Part 8 of this Review looks at “Facts” numbered 71 to 80 on the Eternal Productions 101 Scientific Facts and Foreknowledge web page, which claims that the Bible has at least 101 scientific facts that have subsequently been verified by modern science. So far, none of the previous 70 so-called “facts” as presented have stood up to scrutiny, and almost half of the “facts” presented thus far were found not to be actually scientific at all.
So:
71. Life is more than matter and energy (Genesis 2:7; Job 12:7-10). We know that if a creature is denied air it dies. Even though its body may be perfectly intact, and air and energy are reintroduced to spark life, the body remains dead. Scripture agrees with the observable evidence when it states that only God can give the breath of life. Life cannot be explained by raw materials, time, and chance alone – as evolutionists would lead us to believe.
An example of non-scientific claims labelled as one of the 101 “facts”, and a very muddled entry at that. Science tells us that life is made of matter and energy, and nowhere there is no observable evidence at all for a ‘breath of life’ that ‘only God can give’, whatever that might mean. Evolution does not purport to ‘explain’ life, but the variety of species of life – and the Evolutionists referred to are in fact scientists – the bunch of people who are allegedly discovering the very things that are supposed to already exist in the Bible. It seems – as has been noted before – that there is a very selective use of scientific facts that are tested against the Bible.
72. Origin of music explained (Psalm 40:3). Evolution cannot explain the origin of music. The Bible says that every good gift comes from God (James 1:17). This includes joyful melodies. God has given both man and angels the gift of music-making (Genesis 4:21; Ezekiel 28:13). Singing is intended to express rejoicing in and worship of the Lord (Job 38:7; Psalm 95:1-2).
Another non-claim: science doesn’t purport to explain the origin of music per se, much less the theory of evolution.
There are – as it happens – plenty of scientific theories that cannot explain the origin of music, such as the theory of general relativity, as proposed by Einstein. So evolution isn’t alone.
73. Our ancestors were not primitive (Genesis 4:20-22; Job 8:8-10; 12:12). Archeologists have discovered that our ancestors mined, had metallurgical factories, created air-conditioned buildings, designed musical instruments, studied the stars, and much more. This evidence directly contradicts the theory of evolution, but agrees completely with God’s Word.
No, it doesn’t contradict the theory of evolution at all, which describes how humans came to be on the planet. Further, there is nothing in archeaology that contradicts the theory of evolution. Nevertheless, no scientific claim has been made that has been shown to be foretold in the Bible – just another anti-evolution statement.
74. Cavemen described in the Bible (Job 30:1-8). Four thousand years ago, Job describes certain “vile men” who were driven from society to forage “among the bushes” for survival and who “live in the clefts of the valleys, (and) in caves of the earth and the rocks.” Therefore “cavemen” were simply outcasts and vagabounds – not our primitive ancestors as evolutionists speculate.
Evolutionists do not speculate about early human societies, so this again is factually incorrect. Archealogists have uncovered a huge amount of data on how early humans lived, and it is very clear that complex societies emerge from less complex ones; that the older neolithic societies are more “primitive” from the Bronze age ones that characterise the Middle East 3,000-4,000 years ago, for example. However, no scientific statement is being made in this the above claim.
75. Environmental devastation of the planet foreseen (Revelation 11:18). Though evolution imagines that things should be getting better, the Bible foresaw what is really occurring today: pollution, destruction and corrupt dominion.
This is getting tedious: an utter lack of understanding of the theory of evolution is being made in point after point. Suffice to say that, firstly, theory of evolution explains observable variation in living organisms. It does not say that “things” are getting “better”. Secondly, no scientific claim has been made.
76. The seed of a plant contains its life (Genesis 1:11; 29). As stated in the Book of Genesis, we now recognize that inside the humble seed is life itself. Within the seed is a tiny factory of amazing complexity. No scientist can build a synthetic seed and no seed is simple!
If anyone else can spot the scientific claim here that has been correctly foretold in the Bible, I’d love to hear it: as it stands, it’s another non-claim about nothing.
77. A seed must die to produce new life (1 Corinthians 15:36-38). Jesus said, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” (John 12:24). In this verse is remarkable confirmation of two of the fundamental concepts in biology: 1) Cells arise only from existing cells. 2) A grain must die to produce more grain. The fallen seed is surrounded by supporting cells from the old body. These supporting cells “give their lives” to provide nourishment to the inner kernel. Once planted, this inner kernel germinates resulting in much grain.
