Life in Space?
An article in Time magazine called, “The Perfectly Sane Case for Life in Space”, argues for the likelihood, indeed the near certainty, that there is life elsewhere in the physical universe. The article resembles a succession of clumsy conjuring tricks; and if this is the best argument that can be given on the subject, it is little wonder that Evolutionists feel uneasy about their theories being subjected to criticism, even by school children.
The first trick is to re-define “science” so as to exclude the supernatural: “From the point of view of science, like it or not, the common chemical soup . . . is all there is to it”. The origin of life must have been from a chemical soup, the argument runs, because a supernatural origin could not be part of “science”. But this is just to ignore the very point in dispute between Creationists and Evolutionists: whether the origin of life was supernatural or not. If it was, in fact, supernatural then the definition of “science” being adopted in the article is both foolish and evil.
The second trick, following from the first, is to argue that since life undoubtedly exists, it must arise fairly easily from the “common chemical soup”: a lot of planets have been discovered orbiting other stars, and if these planets happen to have water, then life should probably appear on them. “Once you have a world like that [at the right distance from a star], just add water, season with hydrocarbons, wait a billion years or so, and hello [life].” Possibly, but only if life on earth did indeed come from the “common chemical soup”; which we are not prepared to concede.
The third trick, which is the oddest one, is an attempt to get round the problem of the complexity of DNA. Evolutionists have to admit that, even with a billion years of waiting, it is unlikely that something as complicated as DNA would emerge by chance. An appeal is therefore made to quantum mechanics, with its peculiar laws which are quite different from those of the ordinary physical world. The suggestion is that time in the universe somehow bends round in a loop, and “mature organisms which exist at the end of an evolutionary line [write] the code for the rudimentary organisms that exist at the beginning, which then grow up and become the code-writers themselves”. One can only laugh at such speculation. This is science-fiction, not science.
The most interesting point, however, is the final one in the article, which considers the possibility that life elsewhere in the universe might be very different from the carbon-based life here on earth. It might be silicon-based, for instance, with methane occupying the place of water. But if such speculations form a part of “science”, may we not enlarge our thoughts a little and speculate about a “spiritual” life, and spiritual or angelic beings occupying, not a physical part of the universe, but another region that we do not presently know about.
Going beyond this, could there not be a yet higher form of life, “the living God”, who is Self-Existent (getting round the quantum-mechanical loop problem), and who made everything else? There is strong moral and historical evidence to believe that this is indeed so, as the Bible and the Church maintain. Evolutionists are happy to speculate about “aliens” and to search for them, but they assume that they will be “altogether such an one” as themselves (Ps 50:21). A Holy God, or even a holy angel who deplores their sin and blasphemy, fills them with terror, and they flee, even from the thought.
DWBS
Migration Crisis
The number of immigrants seeking to come to live in western Europe has reached unprecedented levels and it seems clear that the authorities within the European Union are struggling to cope with the crisis. The tragic circumstances in which many of the migrants make their journeys rightly evoke our sympathy, and the heartless cruelty of those who profit from “people trafficking” is an object lesson in the fact that “the love of money is the root of all evil”. No less fearful is the scourge of war which has driven so many from their own countries to seek a better life elsewhere.
But if European nations open their borders to even greater numbers of Muslims, the long-term consequences may be very dangerous for our own civilisation unless the Lord will intervene in mercy. The influence of false religion is far too great already and the influx of large numbers of Muslims will only strengthen that influence. That is something which ought to make Christians extremely concerned. Perhaps western nations should be more willing to help the victims of war and oppression nearer to their own homes but most Arab countries themselves have not been greatly conspicuous in demonstrating humanitarian concern for their fellow-religionists. Indeed, it is highly significant that most of the Muslim migrants clearly have no wish to settle in Muslim nations. That itself is a very strong indictment of the Mohammedan religion; “the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel”. AWM
Sabbath Issues
The UK Government has dropped plans to loosen Sabbath trading laws in England and Wales after the proposals were rejected by MPs. The idea was to allow larger stores, at present restricted to opening for a maximum of six hours on Sabbaths, to sell goods for longer if the local authority agreed. MPs of all opposition parties, joined by 27 Conservatives, rejected the proposals, mostly for worldly reasons. The SNP, for instance, joined in opposing the move because Sabbath-breaking shopworkers in Scotland would no longer, they claimed, be paid an enhanced rate if staff in English stores were paid the normal rate. (There are no restrictions on Sabbath opening hours in Scotland – a few generations ago, this was considered unnecessary.)
For the Government to drop its plans is a welcome outcome. However, Britain continues, very largely, to despise God and the benefits of a properly-kept Sabbath, including its opportunities for scriptural worship.
The Government has also put significant effort into promoting a seven-day National Health Service in England. On the one hand, if the medical outcomes for people who take ill on Sabbaths are, as statistics suggest, worse than for those who are admitted to hospital between Monday and Friday, it may well be that more staff should be on duty on the Lord’s Day. On the other hand, the Government is wrong to want a normal service at, for instance, GP’s surgeries so that patients can have routine appointments on Sabbaths – which, due to their worldly thinking, they would find more convenient than on some other day. The principle ought to be that a health service provides necessary care on Sabbaths but not what could reasonably wait.