THE HOAXES OF EVOLUTION

OceanSide VBS

July 3, 2018

 

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    How many of you love to watch a good magic act?

 

B.      There are many phrases that magicians used to use as they perform their shows.

1.      Abracadabra:  make something happen

2.      Presto:  quickly

3.      Sim Sala Bim: 

4.      Voila:  here it is

5.      Hocus Pocus:  “Another non-sense word that helps the magician to “make something happen.”

 

C.     This year’s VBS study involves “God’s Creation.”

 

D.    We have examined two things thus far in our studies.

1.      Design Demands A Designer

2.      Creation versus Evolution

 

E.      In this lesson, we want to look into evolution a little bit more.

 

I.                   DEFINITION OF EVOLUTION

 

A.    Evolution is a fully natural process, inherent in the physical properties of the universe, by which life arose in the first place, and by which all living things, past or present, have since developed, divergently and progressively (G.A. Kerkut).

1.      Full natural process

2.      Inherent in the physical properties of the universe

3.      By which life arose

4.      All living things have developed

5.      Divergently

6.      Progressively

 

B.      All living organisms have evolved from common ancestors in a gradual historical process of change and diversification (Simpson).

 

II.                EVOLUTION IS TAUGHT AS A FACT TODAY

 

A.    Stephen J. Gould:  “The fact of evolution is as well established as anything in science (as secure as the revolution of the earth around the sun)…”

 

B.      W.W. Howell, Mankind So Far, Evolution is a fact, like digestion” (p. 5).

 

C.     Sir Julian Huxley:  “He (Darwin) rendered evolution inescapable as a fact, comprehend-sible as a process, all-embracing as a concept.”

 

D.    James Watson:  “Today the theory of evolution is an accepted fact for everyone but a handful of fundamentalist minority.”

E.      Hermann J. Juller:  “It has for many years been well established scientifically that all known forms of life, including man, have come into being by a lengthy process of evolution. There are no hypotheses, alternatives to the principle of evolution with its “tree of life,” that any competent biologist of today takes seriously. Moreover, the principle is so important for an understanding of the world we live in and of ourselves that the public in general, including students taking biology in high school, should be made aware of it, and of the fact that it is firmly established even as the rotundity of the earth is firmly established.”

 

All quotes taken from:  http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=674

 

III.             THE HOAXES OF EVOLUTION

 

A.    Those who teach the theory of evolution do not reveal everything to the public. 

1.      They are much like the magicians we mentioned at the beginning of the lesson.

2.      They ought to be using the words “hocus pocus.”  Some believe that this is where the word “hoax” came from.

 

B.      A few of the hoaxes of evolution.

1.      Ernst Haeckel’s theory of “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny,” the individual replicates the group.”

a.      As the animals and humans develop as embryos in the womb, they develop through the evolutionary process:  single cell, gill slits, a tail, etc.

b.      He was an artist and drew pictures of the development of various creatures, including man.

 

c.       His drawings were manipulated when they did not fit the precise pattern that should have been found.

1)      “…in Anthropogenie he drew the developing brain of a fish as curved, because that of reptiles, birds, and mammals is bent. But the vesicles of a fish brain always form a straight line” (Jane Oppenheimer as quoted in http://www.apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issue=437&article=388).

2)      The “gills” found on the human as not gills at all.  They are folds of flesh that will eventually develop into the skin on the neck.

2.      Chimpanzee DNA compared to human DNA

a.      Until 2002 almost every science book would state that the DNA of chimps is 98% to 99% like that of a human’s DNA.

b.      Today, the likeness is 95% similar.  As scientists continue to study DNA, the differences will continue to grow larger and larger.

c.       Important points:

1)      5% difference accounts for some 200 million differences in our bodies.

2)      Similarity does not prove common ancestry.  The 75% of the genes of humans is like the nematode worm.  Does this commonality mean that we are like those worms.  Not at all!

3)      The difference between chimps and humans is striking.

a)      Chimps have hair all over their bodies.

b)      Chimps only have one skin type.

c)      Chimps do not wear clothes.

d)     Chimps do not build buildings or compose symphonies.

e)      Chimps to not worship God.

