Is Evolution a Religion?

All the talk about Darwinian evolution, punctuated evolution, punctuated equilibria, natural selection, convergent evolution, co-evolution, adaptive radiation, mutation, genetic drift, theistic evolution, intelligent design, Biblical creation, etc., can be confusing! In the midst of this confusion, I’ll attempt to take some mud out of the water.

First, we must understand that not all those who believe in evolution agree with Charles Darwin and not all those who believe in creation are Christians, for there are variations of each concept. Here are several important definitions:

1. Hypothesis – a conjecture; an unsubstantiated idea. Everyone has many.
2. Theory – an hypothesis with some substantiation, but not yet proven. Everyone has several.
3. Fact – something that has been proven. Hopefully we all know at least one.
4. Religion – a) a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or groups; b) a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith.

Side-stepping the Bible, Darwin was trying to understand the common ancestor of life which might point to the origin of life, and many modern scientists are looking for the unifying force that ties the universe together – whatever that means. Both correctly share the idea that there must be one original spark of life – somewhere – from some place.

Some hypothesize that we may have been seeded or planted by civilizations from other solar systems or galaxies, while others go straight to the hypothetical Big Bang. But neither hypothesis provides a plausible answer.

Does it surprise you that many of the strongest supporters of evolution are atheists? The March 9, 1907 edition of the New York Times refers to Ernst Haeckel as the “celebrated Darwinian, and founder of the Association for the Propagation of Ethical Atheism.” Conversely, a study was conducted in 2011 which revealed that many high school biology teachers were reluctant to endorse evolution in class. Rather, they are encouraging the students to employ critical-thinking skills when considering life and its beginnings.

The reason? The concept of evolution is actually an hypothesis; but many misguided people call it a theory and teach it as fact. That is not science. It is actually faith, which places it in the field of religion.

Consider these facts:

• Organic life requires the simultaneous (emphasis on simultaneous) presence of three highly complex, coded macromolecules – RNA (Ribonucleic acid), DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), and proteins. Proteins consist of amino acids. I read that the protein hormone insulin has fifty-one amino acids; and using those 51 acids there are more than ten trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion different possible sequences. That’s just for insulin. (For comparison, the human body has somewhere around 75-140 trillion cells.)
• According to the basic evolutionary concept, all organic life originated from dissolved rocks: a rich soup of dissolved minerals. But without the direct intervention of the divine Creator, God, it is absolutely impossible for organic life to evolve from dissolved rocks. Also, a portion of the 2^nd law of thermodynamics (entropy) reveals that nature does not become more complex, but degrades with time.
• The first law of thermodynamics informs us that matter can be neither created nor destroyed. It can change shape, form, or state, but matter cannot be made out of nothing or annihilated into nothing. That cancels any Big Bang hypothesis. Therefore, logically and scientifically, the mere presence of matter is a miracle and requires a Creator who resides outside time and space. That takes us back to the Bible and a Creator: God.
• John 1:1-2 says; “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.” And verse fourteen informs us, “The Word became flesh (Jesus) and dwelt among us.” So it was Jesus Who was actively involved in creating everything.
• To believe that something can be made out of nothing is either absurd, or faith. Either way is not scientific, and the concept of evolution takes its place among the many religions of the world.

Accepting a Creator also requires faith, but it isn’t blind faith. Consider this: Timex watches and space shuttles don’t just happen; they require dreamers, planners, engineers, builders, and more. When we study the intricacies of the simple one-cell amoeba or massive 200-billion-star galaxies, it is obvious that there was a dreamer, planner, engineer, and builder. The classic Big Bang hypothesis and humanistic evolution make intriguing science fiction, but do not stand the test of time. Rather they are diversions which turn us away from truth: from Almighty God who created us, and from Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us.

God – not limited by man’s imagination – created the laws of physics then created matter and arranged matter into various forms. It is fascinating, and almost beyond the comprehension of mortal man. Religions that accept spontaneous materialization without a Creator and gods creating themselves, are blind religions based on human imagination; but Judeo-Christianity is a revealed religion based on nature and Scripture.