How Does Science How Does Science Confirm the Bible?Confirm the Bible?

Brian ForbesFromNoahtoHercules.com

What is Science?Historical definition (Webster 1913):Historical definition (Webster 1913):

Knowledge; knowledge of principles and causes; Knowledge; knowledge of principles and causes; ascertained truth of facts.ascertained truth of facts.

Modern definition (dictionary.com):Modern definition (dictionary.com):Systematic knowledge of the physical world gained Systematic knowledge of the physical world gained

through observation and experimentation. through observation and experimentation.

Practical definition (The Scientific Method):Practical definition (The Scientific Method):Ask, hypothesis and prediction, Ask, hypothesis and prediction, testingtesting, conclusion., conclusion.

What can science teach us?What can science teach us?Science deals

in causes and testing.

In science, we can knowknow it if we can testtest it.

What is Faith?What is Faith?Hebrews 11:1 (NLT):What is faith? It is the

confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.

Chapter 11 summary: Faith is a choice!

Is Our Is Our FaithFaith Blind? Blind?

We believe because:We believe even though:

•We’ve been changed•God is faithful•We’ve seen miracles•We’ve investigated the alternatives and found them lacking•We have chosen to!

•We have not We have not seenseen God (blind) God (blind)•We have not We have not smelledsmelled God God•We have not We have not heardheard God God•We have not We have not tastedtasted God God•We have not We have not feltfelt God God•We have unanswered questionsWe have unanswered questions

We do not have every answer, but we We do not have every answer, but we have some good reasons to believe!have some good reasons to believe!

Is a Lack of Belief in the Bible Blind?

Nobody has ever physically sensed evidence that God does not exist.

Is This Scientific?

There is some blindness in both positions. It’s a choice not to believe!

Is it the better choice?

What can the Bible teach us?What can the Bible teach us?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for

teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• God-breathed: God-breathed: TheologyTheology• Righteousness: Righteousness: MoralityMorality

Is it useful for anything else?

The Bible Can Be Useful for The Bible Can Be Useful for HistoryHistory

Luke 1:1-3 (NIV)Many have undertaken to draw up Many have undertaken to draw up

an account of the things that an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us … it have been fulfilled among us … it seemed good also to me to write seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you…an orderly account for you…

John 6:32 (NIV)Our forefathers ate Our forefathers ate

the manna in the the manna in the desert; as it is desert; as it is written: 'He gave written: 'He gave them bread from them bread from heaven to eat.' "heaven to eat.' "

The Bible Can Be Useful for Science

Ps. 19:1 (NIV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.Genesis 3:19 (NKJV)

For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.

Job 38:16 (NKJV)

Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?

The Bible is primarily a theological book. Theology expresses itself in morality. Morality is supported by history. If we find that the “science” or “observations” of the Bible are wrong, how can we accept the

The Bible must be accurate in its science!

mostly untestable, historical basis for our beliefs, which are often the foundation of the moral and theological claims?

(See again, Hebrews 11)

By faith we By faith we understand that the understand that the entire universe was entire universe was

formed at God's formed at God's command, that what command, that what we now see did not we now see did not come from anything come from anything

that can be seen. that can be seen. (Heb 11:3 NLT)

““But we can do science But we can do science without appealing to a without appealing to a

Creator!”Creator!”

Does it make sense to use science without reference to the Creator?

Paul says, The wrath of God is being revealed [against those] who suppress

the truth […] since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities […] have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. […] Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. […] They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. […] they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God…

Romans 1:18-29 (NIV)

It is not wise to ignore God.It is not wise to ignore God.

Proverbs 14:26-27He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Psalms 111:10 (NIV)The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.

Psalm 14:1 (NIV)The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

Confirming scripture using scripture only works with people who accept it as scripture already.

Can we confirms Scripture using science?

How is science divided?How is science divided?

AstronomyThere are many examples that show that the universe could not be 14 byrs old, neither could the Earth be 4.6 byrs old.

I will only deal with two:The MoonComets

The MoonThe Moon is slowly moving away from us.

The distance to the Moon has accurately been recorded using lasers since 1969.

Calculations show that the maximum, and very generous age that can be given for our Moon is 2.3 billion years.

Source: http://www.scienceagainstevolution.org/v2i2f.htm

(Ida’s moon)

The Moon

The front side of the moon is beaten up with far more impressive impact craters and lava flows.

The Earth threw rocks at its neighbor.

Comets

Sources:http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v11/i3/comets.asphttp://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/Comets2.html

• Comets lose mass with every orbit of the Sun• The max. age of comets is thousands of years.• The Oort cloud has been postulated, but it has not been observed or tested.• The Hydroplate theory suggests that comets were launched by the fountains of the great deep. (Gen. 7:11, Pr. 3:20)

Scripture of AstronomyScripture of Astronomy

Source: http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/wow/does-the-bible-say-anything-about-astronomy

The popular models of Astronomy have problems.

Biology<- Evolution itself

ConvergentEvolution ->

mantispid

preying mantis

These animals look and These animals look and function the same, but they function the same, but they give birth differently.give birth differently.