3.      Miller’s experiment attempting to produce life from non-living materials.

a.      Description:  “Using a system of glass flasks, Stanley Miller attempted to simulate “early atmospheric conditions.” He passed an electrical spark through a mixture containing water, ammonia, methane, and hydrogen. His experiment was carried out in the absence of oxygen, because they knew that oxygen quickly would oxidize any amino acids that were formed—thereby preventing the formation of anything living. At the bottom of the apparatus was a trap to capture any molecules produced by the reaction. This trap prevented the newly formed chemicals from being destroyed by the next electrical discharge…Miller was able to produce a mixture containing two simple amino acids—which are the building blocks of proteins” (Apologetics Press, Adult VBS material, 2018).

b.      Several points:

1)      He did not produce life, only two building blocks for life.

2)      He did not include oxygen in his experiment because it would have destroyed the amino acids.  But, oxygen is essential to the life of living things.

3)      Intelligent men have been laboring for years to create life, but have been unable to do so.  Are we to believe that simple chance could have done it billions of years ago?

4.      Peppered moths England during the industrial revolution.

a.      Description:  At one time, most of the moths in England were speckled color.  However, “The industrial factories in England started producing soot and smoke, causing the trees to turn black. Allegedly, this change caused light-colored moths to become easier to see, while the darker moths remained safely camouflaged. In only a few years, the population of light and dark moths had reversed itself—with the black moths greatly outnumbering the white moths” (Apologetics Press, Adult VBS material, 2018).

b.      Three points:

1)      The whole staging of the moths was false.  “Peppered moths do not rest on tree-trunks under normal circumstances, but in well-hidden crevices beneath branches high in the trees. The photographed moths were arranged in a staged setting—dead moths were either pinned or glued to tree trunks, or captured moths were forced to stay on the trunks” (Ibid.).

2)      Black moths existed during the time when the speckled moths outnumbered them.

3)      There was no macro-evolution. 

a)      The moths did not become spiders or birds.  They remained within their kind.

b)      This is called micro-evolution.  No one denies this happens.

5.      Two other micro-evolution examples:

a.      Darwin’s finches on the Galapagos Islands

b.      The horse (Hyracotherium into Equus).  George Gaylord Simpson:  “The uniform, continuous transformation of Hyracotherium into Equus, so dear to the hearts of generations of textbook writers, never happened in nature” (Ibid.).

6.      The “Missing Links” in the history of man

a.      Nebraska Man

1)      Appeared in a picture in the Illustrated London News on June 24, 1922.

 

 

 

2)      Two points:

a)      Constructed from one tooth

b)      The tooth was a pig’s tooth

b.      Piltdown Man

1)      Discovered in 1912 by Charles Dawson in Piltdown, England

2)       

3)      Two points:

a)      The replication was formed from just a skull and mandible.

b)      It was a human skull and the teeth were filed down in order to make the teeth look old.

c.       Orce Man

1)      Discovered near the village of Orce in Spain in 1982

 

 

2)      Hoax:  The piece of the skull was concluded to be part of the skull of a donkey, not a man in 1984.

d.      Lucy

1)      Female hominid skeleton found 300km north of Addis Ababa - in the Awash valley of Ethiopia's Danakil Depression

 

 

2)      “Yet, since her discovery, we have learned that her fingers and toes are curved and she has ape-like limb proportions. Humans do not possess these anatomical features, but apes that swing through the trees do. Also Lucy’s rib cage is shaped like that of a chimp rather than a human. In addition, men have examined her wrists and discovered that she had the ability to “lock” them. This characteristic is common to animals that walk on all fours (quadrupeds). Furthermore, the circular canals located within the ears of her alleged species have been analyzed, and they are oriented a different direction (and are a different size) than humans. Finally, Lucy’s pelvis has some major problems. Scientists have tried everything they know to figure out how Lucy could have given birth to an infant. But, her pelvis is too small—indicating that the fossil most likely belongs to a male!” (Ibid.).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    The proponents of evolution have performed many magic tricks upon the population of the world since the days of Darwin.

 

B.      We have seen in this lesson that many of their so-called proofs of evolution are nothing more than a bunch of hocus-pocus.

