anthropic principle

The World Is This Way By Accident, Right?

The earth on which we live is in a very delicate balance. We all know about the dangers of pollution, endangered species, depleting the ozone, and what have you. We hear so much about how mankind needs to pull together and save the world, and while it is true that we are called to be good servants of all God has given us, we have to remember that it is not man that is going to save this world (Matt 24:14). The environmentalists warn of certain destruction, global cooling, global warning, nuclear winter, pollution, the destruction of natural resources, whatever is the popular warning of the week. If we don't get our act together, and change many of the things we do, certain destruction awaits. How right they are … in a way.

But let’s look beyond recycling aluminum cans, and saving the rain forest for a moment. Let’s look at just how finely tuned the universe is, and apparently tuned just for one purpose, life on planet earth. There are many (more than 80) convincing scientific proofs that the age of the universe is several thousands of years, and only two (radio metric dating and speed of light from stars, both easily refutable) that might indicate an age in the billions of years. There are, on the other hand, many cosmological principles that point to the entire universe being created for only one purpose, not simply the fortuitous set of circumstances many claim it to be.

THE OZONE IN THE ATMOSPHERE: The oxygen in the atmosphere protects us from harmful radiation from the sun as well as regulating the surface temperature of the earth. As minor a reduction in the ozone as 2 or 3 percent would kill off life on earth in just a couple of generations. Fortunately, God set it up so that a reduction in Ozone, allows more radiation to enter the atmosphere, striking the oceans and providing …yes … more ozone. Excess Ozone reduces ultra violet radiation limiting Ozone production. It is called a self sustaining system and is tuned exactly for life on Earth. I might add here that this is the primary reason we don’t need to be too concerned about the global cooling of the 70‘s or the current fad of global warming. We live in an apparently finely tuned environment designed to make the necessary adjustments to allow life to flourish. Naturally, due to the size of the entire Earth, these adjustments don’t happen overnight. The cycles seem to take 50 years or so.

THE FORCE OF GRAVITY: Science does not know what gravity is per se, but we do know that if it were 1% stronger the earth would cook and if it were 1% weaker we would freeze. Life on Earth would not be possible on earth if the cosmic force of gravity were different either way.

THE EARTH'S GRAVITY: If gravity on Earth was even slightly stronger the atmosphere would retain too much ammonia and methane for carbon based life to survive. If it were even a little weaker, too much water would escape the atmosphere and all life would cease. While science cannot define gravity, we do know it is a result of the mass of object giving off said gravity. Meaning, if the Earth was a slightly different size or mass, the gravity would be different and life as we know it would not exist here.

THE MASS OF THE UNIVERSE: Astrophysicists tell us that if the mass of the universe were just 2% greater, it would result in stars that are too large and too hot. Conversely, if it were several percent smaller, we would have no heavy elements and the stars would be too small. The main ingredient of the universe would be Hydrogen, and either way, life as we know it could not exist in the universe.

DISTANCE BETWEEN STARS: The same astrophysicists tell us that the distance between stars is critical to life. They tell us that if the distance were anything other than what it is, the planetary orbits around the sun would be destabilized, setting off a cosmic catastrophe that would end all life.

EXPANSION RATE OF THE UNIVERSE: The universe is known to be expanding at a very specific rate (approximately 2 million mph). As it turns out, if it were ANY slower the gravity in the universe would draw all matter back in to a ball. If it were ANY faster, stars, planets, galaxies could not form. Either way, no life.

ELECTROMAGNETIC COUPLING CONSTANT: This is the force that holds electrons in place around the nucleus of atoms. If it were ANY stronger, atoms could not "share" electrons. And, if it were ANY weaker, electrons would too freely leave atoms. Either way … that’s right … life would not exist.

THE NUCLEAR FORCE: This is the force that keeps the protons in the nucleus of atoms. As it turns out, if it were ANY stronger, the universe would consist of mostly only heavy metals. And, if it were ANY weaker, only Hydrogen would exist. Life .. say it with me .. life could not exist.

DISTANCE FROM THE SUN: The water cycle (as described in the book of Job some 4 to 5 thousand years ago) is CRITICAL to life on earth. Were the earth a few percent closer to the sun or further away from the sun, the water cycle would be all ice or all steam, and life would cease in a generation or two, maybe less. Incidentally, this is another area that proves life could not have existed on earth even tens of thousands of years ago, because the sun is shrinking as it burns. At it’s current rate of burn, it would have been too close, and thus too hot for life to exist just 100,000 years ago.

THE EARTH'S ROTATION TIME: The feeling is, that if the earth’s rotation time were to be somehow altered, life would be impossible due to the reasons above. Temperature changes and changes to atmospheric winds would result in major plant destruction and many other human maladies.

There are more than 80 of these that science can point to; the axial tilt of the earth, the size and location of our moon, the earth’s magnetic field, the complex interplay of all the life forms on earth (plants need animals to pollinate them, animals need plants for food), the reliance on the stars by many life forms. There is far too much evidence that the entire universe is "tuned" for only one purpose, to support us!!! If the universe is tuned so amazingly, you have to ask, who tuned it?

Mathematically, it is considered impossible that this all happened by chance, even by the most secular standards. Too many and too great are the requirements to create, even one small corner of the universe, a place with exactly the correct properties required for life as we know it. Mathematicians tell us that any event with the odds of more than 1 in 10 to the 50th power is considered a “miracle.” The odds that all the requirements for life would come into focus at the same time, and all in one place are incalculable! Far more than 1 in 10 to the 50th, by a factor to millions. The odds for just one bacterium to be created randomly have been judged by Robert Jastrow, a NASA scientist to be “roughly the same as the odds a tornado sweeping through a junk yard and assembling a fully functional 747.”

For many thousands of years, the greatest scientists on earth were Bible believing Christians. The science discovered by them is the very foundation of everything that came after, from moon landings to the iPhone. We also know that the enemy is called the “Prince of the power of the air.” Satan currently rules over the earth, and that is what Jesus will deal with at His return. Jesus will “restore all things” but until then we can only expect that the world will try in every way possible to confuse and mislead us. In fact, it would be ridiculous and shortsighted to believe, even for a moment, that Satan would do otherwise. A dozen or more times the Bible tells us “if we have ears let us hear, if we have eyes let us see.” Many times and many ways we are warned not to be “deceived by the world.” We are instructed instead to be "the salt, the light” to the unbeliever. Don't just sit in class and drink in the world, stand up for the truth, show your friends you love them, stand up for Jesus - He stood up for you!!

The environmentalists and Godless scientists of the day are correct. If we don’t get our act together certain destruction awaits. They miss the fact that it is spiritual destruction. The earth and the universe will be “rolled up like a scroll” and the “New Jerusalem” will come down from Heaven.

2 Timothy 3:12-14 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them]; (KJV)

Galatians 6:7-10 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (KJV)

Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. (KJV)