Lamarckism

• Moles became blind from living underground,Moles became blind from living underground,• Giraffes grew longer necks by reaching for higher branches.Giraffes grew longer necks by reaching for higher branches.

Lamarck said that physical changes in the parents would be passed to the offspring.

Source: http://www.creationism.org/books/TaylorInMindsMen/TaylorIMMb02.htm

Lamarckism has been falsified in science! Giraffes do not get longer necks reaching for higher branches any more than a child is born with his mother’s muscle tone. These animals were not “shaped” by their environment.

Another Mechanism?Mutations, natural selection, and time.

Mutations invoke pity.

Mutations are not conducive to sexual reproduction.

Mutations are the official mechanism for evolution, but evolutionists still speak as though traits are developed by environmental pressures. Lamarckism is still the emotional support for the theory.

Mutations are harmful.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature09352.html

Examples of Convergent EvolutionBioluminescenceCamouflage

Flight

Outside

Deep Sea

In Caves

Evolution Itself

How many steps would this transition take?There are no intermediary forms.Source: http://www.scienceagainstevolution.org/v12i4n.htm

ChemistryChemistry• Chemicals can’t think.Chemicals can’t think.• The complexity of the cell The complexity of the cell

makes evolution impossible. makes evolution impossible. • If you haven’t seen a If you haven’t seen a

presentation on the cell, see presentation on the cell, see “Wonders of the Cell” at “Wonders of the Cell” at http://nwcreation.net/ http://nwcreation.net/ (http://nwcreation.net/videos/Wonders_of_the_Cell.html)

Comparing Two Systems of Comparing Two Systems of Interpreting GeologyInterpreting Geology

Unifomitarian ViewUnifomitarian View• Every layer corresponds to Every layer corresponds to

a relatively short perioda relatively short period• The dust and mud slowly The dust and mud slowly

settle at a constant ratesettle at a constant rate• The ocean floor covered The ocean floor covered

portions of the continent to portions of the continent to set down successive, flat set down successive, flat layers over eons of time.layers over eons of time.

• Rock was bent deep in the Rock was bent deep in the earth, where the heat earth, where the heat made the layers soft.made the layers soft.

Biblical ViewBiblical View• The majority of the layers The majority of the layers

were laid down during the were laid down during the flood year.flood year.

• Mass flooding created fine Mass flooding created fine particles, and the moving particles, and the moving water laid them down in water laid them down in flat, uniform layers.flat, uniform layers.

• Some layers formed before Some layers formed before and after the flood.and after the flood.

• Mud was bent while it was Mud was bent while it was still soft.still soft.

The Sea Floor

The L

ayers

The L

ayers There are no There are no

gopher holes, gopher holes, stream beds, stream beds, or tree roots or tree roots as you would as you would expect over expect over vast periods vast periods of time.of time.

Physics

• The existence of physical laws shows order.The existence of physical laws shows order.• The anthropic principal – they’re fine tuned.The anthropic principal – they’re fine tuned.• The constant loss of usable energy indicates The constant loss of usable energy indicates

a beginning. (2a beginning. (2ndnd Law of Thermodynamics) Law of Thermodynamics)• Matter has never been observed to come out Matter has never been observed to come out

of nothing. (1of nothing. (1stst Law of Thermodynamics) Law of Thermodynamics)• The law of cause and effect requires that the The law of cause and effect requires that the

first cause be outside of physical law.first cause be outside of physical law.

The RATE project & Radioactive Decay

The earth is The earth is believed to be believed to be 4.6 billion years 4.6 billion years because of because of radiometric radiometric decay.decay.

http://www.icr.org/rate/

The RATE project by ICR challenges The RATE project by ICR challenges these assumptions quite effectively.these assumptions quite effectively.

Arguments by Definition

• We must NOT lose the argument because of how “science” is defined.

• Pluto isn’t a planet anymore; there are four, not five oceans; ancestors are often determined by where they are on the family tree; speciation occurs depending on your definition of species.

• Some people use only testable facts to determine truth about our existence. They have a double standard if they trust written history or government.

• If “knowledge” can only be verified by natural law, we will never know anything by supernatural revelation. They have defined God out of the discussion.

ConclusionConclusionScience cannot be used to prove the Bible, but science Science cannot be used to prove the Bible, but science

can help to corroborate the Bible.can help to corroborate the Bible.The Bible is scientifically accurate.The Bible is scientifically accurate.The Bible does not conform to the wild speculation of The Bible does not conform to the wild speculation of

man, but that’s ok. We have chosen to accept, and man, but that’s ok. We have chosen to accept, and they have chosen to reject revelation. Both sides they have chosen to reject revelation. Both sides require faith, and everyone has to make a choice.require faith, and everyone has to make a choice.

We have good reason to trust the Bible, even if we We have good reason to trust the Bible, even if we cannot empirically test it.cannot empirically test it.

Our faith is not blind.Our faith is not blind.

As it was with Adam, God wants to be chosen!As it was with Adam, God wants to be chosen!

Does History Confirm the Bible?

This is an entirely different question, and the answer is an emphatic, “YES!”

It is the topic of my forthcoming book,

From Noah to Hercules (What History Says About Early Man)

http://www.FromNoahtoHercules.com