Compassion: an Anti-Evolution Argument

In Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis argues that the fact we have a values system means there is a God. It goes something like this: if you step on my toes accidentally, you probably apologize. Why? Because you violated a right I have to not have my toes stepped on. But where did that right come from? Also, if I am on a bus and have already sat down and you demand my seat, I am upset; but if I get on the bus and you are already in my favorite seat, I have no issue because you were there first. Where did this logic come from? Because it makes no sense in a godless world, there must be a god.

One of the main arguments for Christianity over evolution has sprung from this: where our laws came from. Evolutionists would argue that our laws are in place as safeguards for the populace. No one wants to be murdered, so we deny ourselves the right to murder in exchange for distinctly lowering the possibility we will be murdered. And many animals get upset if you do something that hurts them (an equivalent of stepping on toes), so this is a hereditary trait in most creatures as self-preservation and not indicative of God at all.

My point in this post is not to argue one over the other, since the same laws, more or less, could have come from either viewpoint. No, I'm going to argue that the fact that we have laws at all is against all evolutionary principles. Going even further, the fact that we have compassion is, to me, the key anti-evolutionary argument from our social behavior.

Dealing with the law first, evolution states that it is survival of the fittest. Fittest doesn't necessarily mean strongest, most dangerous, biggest, or fastest. It can mean best disguised, hardest to reach, most virile, most adaptable, or smartest, too. In all cases, though, any creature better suited to survive has the right to prey on lesser suited creature, hunting them to extinction. Even among members of the same species, this law holds true.

Most people know that every wolf pack has an alpha male running it. The way to become the alpha male is by killing the alpha male. An alpha male is rewarded for his strength, cunning, and ferocity by getting his pick of the females, the first right to food, and leadership of the pack. In our society, someone who killed the President would be shot, not rewarded. We have suspended survival of the fittest in our culture. Our laws are not there to reward the strong, but to protect the weak from them. You can't steal from anyone, can't kill anyone, can't rape anyone, can't beat anyone to a pulp because they are simply in your way, and can't force them at gunpoint to do what you want. Our laws help the weak to survive.

I'm not for a second advocating a change in the laws to make them more evolutionary; I'm merely pointing out that the evolutionists are only alive to make their argument for evolution because of laws distinctly anti-evolutionary.

Perhaps what is even more amazing is that there is compassion for those who are weaker. It is not simply that some people who were physically weaker, but had power for whatever reason, decided to protect themselves and then the laws carried down through history; it is that there is a genuine concern in many of us for the poor and mistreated. You don't hear anyone say that a wife who's been beaten deserved it simply because she wasn't as strong as the man. You don't hear anyone say that a terminal cancer patient deserves to die because their DNA isn't cancer-resistant. And if we truly believed in the validity of evolution, we would not consider Hitler one of the greatest war criminals in history.

Our compassion doesn't even extend only to humans. When I was a boy, we found birds with broken wings twice and a couple times, we found nests that had been abandoned by the parents with eggs still in them. We would put the birds or eggs in a shoebox and take them back to the garage, where we would do what we could to nurse them to health. While our efforts were not always successful, we actually cared about these birds that, according to evolutionary principle, should have been left to live or die on their own.

Even animals have some compassion. There is a well-documented case of a dog nursing tiger cubs (and numerous cases where dogs have adopted kittens, ducklings, and other baby animals) and there are many cases of dogs starving to death at their dead masters' feet rather than devour their masters to save themselves. Dolphins have been observed swimming under injured animals for hours at a time and pushing them to the surface so they can breathe. Some termites sacrifice themselves to protect the young from ants by rupturing a gland in their throats, releasing a sticky solution that creates a tar baby effect. In the last case, it may be argued that it is for the survival of the colony overall, but even that is anti-evolutionary as it is the weak surviving rather than the strong. In any event, there is no evolutionary explanation for the first two.

Where the law came from can be explained from either a theological or evolutionary standpoint, but the fact that there are laws is anti-evolutionary by nature. Even more so, the fact that we care about others and even creatures outside our own species is even more so.

As a last parting thought, it is interesting to note that the animals considered higher up on the food chain are generally those more likely to be compassionate for others. Instead of getting "fitter", those creatures who have supposedly fought to the current pinnacle of evolution have gotten nicer. So smile today on someone who is having a rough time; by doing so, you may brighten their day and throw a shadow of doubt across evolution.

