Mr. Darwin, about that book of yours...

November 24, 2009 – 150th Anniversary of Publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species

It is nearly impossible to calculate just how deeply our culture has been affected by the writings and ideas of Charles Darwin. This year – 2009 – has been a landmark year for evolutionists. On February 12 they celebrated the 200th birthday of the founder of their evolutionary faith, and today they celebrate the 150th anniversary of his magnum opus, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. In his autobiography Darwin comments on the initial publication and public reception of Origin.

“It is no doubt the chief work of my life. It was from the first highly successful. The first small edition of 1250 copies was sold on the day of publication, and a second edition of 3000 copies soon afterwards. Sixteen thousand copies have now (1876) been sold in England; and considering how stiff a book it is, this is a large sale…”

It has sometimes been said that the success of the Origin proved “that the subject was in the air,” or “that men’s minds were prepared for it.” I do not think that this is strictly true… What I believe was strictly true is that innumerable well-observed facts were stored in the minds of naturalists ready to take their proper places as soon as any theory which would receive them was sufficiently explained.” – Charles Darwin, Autobiography (Barnes & Noble, pg. 50-51)

There are a few comments I will make about Darwin’s remarks. First of all, he is being very honest when he describes Origin as a “stiff book.” I cannot claim to have read the whole thing cover to cover (though I plan to soon), but from what I have read I heartily concur. Very stiff indeed.

In the second paragraph notice what Darwin believes about the human mind. He tries to make the case that his theory of evolution (originally “transmutation) was merely a systematized framework for “well-observed facts.” In other words, people already had all the data they needed, and all that they lacked was a proper context for that data so they could draw substantial conclusions. This is completely backwards.

All men bring certain presupposed ideas or “presuppositions” to the table when discussing any issue, whether it be science, art, ethics and so on. These presuppositions are inescapable. What this means is that no one can truly be “neutral.” Certain things must be assumed before the data is examined. Conclusions are reached based on the available data and based on the worldview grid through which you interpret that data.

My point is simply this. No scientist has a truly “open,” “unbiased” mind, and “raw factuality” is a myth. Some people believe that the universe is the handiwork of a sovereign Creator God, while others believe that it is nothing more than the result of random processes over eons of time. THESE ARE BOTH FAITH CLAIMS, and will incontrovertibly influence their respective interpretations of the data.

Why is this important? Because today, November 24, 2009, you are being told that the only true science is that which acknowledges the supremacy of human reason over the Revelation of God. If you haven’t yet realized it, we are in the midst of a battle, and it’s outcome will determine the course of countless generations to come. Take a moment to consider just how much one little book has influenced the way we do education, government, healthcare, family life, science… and the list goes on.

Ideas have consequences. Don’t stand idly by and watch the things you hold most dear crumble before your eyes – take a stand for truth today!

How did the animals fit on the Ark?

John Morris comments on this issue in this mornings issue of "Days of Praise."

"Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." (Genesis 6:14)

Details surrounding the story of Noah and the Flood have long caused laymen and theologians alike to stumble and compromise.

None could argue that the wording was not clear. God had commanded Noah to build a wooden boat of huge dimensions and to take on board representatives of land-dwelling, air-breathing animals. The Flood, Scripture reveals, devastated the entire world. But nineteenth-century theologians, pressed on by Hutton, Lyell, and others proposing the new uniformitarian interpretation of earth history, became convinced that the scriptural account must be understood in a figurative sense. Their twentieth-century counterparts repeat this error, promulgating the non-biblical idea that the Flood was only local.

Some have wondered how Noah could gather all the animals, but the Bible simply says they "went in two and two unto Noah into the ark" (7:9), evidently migrating to the location on God’s command.

Their care while on the Ark has also been raised as a problem. But, in all likelihood, the animals entered a state of semi-dormancy, as nearly all of their descendants do today when faced with danger over which they have no control and from which they cannot flee.

Scripture supports this idea in our text: The word "rooms," which is more properly translated "nests" everywhere else in Scripture, implies a small place to sleep or nestle, rather than a large cage. The job of caring for the animals may have been difficult, but our gracious God would have seen to it that it was possible. Questions like these are no cause for compromise. JDM

The Mysterious Islands - Coming Out Next Month!

Here's one film you won't want to miss. The Mysterious Islands, a groundbreaking new adventure documentary that explores the errors of Darwinism at the very "birthplace" of evolution - the Galapagos islands.

This film project is very special to me since I did some research earlier this year on Darwin's voyage and visit to the Galapagos islands, especially his speculation about the finches he found there. Read my article on why "Darwin's finches" actually disprove his theory!

From the press release:

As the world prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s landmark book, On the Origin of Species, Vision Forum has unveiled details on a new documentary, filmed on the Galapagos Islands, that debunks the conclusions Darwin reached during his storied trip to this island chain during the voyage of the HMS Beagle. Shot and directed by the award-winning Jon and Andy Erwin of Erwin Brothers Motion Pictures, the 90-minute film, entitled The Mysterious Islands, is set for release in early November, just weeks prior to the November 24 anniversary date of Darwin’s influential book...

“Christians look to Jerusalem, Muslims to Mecca, but for the followers of Charles Darwin, the Galapagos Archipelago is the spiritual homeland to their evolutionary faith,” Phillips observed. “Our film — shot on ground-zero of evolutionism — will be a counter-offensive to the Darwin adulation that blows holes in the conclusions he formed while observing the wonder-filled creatures that inhabit the Galapagos Islands.”

Visit the official The Mysterious Islands website here, watch the trailer, read about the documentary team, their adventure and some historical facts surrounding Darwin's theory you may not have been aware of.

Show your support and let others know about the film - become a fan on Facebook!

Video Clips from the Galapagos Islands

This was shot on the Canon 5D Mk. II during Vision Forum's expedition to the Galapagos Islands this past March.

A Contrast

"Man with all his noble qualities, with sympathy which feels for the most debased, with benevolence which extends not only to other men but to the humblest living creature, with his god-like intellect which has penetrated into the movements and constitution of the solar system - with all these exalted powers - Man still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin." - Charles Darwin

"O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" - Psalm 8 [emphasis added]

(2007) Bill O'Reilly Show discusses the grand opening of AIG's Creation Museum

In which Ken Ham gets virtually no opportunity to argue for his views, and the validity of his museum... That's the media for you. Tell me what you think about this.

Becoming Charles Darwin

In this video, Bill Potter explains how he came to play the part of Charles Darwin at Vision Forum's recent debate between John Calvin and Darwin at the Reformation 500 in Boston. I think you'll like it!