Evidence for God in Physical Design Archives

January 16, 2025January 12, 2025

Life on Mars in Fiction and Fact

Our fascination with Mars goes back to American sci-fi, with War of the Worlds, written by H. G. Wells and published in 1898. It was recreated as a radio drama by Orson Welles on Halloween in 1938, causing panic in America. In 1950, Ray Bradbury released a novel called The Martian Chronicles, which ended with the Earth destroyed by nuclear war. In 2005, Steven Spielberg directed a movie based on the Wells novel starring Tom Cruise. In 2015, The Martian was a science fiction movie starring Matt Damon. We have now scientifically investigated the red planet, resolving the question of life on Mars.

Measurements made by NASA’s Curiosity Rover from four Gale crater sites show that there is no life on Mars and that there has never been life on Mars’ surface. The ratios of carbon and oxygen isotopes indicate that no biosphere existed on the planet. Rock samples show extreme rates of evaporation and carbon flowing into the atmosphere like bubbles from a pressurized can of soda.

Previous measurements on Mars have been made in ice, which forms and melts there with some degree of regularity. For the first time, science has isotopic readings from rock samples. One can argue that there has been life on Mars in the distant past preserved many feet below ground, but drill cores have not backed up that theory.

The more we learn from scientific data gathered in space, the more we realize how extraordinary life is on Earth. Mars is NOT our twin planet, and no planet in our solar system is. Travel to another star and another solar system would not be within human capacity at any time during the lives of those living today. Humans may destroy Earth by nuclear war, but Bradbury’s story of The Martian Chronicles is not a predictor of how that might happen.

The Bible says God created time, space, matter-energy, and life. It doesn’t tell us when or how many steps were involved in creating the planet on which we live. The Bible does tell us how to live and avoid the things that can destroy this planet. Albert Einstein is purported to have said that if nuclear war is used in World War III, World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones. Moving to Mars is not an option. We can avoid wars by following the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5-7.

— John N. Clayton © 2025
Reference: American Scientist magazine for January/February 2025 (page 10)

November 25, 2024November 20, 2024

Fine-Tuning the Universe

I recently attempted to bake some pumpkin bread. It was a disaster because I failed to use the proper proportion of one ingredient. When baking any pastry, having all the right ingredients in the right proportions is essential. Equally important is having the correct oven temperature for the right amount of time. Every factor must be just right. This is a simple illustration of fine-tuning the recipe. Far more complicated than baking any pastry is fine-tuning the universe.

Scientists have realized that the universe requires fine-tuning to make the existence of complex life possible. The number of factors that must be fine-tuned is vast, but five significant ones are these:

Gravitational Force Constant – This is the force that pulls us toward Earth. More than that, it holds the planet together and makes it round. It also holds the Moon in orbit around the Earth and the planets in orbit around the Sun. It holds together the Milky Way and all other galaxies. This force has to be strong enough to form stars and planets, but if it were too strong, stars would quickly burn up, and no planets would form.

Electromagnetic Force Constant – This force holds atoms together. It must be just right for chemical bonds to form, creating molecules that everything is made of, including our bodies.

Strong Nuclear Force Constant – This force holds together the protons and neutrons in the nuclei of atoms. It must be just right to form stable atoms.

Weak Nuclear Force Constant – This force regulates radioactive decay and must be precisely correct to form stars such as our Sun.

Cosmological Constant – This force controls the universe’s expansion speed, balancing the attractive force of gravity with the repulsive force causing space to expand. It must be extremely precise to prevent the universe from flying apart or collapsing on itself.

A properly “baked” universe requires that all of these constants and many more parameters be just right. The chance of all of them coming together by accident is beyond impossible. Fine-tuning the universe requires intelligent planning far beyond that of any human baker, and it could not have happened by accident. It is evidence of an intelligent creator God.

— Roland Earnst © 2024
Reference: “List of Fine-Tuning Parameters” by Jay W. Richards

November 18, 2024November 17, 2024

God Reveals Himself in Two Ways

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork” (Psalms 19:1 KJV). That is how the psalm begins with a Hebrew parallelism where the same thought is repeated in slightly different words. The word translated “firmament” is sometimes translated as “sky.” Literally, the Hebrew word means “expanse.” As we look up at night, we see beyond what we usually call the “sky” and observe the “expanse.” We see God’s glory and handiwork in the things He has made. (See also Romans 1:20.) But an essential truth in Psalm 19 is easily overlooked. It tells us that God reveals Himself in two ways.

