Feedback: Nye vs. Ham

Last night I joined many others in watching the debate between creationist Ken Ham and Bill Nye the Science Guy. (An archived video is available, I think for a limited time, at http://debatelive.org/.)

Rather than evaluating the entire debate, I want to focus on two words that seemed to sum up Bill Nye's response to creation, God, and the Bible in general. The first word is uneasy. Nye used that word or a synonym multiple times to describe how a foundation based on the Bible made him feel. He was uneasy when faced with an explanation that did not match what his science told him. In essence, the issue is faith. The Bible records truths and past events that humans cannot see with their eyes as well as concepts that are too big for mortals to comprehend. Without faith to take God at His word, uneasiness is not a surprising response.

The second word is unreasonable. Nye repeatedly used the positive counterpart, reasonable, to refer to himself. As a reasonable man, he could not accept things like an intelligent designer, a world-wide flood, or a boat large enough to hold so many animals. Again, it is a matter of faith. The Bible does include some pretty incredible history, and it records events that are outside the realm of observable experience. Without faith to take God at His word, perceived unreasonableness is not surprising either.

For those who have faith in God and His Word, however, the responses can and should be much different. Nye spoke about the Bible as a book written thousands of years ago, and he considered its translation into English to add to its unreliability. Christians know that God wrote the Bible and has preserved its truth into the modern day.

It was also interesting that Nye continually referred to creation as Ken Ham's theory. The support for creation is much deeper than even a great scientist such as Ham. It originates with God Himself. This Creator God is reliable, and, as a result, the Bible is also reliable. In the question-and-answer time, it was enlightening to see the differing responses between Nye and Ham. When faced with difficult questions, Nye repeatedly said he did not know the answers. Ham, on the other hand, referred to a Book that had those answers. The ancient book that Nye rejected as making him uneasy and being unreasonable had the answers that Nye lacked.

A basis of faith in God enables a Christian to be peaceful rather than uneasy. A Christian can rest at peace even when he does not know all of the answers. When facing the unknowns of life and even the question of what comes after life, a Christian has peace that cannot be explained. That peace comes from knowing the reliable God who knows everything.

A basis of faith in God makes His truth reasonable. When a believer understands how incredible God is, it is not so hard to believe the "unreasonable" stories of the Bible. In considering the amazing creation that God has made, it is completely reasonable to trust such a powerful and wise Creator.

Faith is critical to the Christian life. Faith is necessary at salvation, but it is also necessary for everyday life. Without it, a Christian is uneasy, anxious, and confused. Without faith, a Christian struggles with what seems unfair and doesn't make sense. With faith, however, a Christian can rest with confidence in a reasonable God in every situation. God is wise enough and powerful enough to be trusted.

 

"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." I Corinthians 2:14 (NASB)