PEPPERED MOTHS AGAIN AND AGAIN
Romans 1:21-22
“. . . because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”
Every so often, we need to return to the topic of peppered moths, which we have featured a number of times before. Previous Creation Moments have explained why Peppered Moths are not an example of evolution, and how, in the 1980s, it was found that the famous photos showing light and dark moths on light and dark tree trunks had, in fact, been staged. The moths do not normally settle on the trunks, so the photos were taken by gluing dead moths on to the trees.
What we want to note at the moment is that teachers continue to perpetuate the peppered moth myth. One evolutionist has stated that this is because the concept of what happened to these moths is easy to understand, and more recent studies have suggested that the population of dark moths is indeed higher in urban areas than that of light moths.
As creationists have often pointed out, this is not really the point, because, even if the accounts were correct, this is not an example of Darwinian evolution, as no new genetic information has been made. It is, however, an example of bad experimental technique, led by a desire to prove a particular outcome, rather than genuine investigation.
It is disturbing, therefore, to look at that portion of the BBC’s website, where they publish notes for high school students. An up to date science review page for students, with the heading “Evidence for Evolution”, once again publishes the faked moth photos. For us, this constant re-publication of error aptly illustrates the paucity of evolutionary science.
Your word, O Lord, is always true. We thank You that Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We pray that we might constantly follow You, in all that we do, seeking to glorify Your Name. Amen.
Romans 1:21-22
“. . . because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”
Every so often, we need to return to the topic of peppered moths, which we have featured a number of times before. Previous Creation Moments have explained why Peppered Moths are not an example of evolution, and how, in the 1980s, it was found that the famous photos showing light and dark moths on light and dark tree trunks had, in fact, been staged. The moths do not normally settle on the trunks, so the photos were taken by gluing dead moths on to the trees.
What we want to note at the moment is that teachers continue to perpetuate the peppered moth myth. One evolutionist has stated that this is because the concept of what happened to these moths is easy to understand, and more recent studies have suggested that the population of dark moths is indeed higher in urban areas than that of light moths.
As creationists have often pointed out, this is not really the point, because, even if the accounts were correct, this is not an example of Darwinian evolution, as no new genetic information has been made. It is, however, an example of bad experimental technique, led by a desire to prove a particular outcome, rather than genuine investigation.
It is disturbing, therefore, to look at that portion of the BBC’s website, where they publish notes for high school students. An up to date science review page for students, with the heading “Evidence for Evolution”, once again publishes the faked moth photos. For us, this constant re-publication of error aptly illustrates the paucity of evolutionary science.
Your word, O Lord, is always true. We thank You that Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We pray that we might constantly follow You, in all that we do, seeking to glorify Your Name. Amen.
ONE BEST FRIEND, MANY VARIETIES
Genesis 1:25
“ And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
There is a story about a man, who had a dog. A friend asked him what kind of dog it was. The man replied “He is a Heinz dog”. “I have never heard of a Heinz dog”, said the other. “Sure you have”, said the first. “He has 57 varieties”.
Man’s best friend comes in a bewildering number of varieties, or breeds. Imagine if a future paleontologist found the fossil skulls of a bulldog and a greyhound. Such a paleontologist might suppose these to be entirely different animals. Yet they are not. They are not just part of the same dog family, along with wolves and foxes, they are actually part of the same species, Canis familiari. Over the millennia, the domestic dog has been selectively bred into a wide variety of forms, sizes, hair lengths etc. Almost any characteristic that can be thought of has been manipulated through such selective breeding.
Pedigree dogs will have certificates from the American Kennel Club, or similar bodies in other countries. An AKC certificate proves that up to four previous generations were of the same breed. The reason for this is that the different breeds obviously interbreed easily—they are the same species. So, this artificial selection of genes is not evolution. In fact, many breeds suffer from genetic diseases, because they are genetically inferior to mongrel dogs, containing much less genetic variety.
Natural selection is not entirely the same as artificial breeding, but it has sufficient similarities for this point to be made; natural selection is not evolution, as no new genetic information is created.
I thank You, Lord, for my dogs, and for the fun they bring into our lives. Thank You that You designed dogs to be as they are. Thank You for Your wisdom in creating all these animals, to reproduce according to their kind. Amen.
Genesis 1:25
“ And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
There is a story about a man, who had a dog. A friend asked him what kind of dog it was. The man replied “He is a Heinz dog”. “I have never heard of a Heinz dog”, said the other. “Sure you have”, said the first. “He has 57 varieties”.
Man’s best friend comes in a bewildering number of varieties, or breeds. Imagine if a future paleontologist found the fossil skulls of a bulldog and a greyhound. Such a paleontologist might suppose these to be entirely different animals. Yet they are not. They are not just part of the same dog family, along with wolves and foxes, they are actually part of the same species, Canis familiari. Over the millennia, the domestic dog has been selectively bred into a wide variety of forms, sizes, hair lengths etc. Almost any characteristic that can be thought of has been manipulated through such selective breeding.