In that first verse, the Hebrew word David uses for God is “El.” The ancient Middle Eastern people used that word to refer to a generic “god.” The Jews used it to refer to the Creator. Read the first six verses of that psalm, and you will see the psalmist says that twenty-four hours a day, the visible physical creation reveals knowledge of God and speaks of Him without using words. He says that this natural revelation of the Creator is available to everyone worldwide at all times.

Something changes in verse 7 when David begins to speak of God’s law–His divine revelation. In that verse, the word for God becomes “Yahweh.” The psalmist no longer uses the generic term known to all but the personal name revealed to Moses. (See Genesis 3:14.) In the following verses, David speaks of how God’s law revives the soul, imparts wisdom, brings enlightenment, and is greatly to be desired. God reveals Himself in two ways.

The point is that God is clearly revealed in His creation, but only in His written word can we fully know His will and plan for us. The cosmos, physics, chemistry, biology, and life all point us to “El,” an intelligent Creator. However, to fully know “Yahweh” the “I Am,” we turn to the written word. Some people refuse to accept the evidence of God in creation and call themselves atheists or, at best, agnostics. Others recognize that the creation indicates a Creator and adopt a theistic view but go no further.

The point is that we need to recognize that God reveals Himself in two ways. Go beyond the generic and lame concept of “the man in the sky.” Recognize that God has revealed Himself in the Bible and most clearly in Jesus Christ. The Creator loves us, and He conquered death by dying for us. (See John 1:1-14 and the rest of the gospels.) Our lives can only be complete when we accept God’s natural and written revelations.

November 12, 2024November 11, 2024

Trashing God’s Creation

The Bible tells us that God created our planet to be a beautiful place and gave humans the responsibility to take care of it. However, we see today that humans are trashing God’s creation.

Several times in my life, I have had the privilege of being in an area where no human activity had ever been present. From the underwater gardens in the Galapagos Islands to isolated regions of Alaska, the beauty of the natural world has astounded me. In Australia, I was allowed to be in places where the nearest human city was hundreds of miles away, and the beauty was breathtaking. Canoeing in Canada’s Quetico wilderness was another place where I saw incredible beauty. Numerous trips to the bottom of the Grand Canyon allowed me to see an unspoiled natural environment.

Finding unspoiled places today has become increasingly difficult. Human greed, selfishness, and materialism have led to trashing much of our planet. Many people have sensed this loss, including those who may not see it as God’s creation but cannot deny the destruction of the natural world. One organization is the Ocean Conservancy, which is involved in global cleanup. One of their programs is the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), which uses volunteers to pick up trash worldwide.

In 2023, ICC volunteers collected 1,947,483 cigarette butts, 1,358,870 plastic beverage bottles, 853,086 plastic bottle caps, 762,803 food wrappers, 563,390 plastic grocery bags, and a variety of trash, adding up to 14.3 million items. The issue of trashing God’s creation has gotten more attention since scientists discovered that microplastics contaminate all oceans and even show up in the human bloodstream. Medical research shows that these tiny plastic particles combine with chemicals to produce cancer, birth defects, brain damage, infertility, and various other health issues.

We see skeptics blaming God for these illnesses and problems when the root of much of the pain and suffering is humans trashing God’s creation. Christians cannot assume that this problem is unrelated to their faith. We need to be leaders in caring for God’s creation just as we must lead in helping our world understand Christ’s wisdom as He tells us how to live and how to treat each other.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
Reference: The Ocean Conservancy in their Splash newsletter for Winter 2024

November 11, 2024November 7, 2024

Saturn Launched a Comet

Among the many evidences for design in our solar system are the outer gas-giant planets that protect Earth from comets. We have seen Jupiter draw in a comet, break it into multiple pieces, and then swallow it. If Jupiter had not stopped that comet in the outer reaches of our solar system, it could have been catastrophic to our planet. Astronomers have recently learned that Saturn launched a comet out of the solar system.

