Does Science Imply No Supernatural?

There is a call-in radio show by Don Johnson Ministries that often honors callers with different worldviews. Although it is a Christian show, Don will entertain atheist callers, and the outcome is usually a respectful and thoughtful debate. On one particular segment, caller Justin was attempting to promote a naturalistic and determinist worldview. In the course of the conversation, Justin mentioned that one big reason for his assent to an atheistic viewpoint was the fact that natural science had proven itself so well over the course of history. He maintained that because science assumes that there is nothing other than a physical world and universe, and because it has worked well to help mankind over the years, then it serves as evidence that the supernatural does not exist.


Now this is an interesting vantage point. Don challenged the caller with the following 2 points: 1.) natural science does NOT assume that only the physical world exists, 2.) natural science only cares about testing and observing nature – nothing else. To this last point I would add that anything else you bring to the table here is personal philosophy, not scientific fact.


I think the question then is this - does science imply that the natural physical world is all there is? Now a good many people today think this is true. But I think that linking the effectiveness of science with the assumption that there is no God was not as predominant throughout history as it is today. I am not a historian, but I believe this to be largely a new phenomenon. So if this claim is truly a weapon that some people are keeping in their intellectual arsenal so that they can ignore Christianity, we must examine it further.


First of all it occurs to me also that science does NOT assume that only the physical universe exists. Since natural science is only concerned with the natural world, it can only speak to attributes of that natural world. It cannot say – no matter how much some want it to – that no other type of world exists. This may seem like semantics, but let me put it a different way. Let’s say that I am a really good mechanic, and that I always have a full car shop. Anything from Hondas to GMC vehicles show up at my door. I am experienced at working on cars, and over the years I have become pretty efficient - maybe even impressive. But if you take me out of my car shop and plop me down in front of, say, an art school; I find that I cannot even properly mix a color palette. Simply put – I have nothing to say when it comes to painting or drawing. Science is an excellent tool and predictor of things in the natural world. But I hardly think it can assume that there is ONLY the natural world, anymore than I could assume that replacing a muffler or overhauling an engine is all there is to life.


Second, it occurs to me that when we regard any of the conclusions we draw based on the results of natural science (at least in so much as it pertains to the big questions of life) we are using philosophy or a worldview - not science. Bear with me while I risk an oversimplification with this next example. I can test the effect of two chemicals together, and I can observe the outcome. But I cannot declare that this outcome automatically points to a certain worldview or philosophy. Just because science is really good at science, doesn’t mean that there is no God. I don’t think most people (atheists included) could argue this raw point. In order to argue that point, you would have to break it down into finer and finer arguments, wherein I think you would simply find yourself adding more and more personal preference and philosophy – hence taking you farther away from the factual science itself, and full steam ahead into the arena of philosophy.


When we begin to step outside the realm of the scientific and into the realm of the worldview, we have left science and entered into something different. Let us at least be agreed on that. After all, natural science isn’t good or bad, it just IS. The minute we begin to analyze it as being something that is good or bad, we are making a personal judgment about it, and this is something different.


OK, so what does this mean? I think it means that if a person is relying on the effectiveness of natural science to help hedge their bet that atheism is correct, then they have been misled. In other words, the fact that “science works” is absolutely no indicator that God doesn’t work. You can have both God and science. There is nothing wrong with holding a worldview. We just need to be honest about it when we do.


Please feel free to add your comments below. This is such a BIG issue for some, that I am interested in possible differences in opinion.


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The Importance of Man, in Light of God

"Man is the microcosm; man is the measure of all things; Man is the image of God."

                   - G.K. Chesteron, 'The Everlasting Man'



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Wretched Radio & Television!

Looking for a nice place to spend time?  Todd Friel is the host of Wretched Radio and Wretched TV.  He is often accused of being a little too over the edge, with some of his biting commentary hitting too close to home.  I have always found his style unique and entertaining though.  Consider him the polar opposite of the most boring Christian speaker you have ever heard.  There is nothing boring about this guy!