"I Love You This Much."

I once saw a Christian shirt that had Jesus on a cross, with the caption, "I love you this much," as though Jesus were spreading His arms wide to show us. Maybe this sounds terrible to say, but that message has never been as personal to me as it should be. I've heard many people say that if it was just me that Christ had to die for, He'd do it every bit as willingly and go through all that pain just for me. That message has never seemed real to me for whatever reason. I guess I just feel like His death on the cross was more about everyone, that even though it was done in love, it didn't make me feel loved because...well, because it feels like it was for humanity and not me specifically, even if I do get the benefit.

I've had a rough week. Things didn't work out with a woman I was dating, I had to end one friendship, realized two others that had been close never will be again, felt like I almost ended my closest friendship, had it pointed out in two different ways that I've been a failure in leadership at my young adults group, and have been fighting the thought patterns that used to plague me because of all this. At the root of all of them is the same feeling: that I just want to be special to someone, and sometimes, I just don't feel I really matter to anyone other than my mom and maybe one or two friends.

A conversation with the friend today (the one I felt I almost ended things with, thank God for this person's understanding and love) reminded me that I had not been putting God first, that I was seeking other people's acceptance when all I needed was God's, and His I already had. Psalm 56:8 is highlighted in my Bible and I can't help but get emotional every time I read it. What message of love I fail to comprehend from the cross comes through in this verse. I don't know really why or how, but it is this verse more than any other in the Bible that shows me how much God cares about me individually.

"You number my wanderings, put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?"

Every step I've taken, He has recorded it. Every word I've uttered, He remembers. Every time I've wandered away from Him, He recollects. Every time I haven't been strong enough to handle what life throws at me, every time I haven't trusted Him enough to see me through and have broken down, He makes note of each tear. He does none of this so He has evidence against me, for just one instance of sin in my life would be enough to condemn me if that were His goal. He does it because He cares so much for me. He does this for everyone, I know, but I have my own page in His book. The almighty Creator of the universe is so interested in me and cares for me so much that even when I fail Him, He lovingly writes down all that I do.

Jeremiah 1:5 is another such verse, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." This verse was specifically meant for Jeremiah, as God knew he was going to be a prophet, but how individual is that? Before our mothers are even pregnant with us, God knows individually what we all will be.

Or Luke 12:6-7, "'Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.'" I can't even comb my hair and have a couple of them fall out without God taking note of it.

The cross is the greatest way God showed He cared for us, but it is the greatest single action, not the only one. All too often, it seems like He came down in the form of a man, died for us, resurrected Himself, and ascended to heaven to not be seen or heard from again for who knows how many years. We know He loves us from that action, but that's where we put our focus on the matter. It makes it so easy to feel unloved in the present, when God hasn't walked the earth in nearly two millennia. But He is still with us, watching everything you do, recording every word you speak, and remembering every tear you cry. He loves you this much.

Not My Problem?

I've been labeled a complainer before. I've gotten better - or at least, I like to think I have - but I still catch myself complaining about things sometimes that don't really matter to others. Sometimes, I even complain about other people. I also get so involved with my friends' problems that I lose focus on the work I'm supposed to be doing or the social situation I'm supposed to focus on.

In Numbers 16, some of the Israelites are grumbling against Aaron and the Levites because they believed they were all holy and worthy of being priests. They ignored the fact that God had set Aaron up as the head of the priesthood and set the Levites to serve as priests under him. In verse 11, Moses says, "It is against the LORD that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?"

The point here is not simply that the people were rebelling against God and not just Aaron. It is that Aaron is nothing but an instrument of God. Aaron is not the people's concern; Aaron is God's concern. Aaron, in and of himself, is a worthless human being, same as the rest of us. Neither his heart nor how he got his position nor anything about him save how well he followed God's laws was any business of the people's.

Try to apply that to your life. Everyone in power in your life is there because God allowed that person to be there. Jesus was being questioned by Pilate in John 19. Verses 10-11 read, "'Do you refuse to speak to me?' Pilate said. 'Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?' Jesus answered, 'You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.'" Pilate would eventually give the order to hand him over to the Jews for crucifixion. If this is the case even with Jesus, how much more so is it the case with us? Your boss that you don't like, your coworkers that talk bad about you behind your back, your false friends, every last person you know is in your life because God allowed them to be. He may not have sent them, but He allowed them to come and that means there is a purpose for them to be there.

