Store Address: Barnes Road, Colorado Springs, CO – (719) 573-0402

Paul

Paul with hosts after his interview

What a great month, I had the privilege of being on TV four times this month, each was an interview about my book “The Challenge of Evolution”.  If you were able to see them I would love to hear what you thought. If not I will be putting them in an edited version on the website in the next week or so. 

It was a great experience, I enjoyed it very much , it felt very natural, like this is what I was born to do.

Paul

The first show is The Harvest Show, it airs on KWHD TV in the Denver area at 8pm on Tuesday April 13.

You can find the time in your area at the following link. http://www.harvest-tv.com/ShowInfo/Viewing-Times.cfm

The second show is TLN NOW – it airs in the greater Chicago area, at 9pm on Tuesday April 13. http://www.tln.com/showdetails.aspx?id=224

On April 26th I will be on WATC TV – Rick Goins – WATC’s Atlanta Live –

7-9pm and possibly on a replay the next morning between 7-9am http://www.watc.tv/atlanta_live.htm

On April 27th, I will be on http://www.wggs16.com/ Nite Line TV in Greenville SC 8 –

10pm ET.

The lecture and discussion will begin at 7PM on Friday evening and resume at 9AM on Saturday morning.

Paul underscores the importance of Creation’s biblical foundation, discusses the presuppositions of evolution and builds a case for the existence and action of the Creator reasonably and logically.

Registration fees will include a copy of  Paul’s book, The Challenge of Evolution.

More details and online registration available soon at www.littletonvineyard.org.

What they found...

Denver, Colorado – The most recent discovery in Ethiopia’s Afar Rift of older skeletal remains is yet another indication of the mercurial nature of evolutionist faith. As if giving the bones a name, in this case, “Ardi,” evolutionists believe it will humanize the find. The idea of humans evolving from an ancient chimp-like creature is now debatable.

Scientists assembled the skeleton from 125 pieces and announced the find, “One of the most important discoveries for the study of human evolution,” according to David Pilbeam of Harvard’s Peabody Museum. Because Ardi doesn’t have some of the characteristics of modern apes, evolutionists automatically tout the find as a link in human evolution. Not all agree.

Paul Myrant is the author of The Challenge of Evolution and an outspoken critic of evolutionary science. “Many assume that belief in a Creator or God is based on blind faith separate from reason,” says Myrant. “Educators keep telling their students, ‘Science is rational; belief in a Creator is irrational and reserved for the weak-minded, emotional, easily duped, uneducated segment of society.’”

What they "extrapolated."

“Bound to their subjective biases and misunderstanding of the true history of humanity,” says Myrant, “science is forced to change the ‘facts’ of their interpretation of the origins of man. Using the flawed and subjective dating methods of radiometric dating, science now believes that we walked upright several millions years earlier, and that we may have come from a different line of Darwinians evolution, not directly descended from chimpanzees.”

The latest find is based on the scientific worldview of naturalism, uniformity and anti-Catastrophism; a position that Darwin committed himself to hundreds of years ago. While many sincere scientists remain deluded by this atheistic worldview, the Christian worldview remains unchanged. 

It takes great faith to believe in atheistic evolution, it is not reasonable to believe in an uncaused universe and earth, says Myrant.  However because it is so widely taught as fact, people accept it as truth. “Everything has a cause and the cause must be greater than it effect,” he explains. “The cause of the universe is beyond the scope of scientific investigation. Logically, there must be a cause behind every event.”

Science cannot tell us with absolute certainty the cause of the universe and living things, they can only speculate about its origin and history. However, “Scientific commitment to naturalism and natural selection causes scientists to devote all, or at least most of their time and energy in defense of these anti-supernatural assumptions,” says Myrant. Instead of remaining open-minded, they entrench themselves within their belief system and look for evidence that support their presuppositions.

To schedule an interview with Paul Myrant call Don Otis @ 719.275.7775 or email
interviews@veritasincorporated.com

Bethlehem Lutheran Church
2100 Wadsworth Blvd in Lakewood, CO

October 9 at 7pm

Click here for a map.

Tattered Cover Highlands Ranch
9315 Dorchester Street
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

Friday, October 23, 2009 at 7:30pm

Click here for a map.

