Are Creationists Biased? | The Institute for Creation Research

Are Creationists Biased?

Creation critics object that creation scientists are biased. Since we seek answers to skeptical objections to the biblical account of creation, this supposedly means our research results are automatically suspect. This argument might seem reasonable at first glance. After all, shouldn’t researchers be completely open-minded and approach their work without any preconceived ideas? Even some intelligent design proponents take pains to claim that unlike “religiously motivated” creationists, their research is purely objective and free of any prior commitments to a particular belief system.

We creationists freely admit that we are firmly convinced the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. And we affirm the book of Genesis provides a literal historical account of origins and Earth history. This conviction motivates the research we do. However, the automatic dismissal of creation research because of “bias” is both unfair and hypocritical.

Our bias is certainly not a license for or an indication of scientific dishonesty. In fact, we have an even stronger motivation for scientific integrity than do secular scientists. God will judge us if we exaggerate or distort the scientific evidence (Romans 14:12; 1 Corinthians 4:2-5).

The problem is not bias per se but unreasonable bias. Which is more reasonable, a pro-creation or a pro-evolution predisposition? Even evolutionists admit that living things look designed.1 Despite decades of intense research, they still have no clue how life began.2 Where is the fossil evidence for evolution? Even evolutionists don’t agree on the handful of supposed transitional forms usually trotted out as evidence for evolution.3 In fact, the very existence of those fossils in water-deposited rocks is exactly what one would expect from the Genesis Flood. So, is it creation researchers who are being unreasonable or is it evolutionists?

Furthermore, some bias is essential to science. Significant scientific results are almost never intuitively obvious. They require hard work and perseverance. And scientists will never bother to do that kind of hard work unless they already suspect that a particular line of research might be successful. But this suspicion of a potential discovery is itself a form of bias.

Creation scientists have already convincingly answered many of the toughest objections of biblical skeptics. For instance, creation researcher Dr. John Baumgardner has done world-class research in sophisticated computer modeling of the Genesis Flood.4 Obtaining those scientific answers required decades of hard work and study. The only people who would even attempt such intense research are scientists already biased in favor of biblical creation.

Hence, it is simply unfair to dismiss creation research based on an accusation of bias. This is part of the self-serving “heads I win, tails you lose” rules of engagement that secular scientists and other skeptics tend to impose on creation researchers. On the one hand, if we don’t yet have an answer to a skeptic’s particular objection, this is seen as evidence that the creation position can’t possibly be taken seriously. On the other hand, if we do find the answer to that question, the very fact that we searched for an answer is seen as evidence of a disqualifying bias.

The issue isn’t whether there’s bias but which bias works best at explaining the evidence. Tweet: The issue isn’t whether there’s bias but which bias works best at explaining the evidence.

Are Creationists Biased? https://www.icr.org/article/are-creationists-biased/

@ICRscience

#Faith #Science

Everyone has biases, including evolutionists. Rather than dismissing creationists’ research because of our admitted bias, secular scientists and biblical critics need to take a long hard look at their own biases. As creationists have long pointed out, the issue isn’t whether there’s bias but which bias works best at explaining the evidence.

References

  1. Dawkins, R. 1986. The Blind Watchmaker. New York: W. W. Norton & Co. Cited in Catchpoole, D. 2009. Dawkins and Design. Creation. 31 (3): 6.
  2. Horgan, J. Pssst! Don’t tell the creationists, but scientists don’t have a clue how life began. Scientific American Cross-Check. Posted on blogs.scientificamerica.com February 28, 2011, accessed December 20, 2018.
  3. Thomas, B. 150 Years Later, Fossils Still Don’t Help Darwin. Creation Science Update. Posted on ICR.org March 2, 2009, accessed January 4, 2019.
  4. Baumgardner, J. 2016. Numerical Modeling of the Large-Scale Erosion, Sediment Transport, and Deposition Processes of the Genesis Flood. Answers Research Journal. 9: 1-24.

* Dr. Hebert is Research Associate at the Institute for Creation Research and earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Texas at Dallas..

Cite this article: Jake Hebert, Ph.D. 2019. Are Creationists Biased?. Acts & Facts. 48 (3).

The Latest
NEWS
Creation's Easter Message
While many Christians still consider the creation doctrine a fringe issue, a proper understanding of the Christian message finds creation at its core...

NEWS
ICR Veteran Don Barber Retires
Don Barber   After 34 years with the Institute for Creation Research, Director of Enterprise Technology Don Barber will retire...

CREATION.LIVE PODCAST
The Sanctity of Life | Creation.Live Podcast: Episode 23
Abortion is a big issue culturally and in the church. How can believers love our neighbors and act as the hands and feet of Christ when it comes...

NEWS
Plant Receptors Are Designed to Control Immunity and Development
God has designed plants to continuously track their environment.1 They do so with specially designed detectors (also called receptors) on...

CREATION PODCAST
Homo Naledi: The Lies Behind Evolution's Rising Star | The Creation...
Homo naledi, once evolution's 'rising star,' was considered to be a prime example of human evolution. But is it really proof? Or...

NEWS
A Subsurface Ocean on Mimas?
Scientists have analyzed data obtained from the Cassini spacecraft and concluded that irregularities in the orbit of Saturn’s moon Mimas indicate...

NEWS
In Theaters March 20 & 21: The Ark and the Darkness
Is Genesis true? What about Noah’s Flood? How did Noah fit the animals on the ark? Wasn’t it a local flood? Have you asked these questions? Though...

NEWS
Enigmatic Fossil Plants
The pre-Flood world thousands of years ago was unlike the world of today.1 Unfamiliar animals and plants were common, and there were a lot...

NEWS
Surprisingly Colorful Fossil Snail Shells
Finding organic compounds such as flexible dinosaur collagen and complete bone cells1,2 is becoming common, much to the shock and consternation...

NEWS
March 2024 ICR Wallpaper
"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said." (Matthew 28:6 NKJV) ICR March 2024 wallpaper is now available for mobile, tablet,...