CREATION MOMENTS: 5.10.23

“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Scientists often model the spread of such pathogens in order to predict how they may become precursors of an epidemic. But scientists at the Carnegie Mellon University have been studying how such models are affected or break down if the pathogen mutates. However, such mutation might be random and, hence, difficult to predict. It is interesting that their mathematical models work not only for epidemics but also for the spread of misinformation or fake news. Their math appears sound, but their use of English less so. One researcher said, Traditional models that don't consider evolutionary adaptations fail at predicting the probability of the emergence of an epidemic. There is a great danger that using such language will cause their research to be used to try to validate the theory of evolution by a process of bait and switch. Misinformation, for example, has indeed evolved from true information, in the broad meaning of the word. In other words, it has changed. Similarly, the mutated virus has changed. Linguistically, this could also be described as evolution. But in the field of biology, evolution actually means something rather different – not just change. No new genetic information has been added to the coronavirus, so the change is completely consistent with a biblical creationist approach. ------------------------------ The Eagle “Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Borah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs". There can be few more majestic sights than that of an eagle in flight. It is a bird completely at home in its atmospheric environment. An evolutionist would say that it is perfectly adapted for its environment, whereas we would say it was designed to do what it does. This does not mean there has been no adaptation. The eagle is part of the family, which means it is in the same family as hawks, falcons, and kestrels. In fact, this family of birds is very large, with at least 67 species. We assume, therefore, that there were seven pairs of falcons on the Ark, from which all of todays species have developed by speciation. Todays eagles are mostly carnivorous. That is why we refer to them as birds of prey. Once, walking by the Toutle River, I watched as a bird of prey – I was too far away to identify which species – folded its wings up high and dove at a steep angle downwards to the water. It was like it bounced off the water as it soared upwards again with a fish gripped by the talons on its feet. Why did God give them this ability, when He created them in a world where there was no death and where all animals were to eat plants? We cannot really know the full answer to that question, but it is clear that these wonderful birds make full use of the abilities God has given them. ---------------------------- Mysteries of the Piranha When the piranha is mentioned, nearly everyone thinks of a picture of a herd of cattle crossing the Amazon – and splish, splash – nothing is left but bones. Actually, the piranha is a rather interesting fish. It certainly seems to be the bearer of a few tricks the Creator wanted to play on those who want to explain the world without Him. According to evolutionary theory, new species evolve when there is some way of making a living in nature that no one else is using. So, when you have many similar species, each one should have its own specialization. However, while there may be a dozen different species of piranha living in a portion of a river, they all eat the same things and live in the same ways. As one evolutionist put it, This clashes with evolutionary theory. We who believe in a Creator can understand His creating variety just for the sheer joy and exhilaration of creativity. As a result, we are not surprised to find different varieties of the same kind of fish all making the same living. Even when piranhas do stage one of their mass attacks for which they are famous, each one takes a bite, then waits in line until the others take their turns. Many evolutionists have difficulty explaining this. Selflessness is not supposed to exist in an evolved world. Could this selfless behavior be left over from when the creation was perfect? It certainly is a provision by God to make life a little better for the piranha.