This book has given me a better understanding and grasp of the concept of faith.  It is a great book and answers questions that many have about their religious beliefs.  I recommend this book to any one who has ever questioned their faith in God.
- Chadd Elsen, Lay-leader

The Challenge of Evolution is the perfect book to wake up and inspire junior high and high school students, to equip their young minds with a worldview that will guide them in matters of science, society, and religion.
- Nancy Gill, Christian School Principal

The Challenge of Evolution succeeds where other (books) have not. Paul presents for us a alearly thought through, plainly written and easy to follow argument that covers the key issues surrounding the question of origins.
- Ian Prichard, Pastor

SECTION I – THE EXISTENCE OF A CREATOR

Is There a Creator?

The Challenge of Scientific Atheism

The Logic for a Creator

The Nature of Matter – Evidence of a Creator

The Cause and Design of Matter –Evidence of a Creator

Meaning and Value – Evidence of a Creator

Right and Wrong – Evidence of a Creator

There is a Creator

SECTION 2 –THE NATURE OF THE CREATOR

The Creator is Eternal

The Creator is Powerful and Intelligent

The Creator is a Just Person

The Creator is Good

The Creator is a Communicator

SECTION III – THE CREATOR AND EVOLUTION

The Bible versus Evolution

The History of Evolution

The Challenge of Time: The Age of the Universe

The Challenge of Time: Dating the Rocks

What Does it all Mean?

*     *     *     *     *

PREFACE:

Sam Harris a noted atheistic author wrote that he was inundated with hate mail by Christians, after he wrote his book on atheism.  It is always difficult to be confronted with strong opposing points of view that challenge the very basis for one’s faith. However, the words of Jesus come to mind, “Love your enemies [and] to care for those who spitefully use us.”[i]

Even though this book is a response to many of the arguments raised by atheistic evolution, it is not written with animosity toward atheists or scientists. It is simply a response to the claims statements that they have made.

On a personal note I am disappointed with not only my behavior at times, but for the way Christians have behaved on many occasions in history. From the Crusades to racial bigotry many have been rightly offended by these actions. There is no excuse, we can only apologize and explain that these things were not done with the permission or approval of the Creator.

Our attitude and heart are as important as what we say. The Apostle Paul said; In gentleness instruct those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth[ii]. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men”.[iii]

As we discuss this topic, understand that my heart is to inform and challenge thoughts and beliefs that undermine a true knowledge of the Creator.

*     *     *     *    *

INTRODUCTION:

This book is a discussion about creationism, evolution and the apparent division between religion and science. We will attempt to answer the following: Is there a Creator?  What is He like? Does He care about mankind? How did He create the universe?

The purpose is to strengthen and restore confidence in the believability of the Bible, in its historical record and its message to mankind. The intended audience is anyone who has ever questioned the existence of God, Christian and non-Christian alike.  It is written to encourage those who believe, but doubt, and to help those who doubt, but want to believe.  It is my hope that it will build a bridge to all seekers of truth.

From the beginning of human existence, mankind’s relationship with the Creator has been challenged. In the first test of Adam and Eve’s fidelity, the Creator’s instructions and motives were questioned and subsequently ignored. Abel, was murdered because his brother Cain, was unhappy with the Creator’s instructions. This is a consistent pattern throughout history, there are always voices which question the existence and nature of the Creator and His instructions to mankind.

The early church faced similar challenges. During the first several centuries being a Christian could cost you your life, property and place in Roman society. Many Roman Emperors sought to destroy the scriptures; they outlawed and burned every copy they could find.  Others questioned the teachings and messages in the Bible.

Each subsequent era has faced unique difficulties; the age of enlightenment brought a new round of challenges aimed specifically at the teaching and historical accuracy of the Bible. The first of these challenges came through James Hutton and Charles Lyell’s theory of uniformity.  This belief states that the geology of the earth is the result of millions of years of erosion and uplift.

Uniformity’s long ages of geological time opened the door for the theory of evolution. Hutton’s theory provided the theoretical time Darwin needed for evolution to take place. Both philosophies directly contradict a literal six day creation, what many believe that the biblical record is teaching.

A third challenge followed on Darwin’s heels, and questioned the authorship and dating of the biblical text. Specifically, this challenge focused on the first five books of the Bible.  Theologians, who had already rejected the authority of the Bible, began to publicly question the historical accuracy of the recorded events.

Julius Wellhausen was directly influenced by the naturalism of uniformity and the advent of Darwin’s theory of evolution. Wellhausen popularized the “Documentary Hypothesis”[iv] which, along with similar theories, held an anti-supernatural view of the scriptures.