And part of that purpose, I believe, is for you to realize, "Who are they that I should make them my problem?" The message is not simply that you should bite your tongue. Sometimes, if you can do it in love and know it is God's leading you to say something, these leaders and other people may need to be corrected. Jesus corrected the Pharisees and Saduccees at almost every turn. The message is that you realize God allowed them to be where they are and if He allowed it, He can give you the strength to handle it as He would have you to. Other people should not be your problem if you trust in God enough.

I know how difficult this is to practice. I'll be the first to admit to hypocrisy in this. I know it is easy to get too involved in the lives of those we care about or too self-absorbed in our own problems, which are all too often people-based. But the solution is not people-based. We can't look to them to be better or solve our problems. We can only look to God: to correct them, to see us through, to fix what's been done if it's His will, to provide for us, to do all that we need. Who is Aaron, that he can do that? If he can do none of it, then who is he that we should grumble against him?

The Art of War

Sun Tzu once wrote a book called "The Art of War", in which he outlines the tactics that commanding officers should take in battle. This book has become something of a timeless classic for the way it combines straightforward simplicity with cunning logic. It is still widely read, even today, by both business executives and those in the military.

One of the principles is to strike your enemy where they are weakest. Such simple advice, yet so profound and difficult to detect until it is too late. And it is exactly what the devil tries to do to us.

Before I go further, let me say that I do not believe in the statement, "The devil made me do it." Such a statement says that he has power over your decisions and he doesn't. All he can do is tempt you and provoke you, he cannot force you. He can send things your way as well, as allowed by God, but only you can determine how you respond to trials.

If your weakness is relationships, particularly a feeling of loneliness, he's going to keep bringing up thoughts in your mind of how little you deserve good friendships or relationships. If you struggle with feelings of not being good enough at what you do, he's going to call your abilities into question all the time. If life is pretty good, he's going to tell you that you don't need God or show you all the entertainment options available. No matter what your life situation is, you have a weak point and he has a way to exploit it if you let him.

What is the point in attacking you? Well, that's another principle: do not let your enemy become strong enough to defeat you. The devil's main goal isn't to cause as much pain in your life as possible; it's to get you as far from God as possible. If the surest way to do that is to shower you with money, relationships, and power, he'll do that (if God allows it, of course.) If it's happy thoughts about any number of things, he'll send those by the truckload. Anything to keep your mind on you and off God. Why? Because he knows that God is the only chance you have of defeating him. You're not more cunning or more knowledgeable than the devil. You don't have his ruthlessness. You don't have his power in and of yourself. Your only hope is God.

You're always going to have weak points because you, as a human, are weak. Actually, if you ever got to the point where you had no weaknesses, it would rob you of the need of your one true Strength and, without that Strength, without God, the devil can overcome any of your other stronger points.

Here's another way to consider it. You're out in the wilderness. You have a suit of armor, a sharp sword, and a good shield. But there's this dragon, 100 feet long, nearly impenetrable scales, breathes fire, flies, and is far too smart to be taken in by any tricks you might have. It wouldn't matter if you were the most fearsome warrior on the planet, you don't stand a chance against this beast by yourself.

There's a king who offers to protect you inside his palace. He is so powerful that even the dragon can't attack him. As long as you are in the palace, you are safe. But the dragon knows it, and so he offers you jewels from the treasures he's collected over the years. He has a treasure to appeal to you, no matter what your tastes, and he knows just what you want. All you have to do is leave the palace.

Ok, now we can all agree, it'd be pretty insane to leave the palace under these circumstances. All that means is that we're all insane because that is precisely what we continue to do. Something is in the world that we want, so we foolishly chase it rather than stay where we know we're safe.

And the dragon might not attack immediately. No, he doesn't just want to harm you and sometimes he can't by the king's decree, but the king won't bind you to the palace, either. The dragon will offer you one small thing you want, and you take it, then scurry back to the palace. Then he'll offer it again, and watch you take it. And again. And soon, he has you not running back to the palace - where you have to leave your treasures outside - quite so fast. Then you start staying outside and waiting for something else. Then you eventually forget that you have somewhere to go when a storm comes and the dragon tells you the king is angry with you and you don't have a chance to return. So you stay in the rain...and the dragon watches with glee as you slowly perish among your treasures.

