25-0219wc Transcript

Teacher: Scott Reynolds

(0:04) Okay. For those on the phone, in the program that was sent out, (0:10) there are links for the class material, and we’re going to be looking (0:14) at the leader’s guide and read that section. (0:20) Then we’ll listen to, you can use the outline then as we view the video.

(0:26) The video, we’re on tour five already. (0:30) We’re almost halfway through. (0:32) We’re just short of halfway through the truth project.

(0:39) Dell is going to start talking about science, the fifth tour. (0:44) And it’s the only tour that has two videos. (0:49) And as you know, each video is close to an hour, so we split them in two.

(0:55) So we’re going to be talking about science for the next four weeks, two weeks for each video. (1:02) The major part of the attack today on Christianity is coming from the philosophies (1:12) that have driven and are being created from scientific thought. (1:25) And that scientific thought today is totally 100% centered on the natural realm.

(1:37) And that’s exactly what Peter said, didn’t he? (1:40) That scoffers would come in the last days and they willfully, (1:45) what’s the first thing he charges that they willfully forget? (1:50) And that is that by the word of God, so the first thing Peter brings up that, you know, (1:59) they’ll say, where is he coming? (2:01) When’s Jesus going to return? (2:04) When’s, and what they willfully forget, Peter says, is that by the word of God, (2:11) the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. (2:17) And the key phrase there and how it pertains to science today is they willfully forget the word (2:29) of God, they willfully forget the supernatural. (2:34) In fact, they do everything they possibly can to demolish the idea that there is a supernatural.

(2:44) Evolution came about as a natural explanation for why we’re here specifically (2:54) to counter the idea that we came about supernaturally. (3:01) That’s the argument. (3:04) Natural history specifically is only about the natural realm.

(3:11) Looking at the world as holy and 100% materialistic, it’s only material. (3:21) We’re only molecules. (3:24) There is no supernatural.

(3:27) And that’s what Peter was saying. (3:29) They willfully forget that by the word of God. (3:33) And that means, God spoke, there’s a supernatural being that created the natural realm (3:42) and they willfully, not just forget that, they willfully counter that.

(3:49) A lot of their ideas are specifically to target that, so keep that in mind. (3:55) And that’s why having an understanding of science today is important (4:01) because that’s their argument. (4:04) Okay.

So, if you have your link to the material, it’s the leader’s guide. (4:11) It’s just the first page and a couple paragraphs on the second page (4:16) and then we’ll watch the video. (4:19) So, lesson guide to lesson five, science, what is true? (4:25) In this fifth worldview tour, we will head northwest, enter the cavern of nature (4:34) and if you will, Del uses the paradigm of caves, the jewel in the cave.

(4:41) And this is what he’s talking about. (4:43) Enter, we’re going to enter the cavern of nature and gaze upon the jewel of creation (4:50) and established yet another important pillar in the temple of truth, science. (4:58) In the process, we will discover that whereas the heavens declare the glory of God (5:04) and the firmament shows his handiwork, Psalm 19.1, (5:09) so the creator’s invisible attributes are plainly seen.

(5:14) So, it’s not that God didn’t know that this attack was going to take place. (5:21) He actually countered it from the beginning and he created things (5:28) so that we could plainly see from his works that he exists. (5:35) So, mankind has nevertheless chosen to ignore the obvious truth, (5:39) twisting scientific investigation into a vehicle for propagating a godless philosophy (5:47) of human independence and self-determination.

(5:52) That’s the intro. (5:53) So, the themes of the lesson, we’re only going to get through 26 minutes, (5:59) that’s half the video today, so not all of this will pertain to the 26 minutes we see. (6:09) So, the themes, having completed our brief and cursory discussion of the nature and character (6:14) of God, and that was tour four, theology, who is God, (6:19) we turn now to consider a very different question.

