The intelligence of our design
One of the very first columns written here talked about the fact that we were originally hard-wired to have a relationship with God. That was a conclusion brought about as much by life experience as by reading and study. Is there direct, quantifiable, empirical evidence for such a view? Most would say no. The reasons for that would be many, but in the end much of that feeling would come down to whether or not folks believe there is a God.
We could dispose of the lack of tactile proof there is a God through logic. Aristotle, the ancient
Greek philosopher, reasoned his way to the existence of God by looking at the world around him and deducing He had to be there. He didn’t formulate the God of the Bible, but he did affirm the existence of a being who had the attributes.
We see the same type of logic and deduction today with all the arguing back and forth in the scientific community over the concept of Intelligent Design. Its proponents have closely observed life and matter down to the sub-cellular level and broken down the living cell to its micro components. As a result of observing the micromechanical processes, complex bio-molecular chemistry, and the utter sophistication of life even at this most basic level, they have concluded that a guiding intelligence does exist. It opens the same door Aristotle cracked opened, but kicks it open a lot wider.
So for 5,000 years the best and brightest among us have been wrestling with the identity and attributes of the designer. Or do we get to make that short leap to capitalizing the concept and write Designer.
The counter proposal is the idea of Pan-Spermia. That is, life here on Earth originated elsewhere and somehow traveled here. Space spores and meteors, maybe? The problem with that explanation is that it really is not an explanation. It leaves us with the same problem, just stuffed back a step further. What organized the living cells that floated in from space? If one has the faith to accept the space seed idea, then it seems having the faith to capitalize the “D” in Designer is not any more of a stretch.
So, where does that hard-wired idea enter the psyche? If someone takes the trouble to design and build something, he or she takes an interest in it. How many people do you know who have worked for something, built something, created something and have subsequently, voluntarily, tossed it out and left it to chance? No, the very fact of being intimately acquainted with that object, from conception to creation to completion virtually guarantees an ongoing attachment. That’s where the Bible becomes relevant.
In Romans Paul asserts specifically that our world, our universe, affirms the existence of God.
However, the Bible is more specific than just admitting the existence of God. In Genesis we are told we are created in God’s image. We also are told there that God created us for an ongoing relationship with Him. If we are created in His image, that innate desire to have a relationship would logically have to be part of the blueprint too. Maybe its time we all check out our blueprints, just to make sure we are operating in spec.
(Philip Severi, a former Bishop resident, previously wrote a weekly column for The Inyo Register. He contributes to this page from his home in Twain Harte.)