God Archives - Page 28 of 136 - DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

April 24, 2023April 23, 2023

Tool Use Discoveries in Anthropology

Scientific articles about tool use as an indicator of pre-human activity in the distant past may have to be rewritten. New discoveries show that the “tools” some anthropologists claimed were used by ancient hominids may be stone flakes accidentally created by monkeys.

Researchers have observed long-tailed macaques in Thailand using rocks to pound open palm nuts. When they use rocks containing flint or quartz, they create flakes or shards. Those fragments are very similar to some sharp-edge stone fragments researchers previously thought were created by ancient humans in East Africa.

Scientists have used what they call intentionally produced sharp-edged stones as proof of the evolutionary development of emerging humans. They used the “flake technology” to infer the degree of cognitive ability, including knowing how to select the types of rocks to give specific properties for making tools. Despite this “new” research, experienced field workers had previously observed monkeys inadvertently producing stone flakes and sometimes even using them as grooming tools.

Today’s anthropologists have moved beyond tool use to determine whether a specimen was human. They can sometimes use DNA found in the remains of the individuals. DNA studies have led to the understanding that all humans are related and that the gene pool has been thoroughly mixed over the ages.

The biblical reference is very simple. The name “Eve” means the mother of all living humans (Genesis 3:20). “Adam” means “of the ground,” referring to the fact that our physical bodies consist of elements found in the earth. “In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19).

What sets humans apart is not tool use but our spiritual makeup. All humans are made in the image of God. We are all one physically, and the Bible calls us to become one spiritually. (See Galatians 3:28 and Ephesians 2:14.)

References: Science News April 8, 2023, page 13, and the journal Science Advances.

April 21, 2023April 19, 2023

What Are the Chances?

Advocates of unguided naturalistic evolution say that evolution could have gone in many directions, and we are lucky to be here. But what are the chances of evolution producing you and me as we are today? Evolutionists would say the changes are 100% since we are already here. But, if we go back to the cosmic creation event, or “big bang,” the chances that we would have evolved are nil. On the other hand, if God planned and guided the creation because He had us in mind, the chances are 100%.

The DNA that makes us who we are physically is a highly complex strand of information. What are the chances that it could have written itself by chance? First of all, information comes from intelligence, not chance. Calculating the likelihood of something after it has happened is a statistical fallacy. After all, DNA is here, and so are we, so the chances are 100%. But what are the chances if we go back before the fact? What are the chances that non-living chemicals could come together in a just-right way to form the first living cell? Then what is the statistical evidence for that first cell multiplying and modifying by random chance mutations and natural selection to create humans?

One imagined scenario involves a billion chimpanzees typing on a billion keyboards for a billion years, accidentally typing one line of Shakespeare. What are the chances of that? Well, the short answer is that it will never happen. Computer keyboards have various numbers of keys, but the old-fashioned typewriters had 58, so let’s go with that number.

Forget Shakespeare. Look for the line “I love you more.” without quotation marks. That is a total of 16 letters, spaces, and a period. With 58 keys and 16 letters, what are the chances of accidentally typing that line? To compute that, you would have to multiply 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58 X 58. That is a total of 16 times. If you want to try it, go ahead, but it will probably exceed the capacity of your calculator. The answer would be 16.4 trillion quadrillion typing attempts.

Typing continuously at a speed equivalent to 45 words per minute, it would take 2,100 trillion years to have a 50/50 chance that one of those chimps would type that phrase. Absolutely nobody thinks that the Earth is anywhere close to 2,100 trillion years old. Nobody even suggests that the universe is that old. For this thought experiment, we are only looking for one short line of text, “I love you more.” That is nothing compared to the complex system of life on this planet.

The bottom line is that we can’t explain life or the fine-tuned physical constants of the universe by chance alone. But we can explain those things if God planned and guided the creation because He had us in mind. With God, our chances of being here were 100% from the beginning. (See Genesis 1:1.)

Reference: “Chances are…” by Bob Berman on Astronomy.com

For more on this topic see “Arranging Books on a Shelf“

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

Spring Green Testifies of God

I have been admiring the beautiful colors of the blossoms on our fruit trees and the flowering dogwoods. Spring brings new life to the natural world. Everything changes daily as the bulb plants wake up and emerge from the ground. Yet, even with all the beautiful colors, I enjoy spring green.

Green is a very relaxing color. The new leaves on the trees transform them from ghost-like stalks to luxurious, living umbrellas ready to provide shade from the summer heat. But, have you ever noticed that the green of tree leaves seems more vibrant in the spring than in summertime? There is a reason for that. It isn’t just your imagination.

