How do you get from Intelligent Design to Christianity?

Question

I often hear as proof of God's existence, "just look around you. Do you think the universe was created by chance? " OK. So let's assume there was a Supreme Being who created the universe. How do you jump from that, to believing in the Bible? The Bible could have been written by a Supreme Villain at odds with the Supreme Being who created the Earth. That might explain all the contradictions, absurdities, and murderous horrors that are contained within it. It could also have been written by an ordinary man who looked around just like you did, and saw evidence of a Supreme Being -- so he made up a story, a complete fabrication, perhaps to enslave people into following him.

So assuming that a Supreme Being did create the universe: where is your proof that the Supreme Being who created the universe is the same Being who wrote the Bible? Is your evidence simply Genesis 1:1? Anyone could have written that. Even me! How about a non-biblical argument?!

Answer 1

Yeah, exactly. And also, why do people stop at one god? Why couldn't it have been MANY gods? Maybe it was a whole team of gods that did the designing. How would we know for sure? It's amazing how people take a statement like "the universe was created" and then automatically rule out every other possibility except the Christian creation story.

Answer 2

Once I conclude logically that a designer exists, I must then look to evidence of this designer's will. After investigating, the bible appears to me to be the most reliable revelation of this supreme being. You can review the two links below for discussion about the reliability of the bible.

While all of my questions will never be definitively answered, I find that rationally my belief is on solid ground. There are many things in the world we do not fully understand, yet we have no problems in believing them. For example, solar physics is not fully known, yet we all accept the "fact" that the sun will rise tomorrow.

I have also taken the time to spend years in universities studying theology as well as science (have a Ph.D.), so I could more fully understand what I have staked my eternal soul upon. I don't advocate everyone do this before making a decision one way or the other, but I do suggest folks go beyond the rhetoric in these fourms, the media, and elsewhere, so they can be more grounded in their beliefs.

Have you considered the reliability of the bible? Ignore for the moment the whole notion of God and just think about the book's content.

Some have claimed that the bible is no more accurate that Homer's Iliad. I respectfully disagree and the table shown at the link below clearly demonstrates my argument that the Bible is one of the most accurate sources for the events described in it.

Investigation will also reveal that there exists NO SINGLE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY that has been shown to prove error, factually or doctrinally, in the Bible. There is plenty of speculation and hypotheses, but not a single verifiable fact. To make this claim alone is quite a feat for ancient texts, but when you add to it the fact that the Bible was written over more than 1,500 years by forty vastly different writers, yet every book in the Bible is consistent in its message. These 66 books talk about history, prophecy, poetry, and theology.

No human beings could have planned such an intricate combination of books over a 1,500-year time span. Bible manuscripts (remember, there were no printing presses until 1455) have survived despite weather, persecution and time. Most ancient writings written on weak materials like papyrus have vanished all together. Yet many copies of the Old Testament scriptures survived. For instance, the Dead Sea Scrolls contain all books of the Old Testament, except Esther, and have been dated to before the time of Christ. Consider Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Only ten copies written about 1,000 years after the event are in existence. In comparison, there are over 24,000+ New Testament manuscripts, the earliest one dating to within 24 years after Christ.

The Bible also validates its divine authorship through fulfilled prophecies. An astonishing 668 prophecies have been fulfilled and none have ever been proven false (three are unconfirmed).

An honest study of biblical prophecy will compellingly show the divine authorship of the Bible. Further, archeology confirms (or in some cases supports) accounts in the biblical record. No other holy book comes close to the Bible in the amount of evidence supporting its divine authorship.

Few fail to realize this and show their lack of knowledge in the historicity of the Bible by objecting when folks use the bible to support their own positions. While no one objects when a journal article or some popular book or media piece is quoted, there is always lots of flippant commentary when Christians use the bible as a reference.

When I examine the evidence on both sides, I can only rationally conclude that given the bible's accuracy on so many issues, I have no reason to doubt its validity on all issues it contains, especially when it speaks to God's divine revelations.

Answer 3

It's clear that humans wrote the bible, not a supreme being of any kind. Because the god portrayed in the bible is too small for the universe that is revealed by science.

Answer 4

The best evidence is from the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. I don't have the space to give an in-depth explanation, but would refer you to the historical evidence for it. And it goes far beyond any circular arguments that maintain "it's true because the bible says it's true".

I wouldn't say the case is proven, but definitely compelling. The evidence certainly points in a direction. The choice to follow it where it leads is up to you.

Answer 5

its simple the bible was written by God's brother Fergus

Answer 6

The two are not mutually inclusive and neither prove the other correct or incorrect

Answer 7

You make an excellent point.

Answer 8

It's funny -- "Just look around you" is one of my reasonings why there is *no* god.