Cosmic Accidents

“If the solar system was brought about by an accidental collision, then the appearance of organic life on this planet was also an accident, and the whole evolution of Man was an accident too. If so, then all our present thoughts are mere accidents — the accidental by-product of the movement of atoms. And this holds for the thoughts of the materialists and astronomers as well as for anyone else’s. But if their thoughts — i.e. of materialism and astronomy — are merely accidental by-products, why should we believe them to be true? I see no reason for believing that one accident should be able to give me a correct account of all the other accidents. It’s like expecting that the accidental shape taken by the splash when you upset a milk jug should give you a correct account of how the jug was made and why it was upset” (C.S. Lewis, The Business of Heaven, p. 97).

This quote of Lewis highlights one of the strangest facets of the creation vs. evolution debate for me.  Read through it again and think carefully about what he says.  Naturalistic science, which promotes the idea that everything we see and experience in our world today came about due to a series of accidents (beneficial or otherwise), is heralded as the authority in matters regarding origins.  Many who hold to this view look at anyone who questions their conclusions as unlearned or deceived.  But why should I accept the conclusions of the byproduct of a cosmic accident as an authority?  By the way, when I refer to these people who differ with me as “the byproducts of a cosmic accident,” I am only using the necessary conclusions of their own theories.  As a believer in God, I believe they are much more.

Anyway, the point still stands.  Does it take more faith to believe in a universe spontaneously arising out of a series of accidents or in a God with the power and knowledge to create it?  Hint: be careful when getting your answers from accidents.

God loves you!

Mike