Leaves are green because of the chlorophyll they contain. That amazing chemical makes it possible for plants to take energy from the Sun, moisture from the ground, and carbon dioxide from the air to make sugars that power their growth. We call that extremely complex process photosynthesis, and we have discussed that before on this website. The chlorophyll is contained in chloroplasts in the leaves. The chloroplasts absorb light, but they use more of the higher energy blue and red wavelengths and reflect much of the green. When we see spring green leaves, they contain fewer chloroplasts, so they absorb less light, making the green leaves appear bright and vibrant.

Chloroplasts multiply as the season wears on, so the leaves absorb more light. Also, the cuticles, or outer layer of the leaves, and the cell walls in the leaves become thicker. Those factors, which are part of the leaf’s maturing process, cause it to appear darker. I wonder if we also become less conscious of the green after we have seen it for a few weeks. When the dark tree trunks of winter become hidden by beautiful green leaves, we take notice. Our attention changes when we have seen the spring green and become overwhelmed by the summer.

In autumn, when the chloroplasts fade, the vibrant colors of other chemicals in the leaves catch our attention. Spring green and autumn gold and red can jar us into realizing the beauty of the world. However, we should not need sudden changes to make us conscious of the beauty of God’s wonders all around us. Evidence for God is there if we are willing to look. “For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20 CSB).

April 19, 2023April 18, 2023

Elephants Show Design and Purpose

Skeptics have maintained that our planet cannot support animals as big and requiring as much food and water as elephants. Such comments are a product of ignorance and the desire to show that a wise Creator could not have designed life on Earth. However, the more we learn about them, the more we see that elephants show design and purpose.

Elephants eat 200 to 300 pounds of food and drink up to 40 gallons of water every day. They can spend 75% of their day eating, and that fact has fueled the skeptical view. What needs to be better understood is that almost 50% of the plant material they eat leaves their body undigested. This makes the elephant the gardener of the rainforest, providing seeds and water in places that would otherwise be barren.

An elephant’s trunk is an incredibly sophisticated piece of equipment with 40,000 muscles that can bend in nearly any direction. An adult elephant’s trunk can pick up a 700-pound weight, but it is sensitive enough to pick up a flower. Elephants can suck up and expel water but do not drink through their trunk – it is not a straw. An elephant’s sense of smell is twice as keen as a dog’s and can detect the scent of food or water 10 miles away.

Elephants use infrasonic sounds to communicate with one another. These are frequencies lower than 20 cycles per second, the lower limit of human hearing. Using low frequencies allows the sounds to be transmitted over very long distances. Studies have shown that elephants can communicate with one another over a span of six miles. Elephant hearing does not just involve its ears. They also hear through nerves in their feet, and their hearing is sensitive enough to distinguish between human voices.

Elephants have the largest brain of any land animal, and the memory section is larger and denser than that of humans. The adage of having a memory like an elephant recognizes this ability, which has shown to be useful in situations such as remembering where water holes were 12 years ago. The design of elephants is so complex that attributing it to blind chance does not seem to be the best explanation. Seeing that elephants show design and purpose, we recognize that life is the product of an intelligent Creator.

Reference: National Geographic animation “Discover the secret superpowers of elephants..”

April 18, 2023April 15, 2023

The Complex Design of Insect Brains

We may see insects as very simple organisms, but scientists see the complex design of insect brains. The human brain has over 80 billion nerve cells, each with about 10,000 connections. To understand the wiring in the human brain, you have to start small. For that reason, scientists mapped the 548,000 connections in the brain of a fruit fly larva. The goal is to learn how to treat disorders in the human brain.

The scientists had to slice the tiny brain into thousands of very thin sections and then use an electron microscope to capture an image of each slice. They could only accomplish the analysis by using powerful computers and specialized analytical tools. Even though they are small, fruitfly brains have regions for decision-making, learning, and navigation. In addition, they have left and right sides, like human brains.

Scientists call the complete brain wiring connections the “connectome,” and this work has practical applications. If we could understand the human brain’s connectome, we might be able to treat learning disorders, schizophrenia, and behavioral issues. Although researchers have been able to map the brain of the fruit fly larva, they are still far from mapping the brain of an adult fruit fly. Mapping the human brain will be even more challenging.

As we read data about the complex design of insect brains, we see how incredible the design of life is. The brain is a vital part of our existence and is far more complex than any computer humans might develop. To think that this complexity could be the product of blind chance processes requires faith beyond the thinking of any reasonable person.

