The Evolution of A Creationist [DVD] [2008]

My own position is old earth and Intelligent Design; I have studied young earth creationism about 30 years ago, I am not committed to a naturalistic explanation for life. The first two episodes are quite good as he lays down the issues involved; I found it interesting when he shows that Gen 1 is narrative and not poetry. He makes some obvious examples of creation like the giraffes neck and blood system. He shows how design is excluded from scientific papers. He also shows how we lose young Christians, when they go to university, when they are confronted with another world view. For example, where did Cain's wife come from, answer he married a sister, but that would be incest, answer no because the law on incest was given to Moses in Lev 19. He gives us some history about evolution and its developments in the USA including the Scopes trial. He takes the bible literally, and he is consistent here. He discusses the flood, is it global or local, and Noah's ark. He shows that the missing links in the fossil record are still missing. He also shows us some of the frauds of evolution, e.g. Haeckel's embryos. He distinguishes between micro-evolution, which is observable, and macro-evolution which is studied using forensic science. He offers us the tantalising clue that the pygmies in Africa have seen Dinosaurs, but there is no evidence. He makes one huge blunder when he says that there are no transitional forms between reptiles and birds, but he does not discuss or mention archaeopteryx. His biblical literalism led him to suggest that the sun might not be a star based on one bible verse, they should have edited that one out.

He rightly points out that the vast amount of information in DNA points to an intelligent designer (something that the ID group postulate). On the age of the earth it is 6000 years and he believes in the water vapour canopy, which is now in dispute among creationists. He is at his weakest on the young earth arguments in episode 4. The young earth arguments have been refuted by Christian scientists (Don Stoner, Hugh Ross and Alan Hayward). He does not believe in the big bang theory of origins, the science stands against him with the discovery of the microwave background radiation.

The DVD would suit those already committed to young earth creationism or those wanting to study it for the first time, but on the young earth arguments you should also study those books which refute it. Personally, I would not go down the young earth creation route, although it is fascinating and plausible. I can remember as a young man plotting out the age of the patriarchs on a graph and seeing how rapidly they fell after the flood.

Of course, the evolutionists are committed to find naturalistic explanations for everything (no God or design allowed), which is an article of faith. In science, God keeps on popping up, all very annoying for atheists (anthropic principle i.e. fine-tuning of physical constants, information in DNA, the beginning of the universe, origin for the laws of physics, origin of life, metamorphosis etc). In my lifetime science has become more God friendly not less. The evolution creation debate is about the clash of world views, and it involves faith, on both sides.

It is 4 episodes of about 60 minutes each. I gave it three stars because I agree with a lot of what he says, I just do not buy into young earth creationism, because the science stands against it.

For a book that refutes the young earth see Creation and Evolution: Rethinking the Evidence from Science and the Bible by a Christian physicist.

He has also written a book of the same title. The Evolution of a Creationist: A Layman's Guide to the Conflict Between the Bible and Evolutionary Theory

For a DVD that discusses the fine-tuning argument for God see: God: New Evidence: How Recent Scientific Discoveries Point to the Reality of the Creator [DVD]

For an introduction to Intelligent Design, see the DVD Unlocking The Mystery Of Life [DVD]

Warning! This DVD is christian creationist propaganda material.

"The Evolution of a Creationist is an exciting, entertaining and challenging lecture series by Dr. Jobe Martin, presenting key ideas and concepts from his book of the same name. Dr. Martin discusses some of the Incredible Creatures that Defy Evolution as well as the many facts and findings in our world and our universe that evolutionists are unable to explain."

No "creatures" defy evolution. If an evolutionary biologist cannot YET explain something then it DOESN'T lead to the biblical creation story!

this DVD is an eye opener for those that doubt the existence of God. It has a lot of really interesting information about creation. the DVD is about 4hrs long.