Searching for Truth

i just read some of evolution exposed by roger patterson. my mother, as well as my brother, are very devoted christians. i however am more skeptical and have been searching for the truth for years now. this book has not altered my views on spirituality; however, it has definately shown me how close minded, intolerant, and flat out rediculous some christain authors are. with all due respect, roger patterson is an embarrassment and makes “answers in genesis” appear extremely bias and unreliable. there are virtually no basis for any of his facts and almost all of them can be easily refuted by science. almost all of his arguements are unforgivably weak and this book does nothing but mock creationism and jeapordize christianity. if possible, please respond with your assessment of my assessment.

thank you,

—J.A., U.S.

Thank you for writing to us with your concerns. Since the arguments you make are centered on my book, I will be happy to respond to you. My comments are below and I pray that you will consider them sincerely.

i just read some of evolution exposed by roger patterson. my mother, as well as my brother, are very devoted christians. i however am more skeptical and have been searching for the truth for years now.

It is great to hear that your mother and brother have put their faith in Christ, but your comment makes it clear that you think they may be following a falsehood. The search for truth is common to all mankind. Truth, by its very definition, is exclusive. Pilate, upon questioning Jesus before His crucifixion, inquired about truth (John 18:36–38). Ironically, Jesus had already answered his question when He proclaimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

All truth is ultimately founded in the person of Jesus Christ who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe (Colossians 1:16–20). By claiming to be “skeptical,” you likely mean that you reject at least some of the truth revealed in the Bible and have a different starting point for your reasoning. Exactly what that starting point is, I do not know. What I do know is that when you begin reasoning from faulty assumptions, you cannot come to true conclusions.

Think of it like this; you have in front of you an amazingly complex machine, unlike anything you have ever seen before, and you want to understand where the machine came from, what the machine does, and how it does it. As you stand examining the machine a man approaches you and says, “This manual was written by the inventor of this machine and explains how the machine works, why it was designed, and how to maintain and repair it.” Being the skeptic that you are, you reject the manual and tell the man that you can figure this all out on your own using “skeptical” methods and your own reasoning. You simply reply, “That manual was written by a man who claims to be the designer, but how can I really trust that claim. I will investigate this machine and tell you all about it once I have studied it thoroughly.”

This is much like what happens when people set aside the Bible and insist that they can fully understand the universe based on their own reasoning (or the collective reasoning of humanity). Rather than starting with the Word of the Creator, they start with their own fallible assumptions.

this book has not altered my views on spirituality;

I must say, this does not surprise me. Neither would I be influenced by a book that explained evolution and materialism as the proof that God did not exist. We both have our starting points, and we reason from there. At the most basic level, all of our thinking must start from the idea that there is or is not a God who created the universe (as described in the Bible). The Bible tells us that things of God are foolishness to the natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14).

I was once in your shoes—a skeptic of religious ideas and bound to what I believed was pure, scientific understanding. Changing my starting assumptions was the key to changing that false notion. Once I saw things through a different lens, I realized how deceived I had been to have accepted materialistic science as truth. Jesus declared to His disciples “. . . you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). God opened my eyes and revealed that truth to me. He offers the same to you. God gives grace to the humble and resists the proud (James 4:6).

however, it has definately shown me how close minded, intolerant, and flat out rediculous some christain authors are.

Closed-minded like the skeptics who absolutely reject the existence of a God, though the very claim requires them to be omniscient themselves? Intolerant like the educators and scientists who will not allow a hint of a master Designer in the study of the universe? Ridiculous like the co-discoverer of DNA who insists that life could not have spontaneously evolved on earth so aliens must have seeded life on our planet?

On the contrary, Christians have a reason for the beliefs that they hold—God has declared truth in His Scriptures. What basis does any other philosophy have for the existence of the laws of nature, logic, or mathematics? There is no consistent and rational basis for these things outside of Christian theism.

with all due respect, roger patterson is an embarrassment and makes “answers in genesis” appear extremely bias and unreliable.

I appreciate your zeal, but this is simply an ad hominem attack, not a logical argument against our position. Whether or not I am an embarrassment has no bearing on the arguments presented in my book. Personal integrity is, of course, important in evaluating many types of arguments. If I have lied or misrepresented anything in my book, please point those errors out to me with specific details and I will be glad to change them. I want nothing more than to be accurate in my work, as I know it is a reflection of the God I serve. I certainly do not attempt to hide my bias—I make every effort to begin my reasoning on the Word of God. There is no such thing as “neutral ground,” and facts don’t speak for themselves. Do you know what your foundation is built on?

there are virtually no basis for any of his facts and almost all of them can be easily refuted by science.

I assume that you did not mean to state this as you did. If facts can be refuted by science, then what basis do you have for your skeptical reasoning (which, I assume, is based on “scientific” reasoning)? Again, however, you have made a vague argument with no details. I cannot refute a claim that has no basis. I can tell you that I personally read all four of the biology textbooks and taught from one of them for eight years. I believe I have represented the arguments as well as I can. Having been an evolutionist and a creationist, I do, indeed, see both sides of the issues involved. If you would care to provide me with examples of my faulty reasoning, I will do my best to explain myself to you or correct my mistakes, if necessary.

almost all of his arguements are unforgivably weak and this book does nothing but mock creationism and jeapordize christianity.

Again, your generalization cannot be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

To the contrary, by starting from the absolute authority of Scripture, the validity of Christianity is confirmed. Not that Christianity itself can truly be jeopardized, since God is the founder and head. The intricate details of the created universe confirm God’s claim as the Creator. To start from a position that does not place God as the authority is to mock God Himself. The first chapter of the book of Romans lays out this explanation very well. The apostle Paul describes a world that worships the creature rather than the Creator. Mankind suppresses the truth in unrighteousness even though God has made Himself known through His creation and His Scriptures because they know they could not stand before a holy God and His justice.

The only thing that will matter is our standing before God.

What about you, J.? Why do you reject God? Do you understand that there will come a day when God will judge each of us according to His righteousness? All of this talk of skeptical reasoning and any discussions we might have concerning DNA and fossil evidence will mean nothing on that day. The only thing that will matter is our standing before God.

Have you ever lied, stolen, coveted, disrespected your parents, or looked with lust? If you have, then you are guilty of breaking the laws established by the Creator of the universe—you have sinned (Romans 7:7–12). Because God is just, He must punish sin (Psalm 7:11). The punishment He prescribes is hell. However, God is not only just, He is merciful (Romans 5:7–9). In His mercy He has provided a way for mankind to be reconciled to Himself. God came to earth as Jesus Christ and paid the penalty for the sin that has been present in the world since Adam ate of the fruit. Christ’s perfect life and His death on the cross is offered as a substitute for the penalty that we all deserve to pay (John 3:16–20). We can access that mercy by repenting before God and placing our faith in Jesus Christ as the one who paid the penalty for our sins (Acts 20:21). Does your hope lie in your ability to come to the right conclusion on your own, or in the truth of Christ revealed in the Bible?

if possible, please respond with your assessment of my assessment.

thank you

Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts. I pray that you will consider them whole-heartedly and not simply dismiss them out of hand.

By God’s grace,
Roger Patterson