In June 2014, the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) discovered a comet they call A117uUD. Looking through previous images of the comet, they were able to “wind back” the history of its solar orbit. They found that in 2022, it came close enough to our second-largest planet (the one with the famous rings) that Saturn’s gravity grabbed it and flung it away from us. Now, it’s traveling out of the solar system at 6,710 miles per hour (10,800 km/hr).

A117uUD is the second comet astronomers have seen a gas-giant planet launch into deep space. In 1980, Jupiter sent comet C/1980 E1 (Boswell) on a path out of the solar system. What would happen if a comet invaded our solar system and the outer planets, with their massive gravity, were not there to send it on a detour? How long would our planet survive? What if Jupiter and Saturn were not available to swallow, destroy, or re-route a destructive comet?

When Saturn launched a comet into the wild black yonder, it caused no danger to Earth’s inhabitants. We can be thankful that the solar system is well-designed for us to survive. Does design indicate an accident or a Designer?

Reference: space.com

November 4, 2024November 3, 2024

When Neutron Stars Collide

The periodic table has 94 elements that occur naturally and 24 others that exist only in particle accelerators, nuclear reactors, and atomic explosions. The natural elements include one group known as “rapid neutron capture process” or r-process elements. Most of those elements are created when neutron stars collide, giving off gamma rays.

In the periodic table above, you can see the r-process elements in lavender. Without those elements, life would be very different, if not impossible. Two of the r-process metals are thorium and uranium. Earth’s strong magnetic field that protects us from deadly solar and cosmic radiation exists because of radioactive thorium and uranium inside our planet. Those elements are also the reason for plate tectonics, which transformed the planet from a water world (Genesis 1:2) into a world with oceans and continents (Job 38:8-11).

Other valuable metals in the r-process group include silver, gold, platinum, palladium, and osmium. Those metals are essential for electronic components and catalysts that make our high technology possible. They are also involved in medical treatments, including chemotherapy.

The precisely fine-tuned properties of neutrinos and the weak nuclear force make the rapid nuclear capture process possible. When neutron stars collide, we are also blessed by the fact that they are far away from our planet, so the gamma rays pose no risk to our survival. The closest detected collision was in a galaxy 130 million light-years from Earth. We see evidence of God’s creative wisdom in all of these things and many more.

Reference: salvomag.com

October 16, 2024October 14, 2024

Rivers and Streams Neglected

We take for granted many of the things God has created that our lives depend on. The classic example is neglected rivers and streams. Many rivers have become dumping grounds not only for human waste but for agricultural waste and chemical disposal. Scientific studies have shown us how destructive this is.

One-third of the American population depends on rivers and streams for drinking water. Seventy-five percent of commercial fisheries depend on rivers that run into the oceans or the Great Lakes. These include shrimp, clams, oysters, salmon, walleye, catfish, lake trout, cisco, grunions, and a host of rough fish used for cat food and fertilizer. Rivers and creeks, if adequately cared for, store billions of gallons of water annually. Much of the flooding in America is caused by the neglect of rivers and streams or the misuse of them by straightening, paving the stream bed, or narrowing the stream channel.

The Bible has many references to streams and rivers. The Psalmist pictured rivers as places of retreat and recovery (Psalms 1:3 and 65:9). Rivers and streams were involved in various biblical historical events. The book of Revelation uses rivers to portray the message of God concerning the future. (See Revelation 8:10, 9:14, 16:4, 16:12, and especially 22:1 & 2.) In Acts 16:13-15 we see people gathering at the riverside to worship.

The home of this ministry is located on the edge of the St Joseph River in Michigan. I moved to this area in 1959 to teach science in South Bend. In one course, the students took water samples and studied what the river was like in the past and what it might be like in the future. My students found used toilet paper, dead animals, bottles of chemicals, and rotten food. When a Notre Dame professor joined us, he pointed out that the city cemetery drained into the river. An oxbow lake that was part of the river was the city swimming hole. The professor suggested that the fluids from the cemetery in the water meant,” You are swimming in grandpa’s juices.”

The home where I live in retirement is on the river downstream from all of that. Five cities empty the overflow from their sewage treatment plants into the river. Like most rivers in America, the one I live by carries bacteria, chemicals, waste, and sewage. Rather than identify the human role and clean it up, our culture wants to blame God for the diseases that afflict innocent people.

