From Goo to You, by Way of the Zoo...

I often wish I was as extraordinarily profound and clever in real life as I am in those moments when I'm silently acting out scenarios in my head. I find myself saying the exact right thing, in the perfect tone, as my words flow wonderful from heart to my head. Not only are they always the right words, but the affect the have is exactly what I want. My argument parallels perfectly any other opposing argument, and I leave my opponent, stunned and defeated. Usually, in these imaginary battles of wisdom, I'm not just making up characters, but rather using people in my life who I wouldn't mind actually confronting on the issues.

My favorite argument, among all others, is debating God. Whether it's His existence, or perhaps discrepancies in Biblical text, or what it actually means to be a Christian. However, in this particular situation I had a character, an opposing argument and was more than ready to support my beliefs. The person who was my "opponent" was my biology teacher for first semester of college. He was quite a pleasant fellow, yet, very very against the idea of God. So much so that it seemed as if the whole goal of his lectures was to disprove His existence. As a Christian, you can understand how unsettling this can be. He would often reference his brother, a priest, and point out the "stupidity" of his siblings beliefs. I bit my tongue and grounded my teeth, but never mustered up the courage to argue with him. I would say I regret not speaking up, but God works wonders in everything, and so regrets are never worth having.

Well long story short, I ended up dropping the class for multiple reasons, but often times his words and theories supporting atheism rang in my head. Recently during one of my imagery "battles", I remembered a constant theme my teacher would bring up. His whole claim was to disprove God through disproving intelligent design and proving everything alive in this world is the same. In other words... all humans are, are evolved cells, nothing more than organisms. No different from a bunny, grass, or an ape. Our only reason for existence is to reproduce, carry on our genes, and then die. The circle of life, if you will.

Here is my argument:
First I would like to address the idea that our only reason for life is to reproduce and die. Although true Christians are few and far apart I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who would simple state, "Yes, I am only an organism and I just want to make some babies, carry on my DNA and then die." I think most people would argue that they're in an awkward limbo of what science tells them, and how they actually feel. I've heard the argument a few times that goes something like this, "Do you believe in Love?", "Yes", "Well then prove it." You can't prove love scientifically, but only through actions. Yet, we all feel it. We see it everywhere. We love our moms, dads, sisters, brothers, girlfriends/boyfriends, wives and husbands. Yet, we can't explain it. Whenever we try it usually comes out as a series of clumsy, inadequate words. But even deeper than I love, I think humans feel something incredible; a purpose. Desires, dreams, passions, and, I believe, a deeper meaning in life. Again, if you were to ask someone if they considered themselves no different than their pet dog or cat, they would say "Well, yeah." And I think they would be right.

So here is the of foundation my argument: Inside every human is a very real reality (not mankind's version) but a deep reality that we aren't an accident, we aren't just mere organisms and that our emotions, desires and sense of meaning prove this. Sure you can argue that this is biochemical, but then you'd have to convince everyone in the world that everything they feel is just biology in motion. Good luck on that one.

Now I would like to address the idea that we, as humans, are no different than grass or an ape. Science's argument is that we are all the same, inherently made up of protein, dna, rna, and so on and so forth. Say every living thing on this planet is the same thing, and we are no different. Well that should vastly change your perspective of animals and plants, wouldn't it? I mean if THAT is true, then every species, whether it be a plant or animal, feels as much as we. It feels love, it feels hate, it has intense dreams and aspiration. I mean that bird we just see flying around dreams of being something amazing, of being a hero. It loves its mom and its dad, and the children it makes. It seeks meaning in life because besides everything it has heard, it cannot accept that it is only here on earth to die. It feels like an individual that it was made for a purpose. As a scientist supporting your argument, that all we are are organisms, you have to accept this. Because humans have these very real emotions, so in your argument that we are the same, all life is the same and feels the same way. The way I see it, you can take what I have said in two ways. You can believe it, or you can not.

Let's say you believe it. You've come to terms that you yourself have dreams, passions, emotions and feel like you have some deeper meaning, that purpose, you haven't discovered yet. You believe we are organisms, so you accept that all life feels the same. Not only should you become a vegetarian, but this should shatter your way of thinking. If we all, as individuals, feel like we have a deeper meaning, and ALL life feels this way. Then I think you would have to succumb to some belief that life is not merely an accident. If EVERY thing feels the same way we do, then does not that beg the question that perhaps there is some actually meaning to life. And if we all really do feel the same, then like citizens under the same set of laws, we should accept there is a governing power. And what an intense power that must be. This power, whatever it may, so intensely crafted us, that we all from a human to a flea, feel it's incredible sovereign power. Yet, we do not understand it. But we feel it.

Let's say you DON'T believe that. You're sitting there staring away at your drooling dog or needy cat, and you think "no way am I on the same level as them." Then you might argue, well the only difference is my brain is way more evolved, and I am much more intelligent. But I am not arguing on the basis of intelligence (though it is crucial in what I am saying), I am arguing on the basis of emotion, and meaning in life. So now look at your dog or cat, and ask yourself. Do they really have those some deep intense feelings I do? If your answer is no, then this begs another question. If humans are so vastly different from all other life, why? Sure as humans we are more intelligent, our brains are more developed, I'm not refuting that point. After all, if we are all the same, how come dogs didn't rise up and create civilizations? How come we aren't suppressed under the rule of horses? How come everything in this world does not center around any other creature? Why are we so different? I would say the difference lies in those emotions, lies in that very human nature of seeking meaning in life. For did not every king seek power for his own purpose and then fall to the same significance it carried? I believe as humans we are different from all other walks of life. And if you accept this fact then you must also accept the fact that humans, who feel a spectrum of emotions of such intensity, that we were separately created from all other life. We are not just cells that have evolved over the years, we are not equals to any other animal, we are not even designed to be called animals, this world and our history prove that we are here for a reason. And we, under these governing laws, have to accept a governing force, a God. A God that is so omnipotent and omnipresent that His very existence lives inside of us. And this, this what we long for when we long for a purpose.

So whether you believe in the first argument or the second argument or choose to ignore it all together I urge you to understand that what I am saying is not biochemical, or cellular and molecular. It is feeling, emotion, passion, meaning. It the gas in our tanks that has fueled us since our creation. So forget flesh, and forget the science of such earthly things as our bodies. The deepest thing within us, that drives us to live is not a chemical reaction. It is creation. It is intelligent design. And it is beckoning us to realize that that deeper meaning we strive for is God.
Because if you believe that what you run is emotion, then you must accept that life in the scientific sense, did not give us this. A creator did, and his emotion that he grants unto us, is the same emotion that you feel towards your family and friends. Love. If you agree in Love and other emotions, and agree that you feel like you have a purpose then I beg of you, agree that we were created. And how beautifully we were crafted, for in His image we were made.

Genesis 1:27 So God created humankind in God's image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.