I have included the link to his website below.  Enjoy it - and try to catch his TV show sometime!

http://www.wretchedradio.com/



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Sacrificially Yours ... Signed Jesus

The following story is worth the read.  I cannot personally verify whether or not it is a real account from a real school, but it makes the point well enough - even if it is merely hypothetical.  Hope you enjoy it!

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson , a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States.  Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution.  Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major. Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. "How many push-ups can you do?" Dr. Christianson asked.  Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."


"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"  Steve replied, "I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time"


"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.  Well, I can try," said Steve.  "Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor.


Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it."  Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."  Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls.


Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.  Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?" Cynthia said, "Yes."


Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"  "Sure!" Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk.  Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.


Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"  Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"  Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut.


And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.  Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve.  When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"  Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?"  Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."  Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."


Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"  With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"  Dr. Christianson said, "Look! This is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.


Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.


Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?" Sternly, Jenny said, "No."  Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?"  Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.


By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, "No!" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.  Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.


Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row.


During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.  Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.


Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?" Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr. Christianson went on.


A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"  Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."  Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?"  Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut."  Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"  Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."  "Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"  Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.


The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a donut?"  Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."  Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"  Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.


Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?" Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"  Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone; I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push-ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes."

"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?"  As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."  Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.


"Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding, "Not all sermons are preached in words."  Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . He spared not His Only Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid."


"Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?"

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The World Will End on May 21st ... Really?!?!

Unless you have lived in a cave for the last 30 days, you know that small, but organized Christian groups are setting up bill-boards and driving around the country warning people that the end of the world as we know it will occur on May 21st of 2011. As I am writing this blog post, we are 2 days away from our projected doom – and I have 2 questions that I can’t get away from: 1.) What possesses large groups of people to go into a state of temporary insanity like this, and 2.) What happens when all of them wake up on May 22nd and the world is still here? It will be interesting to see what the news media records in answer to these 2 questions. Regardless of what they report, I will answer these 2 questions the best that I can below.

Why do so many people believe that the end is near, and why have they begun to do things like quit their jobs and travel the country?

I think that 2 factors come into play here. First, people are hungry for someone or something to believe in. We all have an innate desire to make sense of the world around us. Much of the suffering that takes place can seem to random and cruel. But what if all of a sudden there sprang up a leader who could manipulate something that you already believed in (the Bible) and transcribe a pseudo-religion wherein it was commanded that in order to be thought of by God as “Elect”, you would need to do things like leave your church, quit your job, and spread the word? Sound familiar? (Remember Waco) I think in one regard, this is exactly what has happened. I have listened to people like Steve Brooks from Boone Bible Ministries talk about the May 21st deadline. They are eloquent and intelligent. If you didn’t know your Bible, you may in fact be drawn in.

Second, the Bible itself does tell us that groups and movements like this will occur more and more frequently as time goes on. Jesus tells us plainly in Matthew 24:4-5, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.” And again later in the same chapter He says, “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.” There have in fact been many groups and people that have thought they were the end time prophet, or even Jesus himself! (see my other blog post Million Dollar Mansions and False Messiahs). All of this business is interesting and confusing, but none of it is new to God.

What happens when all of these people wake up on May 22nd, and the world is still here?

This is the bigger problem. The news media loves a good story where Christians look silly or stupid. And believe me friend, this is one of them. Damage is being done. If your friend or family member already thinks you are a bit strange for believing in the Bible, this business has not helped your case. Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins are laughing together somewhere right now. But what about all of those well-meaning folks that actually DO believe that they are performing a service for God? I’m afraid there can be only one outcome. They will be disheartened, angry, upset, feeling led astray, and worst of all – their faith may be shaken.

It doesn’t matter if their leaders attempt to back-peddle by saying things like, “well we must have miscalculated” … or “God must have changed His mind.” It won’t matter if they suddenly remember that the Bible says expressly that it is not given unto man - or even the angels in Heaven - to know the hour or the day that the end will come. The damage will already be done. These folks will wake up jobless, disillusioned, and embarrassed.

