By Brett Hickey


As we grow into adults, life becomes a lot more complicated than it was on the
playground. And, as we learn more about the human body, the rational, unbiased mind
is awestruck by the symphony produced by the coordinated activities of our bodies’ ten
major sets of complex organ systems.  Could such harmony be produced by accident
or does this point to a conductor and composer? Can such intricate design exist
without a designer? No! This is – as God planned from eternity past – just one of many
signs in our universe that point us to our Creator – the Almighty God.

Strangely enough, not everyone sees it this way. In fact, a battle rages in our country
over whether students have the right to hear the scientific merits of “intelligent design”
alongside the theory of evolution. Even more peculiar, are some of the voices chiming
in on the “evolution-only” position. The New York Times (1/18/06) cites an article in the
official Vatican newspaper agreeing with those who say that “intelligent design” should
not be taught as an alternative to evolution. Science has ever been about getting at the
facts - the truth. And, truth can always withstand the scrutiny of investigation and
comparison of competing ideas!

So, is this any of your business as a Christian? While the church will not be asked to
settle the current classroom controversy, the Scriptures urge Christians to “be ready
always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear.” This includes the supporting evidence to the declaration of
Gen. 1:27 that “God created man” and the accompanying warning to the skeptic that
since God’s existence can be determined “by the things that are made,” those who
deny his existence “are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20-22).

“He is God …who has made us”
These words from Psalm 100:3 are backed up by scores of anatomical details. Page
after page of jaw-dropping evidence in favor of this conclusion are presented in Wayne
Jackson’s book, The Human Body – Accident or Design? Consider the following
sample:   

• One square inch of bone can bear the weight of over four tons. Pound for pound, bone
is stronger than steel.

• We have over 600 muscles.

• We have 28 facial muscles capable of 250,000 expressions.

• Our three pound liver has 500 different functions.

• In our lifetime, our kidneys will filter one million gallons of blood. Their 2 million
nephrons process your blood in less than an hour.

• Our stomach lining is replaced every three days.

• Our lungs have 300 thousand air sacs and process almost 100 quarts of blood every
hour.  

• The human heart beats 100,000 times a day, pumping 1,800 gallons of blood 12,000
miles through your body every day.

• Average adult has 5 quarts of blood; 15 million platelets in every drop.

• There are 60-100 thousand miles of blood vessels in the human body.

• Our three pound brain can hold 20 million volumes of information.

• The human ear receives sound waves at 750 miles per hour.

• The human eye receives light images at 670 million miles per hour.  

• We have more than 100 different kinds of hormones.

• The human body has over 2 million sweat glands; over 9,000 taste buds; over 200,000
temperature gauges; over 3 million pain receptors; and, over 60-100 trillion cells (1
million cells per square inch).

• If the DNA in a human cell was decoded and translated into English, the text required
would be the equivalent of over three hundred copies of the entire Bible. Yet all the
zygote DNA required for all 6 billion humans living today could fit into a container the
size of a wedding ring. (Appendix IV: Quick Statistics About the Human Body, Jackson,
131.)

Design Demands Designer

Atheistic professor of philosophy and logic, Paul Ricci, concedes that "‘Everything
designed has a designer’ is an analytically true statement.” But can the unbiased
observer fail to see that any of the above truths alone (to say nothing of their combined
weight) qualify them as objects of intelligent design?

Woodsey Teller (a founder for the American Association for the Advancement of
Atheism) demonstrated the desperation of those who deny any Divine design behind
the human body. He made the following overreaching statement in the Bales-Teller
Debate of 1947: “I maintain that man makes better machines, machines that work more
accurately and are more dependable than those found in the human body.”

He went on to insist that man would have been better off on all fours instead of upright;
on wheels instead of hands and feet. Another improvement, in Teller’s opinion, would
be a zipper on one’s side, so when something went wrong you could be unzipped
instead of cut on in surgery. It doesn’t take a cardiologist to see the flaws in his
“improvements.” Imagine allowing a surgeon to operate on you with only his two bare
wheels!

Over two millenia ago, the apostle Paul had it right when he described by inspiration
those who refuse to acknowledge the existence of God: “Professing themselves to be
wise, they became fools.” While the Christian may not be able to derail the debate that
rages in our schools and courts in favor of the truth, may God's people, by both
Scripture and logic, be prepared to defend within their sphere of influence the existence
of the Creator. - 208 Crosshaven Court, Antioch, TN 37013

Intelligent Design