Do not be deceived into thinking this is not real. It is all that is truly real. This world will end, and we will end much sooner, so this struggle over your soul is the only thing of consequence. Even believing it is not real is a powerful tool to keep you away from God, to keep you from discovering just how badly you need to be in the palace with the King. We are at war, and He is our only chance of winning.

And Then We'll Get Ice Cream.

When I was a child, I hated going to the doctor. Every visit meant getting a shot or blood drawn, usually both. I developed a fear of shots that was a bit more acute than average and once even got very agitated at one visit. My mom would always promise my brother and I that we could go for ice cream afterward. Actually, he got ice cream and I'd get a bag of Oreos.

Of course, she did this to keep us looking forward to something, to keep us in line and focused on a reward rather than the visit. She and the nurses would sometimes say, "Relax, it will all be over in just a minute."

And it was true. Even tetanus shots didn't really bother me afterward. No shot or blood withdrawal kept hurting for more than a few seconds after the needle was taken out. To be honest, even the needle itself wasn't (usually) that terrible. I had just made it up in my mind that it was.

This morning, it was time to get the oil changed on my car. Already needing some other things, I decided to take it to Wal-Mart and arrived before they had opened the entrance into the Car Maintenance Dept., so I had to walk around the building and into the main entrance. It was pretty cold and a little windy out, and I got about 50 yards from the gate when I thought, "In less than a minute, this cold won't matter. I'll be inside where it's nice and warm and I'll forget all about this."

And yet for the important things in life, we have such a hard time keeping this perspective. That person going ten miles under the speed limit is annoying, but will they really make that big a difference in your day? (Just a thought: consider the difference in drive time going 55 vs. 65 over the course of 30 miles. It's only five minutes and two seconds.) Will the argument you had with someone you work with matter down the road? Will someone insulting you matter even tomorrow?

If we had that perspective on things, we could live much happier lives. Think of how much lower our stress would be if all the petty annoyances were removed from it, or even most of them. And yet, we wouldn't be where God wants us to be. God wants us to consider everything with the perspective that something greater awaits us, that our trials, no matter how brutal and daunting they seem, are temporary, even if they last the rest of our lives. There is heaven awaiting us, eternity with God in all His limitless glory...and we get angry that the traffic light turned yellow just before we could have gone through it.

I am as guilty as anyone of this. Last night, I went to a birthday party for a friend. Most of my friends were there, yet for some reason, I felt ignored by almost everyone. It seemed that they were always engaged in conversation with each other and rarely with me, at least not for more than 30 seconds at a time. I left early, citing exhaustion (which was true and valid considering my week), but secretly wondering whether I really fit in with the group.

I know it's a tactic of the devil to point out things like this to me (next topic will be about war), but at the same time, I'll admit for a part of today, I lost focus on the eternal. I kept thinking how much it mattered to me that I was accepted and liked by my friends.

To be sure, friends have a place, not only in helping us feel loved, but in sharpening us as well. What I was doing, though, was letting them matter more than God. I let the present matter more than my future...my assured future.

Perhaps that is one of the reasons it is so easy to lose sight of the future. It's not just that we can't see it and have to accept it on faith, though that certainly adds to the problem, it's that we don't act like it's assured. I'm not sure we really believe it.

If I fail to write another word in any of my books or if I fail to send them to a publisher or agent, I'll never get published. God knows my future, but He also decreed the law of sowing and reaping. My future as an author is not assured unless I do something. Likewise, if I fail to show warmth and trustworthiness to those that cross my path, my social future is not assured.

My future in heaven, however, is assured no matter what I do. (This doesn't give me the right to do as I please, as Paul discusses in Romans 6, but that's for a different message.) I need not do anything, I can not do anything, to earn this. There is nothing that I can pay God back with, no deed I've done that He owes me for, nothing I can threaten Him with if He doesn't give in to me. There is only a promise He made to me in love: a promise that if I would believe in what Jesus did for me, He forgive me for all the sins I've committed (and continue to commit); that He would never leave me, no matter how hard life gets; that after life here ends, He would take me to heaven...and then we'll get ice cream.