Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Why I reject evolution and alien / extraterrestrial life

I recently made a post referring to a scientific article that proposed the likelihood we are alone in the observable universe. A Christian friend replied with the statement that he was amazed at the evangelical general rejection of the “undeniable fact” of evolution and that it was implausible that, among the vast universe, no other life had also evolved on other planets. This statement has weighed on my mind for a couple of days and I have been considering my response.

 The issue with evolution and alien life for a Biblical Christian is simple: 
  • If Man evolved from an ape-like creature, then the Biblical creation account of Adam and Eve is a myth.
  • If there was no Adam, then the Scriptural references to him (even those by Jesus) are invalid and the doctrine of Original Sin is suspect. Furthermore, the authority and veracity of Scripture is, in general, suspect.
  • If sentient alien life exists, then Christ’s incarnation as Man makes no sense. His sacrifice was to overcome the penalty of sin for Man, originating with the first Man, Adam. He died once, for all His human people, not for non-human aliens.
As a Biblical Christian, I look to Scripture as my authority in all matters. Scripture commands me to “test everything, keep the good” (1 Thess 5:21), so when I deny evolution and alien life, it is from a perspective of careful consideration. I have a philosophical viewpoint derived from my theology that aligns with what is typically labeled as “presuppositionalism”. This view takes into account that no one comes to any conclusion from a truly neutral position. Our interpretation of evidence is shaded by front-loaded experiences, opinions and biases, that is, presuppositions.

Thus, since I presuppose the ultimate authority of Scripture, all my conclusions are drawn from that premise and, based on the objections noted above, I am forced to reject both the general theory of evolution and the proposition of alien life. I understand that there are viewpoints that attempt to reconcile evolution and the Scriptural narrative. Theistic evolution (google it) is one such framework. My issue with it is the many presuppositional capitulations one is forced to adopt.

The simple fact is, no scientifically observable evidence requires me to abandon the prima facie creation account. Science cannot account for supernatural (non-natural) causes. Since my presupposition includes supernatural causes, then I am not bound to interpret evidence according to what is essentially a philosophical presupposition of material naturalism (google it).

Because of this, I am perfectly content with the idea that all the cosmos we observe in the night sky is devoid of intelligent life and that it exists solely to proclaim the glory of God (Psalm 19). 

Because of this, I reject the idea of “from goo to you” generally proposed by evolutionary theory. 

Because of this, I reject the attempt to reconcile the Biblical narrative to popular theories. 

I hope this is helpful to those willing to read this far 😊