Creation or Evolution
Does It Matter?
by
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Where did we ultimately come from? You exist, your friends and co-workers exist, historical figures existed before us; but, where did we all come from? Even if you think space travelers brought us here from a distant galaxy, they had to come from somewhere. Therefore we are faced with the question and we need the answer. There can only be two possibilities. Let's see what they are and how they may influence our feelings and actions. One possibility is that through some series of events over time, involving the random movement of chemical components in a primordial environment, a meaningful set of replicating components arose which is life itself. With that in mind, let's say your little eight year old daughter crawls up on your lap and says, "daddy, where did we come from?" In terms she would understand, you could answer, "Millions and millions of years ago, there was just a lot of mud and slime around and that was it. One day something in the slime bumped into something else in the slime and made a better slime. All this mud and slime began to make bigger and better things until -- well, here we are." Does this sound encouraging? Does this even sound reasonable? Would this help the little eight year old girl want to live a life that counts? In a couple years (or less) someone will ask that little girl if she wants to try some drugs. If she thinks she is from slime, she may not care what kind of slime she takes into her body. Possibly, that's how people do see it and that's why they go on living life like it was some sort of slime accident. Next time you are on a new job or are a new member of a class, when someone asks where you're from, you could say, "I am from slime, and proud of it." The slime story would be ridiculous and laughable if it wasn't the sad explanation that evolutionists want everyone to believe. So, what's the alternative? The other possibility is that we were carefully and wonderfully created and made by a loving God for a special purpose. Let's see how that works with the little girl on her daddy's lap. "Daddy, where did we come from?" "A long time ago, God made everything in the world and even in space. He made people to be very special so they could love Him and He could love them back and take care of them forever." Now the little girl goes off to play or to school and when someone offers her some drugs she can think perhaps for a moment to herself, " I am special -- God made me," and have a reason to say no. Knowing Our Future Our origin can and does impact the image we have of ourselves. We are all very much like that impressionable little eight-year-old girl. If you believe you arose from slime, then that may affect the decisions you make about how you treat your body from moment to moment and day to day. In other words, think about the kind of self-image you will have based on evolution's notion that we have somehow plodded along a million year course as a result of a series of accidents beginning with some early primordial slime. On the other hand, by considering that we are here because of the intentional act of a God that loves us, we see value in ourselves because God values us. What a difference that makes in our present decisions. Now let's for a moment consider the impact of our origin on our future as well. What does the person who has subscribed to the slime theory (evolution) have to look forward to? A better job? Marrying another person who is from the slime? Maybe someday dying and turning into the slime from where they came? Doesn't sound like a very happy outlook to me. Guess what -- it isn't a very happy outlook. In fact, it looks sort of hopeless, does it not?
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About the Book
Creation or Evolution: Does It Matter?
On a personal level, the book develops the importance of the question posed in the title (i.e., Does It Matter?) by considering the implications of accepting creation or evolution. Both evolution and creation models are examined. The book makes a strong case for creation. It shows that the Biblical account of the origin and diversity of life makes sense, is consistent with sound science, and gives us hope and purpose. Readers are encouraged to examine the evidence with an open mind.
The book is a resource for understanding and presenting the origin and diversity of life from a Biblical and scientific perspective. There are many creation/evolution books on the market. This book takes a personal approach in presenting the compelling need for finding truth about origin of life. It also makes the complicated arguments easy to understand for an average, nonscientific audience.
About the Author
Robert W. Ridlon, Jr. is a systems development consultant and has been an adjunct faculty member at Southwestern Illinois College, Illinois since 1991 teaching in the Computer Information Systems Department. Mr. Ridlon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biological Sciences from Indiana University in 1978 and a Master of Science degree in Information Resource Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1989. His master's thesis was in the area of organizational behavior. Mr. Ridlon has published in the areas of biology and information systems. Mr. Ridlon has been an ordained Southern Baptist deacon at the First Baptist Church of O'Fallon, Illinois since 1991. Elizabeth Ridlon is an adjunct faculty member at Southwestern Illinois College where she teaches in the Biological Sciences Department. Previously, she taught biology at the University of Maryland, European Division. Mrs. Ridlon earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Indiana University, a Master of Arts degree in Biology from the University of Nebraska, and a Secondary Teachers Certificate from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Her master's thesis was a study of the seasonal changes in the blood biochemistry of the Western Plains Garter Snake. Mrs. Ridlon a Precept Bible Study teacher at First Baptist Church of O'Fallon, Illinois. Robert and Elizabeth have given numerous creation science talks to home school groups and conferences, church classes and groups, and Campus Crusade for Christ. The Ridlon’s previous books on creation are titled Understanding the Origin and Diversity of Life and Creation Science Made Easy. In addition, Mr. Ridlon has spoken on creation and evolution at Indiana University, University of Illinois, Lewis and Clark College, and on Christian radio. The Ridlon's have visited and explored four continents that included the countries of Israel, Egypt, Greece, Italy, England, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France, Turkey, Canada, Mexico, Spain, and Morocco.