Why Do People Believe So Strongly in Evolution?

Belief in a False Doctrine

Prior to the nineteenth century, most geologists and paleontologists believed that the earth’s land features and fossil rocks were the result of the biblical global flood. With the publication of Origin of Species by Charles Darwin in 1859, the theory of evolution gained wide acceptance in university circles. Geologists began to assume evolution and old earth as established fact—and subsequently, began to interpret geological land features and their fossils, and even the origin of life, based on the assumption of evolution.

As evolutionary theory spread, so did the idea of uniformitarianism—that physical processes have remained constant during earth’s history. For more than a century, such beliefs have been taught as fact in schools and universities, and students (who are teachers today) rotely accept such doctrine without independent study and unbiased research of their own. Teachers today continue to march to the evolutionary mantra: “Darwin said it, I believe it, and that settles it.”⁵³ And students continue to be taught evolution and the old earth model in public schools and universities  as “proven fact,” and they carry this erroneous belief throughout their lives without question. Acceptance of evolution as fact is one of the “one of the biggest, if not the biggest, stumbling block to people being receptive to the gospel of Jesus Christ.”⁵⁴

Evolutionary theory is completely contrary to natural laws—including the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics, Law of Biogenesis, and Law of Causality Law of Causality denotes a necessary relationship between one event (called a “cause”) and another event (called an “effect”) which is the direct result of the first.. Yet people are willing to accept unknown evolutionary processes—chaos to cosmos all by itself—without question. The sudden appearance of the universe without cause, complex genetic machinery (heart, stomach, teeth, nerves, brain, skin, muscles, bones, and the other organs, all working together), and human consciousness could not have arisen by random chance without a Creator.

Although many people reject evolution for these very reasons, particularly with the knowledge that there are no transitional types anywhere in the fossil record, the possibility of creation in six literal days and a young earth seems a difficult barrier for many. Again, this is because people today have been indoctrinated with the idea of evolution and an ancient earth by secular (atheistic) teachers or professors.

Consider the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon in 1877.⁵⁵ “What is science? The method by which man tries to conceal his ignorance… Former explorers once adored are now ridiculed; the continual wreckings of false hypotheses is a matter of universal notoriety. You may tell where the learned have encamped by the debris left behind of suppositions and theories as plentiful as broken bottles.” [Read full quote] What is science? The method by which man tries to conceal his ignorance. It should not be so, but so it is. You are not to be dogmatical in theology, my brethren, it is wicked; but for scientific men it is the correct thing. You are never to assert anything very strongly; but scientists may boldly assert what they cannot prove, and may demand a faith far more credulous than any we possess. Forsooth, you and I are to take our Bibles and shape and mould our belief according to the ever-shifting teachings of so-called scientific men. What folly is this! Why, the march of science, falsely so called, through the world may be traced by exploded fallacies and abandoned theories. Former explorers once adored are now ridiculed; the continual wreckings of false hypotheses is a matter of universal notoriety. You may tell where the learned have encamped by the debris left behind of suppositions and theories as plentiful as broken bottles.

Secular scientists (as well as some misguided theologians) underestimate the God of creation and judgments. In the words of Jesus Christ, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29, NAS).

The fact of the matter is, an overwhelming majority of scientific evidence (i.e., geology, biology, physics, astronomy, anthropology, archaeology, etc.) supports creation and a young earth. So why do people (scientists and laymen) believe so strongly in evolution? Essentially, there are four reasons:

1.         In 2 Peter 3:5 (NIV and KJV), it states, “they deliberately forget” and “they willfully are ignorant.” In today’s world, the term “supernatural” or the concept of God or creation is considered outside the realm of real science. Life is here on earth, so secular scientists feel they must explain life “naturalistically”—consequently, they believe that evolutionary doctrine and ignoring data contrary to evolution is legitimate. Thus, any evidence that supports a young earth or creation is automatically rejected or ignored. There is overwhelming scientific evidence supporting a young earth and Divine Creation—yet such evidence has been ignored by secular scientists because they would have to admit that evolution is wrong.

2.         Most scientists hold to the evolutionary doctrine for fear of being ridiculed. As one good naturalist put it, “Any hint of teleology [i.e., intelligent design or purpose] must be avoided.”⁵⁶A geneticist once said that the scientific community requires the scientist to maintain two insanities at all times. “One, it would be insane to believe in evolution when you can see the truth for yourself. Two, it would be insane to say you don’t believe in evolution. All government work, research grants, papers, big college lectures—everything would stop. I’d be out of a job, or relegated to the outer fringes where I couldn’t earn a decent living.”⁵⁷

3.         Evolution is taught in school (science, history, philosophy, and even religion courses) as “proven fact”—and then later in life, students perpetuate this false doctrine without question as teachers, journalists, and parents. Teaching evolution is upheld by the man-made concept of “separation of church and state” and, consequently, opposing arguments are rarely, if ever, presented to students. For example, most students have never been taught or even considered the merits and scientific evidence of global catastrophism, which support creation and a young earth. Evolution is widely accepted because many leading scientists and educators, as well as some progressive-minded clergymen, voraciously assert evolutionary doctrine and exclaim that only the ignorant would believe otherwise.

4.         But there is an even more ominous reason for belief in evolutionary doctrine. Humanity, ever since the rebellion of the first man, Adam, has had an inborn tendency to oppose the Creator’s rule or sovereignty over their lives as foretold in Genesis 3:6 and Romans 5:12. Rebellious and idolatrous history of humanity is graphically portrayed in the Bible (pagan antediluvian and postdiluvian times); the Dark Ages; World War I and World War II; and by today’s continual worldwide ethnic conflicts. It is also tied to the repugnant (more appropriately, evil) behavior of some clergymen over the ages—physical cruelty, collusion with political dictators, and abhorrent sexual abuses—all of which has alienated many from the Christian faith. The problem has never been with the God of the Holy Bible but with the corruption and moral depravity of humankind. The Bible speaks of it in Romans 1:18–22. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 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—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools...” (Romans 1:18–22, NIV). [Bold added]

In spite of all known physical and biological laws and principles and overwhelming geologic evidence of worldwide flood and sedimentary flood deposits, scientists continue to devise various schemes and false assumptions to explain and uphold evolution. Despite the impossible improbabilities of evolution, scientists continue to adhere to Darwinian evolution from primeval chaos to a state of high organization and complexity.

The concept of creation and a Divine Creator is utterly avoided in all secular scientific literature (except creation research journals, papers, and creation-science books). Because of atheistic views of university academia today, the belief that life spontaneously generated from nonlife has been universally accepted as the explanation for all life forms including man. The most impossible improbabilities are considered more probable than the preponderance of scientific evidence for creation and a Divine Creator.