Intelligent Design: The Scientific Choice
| by | Jeff Miller, Ph.D. |
Some incorrectly assert that science 
and religion are incompatible—that religion is based on feeling, and science is based on reason and evidence. Sadly, the contention that religion is based on feeling and not evidence does, in fact, characterize the bulk of the religious world. However, true religion—biblical Christianity—is in perfect harmony with reason and true science. After all, God, Himself, instituted the field of science and commanded His followers to draw only those conclusions that are warranted by the evidence (1 Thessalonians 5:21; cf. Miller, 2012a). The Universe contains countless features that exhibit purpose, intent, and planning—characteristics which imply the necessity of an intelligent Designer, not random chance, which characterizes evolutionary theories. Thus, science supports intelligent design and stands against atheistic origin proposals.
and religion are incompatible—that religion is based on feeling, and science is based on reason and evidence. Sadly, the contention that religion is based on feeling and not evidence does, in fact, characterize the bulk of the religious world. However, true religion—biblical Christianity—is in perfect harmony with reason and true science. After all, God, Himself, instituted the field of science and commanded His followers to draw only those conclusions that are warranted by the evidence (1 Thessalonians 5:21; cf. Miller, 2012a). The Universe contains countless features that exhibit purpose, intent, and planning—characteristics which imply the necessity of an intelligent Designer, not random chance, which characterizes evolutionary theories. Thus, science supports intelligent design and stands against atheistic origin proposals.
The scientific evidence indicates, without exception, according to the work of Spallanzani, Redi, and Pasteur, that in nature, life comes only from life (see Miller, 2012b). That evidence poses a dilemma for the naturalistic scientist. The naturalist must be able to propose a theory for the natural origin of life from non-life (i.e., abiogenesis) in order to be consistent with naturalism, and yet science indicates that life cannot arise from non-life. So, the naturalist cannot be a naturalist and still be a legitimate scientist! There is no scientific evidence which supports abiogenesis. However, the intelligent design model contends that since life comes only from life in nature, in order to be in keeping with science, there must be a supernatural explanation for the origin of life. The supernaturalist can easily be a scientist without contradicting himself.
Similarly, science reveals that nothing can last forever, since everything is deteriorating and all energy is transforming into less usable forms according to the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. Science reveals that nothing could spontaneously pop into or out of existence according to the 1st Law of Thermodynamics (see Miller, 2007). Those truths come from the scientific investigation of nature, and yet naturalistic models must contend that the matter and energy of the Universe either always existed or initially popped into existence (before the alleged “Big Bang”). Once again, this proposal is against the scientific evidence. Since science indicates that in nature, matter cannot spontaneously generate or exist forever, unprejudiced reasoning leads to the conclusion that a supernatural source is required to explain the origin of the Universe—an intelligent Designer. Why not argue for the re-instatement of true science into the school system where you are? Intelligent Design is the model in keeping with the scientific evidence.
REFERENCES
Miller, Jeff (2007), “God and the Laws of Thermodynamics: A Mechanical Engineer’s Perspective,” Reason & Revelation, 27[4]:25-31, April (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press), http://apologeticspress.org/articles/3293.
Miller, Jeff (2012a), “Science: Instituted by God,” Reason & Revelation, 32[4]:46, April (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press), http://apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issue=1026&article=1760.
Miller, Jeff (2012b), “The Law of Biogenesis,” Reason & Revelation, 32[1]:2-11, January (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press), http://apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issue=1018&article=1722.
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