Evolution Produces False Beliefs

If evolution is true, then it is singularly responsible for life on earth.  We are just material beings, nothing else.  In fact, we don’t have free will, or the ability to make choices.  We are just moist robots.  But I think this Evolution produces false beliefs.  I’d never thought about this idea much until I heard MaryJo Sharp addressing the topic at the recent “Unbelievable” conference here is southern California.  And while the subject was only briefly touched on in her talk on why she became a Christian, it may have been one of the most profound statements I took away from the conference that weekend.  

If you are active in evangelism (and I hope that you are), you’ve no doubt run across some pretty staunch atheists.  My contention is that ultimately their world view breaks down on many levels.  Unsurprisingly, they don’t usually agree with my assessment.  That’s ok.  Outside of the working of the Holy Spirit, I don’t often find people quick to change their minds on deeply held convictions.  

The New Religion

Science has become the new religion of sorts.  It must be followed without question.  And even though the long history of science shows that the ideas we have about the natural world now will soon be supplanted as our knowledge grows, we are told the current state of things is settled.  Any questioning or alternate explanations are not allowed.  This is an attitude that is surprisingly unscientific and ironically, curtails exploration. 

One of the theories that falls in the “untouchable” class is that of macro evolution.  The idea that all life can be traced back to a common ancestor.  It’s this theory that is touted as the death nail to religion.  We are told we simply don’t need God anymore.  We’ve got this figured out.  No sweat.   But there’s a problem with the theory that I had never thought of prior to this conference that causes a major problem for evolutionists.  And that problem is what I, and hundreds of millions of people worldwide, believe about religion.

What If I’m Wrong?

If naturalism is true, then my beliefs about God are false.  I’m wrong. But where did my false beliefs come from? The only answer is evolution.  Why?  Because evolution is the only mechanism at work on this view.  So, any beliefs I have about how the world works are a product of evolution.  That means that evolution creates beliefs that are false. 

This is one of the uncomfortable facts about evolution.  Whatever we see in the world is a product of it.  If I evolved with these beliefs, and they are in fact false, how can I trust anything I believe?  How can they? The system creates my beliefs.  And at some point, they must have been advantageous for our survival.  But ultimately, they are untrue.   

Can We Trust Our Minds?

I know the immediate response to this challenge will be “Yes, but we can use science to show what is true and what is false”.  Really?  If our brains are untrustworthy, and capable of tricking us into false beliefs, how can we trust them to tell us anything?  How do we know that the scientific method is trustworthy?  Perhaps our minds are just tricked into believing it so we can survive, just as our ancestors held false beliefs about religion to survive.  

And things get even worse for the materialist.  I’ll explore some of the other fundamental problems with this worldview in my next post.  I hope you all will read it.  But if evolutionary theory is true, you don’t really have a choice if you’re going to read it or not. If it aids in your survival, you will! 

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