Pedigree dogs will have certificates from the American Kennel Club, or similar bodies in other countries. An AKC certificate proves that up to four previous generations were of the same breed. The reason for this is that the different breeds obviously interbreed easily—they are the same species. So, this artificial selection of genes is not evolution. In fact, many breeds suffer from genetic diseases, because they are genetically inferior to mongrel dogs, containing much less genetic variety.
Natural selection is not entirely the same as artificial breeding, but it has sufficient similarities for this point to be made; natural selection is not evolution, as no new genetic information is created.
I thank You, Lord, for my dogs, and for the fun they bring into our lives. Thank You that You designed dogs to be as they are. Thank You for Your wisdom in creating all these animals, to reproduce according to their kind. Amen.
THE HEAVENS DECLARE
Psalms 19:1
�The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.�
I often think that all Christians should be interested in astronomy. That does not mean that I think you should be experts in how stars work, or how light travels. But the Psalmist says that �the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork�. So it is good to look upwards at night, and notice what God has made out there in the heavens, because this causes to stop and consider what God has done.
We are charged in Scripture never to worship anything in the heavens, because these are things that God has created, but it is right and proper to consider stars, planets, galaxies and so on, and to stand in awe at all that God has made.
In Genesis 1:14, God tells us that one of the purposes of the night sky is to mark signs and seasons for us. When night falls, it will be different stars that appear on the horizon at different times of year, because of the position of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun, so we keep track of the seasons. But also, by measuring the angles of certain starts above the horizon, and above the equator, we can work out what latitude we are at. Coupled with the longitude, calculated using accurate time, we can pinpoint our position on the Earth.
With our modern technology of smartphones and satellites, we take such matters for granted today. But God provided us with time-keeping and positioning software in the sky, right from the beginning of creation. That is certainly a cause to praise His Name!
As we gaze into the heavens, Lord, we see that they declare your handiwork. We are amazed by the beauty of the sky, and our amazement increases, as we learn more about it. We praise You, for You are great and holy. Amen.
Image: Galaxy M8, license: Public Domain (NASA)
Psalms 19:1
�The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.�
I often think that all Christians should be interested in astronomy. That does not mean that I think you should be experts in how stars work, or how light travels. But the Psalmist says that �the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork�. So it is good to look upwards at night, and notice what God has made out there in the heavens, because this causes to stop and consider what God has done.
We are charged in Scripture never to worship anything in the heavens, because these are things that God has created, but it is right and proper to consider stars, planets, galaxies and so on, and to stand in awe at all that God has made.
In Genesis 1:14, God tells us that one of the purposes of the night sky is to mark signs and seasons for us. When night falls, it will be different stars that appear on the horizon at different times of year, because of the position of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun, so we keep track of the seasons. But also, by measuring the angles of certain starts above the horizon, and above the equator, we can work out what latitude we are at. Coupled with the longitude, calculated using accurate time, we can pinpoint our position on the Earth.
With our modern technology of smartphones and satellites, we take such matters for granted today. But God provided us with time-keeping and positioning software in the sky, right from the beginning of creation. That is certainly a cause to praise His Name!
As we gaze into the heavens, Lord, we see that they declare your handiwork. We are amazed by the beauty of the sky, and our amazement increases, as we learn more about it. We praise You, for You are great and holy. Amen.
Image: Galaxy M8, license: Public Domain (NASA)
MAKING AN IMPACT
Psalm 8:3-4
�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?�
The Solar System has seen many impacts. On so many bodies of the Solar System, these impacts have produced craters. It is well known that the surface of the Moon contains many craters, which are thought to have been formed when a meteorite hit the Lunar surface. However, the Moon is not alone. I have often shown my audiences a photograph of the surface of Mercury, and asked them what it is, because I know that most people will think it is the Moon, because of its cratered surface. In recent years, exploratory, unmanned missions to bodies in the further reaches of the Solar System have revealed surfaces pockmarked with craters.
We cannot give a definitive answer for how or when the craters were formed. Some creationists believe that this cratering was actually a part of God�s creative process, so that the cratering took place within the Creation Week. Others believe that the cratering was part of the process that initiated the Flood.
One creation researcher has suggested that a massive Flood-time bombardment of other planets and moons would also have led to massive impacts on the Earth. Some of these impacts would have been of sufficient energy to cause large vertical faulting, and to help split the Earth�s crust into the Tectonic Plates we see today.
Whatever cratering mechanism turns out to be the best one, we can be sure that these impacts were not random accidents, not merely freaks of nature. They had a purpose in God�s plan, whether they were at the formation of the Solar System, or at the initiation of the Flood.
Nothing has happened by chance, Lord God. Everything has taken place for a reason, even though we may not have that reason revealed to us. Thank You for doing all things well. Amen.
