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The Scientific Evidence:
A Critical Choice
by Cecil Maranville
Consider the powerful words of the
apostle Paul: "Ever since the creation of the world (God's) eternal power and divine
nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things
he has made" (Romans 1:20, New Revised Standard Version throughout this article).
Paul's words remind us that we can look at the miracles of the world around us and
see compelling evidence of God's handiwork, understanding not only that He is the
Creator but glimpsing some of His nature and character.
Let's take a glimpse at a particular flower, an orchid with the scientific name of
Coryanthes. Although the scientist's language is a little technical, it's
important that you read the account in the author's own words as he describes his
findings and those of another scientist, a Dr. Cruger. The incredible story is worth
reading.
A Built-in Bee-bath Bucket
According to a famous writer and observer of the wonders of nature: "This orchid
has part of its labellum or lower lip hollowed out into a great bucket, into which
drops of almost pure water continually fall from two secreting horns which stand
above it; and when the bucket is half full, the water overflows by a spout on one
side. The basal part of the labellum stands over the bucket, and is itself hollowed
out into a sort of chamber with two lateral entrances; within this chamber there
are curious fleshly ridges. The most ingenious man, if he had not witnessed what
takes place, could never have imagined what purpose all these parts serve
(emphasis added throughout).
"But Dr. Cruger saw crowds of large humble-bees (bumblebees) visiting the
gigantic flowers of this orchid, not in order to suck nectar, but to gnaw off the
ridges within the chamber above the bucket; in doing this they frequently pushed
each other into the bucket, and their wings being thus wetted they could not fly
away, but were compelled to crawl out through the passage formed by the spout or
overflow.
"Dr. Cruger saw a 'continual procession' of bees thus crawling out of their involuntary
bath. The passage is narrow, and is roofed over by the column, so that a bee, forcing
its way out, first rubs its back against the viscid stigma and then against the viscid
glands of the pollen-masses. The pollen-masses are thus glued to the back of the
bee which first happens to crawl out through the passage of the lately expanded flower,
and are thus carried away . . .
"When the bee, thus provided, flies to another flower, or to the same flower a second
time, and is pushed by its comrades in to the bucket and then crawls out by the passage,
the pollen-mass necessarily comes first into contact with the viscid stigma, and
adheres to it, and the flower is fertilised. Now at last we see the full use of every
part of the flower, of the water-secreting horns, of the bucket half full of water,
which prevents the bees from flying away, and forces them to crawl out through the
spout, and rub against the properly placed viscid pollen-masses and the viscid
stigma."
Design Reveals the Designer
These fascinating design details show us the complexity, variety and even a touch
of humor in the world around us. Several scriptures confirm that we can learn of
God through His creation.
One such passage is in Acts 14. The apostles Paul and Barnabas made quite a stir
in the city of Lystra by healing a man who had been crippled, unable to walk, since
birth. Idolatry was rampant in Lystra, and the instinctive reaction by the citizens
of the city to this miracle was to worship Paul and Barnabas!
What was their reaction? Notice what they told the people: "Friends, why are
you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you
should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and
the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all
the nations to follow their own ways; yet he has not left himself without a witness
in doing good--giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you
with food and your hearts with joy" (Acts 14:15-17).
God's servants deflected these misguided intentions and directed the people to the
Creator God.
An Orchid that Shoots Straight
Here's another remarkable example of carefully planned design in the natural
world from the same author cited above:
"The construction of the flower in another closely allied orchid, namely the Catasetum,
is widely different, though serving the same end; and is equally curious. Bees visit
these flowers, like those of the Coryanthes, in order to gnaw the labellum; in doing
this they inevitably touch a long, tapering, sensitive projection, or, as I have
called it, the antenna.
"This antenna, when touched, transmits a sensation or vibration to a certain membrane
which is instantly ruptured; this sets free a spring by which the pollen-mass is
shot forth, like an arrow, in the right direction, and adheres by its viscid extremity
to the back of the bee. The pollen-mass of the male plant (for the sexes are separate
in this orchid) is thus carried to the flower of the female plant where it is brought
into contact with the stigma, which is viscid enough to break certain elastic threads,
and retaining the pollen, fertilisation is effected."
Here we see another marvelous illustration of God's handiwork. Yet not everyone sees
the evidence of creation in the same way. The scientist who penned these observations
of the wonders of the world around him was none other than Charles Darwin, and the
quotations are from his book The Origin of the Species (The Modern Library,
Random House, New York, pp. 142-143).
Does this surprise you? It should. Darwin used these examples to show the ability
of plants to adapt and to vary rather than to show the variety in God's design. Why?
Different Views of Evidence
Why don't we all see evidence the same way?
Charles Darwin is not the only scientist in his time who interpreted what he studied
in creation as evidence of life without a creator. There were many others who examined
what we see as inspiring, incontrovertible evidence of God's handiwork and concluded
that God was not involved.
But why did they come to such different conclusions, and why do others still come
to those same conclusions? Let's examine an important passage in the first chapter
of Romans:
"Ever since the creation of the world his (God's) eternal power and divine nature,
invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has
made," says verse 20
Paul says that the creation is a portal through which we can see the Creator. Although
everyone sees the same evidence, each makes a choice as to how to view it. Some early
philosophers made a conscious choice to reject God. They chose to interpret their
studies in a way that would exclude God. Scholars in various fields have since followed
in their wake.
"So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as
God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless
minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the
glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or
four-footed animals or reptiles" (verses 20-23).
We all have an important choice to make about the evidence for a Creator God. We
must choose whether we will believe it. Our choice will have a profound effect on
our lives.
If we see God in what He has made, then we have a constant reminder of His ability,
care and concern, humor and purpose. But, if we do not see God, then there is neither
hint nor reminder of His purpose for our existence. Consequently we may imperil the
normal workings of our conscience, given by God so that we would question our thoughts
and actions.
Belief and Behavior
In the remainder of the chapter, Paul bluntly makes it clear that serious consequences
come from failing to recognize God in His creation. Reasoning becomes the substitute
for God's Spirit and His Word. Eventually people's reasoning can lead them to justify
almost any kind of behavior.
Psalm 14 confirms this: "Fools say in their hearts, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt,
they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good" (verse 1). As in Romans 1, this verse implies that people who choose not to believe in God see no real need
to abide by a divine code of conduct.
However, as the next verse tells us, "The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind
to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God" (verse 2).
God can guide and bless those who wisely choose to believe in and obey Him. Let's
make the right choice.
©1999 United Church of God, an
International Association
Related Information:
Table of Contents that includes "The Scientific Evidence: A Critical Choice"
Other Articles by Cecil Maranville
Origin of article "The Scientific Evidence: A Critical Choice"
Re-published from an earlier version
Keywords: intelligent design scientific evidence of a creator miracles of creation creation and evolution Darwin designer and evolution God as designer God, evidence of creation God, existence of
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