Our Privileged Planet (Level 1 Discussion)

Before reading below, I recommend you read my post - What is the Faith Pyramid?

Earth is a "privileged" planet. If the attributes of our planet were any different, there could be no complex life on Earth. What should we conclude from the evidence? That we are the product of an intelligent and purposeful Designer.

• Large Moon - For a world the size of the Earth, our moon is unusually large. But if our moon didn't exist, neither would we! The gravitational pull of the moon stabilizes the Earth's axis. This insures temperate seasonal changes and the only climate in the solar system mild enough to allow for complex life.

• Jupiter - If a planet the size of the Jupiter did not exist, the Earth would be bombarded with space material. Jupiter's gravitational field attracts asteroids and comets that might otherwise strike Earth. The planet has been called the "Cosmic Vacuum Cleaner" of the solar system.

• Water - Several factors about water are required for life to exist. Liquid water is a must for life to exist on a planet, and the chemical properties of water are perfectly suited for carbon-based life forms. And water absorbs heat from the sun, which is critical to regulate the surface temperature of a planet.

• Earth's Distance from the Sun - If the Earth were very much closer to the sun, all water would evaporate from the surface. If the Earth were much farther from the sun, all water would freeze.

• Earth's Crust - On Earth, the terrestrial crust is "paper-thin." The crust of the planet is perfect to regulate the planet's temperature and fulfills a number of other important factors for life to exist.

• Magnetic Field - The magnetic field protects our planet from the solar winds of the sun. If our planet was smaller, or the magnetic field weaker, these winds would strip away our atmosphere altogether.

• Oxygen/Nitrogen Atmosphere - Our atmosphere is yet another important factor to sustain life. Complex life requires an oxygen/nitrogen atmosphere.

• Oxygen Level - Oxygen comprises 21% of the Earth's atmosphere. If it were 25%, fires would erupt and if it were 15%, humans would suffocate.

• Water Vapor - If water vapor levels in the atmosphere were greater than they are now, a greenhouse effect would cause temperatures to rise too high for human life; if they were less, the Earth would get too cold to support life.

• Earth's Rotation - If the rotation of the Earth took longer than 24 hours, temperature differences would be too great between night and day. If the rotation period were shorter, wind velocities would be too great.

• Earth's Tilt - The 23-degree axial tilt of the Earth is just right. If the tilt were altered slightly, surface temperatures would be too extreme on Earth.

• Earth's Orbit - Earth's orbit is nearly circular. If Earth's orbit were very elliptical, life would be destroyed due to temperature changes, because we would get too close and too far from the sun every year.

• Jupiter's Orbit - Jupiter has a nearly circular orbit (similar to Earth's). If Jupiter's orbit were very elliptical, its gravity would cause Earth's orbit to become irregular, which would prevent life on our planet from surviving the temperature changes.

I have only provided a dozen or so examples of our planet's "privileged" status as a life-supporting home for complex life in the universe. There are countless other examples which also serve as evidence that we are not the result of a great cosmic "accident" but rather an intentional and powerful Creator God.

[NOTE: All of the examples above were taken from "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist" by Norman Geisler & Frank Turek, "The Creator and the Cosmos" by Hugh Ross, and "The Privileged Planet" by Guillermo Gonzalez & Jay Richards.]

The difference between Creationism and Intelligent Design theory (Level 1 discussion)

Before reading below, I recommend you read my post - What is the Faith Pyramid?

Predictably, many Darwinists and far too many media pundits have painted Intelligent Design theory (ID) as "Creationism in disguise," but this is terribly misleading and is the direct result of either unfortunate ignorance or willful disingenuousness. Where the train derails is when Intelligent Design theory is thought to presuppose the existence of God. This is when it is often mischaracterized as simply being "creationism in disguise." In fact, a quick Google search of "intelligent design theory creationism is disguise" will achieve over 54,000 hits! The reason this is a misunderstanding of ID is because it is actually "creationism" that has theism as its presupposition - not Intelligent Design theory. This is where they differ. In essence, "I believe in God; therefore, I'm a creationist" is the logical flow of the argument. This is not a scientific argument - In fairness, creationism is not trying to be a scientific argument. It is simply a statement of belief. Of course, "creationism" is no more guilty than naturalism/materialism of adopting a particular religious belief. Truthfully, "materialism" (the philosophy that everything that exists is matter) is atheistic by definition. In fact, it could be argued that ID is the least religious view of the three, because (with ID) the existence of God is very much a logical implication of the theory; however, it is not a presupposition of the theory. Propositionally, it could be understood the following way:

1. Atheism (religious belief) --> Materialism or Naturalism (philosophy) --> Darwinism (view of origin)
2. Theism (religious belief) --> Creationism (view of origin) --> "Supernatural-ism" (philosophy)
   
3. Intelligent Design (view of origin) --> Theism (religious belief) --> "Supernatural-ism" (philosophy)

Notice that materialism has atheism as its foundation (or precursor) - truly, they are synonymous. This logically leads to Darwinism, or the view that mankind has descended from a common ancestor, via natural selection and genetic mutation. With #2, the religious belief of theism necessitates creationism as the view of origin. This, in turn, leads to the belief or "philosophy" that God supernaturally works in the world. With Intelligent Design theory (#3), notice how it is one's view and study of mankind's origin that implies or leads to a belief in God. And, as with #2, "supernatural-ism" logically follows from there. This is truly a scientific argument, because it is the study of the data that has created the conclusion. There is no religious belief or philosophy (or metaphysical presumption) that is necessitating a certain view of the origin of mankind.

Check back for further posts on Intelligent Design theory and how beneficial it can be for "Level 1" discussion - for the purpose of converting someone to theism.

The Depth Chart

Before reading below, I recommend you read my post - What is the Faith Pyramid?

When it comes to being able to proclaim a truth (or even an opinion), I believe there are varying stages of "understanding" as illustrated below. (Note: The "stages" are superior as they descend, because this chart is meant to connote "depth" of understanding). 

1. BELIEF [or assertion]

("I believe that Jesus rose from the dead.")

2. REASONS for belief

("I believe that Jesus rose from the dead, because of A, B, & C")

3. EXPLANATION of reasons

("I can explain A, B, & C")

4. DEFENSE of reasons

("I can defend A, B, & C")

For the sake of an evangelistic/apologetics encounter, it's important for a Christian to achieve the deepest stage of understanding and, therefore, a sound proclamation of truth. There are far too many Christians who possess only a first or second stage of understanding in many of their beliefs. A true Christian worldview is developed only at the bottom half of the chart. How deep are you?