As this new theology and scientific worldview took hold in western civilization, evolution’s primary philosophy of naturalism replaced faith in the God of the Bible, the biblical record, miracles and belief in a supernatural realm.

In most mainline Christian churches, belief in the Bible digressed from being the very words of God and a reliable source of historical truth, to a collection of fables, myths, and abstract religious beliefs.

Though archeology and conservative Christian scholarship has repeatedly answered these criticisms, it has not been able to undo the progressive erosion of biblical authority in many parts of the Christian community.

In Europe, these challenges to biblical authority have had a devastating affect on historical Christianity; the Church is only a shell of its former self.  In his book, “The Suicide of the West”, James Burnham eloquently states, “The West remembers enough about Christianity to feel guilty for its sins, but not enough to recall where forgiveness comes from.”[v]

The effect in America, while significant, was not as widespread. Fundamentalist religious groups in the United States were able to successfully respond and rebuff these attacks.  Americans are surprisingly strong in their belief in a personal creator, the rejection of evolution and acceptance of the Genesis account of creation.  A Gallup poll of 1,005 adults, taken in September 2005, showed that,

53 percent of adults believed “God created human beings in their present form exactly the way the Bible describes it.” Thirty-one percent believed humans “evolved over millions of years from other forms of life and God guided” the process, and 12 percent said humans “have evolved over millions of years from other forms of life, but God has no part.

By comparison,

Only 7 percent of those surveyed in Great Britain said they take the biblical creation account of Genesis 1 literally… Respondents in Germany, Norway, Russia and the Netherlands all ranked significantly lower than the United States in biblical literalism.[vi]

The battle is ongoing.  Evolution is taught as a fact throughout the world’s public school systems. From elementary through college, evolution is drilled into the minds and hearts of young people. Many, once strong Christian colleges and universities, now teach various forms of Darwinism, the Documentary Hypothesis, and other criticisms of the biblical record.

“National Geographic” and the Discovery Channel continually tell us the earth is billions of years old. The History Channel speaks almost exclusively from an anti-supernatural view of the Bible; it continually questions biblical history and authority.  The challenge for Christianity in both Europe and America is huge.  Even though many in America confess faith in the Bible, the constant drumbeat has left many Christians and non-Christians alike genuinely confused about the existence of God and the reliability of the Bible.

These are significant challenges and must be honestly examined. We begin our examination with the basis for belief in a Creator. Before we can be certain about the authority of the Bible or any religion, we must first be certain about the existence and nature of a Creator.

Can we know for certain there is a Creator?  The Bible teaches that God’s existence is an innate truth written on the soul of every person. The Apostle Paul declared,

That which is known about God is evident within them, for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made.[vii]

The psalmist David wrote:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the works of His hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech, night after they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where there is voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world.[viii]

If these statements are true, then we should be able to examine the universe and through the process of deduction, demonstrate the existence and nature of the creator. This will in turn provide us with an objective source for belief in God, apart from the aid of religion.  Obviously I believe that we can discover the truth about a Creator, my hope is that each of you will reason with me as we examine the evidence for a creator.

[ii] 2 Timothy 2:25 NIV

[iii] Romans 12:17,18

[iv] The “Documentary Hypothesis” teaches that the Old Testament Scriptures were written several centuries later that has been held by both Jewish and Christian scholars.  The view throughout history is that Moses wrote the Torah between 1500 and 1300 BC, using a variety of original sources.  Wellhausen speculated that Judaism was originally polytheistic and eventually evolved into a monotheistic religion, but well after the time of Moses.  This theory is based in part of four primary assumptions. First that evolution is true in religion as well as the natural world.  Secondly, that there was no written language at the time of Moses, the Elba Tablets completely disproved this theory. Thirdly, it was also based on the belief that all of the supernatural events in the Bible were mythological and untrue.  Finally it based on the usage of different names for God used in various sections of the Torah.  All of the “scholarship” associated with the “Documentary Hypothesis” has been refuted and answered by conservative scholarship, and there is reason to believe any of the opinion it holds are historically accurate.  There is no reason to doubt the conservative date for the writing of the Scripture.

[v] Burnham, James.  “Suicide of the West”. The John Day Company, New York, NY. USA

[vi] http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/evol4.htm

[vii] Romans 1:19, 20. NASB

[viii] Psalm 19:1-4 NIV