 

C.     Instead of our world “proving” evolution, it was designed to prove that there is a God and that He is supremely powerful (Rom. 1:20).

 

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

 

1.      Invisible things have been seen.

2.      They are understood by the things that are made (the creation).

3.      What can be understood are God’s “eternal power and Godhead.”

4.      Man is without excuse before God.

 

D.    Three closing thoughts:

1.      Quotes:  There have been many parents who have named their children “Christian,” but how many have you ever heard of being called “Atheist”?

2.      Poem:

 

THE CREATION POEM

Once I was an amoeba
Beginning to begin
Then I was a tadpole
With my tail tucked in
Then I was a monkey
Hanging from a tree
Now I'm a college professor
With a Ph.D!!!

(David Gallimore)

 

3.      The Story of Evolution

 

The Story of Evolution

Once upon a time, (a few hundred million years ago), there lived a little one-celled animal called "Amoeba".  No one really knew where Amoeba had come from. They say his Fairy God-Mother named "Mutation" had created him. Certainly he could not have come from God, because after all, atheists must disbelieve in God as a matter of religious faith.  No, the Fairy God-Mother named "Mutation" must have waved her magic wand and "poof!", Amoeba came into existence.

Nevertheless, this little Amoeba was very lonely.  He had no friends to play with.  Amoeba also did not have any arms or legs, so he had to stay home all day just floating around in the water.  How boring!

One day, Amoeba decided what he would do to make his life more interesting.  He would ask his Fairy God-Mother named Mutation to wave her magic wand over him!  Yes, Amoeba would become a fish!  So, Amoeba asked Mutation, and she waved her magic wand over Amoeba.  "Poof!"  Amoeba pushed out in all directions!  Now he had fins and scales and now - now he could swim!

Still, this little fish was not happy.  Amoeba could only stay home in the water and still did not have any arms or legs and could not walk.  Amoeba swam back and forth wondering what he should do.  Why of course!  He would ask Mutation to wave her magic wand once again.

Amoeba asked Mutation, and she waved her wand again.  "Poof!"  Amoeba was now a salamander!  Now he could venture out of the water! And so, he did!  He played on the sand at the beach.  "Thank you!", he said to his Fairy God-Mother.  (Amoeba could not thank God, because, after all, he was an atheist, and atheists must always disbelieve in God.  No, he must thank his "Fairy God-Mother" instead.)

Still, this little salamander was not happy.  He could not run around for long on the ground, but was told that he had to stay near his home in the water.  He wondered what he would do.  Why, of course!  He would ask his Fairy God-Mother, Mutation to wave her wand.

He asked Mutation, and she waved her wand again over Amoeba.  Then..."Poof!"   He became a lizard!  Now he could walk around a lot on the ground.  Still, he was not happy.  It was not much of an improvement he thought from being a salamander.  "Couldn't you please give me a 'free upgrade'?", Amoeba begged Mutation.  "I want to be  a mammal!"

Mutation, the Fairly God-Mother, listened to Amoeba's request.  She thought that this seemed reasonable, so she waved her wand again over Amoeba.  "Poof!" Amoeba was now a mouse!

You would have thought that Amoeba would now be happy, but he wasn't happy.  No, he wanted another "upgrade".  This time he wanted to be a "higher mammal".  He wanted to be a Monkey!  Well, Mutation wasn't amused.  She thought to herself that Amoeba might want even more: to one day become a Human.  Amoeba insisted that this was not true.  No, he only wanted to become a monkey.

Well, the wand was lifted again and "poof!"  Amoeba was now a monkey!  Amoeba swung from the trees and had a good time.  But, after a while, Amoeba became bored.  He could run around, and even swing, but he could not stand erect.  No, Amoeba wanted to become a Man.

Well, Mutation was not too happy when Amoeba came and asked her if he could be turned into a man.  Mutation said, "What?  I thought you said you did not want to become a man."

Well, Amoeba said that he really did, so Mutation waved her magic wand and "poof!"  Amoeba became a Man!  He still needed a friend to play with, so he asked Mutation and "poof" Amoeba made a Woman to be his friend.  She become his wife, and they all lived happily ever after.