(6:24) What does the stuff in the box, and that’s the cosmos, that is the creation (6:30) and the natural realm that God created, (6:35) the stuff in the box really tell us when we honestly look at it? (6:41) Del Tackett argues that scientific investigation, which is the systematic study of the structure (6:49) and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. (6:57) And as we said before, we have sensors and our sensors are tuned to the natural world. (7:03) We cannot see the supernatural.

(7:06) We don’t have supernatural sensors. (7:08) We only have natural sensors, sensors tuned to the natural. (7:13) And that, therefore, science is involved in using our senses, (7:18) and the biggest one is observation, what we see.

(7:24) So, science, therefore, is the structure and behavior, the study of, the structure and behavior (7:30) of the physical and natural world through observation, through our eyes and experiment, (7:37) is also a valid way of ascertaining truth. (7:41) For when we open the box, we find that it is filled with voices that speak to us loudly (7:48) about the majesty and power of the one who has created the physical universe. (7:53) Everywhere we look, whether up at the grandeur of the stars and galaxies, (7:59) or deep into the tiny and elegantly designed inner workings of a living cell, (8:05) there is evidence that the cosmos is the handiwork of an intelligent, rational mind.

(8:14) In the contemplation of nature, we come face-to-face with the truth that God exists (8:22) and that he has revealed himself to us not only through his written word, special revelation, (8:29) but also through the works of his hand, and that’s called general revelation. (8:35) Our natural reaction to this experience should be like that of a child, (8:41) wonder, marvel, and praise for the creator. (8:45) But because of the effects of the fall and the polarizing influence of the cosmic battle, (8:50) man shows a tendency to deny what is plain to the senses (8:56) and to exchange the truth of God for a lie, Romans 1.25. (9:01) So driven by this impulse, he transforms straightforward scientific inquiry, (9:07) which properly concerns itself with particulars, that’s the details, (9:12) into an all-embracing philosophy which claims to establish universals, (9:18) and that’s the bigger question, where did I come from? (9:21) On the basis of the stuff that’s in the box, (9:25) disregarding God, by the way.

(9:26) So the result is the propagation of a worldview that scientifically excludes the creator, (9:34) thus freeing mankind from accountability to a higher authority. (9:40) So central to this philosophy are the assertions of Darwinian evolutionary theory. (9:46) By keeping the details of creation story completely inside the box, (9:52) only natural explanations, evolution effectively rules out the existence of God.

(9:59) And if you’re only going to use natural explanations, you’ve just excluded God. (10:05) Herein lies the heart of the debate over intelligent design. (10:09) Atheist C. Richard Bazar actually goes so far as to claim that evolution destroys utterly, (10:18) and finally, the very reason Jesus' earthly life was supposedly made necessary.

(10:26) It is exactly this kind of philosophical assumption that inquires the visceral or instinctive, (10:33) not intellect, antagonism of evolutionists toward anyone who dares question the validity of their theory. (10:44) This is why Darwinists so fervently assert that evolution is no longer merely a theory, but an established fact. (10:52) But the truth of the matter, as Dr. Tackett and his guest experts demonstrate in great detail, (11:00) is that the theory is not supported by the evidence.

(11:05) Many inside the scientific community are beginning to recognize this, (11:10) but they dare not acknowledge it publicly because of the world-viewed issues at stake. (11:17) As Dr. David Berlinski says, the consequences are serious if you go against the established dogma. (11:28) Points to watch for.

The essence of Dr. Tackett’s message may be summed up as follows. (11:35) Fallen man ignores the plain evidence of objective scientific inquiry (11:40) and promotes the atheistic philosophy of evolutionary theory primarily (11:47) because he is determined to do as he pleases without answering to a higher authority. (11:55) This charge may make some group participants uncomfortable precisely because it hits so close to home.

(12:04) Dr. Tackett also illustrates the point that ideas have consequences (12:09) by drawing a historical connection between Darwinian theory and the horrors of Nazi Germany. (12:17) Some students may feel inclined to debate his assertions in this regard. (12:22) So, let me get the volume up and we’ll get started.

