measure—we should fall far short of writing down the figure needed” (The Emperor’s New Mind).
Arno Penzias, also a Nobel laureate in physics, made this observation: “In the absence of an absurdly-improbable accident, the observations of modern science seem to suggest an underlying, one might say, supernatural plan.”
Do you see how these scientists are giving God a back-handed compliment? Our universe is so magnificent in its intricacy and so seamless in its operation, that it appears to be able to form, function, and flourish entirely by itself.
The more science discovers, the more atheists must struggle to explain away the obvious. As the psalmist said, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Ps 19:1).
And what about your body? Foolish men say they could have done a better job at designing it. Really? Perhaps they could start by constructing just one of its 10,000 billion cells, with each cell on average containing 1.3 trillion bits of information. Your eye can process 500,000 messages simultaneously, and take in light from the Andromeda galaxy 2.5 million light years away. You really are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14).
But is it egotistical to think that God would care about little specks of dust like us on Earth’s pale blue dot floating in almost endless space? The fact is, He built you for a relationship with Him! Your brain has more neuron connections than all the stars in the Milky Way! How sad that some with the greatest intelligence toil away in trying to prove there is no intelligence behind the universe!
God’s complaint is not that people don’t see the evidence He has given. Rather, says the Bible, “Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools” (Rom 1:20-22).
It is not unscientific to reject the absurd notion that Nothing + Nobody = Everything. The skeptic says, “If I see it, I’ll believe it,” but Jesus said, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (Jn 11:40). Faith first believes God and then the evidence becomes obvious.
Religion Page article by Jabe Nicholson first published in the Commercial Dispatch on Sunday, May 23, 2021.