Reflections on the Debate | The Institute for Creation Research

Reflections on the Debate

Creation-evolution debates played a primary role in the early upswing of interest in creationism. In the 1970s, debates became major events on university campuses and were often the first time students were exposed to a credible case for creation. Dr. Duane Gish--senior vice president of ICR for 34 years--participated in almost 400 debates; my father, Dr. Henry M. Morris, took part in more than 100. But now the debates have pretty much ceased. Several leading evolutionists cautioned their colleagues to avoid them, and with good reason. The creationists seemed to always win.

Over the years I was involved in about 30 debates and, strangely, enjoyed it. My background is in geology, while the debates mainly centered on biology and paleontology. Whenever one was scheduled, I hopped on the learning curve, reading everything the opposing professor had written. I was often nervous, but afterward wondered--was that the best the evolutionists could do? It seemed that none had good scientific arguments.

My first debate was in high school, right after my father wrote The Genesis Flood with John Whitcomb. Evolution-creation was a hot topic. My biology teacher arranged for the outspoken class evolutionist to debate me, the quietest kid in class. My opponent began by defining evolution as "change." A baby grows into an adult, a caterpillar changes into a butterfly. Change happens, therefore evolution is true. I focused on the evolutionary claim that whales evolved from a land animal. This idea was so ludicrous on its face that no one would believe it. As I recall, I won the debate 28-2.

The theme of defining evolution as change recurred numerous times in later debates. Once I faced the entire faculty of a large university. I insisted that evolution speaks of specific change, of basic types of animals evolving into different types. I challenged the faculty--who had barred students from attending--to demonstrate this sort of transformation from the fossil record. Finally, one brave professor said she was an expert in fossil clams and had evidence that clams had changed. I agreed, but requested that she show how this was proof of evolution. Even with the changes, the clams remained clams.

On a lecture/debate tour in Moscow before the Iron Curtain was lifted, the evolutionists insisted that the main reason they believed in evolution was the existence of pain, suffering, and death, the same reason Darwin gave. The God of the Bible would certainly have done things differently, therefore there is no God and evolution by natural selection is the best alternative. Of course, there is an answer to that: the introduction of sin into God's very good creation. Change happened at the curse, but it wasn't evolutionary change.

Today we face an important choice. Christ offers that we can put off the old and be "renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Ephesians 4:22-24). We can "repent" or change our minds, attitudes, and actions, and accept Christ's solution to the sin problem. We should also repent of our wrong thinking about origins and cease ascribing to natural processes the abilities and intelligence clearly reserved for God.

* Dr. Morris is President of the Institute for Creation Research.

Cite this article: Morris, J. 2008. Reflections on the Debate. Acts & Facts. 37 (3): 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,...