Journal: Bible and Spade (Second Run)
Volume: BSPADE 03:1 (Winter 1990)
Article: If Evidence for Evolution Is Lacking, Why Are there so Many Evolutionists?
Author: Robert Goette

BSP 3:1 (Winter 1990) p. 22

If Evidence for Evolution Is Lacking,
Why Are there so Many Evolutionists?

Bob Goettea

Bias and peer pressure cause many to accept evolution as “fact.” Yes, scientist and non-scientist alike are biased. Both interpret data on the basis of presupposition (biases) which they hold by faith. The thought system which man uses consists of presuppositions (or biases or assumptions), data and conclusions. Since man does not have absolute knowledge, his presuppositions are held by faith—being, or not being, a scientist has nothing to do with this.

Many non-scientists do not realize that scientists exercise faith in their work. Therefore, there are many misconceptions about conclusions scientists draw from scientific data. Scientific explanations are based on faith since faith is the ground on which the original presupposition(s) is (are) held. There is no such thing as an unbiased conclusion!

Examination of the diagram below will make this clearer. Two different individuals can examine the same data and come up with two different sets of conclusions because they used two different sets of presuppositions, held by faith.

Let us take several specific examples to see how this works out:

(1) The origin of life. The data (or observation) is that there are diverse kinds of life, from the single cell variety to large “complex” multi-cellular types.

The atheistic evolutionist presupposes: (a) there is no God and therefore no possibility of supernatural happenings; (b) life arose through processes still going on; (c) only data from the natural world is valid; any information provided by special revelation is excluded. He looks at this variety of life (data) and says that life must have come into being by natural processes (interaction of lifeless chemicals) at least once and then other life came from that first form (macroevolution).

On the other hand, the creationist’s presuppositions are: (a) God acted using His supernatural power—can call things into being from nothing; (b) God is not limited by time; (c) God, being there, has revealed what He did. The creationist concludes from the data that God created the vast array of life with the ability to multiply and reproduce its kind. The various kinds had the ability, within limits, for variation to adjust to varying conditions.

(2) The fossil record. The data is that there are numerous fossils

BSP 3:1 (Winter 1990) p. 23

representing many forms of life, large and small.

You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
Click here to subscribe