I would not want to be the one heading up this march. I would have a lot to answer for. Let’s just hope that no one decides to drink the cool-aid, if it is offered. On May 22nd there will be disappointment, but also I think, some relief. Now we can go back to reading our Bibles with the Scriptures rightly divided. Just remember, be nice to these people. At least they are doing something with what they believe in, however misguided it may be!

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"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

- Jesus Christ

My advice is to knock. What do you have to lose?

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The Truth About Truth

Recently I viewed a debate between Dr. Sam Harris and Dr. William Lane Craig at Notre Dame on the matter of ‘Does Good Come From God?’ Harris is an atheist, author, and eloquent speaker. Craig is a theist, an author, and also eloquent. The two men went back and forth debating this issue for several hours. Harris provides the following equation in order to illustrate what “Good” is: imagine the worst case scenario of suffering for human beings, and then acquiesce to the fact that anything which is not as bad as the worst case scenario, must intrinsically be better, or more good. He maintains that you do not need God as a governor behind the scenes, instituting what is good or bad.

By contrast Dr. Craig says that in order for something to be good, there must be something or someone providing that intrinsic “goodness” behind the scenes. Otherwise we are all left up to our own opinions, or even worse – cultural majority vote, telling us what is good and bad. This was all very interesting of course, but I found one of the peripheral issues MUCH more interesting than the primary subject of the debate. Dr. Craig often posed the following argument: we need to have a grasp on the truth (generically speaking) in order to be able to make right comparisons as to what is or is not GOOD. And if we hold to the world view that human beings are nothing more than highly evolved mammals that came from a happy accident of matter mixed with life, then our reliance on truth is also a happy accident. In other words, we can never have any confidence in our own logical processes (how can you trust an accident?), because this intrinsic understanding of logic that we are “born with” was never the result of a divine mandate. Only unintelligent matter coming together to form a highly complex brain.

Or look at the problem this way. If Dr. Harris maintains that his worldview is correct, logical, and truthful… but then denies any type of God who could govern the intrinsic nature of that truth, then it follows that Harris’ take on truth and logic is simply the result of a happy accident of evolution - and as such cannot possibly have any logical grounding. For example, how can I trust that A+B=C, if my understanding of A, B, and C came from green slime which eventually evolved into small creatures, and eventually became a human being? You cannot use science to prove that science is accurate. There must be a higher standard which governs whether or not something is logical or true. From this higher standard, you may then make right comparisons as to whether or not worst case scenario suffering is good or not. Skipping the higher standard step is cheating.

I suspect that many people who hold to the closed system of naturalism act like there is no God, but all the while make use of God’s gift of reason and logic.

Why does inserting God solve this problem? Because then we would know that there is a force which gives truth its impetus and power. Evolution is supposedly a blind master, impartial to good or bad, true or untrue. Things just are the way they are. God takes away this impartiality, by providing the First Cause by which we can even understand logic and reason in the first place. If God is the originator of reason, then we can have confidence in our use of that reason. We need no longer attempt to argue that a person’s worldview is the Truth on one hand, but in the same breath deny there being any ultimate Truth on the other hand. Yet that is what people often do. This is what Sam Harris attempted to do, but Craig caught him. We do not have to take the rather silly stance of “whew, thank goodness the cosmos and evolution just happened to form the human brain in such a way as to be reliable in its use of logic and reason.” But rather we can say, “there is a God which allows me to think, reason, and engage in truth in a way that is different from the animals.” There is a greater Truth behind the way we use truth.

The lesson to be learned here is a big one. God gives us the ability to use His power to reason and identify truth. It is a gift, we don’t own it. He allows us to go through life judging concepts, making comparisons, and yes… He even allows us to deny His existence. And then when we do put forth a worldview without God, we ignore the gift of reason which allowed us to suggest the worldview in the first place.

I have 3 children. My wife and I are responsible for their well being; dressing them, feeding them, etc. At various times – while relaxing after a full meal – one of them will utter a harsh remark or take us for granted. We feed them, we love them, we make sacrifices for them - but all on human terms. Imagine what a personal God might feel like when His children treat him similarly.

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