Consequences of God (Part 5)
October 31, 2010 · 0 Comments
By Pastor Sandy Huntsman
This is the fifth in a series considering the issue of “God” and his existence. In my own personal search regarding the existence of God, this argument, often referred to as the teleological argument, was the strongest. Isaac Newton (1642-1727) implicitly confirmed the validity of this argument when he wrote, “This most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.” The argument simply goes like this:
(1) Every design has a designer.
(2) The universe has a highly complex design.
(3) Therefore, the universe has a Designer.
Dr. John Cleveland Cothran, a mathematician and chemist, says: “If you think strongly enough, you will be forced by science to believe in God... the discovery of atomic structure has now revealed that in all these examples of chemical behavior definite laws prevail, not haphazardness or chance… each atom of every one of the 102 elements consists of exactly the same three kinds of electrical particles: protons (positive), electrons (negative), and neutrons… so that all the millions of different kinds of substances, both elements and compounds, simplify down to three kinds of electrical particles which, in turn, appear to be only different forms of the one primary entity, electricity, which finally, may be only a form or attribute or manifestation of the ultimate in simplicity: energy… the material universe is unquestionably one of system and order, not chaos; of laws, not chance and haphazards.” (“The Inescapable Conclusion,” The Evidence of God in an Expanding Universe, John Clover Monsma, pp. 37-41)
Time will not permit us to consider the literally thousands of examples of complexity and design that may be observed from the smallest atom to the largest celestial blob (made up of galaxies and large bubbles of gas), but permit me to mention one more. Our planet, earth, has highly precise and interdependent environmental conditions called “anthropic” constants, that are so extremely fine tuned to support life here on earth, that if any where changed or altered that life here would become impossible.
1. Oxygen levels- Oxygen comprises 21% of the atmosphere. If it were 25%, fires would erupt spontaneously; if it were 15%, human beings would suffocate.
2. Atmospheric Transparency- If it were less transparent, not enough solar radiation would reach the earth’s surface. If it were more transparent, we would be bombarded with far too much radiation.
3. Moon-Earth Gravitational Interaction- If it were greater than it currently is, tidal effects on the oceans, atmosphere and rotational period would be too great. If it were less, orbital changes would cause climatic instabilities.
4. Carbon Dioxide Levels- If CO2 levels were higher than it is now, we would have a runaway greenhouse effect. If it was lower than it is now, plants would not be able to maintain efficient photosynthesis. (I have listed 4 of these constants, while at present over 100 of these anthropic constants have been listed by Hugh Ross in his book “Why I Believe in Divine Creation.”)
Dr. A. Cressy Morrison, a physician and former president of the New York State Academy of Science stated: “We have found that the world is in the right place, that the crust is adjusted to within ten feet, and that if the ocean were a few feet deeper we would have no oxygen or vegetation. We have found the earth rotates in twenty-four hours and that were this revolution delayed, life would be impossible. If the speed of the earth around the sun were increased or decreased materially, this history of life, if any, would be entirely different… Considering the bulk of the earth, its place in space and the nicety of the adjustments, the chances of some of the adjustments occurring is in the order of one to a million, and the chances of all of them occurring cannot be calculated even in the billions…” (Man Does Not Stand Alone: Cressy Morrison, pp. 94,95)
Pastor Sandy Huntsman
Administrative/Worship Pastor
Boca Glades Baptist Church
10101 Judge Winikoff Rd.
Boca Raton, FL. 33428