Ref: Oard, M, What do impacts accomplish in the first hour?, Journal of Creation 27(1):90�98 April 2013. Image: Adobe Stock Photos, licensed to author.
Psalm 8:3-4
�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?�
The Solar System has seen many impacts. On so many bodies of the Solar System, these impacts have produced craters. It is well known that the surface of the Moon contains many craters, which are thought to have been formed when a meteorite hit the Lunar surface. However, the Moon is not alone. I have often shown my audiences a photograph of the surface of Mercury, and asked them what it is, because I know that most people will think it is the Moon, because of its cratered surface. In recent years, exploratory, unmanned missions to bodies in the further reaches of the Solar System have revealed surfaces pockmarked with craters.
We cannot give a definitive answer for how or when the craters were formed. Some creationists believe that this cratering was actually a part of God�s creative process, so that the cratering took place within the Creation Week. Others believe that the cratering was part of the process that initiated the Flood.
One creation researcher has suggested that a massive Flood-time bombardment of other planets and moons would also have led to massive impacts on the Earth. Some of these impacts would have been of sufficient energy to cause large vertical faulting, and to help split the Earth�s crust into the Tectonic Plates we see today.
Whatever cratering mechanism turns out to be the best one, we can be sure that these impacts were not random accidents, not merely freaks of nature. They had a purpose in God�s plan, whether they were at the formation of the Solar System, or at the initiation of the Flood.
Nothing has happened by chance, Lord God. Everything has taken place for a reason, even though we may not have that reason revealed to us. Thank You for doing all things well. Amen.
Ref: Oard, M, What do impacts accomplish in the first hour?, Journal of Creation 27(1):90�98 April 2013. Image: Adobe Stock Photos, licensed to author.
DID GOD DESIGN THE EYE BADLY?
Proverbs 20:12
�The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them...�
Richard Dawkins believes he has found an organ system, which is badly designed, and so proves that no god could have designed it. He has popularized this accusation so widely that atheistic websites and forums simply quote the example, as if it were proven. He refers to the color receptors on the retina of the vertebrate eye. These are the wrong way round, he says, with the receptor pointing towards the retina, instead of out to the lens. He says:
�Any engineer would naturally assume that the photocells would point towards the light, with their wires leading backwards towards the brain. He would laugh at any suggestion that the photocells might point away, from the light, with their wires departing on the side nearest the light.�
The wiring, to which he refers, is that of the nerves. He supposes that the nerves should be behind the retina, so that the receptors point outwards. However, the nerves cannot be behind the eye, as this is the space required for the cooling blood system. If this cooling system were not there, then the receptors would overheat. The receptors could also locally overheat, if they were pointed outward, and so could detect light directly. It would appear that it is better, safer, and more efficient for the receptors to receive light indirectly. Moreover, the nervous system is actually transparent, so light can get through the system just lensward of the receptors.
Far from being bad design, the structure of the vertebrate eye is an example of masterful design. That, of course, is what we expect from the creativity of the God of the Bible.
As we consider that our eyes were perfectly designed by You, Lord, we also remember that You say that the eyes are the windows of the soul. Help us not to look on things that pollute, but to consider what is worthy. For Your glory�s sake. Amen.
Ref: Sarfati, J.D. (2008), Fibre optics in eye demolish atheistic �bad design� argument, Creation 31(1):45�47, December 2008
Image: Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 Unported
Proverbs 20:12
�The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them...�
Richard Dawkins believes he has found an organ system, which is badly designed, and so proves that no god could have designed it. He has popularized this accusation so widely that atheistic websites and forums simply quote the example, as if it were proven. He refers to the color receptors on the retina of the vertebrate eye. These are the wrong way round, he says, with the receptor pointing towards the retina, instead of out to the lens. He says:
�Any engineer would naturally assume that the photocells would point towards the light, with their wires leading backwards towards the brain. He would laugh at any suggestion that the photocells might point away, from the light, with their wires departing on the side nearest the light.�
The wiring, to which he refers, is that of the nerves. He supposes that the nerves should be behind the retina, so that the receptors point outwards. However, the nerves cannot be behind the eye, as this is the space required for the cooling blood system. If this cooling system were not there, then the receptors would overheat. The receptors could also locally overheat, if they were pointed outward, and so could detect light directly. It would appear that it is better, safer, and more efficient for the receptors to receive light indirectly. Moreover, the nervous system is actually transparent, so light can get through the system just lensward of the receptors.
Far from being bad design, the structure of the vertebrate eye is an example of masterful design. That, of course, is what we expect from the creativity of the God of the Bible.
As we consider that our eyes were perfectly designed by You, Lord, we also remember that You say that the eyes are the windows of the soul. Help us not to look on things that pollute, but to consider what is worthy. For Your glory�s sake. Amen.
Ref: Sarfati, J.D. (2008), Fibre optics in eye demolish atheistic �bad design� argument, Creation 31(1):45�47, December 2008
Image: Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 Unported
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