The complex design of insect brains tells us that the “Wisdom” spoken of in Proverbs 8:12 and 22 demonstrates God’s incredible engineering and design. “I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions … the Lord possessed me in the beginning of His work.”

References: The journal Science, and “The first wiring map of an insect’s brain hints at incredible complexity” on NPR.org

April 17, 2023April 15, 2023

Tectonic Plates and Continental Drift

One of the interesting designs of planet Earth is the fluid nature of the crust and interior of the planet. Looking at a global map suggests that North and South America must have been connected to Europe and Africa in the past. As technology has improved, we have been able to see the connections and identify and measure the slowly moving tectonic plates and continental drift. This movement gives rise to surface features that affect human life and bring resources to supply the needs of all living things.

In 2005, geologists tracked 163 earthquakes as a 35-mile-long chasm opened in Ethiopia’s Afar Desert, where a volcanic eruption occurred. In 2018, a giant fissure 50 feet deep and 65 feet wide opened west of Nairobi, Kenya. These changes are surface expressions of movement in the mantle of magma inside the planet. The movement of tectonic plates happens very slowly, but even at a rate of less than an inch a year, scientists can measure it.

Tectonic plates and continental drift formed the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Along the edges of the various plates, material from the surface sinks back into Earth’s interior, while volcanos bring new materials to the surface, creating a colossal recycling system. Planet Earth is active, continuously producing new land with fresh minerals.

Because this process is so slow, its impact on human existence is minimal. However, people continue to build large cities along the fault lines. In California, we have the making of a colossal disaster as cities like Los Angeles straddle a geologically active region. The warnings are there, but they go unheeded.

Understanding the design of our planet with tectonic plates and continental drift should enable us to avoid geologic catastrophes and locate the mineral resources we need. Proverbs 8:22-26 finds “Wisdom” speaking about her presence at the beginning of God’s creation work. We see God’s wisdom and patience as we look at our planet’s design.

References: Wikipedia “Afar Triangle,” “Afar Triple Junction,” and “Great Rift Valley, Kenya”

April 14, 2023April 12, 2023

The Folded Napkin

Understanding the customs of first-century Israel can help believers and skeptics understand the biblical account. We can miss the significance of simple things in the Bible by not knowing the customs of that time. One of those is the folded napkin.

In John 20:3-9, Peter came to the tomb where the body of Jesus had been placed. As he entered the tomb, he saw strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. “The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen” (verse 6).

In the days of Jesus, Hebrew tradition required that when the dinner table was set for the master, the servant or host would wait until the master finished his meal. The servant or host would not touch anything until they were sure the master was done. The master would indicate that by taking the napkin, wiping his fingers and mouth, and cleaning his beard. He would then wad up the soiled napkin and toss it on the table. The wadded napkin meant, “I’m done.” The host or servant could then clear the table.

If the master got up from the table to relieve himself or to greet a guest, he would fold the napkin and lay it beside his plate. The folded napkin meant, “I am coming back, don’t touch anything.” This custom was carefully followed and well-known in Jesus’ day.

The fact that the napkin that had been around Jesus’ head was folded left a clear message to Peter, “I’m coming back.” Peter was still struggling with the events of the crucifixion (see verse 9), but he couldn’t miss the clear symbol of the folded napkin. The fact that John mentions it shows its importance. This is just one example of how much we miss if we don’t understand the customs that surrounded the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

April 13, 2023April 11, 2023

The Weight of Rain

How much does rain weigh? We just had a one-inch rainfall in a single thunderstorm. So let’s do some simple calculations to determine the weight of rain.

One acre of ground is 43,560 square feet. A one-inch rain is 1/12th of a foot, so the total volume of water that fell on every acre was 3,630 cubic feet. The density of water is 62.4 pounds per cubic foot. If you multiply 3,630 cubic feet by 62.4 pounds, you will see that 226,512 pounds of water (or 113.26 tons) fell on every acre of ground. There are 640 acres in a square mile, and most thunderstorms cover many square miles. So, each square mile of land received 72,486.4 tons of water in a one-inch rainfall. God’s power and energy are beyond our understanding, but we see a small piece of it in the weight of rain that falls on us.

There are many lessons involved in looking at these numbers. First, we should not underestimate the power of water to erode human structures and natural areas like the canyons we see and enjoy. We often overlook the use of water to generate electric power, and it is a renewable resource. Also, God designed water to be the basic substance of life.

