Ignorant Science

by Jim Rower

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” –Hebrews 13:8

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.” –Malachi 3:6a

I do not like social media and I don’t participate in it. Well, there is one exception—I do read posts on a certain science-related site that answers people’s questions and describes new scientific findings. I’ve always been interested in all sorts of sciences, and I like to keep abreast of new discoveries.

One of the things that amazes me in science is the frequency of new discoveries that disprove or make radical changes to prior scientific “facts.” There are hundreds of examples of this across all the sciences. A not-so-recent example that many might relate to is the model of an atom.

When I went through high school in the ’70s, we were taught the nucleus of an atom consist of protons and neutrons, and that electrons orbit around the nucleus in definite circular paths called “shells.” This is called the “Planetary Model.” This is the way it was; this was scientific fact.

When my kids went to high school, I was shocked that they were being taught the electrons moved about the nucleus in somewhat random patterns in a “cloud of probability” or something like that, not in perfect little circular orbits. How incredulous!! On top of that, I recently found out the Planetary Model was known to be incorrect and the current model replacing it was developed in 1923. That’s 50 years before I was being taught the old, incorrect model!!

On this “science” social media site, people occasionally chime in with statements and comments denigrating those who dare believe in God rather than science. They frequently portray Christians as ignorant sheep for believing in things that cannot be seen or proven.

I shake my head in disbelief every time I see posts of that nature. It seems to me the writer is a person who puts their trust in something that is constantly changing and proven to be wrong—something based only on what can be observed here and now, and is extrapolated forward and backward in time and space to explain what must have been in the past, what must be in the future, and what must hold across the entire universe.

Yet they think I am ignorant for putting my faith and trust in Someone who never changes, Someone who has demonstrated over and over His unfailing love and faithfulness to those who trust in Him. Someone who was willing to be born a human to live as we do, be tempted as we are, and go through emotional pain and physical pain beyond what most of us will ever experience…just to demonstrate to us how much He loves us.

I like science, but I believe in Jesus.

Father God, thank You for this incredible world You created for us. Thank You for the inquisitive minds and spirits You’ve given us to seek the truth. Thank You that You do not change, and because of that I know I can trust in all of Your promises. I pray for those who don’t know You, that You would enlighten them to the real truth of Your unfailing love. Amen.