The “fundamental concepts” are not actually fundamental to biology at all and arguably not “fundamental” – cells are in turn made up of things that are of interest to biologists, for example, DNA; proteins, etc. The theory of evolution certainly is fundamental – upon this entire fields within biology rest: biochemistry and genetics to name two. However, one has by now the decided impression that the good people at Eternal Productions do not like evolution…
No scientific claim has been made here, frankly.
78. The order of creation agrees with true science (Genesis 1). Plants require sunlight, water, and minerals in order to survive. In the first chapter of Genesis we read that God created light first (v.3), then water (v. 6), then soil (v. 9), and then He created plant life (v. 11).
We also see that God created the stars (v16) after the land, plants and seas on the earth. We know from “true science” that this is not the case. We also know from “true science” that birds evolved from land animals; they do not predate land animals as suggested in vs.22-24. Moreover, this is a re-telling of the Babylonian creation myth, and not peculiar to the Bible.
The claims made for the accuracy of this Chapter are false.
79. God created “lights” in the heavens “for signs and seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14-16). We now know that a year is the time required for the earth to travel once around the sun. The seasons are caused by the changing position of the earth in relation to the sun. The moon’s phases follow one another in clock-like precision – constituting the lunar calendar Evolution teaches that the cosmos evolved by random chance, yet the Bible agrees with the observable evidence.
Evolution is shown to be again to be misunderstood in this claim. No scientific claim or explanation exists in 1 Gen 14-16.
80. The Bible speaks of “heaven and the highest heavens” (Deuteronomy 10:14). Long before the Hubble Space Telescope, Scripture spoke of the “heaven of heavens” and the “third heaven” (1 Kings 8:27; 2 Corinthians 12:2). We now know that the heavens consist of our immediate atmosphere and the vast reaches of outer space – as well as God’s wonderful abode.
The Hubble Telescope failed to find God, of course – if it’s being suggested that he’s somewhere “out there” in outer space. Again, no scientific claim about the nature of the Universe is being made in the three verses cited.
This ten has fared quite badly, with no fewer than 9 being dismissed as non-claims.
This means, after 80 “facts” examined, 45 can be safely dismissed as not containing any recognisable scientific claim. The remaining 35 “facts” are not facts at all, but shown to be in error. 21 left to examine.
Your argument is about the wording used and not the claim itself. Please refute these 2 sentences as not being scientific fact.
1) Cells arise only from existing cells. 2) A grain must die to produce more grain.
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77. A seed must die to produce new life (1 Corinthians 15:36-38). Jesus said, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” (John 12:24). In this verse is remarkable confirmation of two of the fundamental concepts in biology: 1) Cells arise only from existing cells. 2) A grain must die to produce more grain. The fallen seed is surrounded by supporting cells from the old body. These supporting cells “give their lives” to provide nourishment to the inner kernel. Once planted, this inner kernel germinates resulting in much grain.
The “fundamental concepts” are not actually fundamental to biology at all and arguably not “fundamental” – cells are in turn made up of things that are of interest to biologists, for example, DNA; proteins, etc. The theory of evolution certainly is fundamental – upon this entire fields within biology rest: biochemistry and genetics to name two. However, one has by now the decided impression that the good people at Eternal Productions do not like evolution…
No scientific claim has been made here, frankly.
The claim put forward regarding cells and grains is precisely that it is “fundamental concept” in science. It is not. It also misunderstands what is meant by a scientific concept and is not fundamental to understanding anything. The claim is simply not a claim that science makes. So, strictly speaking, there is no need to say any more
However, the verse cited actually says nothing about cells: so the people at Eternal Productions are making up their own Gospel, rather than a literal reading they ordinarily espouse. Moreover, the grain of seed does not actually die – if the seed “dies” it will fail to germinate; rather, it is transformed by an organic process and does not “die” as properly understood. And of course, the cell is made up of more fundamental components, and, historically speaking, cells did not need to exist before other cells could be made. In a word, the evolved.
If anything, it’s a good example of poor scientific understanding in the Bible – hardly surprising given that John, at least, was written a good 1800 years or before modern biology.