The Bible refers to water many times. Proverbs 8:24-29 speaks of water as a product of wisdom and design. Psalms 23:2 refers to the peace of water and the benefits it brings. Revelation 22:1-2 repeats that, and verse 17 refers to the “water of life.” Song of Solomon 8:7 tells us that love is the only thing water cannot quench. And we need to remember that God used water to cleanse a corrupt Earth in the flood of Noah (Genesis 6:5-8).

As we learn more about other planets and moons, we see how blessed we are to be on a planet with abundant water. This is no accident. Scientists have only recently discovered the process required to make water, and we cannot overemphasize the importance of taking care of the water God gave us. Water continues to shape our planet, and we must not restrict it from what it was designed for by wasting or polluting it. How much does rain weigh? The weight of rain is great, but its value is much greater.

April 12, 2023April 11, 2023

Water Stewardship Past and Present

One of the major issues facing us today is how we get enough water to the right places to meet human needs. Between climate change and the growing human population, water availability is a huge concern in countries worldwide. We either have too much water resulting in floods or droughts that threaten food shortages. The fact is that God has equipped planet Earth with plenty of water. The problem is human water stewardship is not what it should be.

In the year 330, Roman Emperor Constantine took an ancient Greek city known as Byzantium and renamed it New Rome to become the new center of the Roman Empire. As the city grew, it became known as Constantine’s City or Constantinople. Three decades later, a court orator named Themistius wrote that “the city thirsts.” The city was surrounded by the sea on three sides, but it needed fresh water for its growing population. So, in 340, Constantius II began a major aqueduct construction project completed under Roman Emperor Valens In 373. The enormous project required an amount of stone equivalent to the Great Pyramid of Giza and enough mortar to fill 500 Olympic-size swimming pools. With the aqueducts, reservoirs, and a system of cisterns, Constantinople could truly become the new Rome in the fourth and fifth centuries.

Many areas today face a shortage of water. Six states, including 40 million people in the American West, receive water from the Colorado River. The states are Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and California. In 1922, the states made a compact giving California the largest share of the water. Unfortunately, the Colorado River has been shrinking in recent years while the human population has grown. The pact made in 1922 is not working well, especially for Arizona, and the situation requires better water stewardship.

Could we build a water system today analogous to what the Romans did almost 1,700 years ago? Can you imagine the benefit to all Americans if we had such a water distribution system in the western US? Droughts and flooding occur, but the effect is made worse by poor stewardship of the water resources God has given us. People in Africa, and other areas, need wells to provide safe water, and Christian organizations are working to meet that need. We can and must do more, and Christians should be the first to realize the importance of water stewardship because we honor the Giver of every good and perfect gift. (See James 1:17 and Mark 9:41.)

References: “The City Thirsts” by James Crow in Current World Archaeology magazine # 117 for February/March 2023, and “The Colorado River war and the growing problem of less water” on TheWeek.com.

April 11, 2023April 7, 2023

Terrifying Effects of Alcohol

A flurry of new research reports on the terrifying effects of alcohol. The University of Victoria, The Cleveland Clinic, The American Cancer Society, the U.K. Biobank, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have all contributed the following data on alcohol consumption:

One of the terrifying effects of alcohol is that it contributes to more than 75,000 new cancer cases and 19,000 deaths in the U.S. every year.

Alcohol is the direct cause of seven types of cancer – oral cavity, throat, larynx, liver, breast, and colorectal cancer. Heavy drinkers have five times the risk, and moderate drinkers have 1.8 times the risk. In addition, one drink a day raises the risk of breast cancer by 9%.

Alcoholic liver disease kills 22,000 Americans every year. Two alcoholic beverages a day for five years can damage the liver, and one drink a day increases the risk of heart attack and stroke by up to 20%.

Previous claims said that red wine could do good things to improve health, but the ingredient in red wine that does this is the antioxidant resveratrol. A person would have to drink 500 liters of red wine daily to get significant benefits, which would cause high blood pressure, stroke, and abnormal heart rhythm.

A Gallup study in 2021 has shown that 60% of Americans drink an average of 3.6 drinks a week. Just under 50% reported binge drinking – defined as consuming four drinks in a sitting for men and three for women. We are all bombarded with ads and social pressure that makes drinking sound like something we all need to have a good time. The fact is that the financial cost of using alcohol is massive.

God has told us that our bodies and sacred, the dwelling place of God’s Spirit, and that desecrating our bodies will bring us to ruin (1 Corinthians 3:16 17). The terrifying effects of alcohol result in immense pain to humanity. One way to oppose the use of alcohol is to educate people about its destructive nature.

Reference: The Week for 3/24/23, page 11.