(12:31) All right, so some key points that came up. (12:36) If there is no God, there’s only two possibilities of how the cosmos came about. (12:46) The first one is it’s always been here, and that’s what Carl Sagan says.

(12:52) The cosmos is all that there is, all that there ever was, and all that there ever will be. (13:00) So, he’s talking about the cosmos from everlasting to everlasting. (13:06) That’s what he’s saying.

(13:07) And if you caught the argumentation Del was bringing up, the problem with nature being eternal (13:17) and the point he’s trying to get to is when you think in the past, even when we think about God, (13:23) when you think in the past and you go back as far as you can possibly think, (13:29) if the cosmos is eternal, what’s there? The cosmos. (13:32) And if you go back even further back from there, what’s there? The cosmos. (13:37) And he says there’s a problem.

(13:39) What we see from science today is things are wearing out, things grow old, things decay. (13:53) So, if the cosmos has been around forever, there is a problem. (13:59) And that’s what he said.

(14:00) What should we see now? (14:02) Well, if it’s wearing out and it’s been around forever, (14:07) then what we should see now is we shouldn’t see anything. (14:10) We shouldn’t be here. (14:12) It should have worn out a long time ago.

(14:14) And he used a car and he said, you know, it’s got a gas tank and you’re driving along. (14:20) Now, think of it in these terms. (14:22) It’s an eternal car.

(14:24) It’s been forever around. (14:27) It’s been here forever. (14:29) It’s got a limited gas tank.

(14:32) What would you expect to see if you went up to that car now? (14:38) Well, what would the gas gauge say? (14:41) If it’s been around forever and it’s got a limited gas tank and you ran it at all, (14:48) what would you expect to see on the gas gauge? (14:51) It’s empty. (14:53) It would run out. (14:55) So, the problem with the cosmos being eternal is you shouldn’t be here.

(15:02) It should have died a long time ago. (15:05) OK. So, the other idea is cosmos has a beginning and as Delft did it so well, think about it.

(15:13) You got nothing, nothing, poof, everything. (15:17) Where did it come from? (15:19) The Big Bang starts with a small ball of matter from which everything came from. (15:26) Where did the small ball of matter come from? (15:29) It came from nothing.

(15:32) Spontaneous generation is the idea that has been disproven and they have to believe in it. (15:40) Because like Carl Sagan actually said, we will follow the science wherever it leads us is a lie. (15:48) They will not and they do not because they’ve been caught in this and they’ve said, you know, (15:56) spontaneous, they’ll agree that spontaneous generation is impossible.

(16:00) And as the Apologetics Press brought out in one of their articles, they said, well, you know, (16:05) you can’t get a star from nothing but you can get a whole universe from it. (16:13) How does that work? (16:15) As Delft said, you know, it requires much more faith to believe what they’re saying today than for us. (16:25) Our faith is much more sound.

(16:27) But again, realize we are in the realm of faith, but we have to walk by faith. (16:34) And the skeptics also are forced to walk in the realm of faith. (16:42) They don’t have the answer.

(16:43) They don’t have the natural answers. (16:46) The natural realm doesn’t give them answers for where it came from. (16:53) The natural realm didn’t come from the natural realm.

(16:57) So, it doesn’t have an answer to give them. (17:01) And if it were truly so, if there really was, nature was all there was, (17:08) we should be able to see that from nature. (17:13) And it just isn’t there.

(17:16) They are forced to walk in this realm of faith just like us, except they say they’re not walking by faith. (17:25) They say they’re walking by sight. (17:27) And they’re not.

(17:29) They make assumptions. (17:30) They’re walking by faith, just like us, except ours is based on the reality, the truth, which is God’s Word, (17:37) that there is a supernatural, and He brought it into being. (17:41) Okay, let’s close with a prayer.