God gave us rivers and streams as places of beauty and solitude, reflecting God’s creative wisdom. We see muskrats, peregrine falcons, beavers, turtles, deer, eagles, herons, swans, and a host of shoreline birds along the river. They all speak of God’s wisdom and planning and His desire for us to live as He called us to live. Romans 6 gives a great call for all of us. Please read it.

October 14, 2024October 13, 2024

Low-Cost Ways to Improve Your Health

Who doesn’t want better health? What if you could achieve better physical and mental health without spending money? At a time when people are facing depression and anxiety about inflation, wars, and even elections, here are some suggestions for easy, low-cost ways to improve your health.

The first suggestion is to move your body. Studies have shown that physical activity can sometimes do more to reduce mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and stress than medications can. Medications also have their side effects. Sitting in a chair for many hours each day can lead to various health problems, but even a small amount of exercise can make us feel better. Physical activity strengthens your bones and muscles, including your heart, while brightening your outlook on life. Gardening or housework can be rewarding. Bicycle riding or walking can allow you to see things you won’t see while sitting at home.

The next suggestion for easy, low-cost ways to improve your health is to go outdoors. Seeing the beauty of God’s creation can be very soothing. Walking in the woods, away from traffic and noise, is stress-relieving. Oceans, lakes, and rivers bring a soothing calm and relief from everyday pressures. Our daily postings on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) show design and beauty in God’s creation. Watching animals and birds in the wild can inspire you with their various activities. Bird songs and the sounds of nature can be soothing. The beauty of plants and trees, especially in the fall and spring, reminds us that God created beauty for us to enjoy. Studies have shown that exposure to nature can improve cognitive function, blood pressure, and sleep.

While considering easy, low-cost ways to improve your health, we must recognize the value of connecting with others. God designed us to be together and support each other, and living in isolation can lead to mental depression and anxiety. First and foremost, families are important, but family members are often far away or estranged. It is also essential to have friends outside of family members. In a church congregation, you can find friends who will give you love and support. Clubs and community groups can provide fellowship with others, but there is nothing as close as sharing life and faith in the fellowship of a solid biblical church.

We encourage you to try these suggestions and see what positive changes they can make in your life and health.

September 23, 2024September 22, 2024

Creation and Evolution Are Not the Same

Creation and evolution are two different things. Evolution does not attempt to answer creation. Evolution assumes creation. Evolution assumes that time, space, and matter/energy have been created. It assumes that matter/energy has formed galaxies, stars, planets, moons, comets, asteroids, etc. It assumes that in the Milky Way galaxy, a G-2 star came into existence with a planet that had water and all the parameters needed for life. Evolution then assumes a set of chemical reactions occurred that produced the precursors of life and that life itself came into existence. Once all of this has been assumed, evolution attempts to explain how that life may have changed into what we see on Earth today.

Both atheists and denominational writers confuse creation and evolution. The problem is that many religious people believe that God created all living things precisely as they are today, even though we can see evolution happening in our lifetime. Meanwhile, many atheists assume that if you believe in creation, you are a follower of several highly publicized denominational programs involving creation museums and carnival-like entertainment venues.

Many churches take busloads of young people to those creationist venues, assuming it will build their faith. For a large percentage of the young people, the reverse is happening. We get letters, emails, and phone calls from teenagers who are struggling with their faith and leaving the church of their parents because they see the bad science and poor Bible understanding associated with the creationist materials. This confusion becomes even more destructive when the church they attend takes a dispensational approach to the return of Jesus involving conflict, war, politics, and a restoration of David’s throne on Earth.

Creation and evolution must not be confused. Genesis 1:1 uses the Hebrew word “bara” to describe creation. Bara refers to something that only God can do. Genesis begins with: “Reshith Elohim bara shamayim erets.” The Hebrew words simply mean that God created time, space, and matter/energy. Quantum mechanics has verified that time itself is a created thing. Colossians 1:16 and John 1:3 show why “Elohim” is plural in the Hebrew of Genesis 1. This is actual creation. You can argue about current evolutionary theories, but that is not creation. Our ministry work involves the creation, but we do not espouse the “creationist” position or support the denominational teachings associated with it.